2 Samuel 19

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

And they brought Joab word, saying, Behold, the king weeps and mourns for Abessalom.

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 was turned that day into mourning to all the people, for the people heard say that day, The king grieves after 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 to go into the city, as people steal away when they are ashamed as they flee in the 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 hid his face: and the king cried with a loud voice, My son Abessalom! Abessalom 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 went in to the king, into the house, and said, You have this day shamed the faces of all your servants that have delivered you this day, and [have saved] the lives of your sons and of your daughters, and the lives of your wives, and of your 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.

forasmuch as you love them that hate you, and hate them that love you; and you have this day declared, that your princes and your servants are nothing [in your sight]: for I know this day, that if Abessalom were alive, [and] all of us dead today, then it would have been right in your sight.

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.”

And now arise, and go forth, and speak comfortably to your servants; for I have sworn by the Lord, that unless you will go forth today, there shall not a man remain with you this night: and know for yourself, this thing [will] indeed [be] evil to you beyond all the evil that has come upon you from your 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 all the people reported, saying, Behold, the king sits in the gate. And all the people went in before the king to the gate; for 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 disputed among all the tribes of Israel, saying, King David delivered us from all our enemies, and he rescued us from the hand of the Philistines: and now he has fled from the land, and from his kingdom, and from Abessalom.

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 Abessalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle: and now why are you silent about bringing back the king? And the word of all Israel came to the king.

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 Sadoc and Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak to the elders of Israel, saying, Why are you the last to bring back the king to his house? whereas the word 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]’”

You [are] my brethren, you [are] my bones and my flesh: why are you the last to bring back the king to his house?

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 you shall say to Amessai, [Are] you not my bone and my flesh? and now God do so to me, and more also, if you shall not be commander of the host before me continually in the room 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 Juda as that of one man; and they sent to the king, saying, Return you, and all your 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 Jordan. And the men of Juda came to Galgala on their way to meet the king, to cause the king to pass over 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 Semei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, of Baurim, hasted and went down with the men of Juda 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 a thousand men of Benjamin [were] with him, and Siba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons with him, and his twenty servants with him: and they went directly down to 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 they performed the service of bringing the king over; and there went over a ferry-boat to remove the household of the king, and to do that which was right in his eyes. And Semei the son of Gera fell on his face before the king, as he went over 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 said to the king, Let not my lord now impute iniquity, and remember not all the iniquity of your servant in the day in which my lord went out from Jerusalem, so that the king should mind it.

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 your servant knows that I have sinned: and, behold, I am come today before all Israel and the house of Joseph, to go down and 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 Abessai the son of Saruia answered and said, Shall not Semei therefore be put to death, because he cursed the Lord'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, you sons of Saruia, that you as it were lie in wait against me this day? today no man in Israel shall be put to death, for I know not if I this day reign over Israel.

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

And the king said to Semei, You shall 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 Memphibosthe the son of Saul's son went down to meet the king, and had not dressed his feet, nor pared his nails, nor shaved himself, neither had he washed his garments, from the day that the king departed, until the day when he arrived 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 it came to pass when he went into Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, Why did you not go with me, Memphibosthe?

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 Memphibosthe said to him, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me; for your servant said to him, Saddle me the ass, and I will ride upon it, and go with the king; for your 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 dealt deceitfully with your servant to my lord the king: but my lord the king [is] as an angel of God, and do you that which is good in your eyes.

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 the house of my father were but as dead men before my lord the king; yet you have set your servant among them that eat at your table: and what right have I any longer even to cry 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 speak you any longer of your matters? I have said, You and Siba shall 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 Memphibosthe said to the king, Yes, let him take all, since my lord the king has come in peace to his 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 Berzelli the Galaadite came down from Rogellim, and crossed over Jordan with the king, that he might conduct the king over 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 Berzelli was a very old man, eighty years old; and he had maintained the king when he lived in Manaim; 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 Berzelli, You shall go over with me, and I will nourish your old age 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 Berzelli 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 then distinguish between good and evil? Can your servant taste any longer what I eat or drink? can I any longer hear the voice of singing men or singing women? and therefore shall your servant any longer be 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].

Your servant will go a little way over Jordan with the king: and why does the king return me this recompense?

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, I pray you, your servant remain, and I will die in my city, by the tomb of my father and of my mother. And, behold, your servant Chamaam shall go over with my lord the king; and do you to him as it seems good in your eyes.

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, Let Chamaam go over with me, and I will do to him what is good in my sight; and whatever you shall choose at my hand, I will do for you.

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 Jordan, and the king went over; and the king kissed Berzelli, and blessed him; and he returned to his 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 over to Galgala, and Chamaam went over with him: and all the men of Juda went over with 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 Juda stolen you away, and caused the king and all his house to pass over Jordan, and all the men of David with him?

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 Juda answered the men of Israel, and said, Because the king is near of kin to us: and why were you thus angry concerning this matter? have we indeed eaten of the king's food? or has he given us a gift, or has he sent us a portion?

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 Juda, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we are older than you, we have also an interest in David above you: and why have you thus insulted us, and why was not our advice taken before that of Juda, to bring back our king? And the speech of the men of Juda was sharper than the speech of the men of Israel.