2 Samuel 19

1 And it is declared to Joab, 'Lo, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom;'

It was told Joab, "Look, the king weeps and mourns for Absalom."

2 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.'

The victory that day was turned into mourning to all the people; for the people heard it said that day, "The king grieves for his son."

3 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;

So the people went quietly into the city that day, the way that people who are humiliated creep away when fleeing in battle.

4 and the king hath covered his face, yea, the king crieth — a loud voice — 'My son Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son.'

The king covered his face, and he cried with a loud voice, "My son Absalom, Absalom, my son."

5 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,

Then Joab went into the house to the king, and said, "Today you have humiliated the faces of all your servants, who have this day saved your life and the lives of your sons and of your daughters and the lives of your wives and the lives of your secondary wives;

6 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.

by loving those who hate you and hating those who love you. For you have made it clear today that commanders and servants are nothing to you. For you know that if Absalom were alive today, and all of us had died, then you would be pleased.

7 '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.'

Now therefore get up, go out and speak kindly to your servants. For I swear by Jehovah, if you do not go out, not a man will remain with you this night, and that will be worse for you than all the evil that has happened to you from your youth until now."

8 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.

So the king got up and sat at the gate. And all the people were informed, saying, "Look, the king is sitting at the gate." And all the people came before the king. Meanwhile, Israel had fled each man to his tent.

9 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,

All the people were at strife throughout all 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, but now he has fled from the land and from being over his kingdom.

10 and Absalom whom we anointed over us [is] dead in battle, and now, why are ye silent — to bring back the king?'

And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why do you not speak a word of bringing the king back?" And the talk of all Israel came to the king.

11 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; )

So king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, "Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, 'Why are you the last to bring the king back to his palace?

12 my brethren ye [are], my bone and my flesh ye [are], and why are ye last to bring back the king?

You are my brothers, you are my bone and my flesh. Why then are you the last to bring back the king?'

13 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.'

And say to Amasa, 'Aren't you my bone and my flesh? Now then, God do so to me, and more also, if you aren't commander of the army before me continually in place of Joab. '"

14 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.'

Thus the heart of all the men of Judah was inclined as one man, so that they sent a message to the king, "Return, you and all your servants."

15 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,

So the king returned and came to the Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, having come down to meet the king, to bring the king across the Jordan.

16 and Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite, who [is] from Bahurim, hasteth, and cometh down with the men of Judah, to meet king David,

And Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite who was from Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David,

17 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.

and a thousand men from Benjamin with him. But Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him, waded through the Jordan ahead of the king,

18 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,

and did the work of bringing the king across and to do whatever he wished. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, when he crossed the Jordan.

19 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;

Then he said to the king, "May my lord not consider punishment. Do not remember what your servant did wrong on the day when my lord the king left Jerusalem, so that the king should call it to mind.

20 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.'

For your servant knows that I have sinned. Therefore, look, I have come today the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king."

21 And Abishai son of Zeruiah answereth and saith, 'For this is not Shimei put to death — because he reviled the anointed of Jehovah?'

But Abishai the son of Zeruiah replied, "Should not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed Jehovah's anointed?"

22 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?'

But David replied, "What does this have to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should become my adversaries today? Should anyone be put to death in Israel today? For do you not know that today I begin to rule over Israel?"

23 And the king saith unto Shimei, 'Thou dost not die;' and the king sweareth to him.

Then the king said to Shimei, "You will not die." And the king gave him his oath.

24 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 —

Now Mippibaal son of Jonathan son of Saul came down to meet the king, and he had neither cared for his feet nor trimmed his beard nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came back safely.

25 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?'

And it happened when he came to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, "Why did you not go with me, Mippibaal?"

26 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;

So he answered, "My lord king, my servant deceived me. For your servant said to him, 'Saddle a donkey for me so that I may ride on it and go with the king,' for your servant is lame.

27 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,

And he has slandered your servant to my lord the king. But my lord the king did that which was good in my eyes, like an angel of God.

28 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?'

For though all my father's house were but men doomed to death before my lord the king, yet you placed your servant among those who eat at your table. From whom, then, could I have finer treatment?" But when he cried out to the king,

29 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.'

the king said, "Why do you multiply your words? I say: You and Ziba divide the property."

30 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.'

And Mippibaal said to the king, "Yes, let him take it all, since my lord the king has come safely home."

31 And Barzillai the Gileadite hath gone down from Rogelim, and passeth over the Jordan with the king, to send him away over the Jordan;

Now Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim, and he went with the king to conduct him from the Jordan.

32 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;

Now Barzillai was a very old man, eighty years old; and he had provided for the king while he was staying at Mahanaim, for he was a very rich man.

33 and the king saith unto Barzillai, 'Pass thou over with me, and I have sustained thee with me in Jerusalem.'

And the king said to Barzillai, "Come over with me, and I will provide for your old age in Jerusalem with me."

34 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?

But Barzillai said to the king, "How many more days would I have there, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?

35 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?

I am now eighty years old. Can I discern between good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear the voice of male and female singers? Why then should your servant be any further burden to my lord the king?

36 As a little thing, thy servant doth pass over the Jordan with the king, and why doth the king recompense me this recompense?

Your servant will cross the Jordan with the king for a short distance. Why should the king compensate me in this way?

37 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.'

Please let your servant return, so that I may die in my own city near the tomb of my father and my mother. But look, here is your servant Kimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king, and do for him what seems good to you."

38 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.'

And the king answered, "Kimham will go over with me, and I will do for him whatever I consider appropriate, and whatever you require of me I will do for you."

39 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.

All the people crossed over the Jordan, but the king remained. Then the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned to his own place.

40 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.

So the king went over to Gilgal, and Kimham went over with him. All the people of Judah brought the king over, and also half the people of Israel.

41 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).

Look, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said to the king, "Why have our brothers the men of Judah stolen you away, and brought the king, and his household, over the Jordan, and all David's men with him?"

42 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?'

The men of Judah answered the men of Israel, "Because the king is a close relative to us. Why then are you angry about this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king's cost? Has he given us a gift? Or has he brought us a portion?"

43 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.

Then the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, "We have ten shares in the king, and we are the firstborn rather than you. Why then did you treat us with contempt? Were we not the first to speak of bringing back our king?" But the comments of the men of Judah were more forceful than the comments of the men of Israel.