2 Samuel 19

1 Someone told Joab that the king was crying and mourning because Absalom had died.

And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weeps and mourns for Absalom.

2 All of David’s soldiers became sad. Instead of rejoicing about defeating [the soldiers who had fought with Absalom], they were sad because they heard that the king was mourning because Absalom [was dead].

And the victory that day was [turned] into mourning for all the people; for the people heard say that day, The king is grieved for his son.

3 The soldiers returned to the city quietly, like [SIM] soldiers do when they are ashamed because they ran away from battle.

And the people stole away that day into the city, as people steal away when ashamed of fleeing in battle.

4 The king covered his face [with his hands] and kept crying loudly, “O, my son Absalom! O, Absalom, my son! My son!”

And the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, My son Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!

5 Then Joab entered the room where the king was, and said to the king, “Today you have caused your soldiers to be ashamed! You have humiliated the men who saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters and your ordinary wives and your slave wives!

And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast put to shame this day the faces of all thy servants who have this day saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives and the lives of thy concubines;

6 [It seems that] you love those who hate you and [that] you hate those who love you. You have caused it to be clear today that your commanders and your officers are not at all important to you. I think that if Absalom were still alive and we were all dead today, you would be happy.

in that thou lovest them that hate thee, and hatest those that love thee. For thou hast declared this day, that neither princes nor servants are anything to thee: for to-day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died to-day, then it would have been right in thine eyes.

7 So, now go and thank your soldiers [for what they did]. Because I solemnly declare that if you do not do that, none of them will still be with you by tomorrow morning and that would be worse [for you] than all the disasters/troubles that you have experienced since you were a boy.”

But now arise, go forth, and speak consolingly to thy servants; for I swear by Jehovah, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one with thee this night; and that would be worse to thee than all the evil that has befallen thee from thy youth until now.

8 So the king got up and went and sat near the city gate. And all the people were told, “Hey, the king is sitting at the gate!” So they all came and gathered around him. Meanwhile, all the Israeli troops [who had been with Absalom] had returned to their homes.

Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told all the people, saying, Behold, the king is sitting in the gate. And all the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled every man to his tent.

9 Then all the people throughout the tribes of Israel started to quarrel among themselves. They said to each other, “King David rescued us from the people of Philistia and from our other enemies. But now he has fled from Absalom and left Israel!

And all the people were at strife throughout the tribes of Israel, saying, The king delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, and he saved us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled out of the land because of Absalom.

10 We appointed [MTY] Absalom to be our king, but he died in the battle [against David’s soldiers]. So (why does someone not try to bring King David back?/surely someone should try to bring King David back.)” [RHQ]

And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle; and now why are ye silent as to bringing the king back?

11 King David [found out what the people were saying. So he] sent the two priests, Zadok and Abiathar, to say to the leaders of Judah, “The king says that he has heard that all the Israeli people [want him to be king again]. And he says, ‘(Why should you be the last ones to bring me back to my palace?/It is not right that you be the last ones to bring me back to my palace.) [RHQ]

And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak to the elders of Judah saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, to his house.

12 You are my relatives; we have the same ancestor [IDM]. So (why should you be the last ones to bring me back?/you should certainly not be the last ones to bring me back.) [RHQ]’”

Ye are my brethren, ye are my bone and my flesh; and why will ye be the last to bring back the king?

13 And say to Amasa, “You are one of my relatives. I hope/desire that God strike me dead [IDM] if I do not appoint you to be, from now on, the commander of my army instead of Joab.”

And say to Amasa, Art thou not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually instead of Joab.

14 [By sending that message to them, ] David convinced all the people of Judah [IDM] [that they should (be loyal to him/accept him as their king]). So they sent a message to the king, saying “We want you and all your officials to return here.”

And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah as of one man; and they sent to the king, Return, thou and all thy servants.

15 So the king [and his officials started back toward Jerusalem]. When they reached the Jordan [River], the people of Judah came there to Gilgal to meet the king, and to bring him across the river.

And the king returned and came as far as the Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over the Jordan.

16 Shimei, the man from the tribe of Benjamin, also came down quickly [to the river] with the people of Judah to meet King David.

And Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, who was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.

17 There were 1,000 men from the tribe of Benjamin who came with him. And Ziba, who had been the servant of Saul, also hurried down to the Jordan [River], bringing 20 of his servants with him. They all came to the king,

And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they forded the Jordan before the king.

18 and then they all [prepared to] take the king and all his family across the river, at the place where they could walk across it. They wanted to do whatever the king wanted them to do. As the king was about to cross the river, Shimei came to him and prostrated himself in front of the king.

And a ferry boat passed to and fro to carry over the king's household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king as he was [just] crossing over the Jordan.

19 He said to the king, “Your Majesty, please forgive me. Please do not keep thinking about the terrible thing that I did on the day that you left Jerusalem. Do not think about it any more.

And he said to the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity to me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to heart.

20 Because I know that I have sinned. Look, I have come today, the first one from the northern tribes to come here to greet you today, Your Majesty.”

For thy servant knows that I have sinned; and behold, I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.

21 But Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, said, “He cursed the one that Yahweh appointed [MTY] to be the king! So (should he not be executed for doing that?/he certainly should be executed for doing that.)” [RHQ]

And Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Should not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed Jehovah's anointed?

22 But David said, “You sons of Zeruiah, what am I going to do with you? (OR, you are not the ones who should decide [what to do to him]). [It is as though] you have become my enemies today. I know that I am the one who has now become the king of Israel, [so I say that] certainly no one [RHQ] in Israel should be executed today.”

And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries to me? Should there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel?

23 Then the king said to Shimei, “I solemnly promise that I will not execute you.”

And the king said to Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king swore to him.

