2 Samuel 19

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

Joab was told, “Look, the king is weeping and mourning 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.'

So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the army, for the army heard it said that day, “The king is mourning 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;

The soldiers had to sneak quietly into the city that day, like people who are ashamed sneak away when they run from 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 cried in a loud voice, “My son Absalom, Absalom, my son, 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 entered into the house to the king and said to him, “You have shamed the faces of all your soldiers today, who have saved your life today, and the lives of your sons and of your daughters, and the lives of your wives, and the lives of your slave 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.

because you love those who hate you, and you hate those who love you. For today you have shown that commanders and soldiers are nothing to you. Today I believe that if Absalom had lived, and we all had died, then that would have pleased you.

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 and go out and speak kindly to your soldiers, for I swear by Yahweh, if you do not go, not one man will remain with you tonight. That would be worse for you than all the disasters that have ever 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 in the city gate, and all the people were told, “Look, the king is sitting in the gate,” and all the people came before the king. So Israel fled, every man to his home.

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 arguing with each other throughout all the tribes of Israel saying, “The king rescued us out of the hand of our enemies, and he saved us out of the hand of the Philistines, but now he has run out of the land because of Absalom.

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

Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?”

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; )

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, since the talk of all Israel favors the king, to bring him 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, my flesh and bone. 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.'

Then say to Amasa, 'Are you not my flesh and my bone? God do so to me, and more also, if you are not captain of my army from now on in the 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.'

So he won the hearts of all the men of Judah as one man. They sent to the king saying, “Return, you and all your men.”

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. Now the men of Judah came to Gilgal to go to meet the king and then 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,

Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite, who was from Bahurim, hurried 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.

There were one thousand men from Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of Saul, and his fifteen sons and twenty servants with him. They crossed through the Jordan in the presence 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,

They crossed to bring over the king's family and to do whatever he thought good. Shimei son of Gera bowed down before the king just before he began to cross 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;

Shimei said to the king, “Do not, my master, find me guilty or call to mind the wrong your servant did the day my master the king left Jerusalem. Please, may the king not take it to heart.

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. See, that is why I have come today as the first from all the family of Joseph to come down to meet my master 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 son of Zeruiah answered and said, “Should not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed Yahweh'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?'

Then David said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should today be adversaries to me? Will any man be put to death today in Israel? For do I not know that today I am king over Israel?”

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

So the king said to Shimei, “You will not die.” So the king promised him with an 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 —

Then Mephibosheth son of Saul came down to meet the king. He had not dressed his feet, or trimmed his beard, or washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he came home in peace.

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?'

So when he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?”

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;

He answered, “My master the king, my servant deceived me, for I said, 'I will saddle a donkey so I may ride on it and go with the king, because 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,

My servant Ziba has slandered me, your servant, to my master the king. But my master the king is like an angel of God. Therefore, do what is good in your eyes.

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 all my father's house were dead men before my master the king, but you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. What right therefore have I that I should still cry any more 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.'

Then the king said to him, “Why explain anything further? I have decided that you and Ziba will divide the fields.”

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.'

So Mephibosheth replied to the king, “Yes, let him take it all, since my master the king has come safely to his own 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;

Then Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim to cross over the Jordan with the king, and he accompanied the king over 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. He had furnished the king with provisions while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very wealthy man.

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

The king said to Barzillai, “Come over with me, and I will provide for you to stay with me in Jerusalem.”

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?

Barzillai replied to the king, “How many days are left in the years of my life, 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 eighty years old. Can I distinguish between good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be a burden to my master 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 would like to just go over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king repay me with such a reward?

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 back home, so I may die in my own city by the grave of my father and my mother. But see, here is your servant Kimham. Let him cross over with my master 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.'

The king answered, “Kimham will go over with me, and I will do for him what seems good to you, and whatever you desire from me, I do that 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.

Then all the people crossed the Jordan, and the king crossed over, and the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him. Then Barzillai returned to his own home.

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 crossed over to Gilgal, and Kimham crossed over with him. All the army of Judah brought the king over, and also half the army 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).

Soon all the men of Israel began to come to the king and say to the king, “Why have our brothers, the men of Judah, stolen you away and brought the king and his family 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?'

So the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “It is because the king is more closely related to us. Why then are you angry about this? Have we eaten anything that the king had to pay for? Has he given us any gifts?”

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.

The men of Israel answered the men of Judah, “We have ten tribes related to the king, so we have even more right to David than you. Why then did you despise us? Was not our proposal to bring back our king the first to be heard?” But the words of the men of Judah were even more harsh than the words of the men of Israel.