2 Samuel 19
1 Someone told Joab that the king was crying and mourning because Absalom had died.
And it is declared to Joab, 'Lo, the king is weeping and mourning 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 salvation on that day becometh mourning to all the people, for the people hath heard on that day, saying, 'The king hath been 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 stealeth away, on that day, to go in to the city, as the people steal away, who are ashamed, in their 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 hath covered his face, yea, the king crieth — 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 cometh in unto the king to the house, and saith, 'Thou hast put to shame to-day the faces of all thy servants, those delivering thy life to-day, and the life of thy sons, and of thy daughters, and the life of thy wives, and the life 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.
to love thine enemies, and to hate those loving thee, for thou hast declared to-day that thou hast no princes and servants, for I have known to-day that if Absalom [were] alive, and all of us to-day dead, that then it were 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.”
'And now, rise, go out and speak unto the heart of thy servants, for by Jehovah I have sworn, that — thou art not going out — there doth not lodge a man with thee to-night; and this [is] worse for thee than all the evil that hath come upon thee from thy youth till 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.
And the king riseth, and sitteth in the gate, and to all the people they have declared, saying, 'Lo, the king is sitting in the gate;' and all the people come in before the king, and Israel hath fled, each to his tents.
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 it cometh to pass, all the people are contending through all the tribes of Israel, saying, 'The king delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, yea, he himself delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines, and now he hath 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 — to bring back 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 unto Zadok and unto Abiathar the priests, saying, 'Speak ye unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye last to bring back the king unto his house? (and the word of all Israel hath come unto the king, unto 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]’”
my brethren ye [are], my bone and my flesh ye [are], and why are ye 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 to Amasa say ye, Art not thou my bone and my flesh? Thus doth God do to me, and thus He doth add, if thou art not head of the host before me all the days 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 inclineth the heart of all the men of Judah as one man, and they send unto the king, 'Turn back, 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 turneth back, and cometh in unto the Jordan, and Judah hath come to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to bring 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 son of Gera, the Benjamite, who [is] from Bahurim, hasteth, and cometh 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 a thousand men [are] with him from Benjamin, and Ziba servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him, and they have gone prosperously over 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 passed over hath the ferry-boat to carry over the household of the king, and to do that which [is] good in his eyes, and Shimei son of Gera hath fallen before the king in his passing over into 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 saith unto the king, 'Let not my lord impute to me iniquity; neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely in the day that my lord the king went out from Jerusalem, — for the king to set [it] unto his 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 hath known that I have sinned; and lo, I have come to-day, first 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 son of Zeruiah answereth and saith, 'For this is not Shimei put to death — because he reviled the anointed of Jehovah?'
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 saith, 'What — to me and to you, O sons of Zeruiah, that ye are to me to-day for an adversary? to-day is any man put to death in Israel? for have I not known that to-day I [am] king over Israel?'
23 Then the king said to Shimei, “I solemnly promise that I will not execute you.”
And the king saith unto Shimei, 'Thou dost not die;' and the king sweareth 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 son of Saul hath come down to meet the king — and he prepared not his feet, nor did he prepare his upper lip, yea, his garments he washed not, even from the day of the going away of the king, till the day that he came 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 cometh to pass, when he hath come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king saith 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 saith, 'My lord, O king, my servant deceived me, for thy servant said, I saddle for me the ass, and ride on it, 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 uttereth slander against thy servant unto my lord the king, and my lord the king [is] as a messenger of God; and do thou that which is good in thine 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 have been nothing except men of death before my lord the king, and thou dost set thy servant among those eating at thy table, and what right have I any more — even to cry any more unto 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 saith to him, 'Why dost thou speak any more of thy matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba — share ye the field.'
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 saith unto the king, 'Yea, the whole let him take, after that my lord the king hath come in peace unto 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 Barzillai the Gileadite hath gone down from Rogelim, and passeth over the Jordan with the king, to send him away 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 [is] very aged, a son of eighty years, and he hath sustained the king in his abiding in Mahanaim, for he [is] 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 saith unto Barzillai, 'Pass thou over with me, and I have sustained 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 saith unto the king, 'How many [are] the days of the years of my life, that I 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]
A son of eighty years I [am] to-day; do I know between good and evil? doth thy servant taste that which I am eating, and that which I drink? do I hearken any more to the voice of singers and songstresses? and why is thy servant any more for a burden unto 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].
As a little thing, thy servant doth pass over the Jordan with the king, and why doth the king recompense 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 thee, thy servant turn back again, and I die in mine own city, near the burying-place of my father and of my mother, — and lo, thy servant Chimham, let him pass over with my lord the king, and do thou to him that which [is] good in thine 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 saith, 'With me doth Chimham go over, and I do to him that which [is] good in thine eyes, yea, all that thou dost fix on me I do to 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 pass over the Jordan, and the king hath passed over, and the king giveth a kiss to Barzillai, and blesseth him, and he turneth back 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 passeth over to Gilgal, and Chimham hath passed over with him, and all the people of Judah, and they bring over the king, and also the half of 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, lo, all the men of Israel are coming unto the king, and they say unto the king, 'Wherefore have they stolen thee — our brethren, the men of Judah?' (and they bring the king and his household over the 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 Judah answer against the men of Israel, 'Because the king [is] near unto us, and why [is] this — ye are displeased about this matter? have we at all eaten of the king's [substance?] a gift hath he lifted up to us?'
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 answer the men of Judah, and say, 'Ten parts we have in the king, and also in David more than you; and wherefore have ye lightly esteemed us, that our word hath not been first to bring back our king?' And the word of the men of Judah is sharper than the word of the men of Israel.