24 Then Miphibosheth, Saul’s grandson, came down [to the river] to greet the king. He had not washed his feet or trimmed his beard or washed his clothes, from the time that the king left Jerusalem until the day that he returned.

And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king. Now he had neither washed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came [again] in peace.

25 When he arrived from Jerusalem to greet the king, the king said to him, “Mephibosheth, why did you not go with me?”

And as soon as Jerusalem came to meet the king, the king said to him, Why didst thou not go with me, Mephibosheth?

26 He replied, “Your Majesty, [you know that] I am crippled. [When I heard that you were leaving Jerusalem, ] I said to my servant [Ziba], ‘Put a saddle on my donkey in order that I can ride on it and go with the king.’ But he deceived me [and left without me].

And he said, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me; for thy servant said, I will saddle me the ass, and ride thereon, and go with the king; for thy servant is lame.

27 And he lied to you about me. But, Your Majesty, you are [as wise] as God’s angel. So do whatever seems right to you.

And he has slandered thy servant to my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God; do therefore what is good in thy sight.

28 All of my grandfather’s family expected/deserved that we would be executed. But [you did not execute me; ] you allowed me to eat food with you at your table! So I certainly do not have [RHQ] the right to request you for anything more.”

For all my father's house were but dead men before my lord the king; and thou didst set thy servant among them that eat at thine own table. What further right therefore have I? and for what should I cry any more to the king?

29 The king replied, “You certainly do not need to say any more. I have decided that you and Ziba will divide [equally] the land [that belonged to your grandfather Saul].”

And the king said to him, Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba divide the land.

30 Mephibosheth replied to the king, “Your Majesty, [I am content that] you have returned safely. So allow him to take all the land.”

And Mephibosheth said to the king, Let him even take all, since my lord the king is come again in peace to his own house.

31 Barzillai, the man from [the] Gilead [region], had come down to the Jordan [River] from [his town of] Rogelim, to escort the king across the river.

And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim, and went over the Jordan with the king, to conduct him over the Jordan.

32 Barzillai was a very old man, 80 years old. He was a very wealthy man, and he had provided food for the king [and his soldiers] while they were at Mahanaim.

And Barzillai was very aged, eighty years old; and it was he that had maintained the king while he abode at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man.

33 The king said to Barzillai, “Come with me to Jerusalem, and I will take care of you.”

And the king said to Barzillai, Pass thou over with me, and I will maintain thee with me in Jerusalem.

34 But Barzillai replied, “I certainly do not have [RHQ] many more years to live. So (why should I go with you to Jerusalem?/there is certainly no reason for me to go with you to Jerusalem.) [RHQ]

And Barzillai said to the king, How many are the days of the years of my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?

35 I am now 80 years old. I do not [RHQ] know what is enjoyable and what is not enjoyable. I cannot [RHQ] enjoy what I eat and what I drink. I cannot [RHQ] hear the voices of men and women as they sing. So (why should I be another burden to you?/I do not want to be another burden to you.) [RHQ]

I am this day eighty years old: can I discern between good and bad? can thy servant taste what I eat and what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? and why should thy servant be yet a burden to my lord the king?

36 I will cross the Jordan [River] with you and go a little further, and that will be all the reward that I need [for helping you].

Thy servant will go a little way over the Jordan with the king; and why should the king recompense it to me with this reward?

37 Then please allow me to return to my home, because that is where I want to die, near my parents’ grave. But here is [my son] Chimham. Your Majesty, allow him to go with you [and serve you], and do for him whatever seems good to you!”

Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own city, by the grave of my father and of my mother. But behold thy servant Chimham: let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what seems good to thee.

38 The king replied, “Okay, he will cross [the river] with me, and I will do for him whatever seems good to you. And I will do for you whatever you want me to do.”

And the king said, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which seems good to thee; and whatsoever thou shalt require of me, that will I do for thee.

39 Then King David and all the others crossed the Jordan [River]. He kissed Barzillai and [asked God to] bless him. Then Barzillai returned to his home.

And all the people went over the Jordan; and the king went over; and the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned to his own place.

40 [After they crossed the river, ] Chimham went with the king, and all the army of Judah and half the army of the other Israeli tribes escorted/accompanied the king to Gilgal.

And the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him; and all the people of Judah conducted the king, and also half the people of Israel.

41 Then all the soldiers from the other Israeli tribes came to the king and said, “(Why is it that our relatives, the men from Judah, took you away from us and wanted to be the only ones to escort you and your family across the river, along with all your men?/It is not right that our relatives, the men from Judah, took you away from us and wanted to be the only ones to escort you and your family across the river, along with all your men.) [RHQ] [Why did you not request us to do that]?” [RHQ]

And behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said to the king, Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away, and have brought the king, and his household, and all David's men with him, over the Jordan?

42 The soldiers from Judah replied, “We did it because the king is from Judah. So (why are you angry about that?/you should not be angry about that.) [RHQ] The king has never paid for our food, and he has never given us any gifts.”

And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to me; and why then are ye angry for this matter? have we eaten anything which came from the king, or has he given us any present?

43 The men of the other Israeli tribes replied, “[There are ten tribes in Israel, and only one in Judah. So] it is ten times more right for us to say that David [is our king] than it is for you to say that. So why are you despising us [RHQ]? We were certainly [RHQ] the first ones to talk about bringing David back [to Jerusalem to be our king again].” But the men of Judah spoke more harshly than the men from the other tribes of Israel did.

And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah and said, I have ten parts in the king and I have also more right in David than thou; and why didst thou slight me? and was not my advice the first, to bring back my king? And the words of the men of Judah were harsher than the words of the men of Israel.