2 Samuel 19

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

Joab was told, “Behold, 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 among 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;

The people sneaked into the city that day, as people who are ashamed steal away when they flee 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 the king cried with 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,

Joab came into the house to the king, and said, “Today you have shamed the faces of all your servants who today have saved your life, and the lives of your sons and of your daughters, and the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines;

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.

in that you love those who hate you and hate those who love you. For you have declared today that princes and servants are nothing to you. For today I perceive that if Absalom had lived and we had all died today, then it would have pleased you well.

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 arise, go out and speak to comfort your servants; for I swear by Yahweh, if you don’t go out, not a man will stay with you this night. That would be worse to 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.

Then the king arose and sat in the gate. The people were all told, “Behold, the king is sitting in the gate.” All the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled every 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; and now he has fled out of the land from 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, is dead in battle. Now therefore why don’t you speak a word of 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 house, since the speech of all Israel has come to the king, to return him to his house?

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.'

Say to Amasa, ‘Aren’t you my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you aren’t captain of the army before me continually instead 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.'

He bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as one man, so that they sent to the king, saying, “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. Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to bring the king over 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 the son of Gera, the Benjamite, who was of 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.

There were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of Saul’s house, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went 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,

A ferry boat went to bring over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good. Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king when he had come over 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;

He said to the king, “Don’t let my lord impute iniquity to me, or remember that which your servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his 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. Therefore behold, I have come today as the first of all the house of Joseph to go 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 answered, “Shouldn’t 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?'

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

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

The king said to Shimei, “You will not die.” The king swore to him.

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 —

Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king; and he had neither groomed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed 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?'

When he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, “Why didn’t you 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 lord, O king, my servant deceived me. For your servant said, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself, that 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,

He has slandered your servant to my lord the king, but my lord the king is as 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 but dead men before my lord the king; yet you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. What right therefore have I yet that I should appeal 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.'

The king said to him, “Why do you speak any more of your matters? I say, you and Ziba divide the land.”

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.'

Mephibosheth said to the king, “Yes, let him take all, because my lord the king has come in peace to his own house.”

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;

Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim; and he went over the Jordan with the king to conduct him 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 aged man, even eighty years old. He had provided the king with sustenance while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very great 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 sustain you 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 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 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, today. Can I discern between good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear the voice of singing men and singing women any more? Why then should your servant be a 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 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 turn back again, that I may die in my own city, by the grave of my father and my mother. But behold, your servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem 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, “Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good to you. Whatever you request of me, that 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 went over the Jordan, and the king went over. 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 Chimham 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).

Behold, 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?'

All 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? Or has he given us any gift?”

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, and said, “We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more claim to David than you. Why then did you despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king?” The words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.