2 Samuel 19

1 Le dijeron a Joab: “He aquí que el rey llora y se lamenta por Absalón”.

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

2 La victoria de ese día se convirtió en luto en todo el pueblo, pues el pueblo oyó decir ese día: “El rey llora por su hijo.”

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].

3 Aquel día el pueblo se escabulló en la ciudad, como se escabulle la gente avergonzada cuando huye en la batalla.

The soldiers returned to the city quietly, like [SIM] soldiers do when they are ashamed because they ran away from battle.

4 El rey se cubrió el rostro, y el rey gritó en voz alta: “¡Hijo mío Absalón, Absalón, hijo mío, hijo mío!”

The king covered his face [with his hands] and kept crying loudly, “O, my son Absalom! O, Absalom, my son! My son!”

5 Joab entró en la casa del rey y le dijo: “Hoy has avergonzado los rostros de todos tus siervos que hoy han salvado tu vida, la de tus hijos y la de tus hijas, la de tus esposas y la de tus concubinas;

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!

6 porque amas a los que te odian y odias a los que te aman. Porque hoy has declarado que los príncipes y los siervos no son nada para ti. Pues hoy percibo que si Absalón hubiera vivido y todos nosotros hubiéramos muerto hoy, entonces te habría complacido.

[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.

7 Ahora, pues, levántate, sal y habla para consolar a tus siervos; porque te juro por Yahvé que si no sales, ni un solo hombre se quedará contigo esta noche. Eso sería peor para ti que todo el mal que te ha ocurrido desde tu juventud hasta ahora”.

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.”

8 Entonces el rey se levantó y se sentó en la puerta. A todo el pueblo se le dijo: “He aquí que el rey está sentado en la puerta”. Todo el pueblo se presentó ante el rey. Israel había huido cada uno a su tienda.

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.

9 Todo el pueblo estaba en lucha por todas las tribus de Israel, diciendo: “El rey nos libró de la mano de nuestros enemigos, y nos salvó de la mano de los filisteos; y ahora ha huido del país de Absalón.

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!

10 Absalón, a quien ungimos sobre nosotros, ha muerto en la batalla. Ahora, pues, ¿por qué no dices una palabra para hacer volver al rey?”

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]

11 El rey David envió a los sacerdotes Sadoc y Abiatar, diciendo: “Hablad a los ancianos de Judá, diciendo: “¿Por qué sois los últimos en hacer volver al rey a su casa, ya que el discurso de todo Israel ha llegado al rey, para hacerlo volver a su casa?

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]

12 Ustedes son mis hermanos. Sois mi hueso y mi carne. ¿Por qué, pues, sois los últimos en hacer volver al rey?’

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]’”

13 Di a Amasa: ‘¿No eres tú mi hueso y mi carne? Que Dios me lo haga, y más aún, si no eres tú el capitán del ejército delante de mí continuamente en lugar de Joab’”.

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.”

14 El corazón de todos los hombres de Judá se inclinó como un solo hombre, de modo que enviaron al rey diciendo: “Vuelve tú y todos tus servidores.”

[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.”

15 El rey regresó y llegó al Jordán. Judá vino a Gilgal, para ir al encuentro del rey, para hacer pasar al rey al otro lado del Jordán.

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.

16 Simei hijo de Gera, el benjamita, que era de Bahurim, se apresuró a bajar con los hombres de Judá a recibir al rey David.

Shimei, the man from the tribe of Benjamin, also came down quickly [to the river] with the people of Judah to meet King David.

17 Lo acompañaban mil hombres de Benjamín, y Siba, siervo de la casa de Saúl, con sus quince hijos y sus veinte siervos; y pasaron el Jordán en presencia del rey.

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,

18 Una barca fue a pasar la casa del rey, y a hacer lo que le pareciera bien. Simei, hijo de Gera, se postró ante el rey cuando hubo pasado el Jordán.

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.

19 Le dijo al rey: “No permita mi señor que me impute iniquidad, ni recuerde lo que su siervo hizo perversamente el día en que mi señor el rey salió de Jerusalén, para que el rey lo tome en cuenta.

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.

20 Porque tu siervo sabe que he pecado. Por eso, he venido hoy como el primero de toda la casa de José para bajar a recibir a mi señor el rey.”

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.”

21 Pero Abisai, hijo de Sarvia, respondió: “¿No debería morir Simei por esto, por haber maldecido al ungido de Yahvé?”

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]

22 David dijo: “¿Qué tengo que hacer con vosotros, hijos de Sarvia, para que seáis hoy adversarios míos? ¿Habrá que matar hoy a alguien en Israel? ¿Acaso no sé que hoy soy rey de Israel?”

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.”

23 El rey dijo a Simei: “No morirás”. El rey le juró.

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

24 Mefiboset, hijo de Saúl, bajó a recibir al rey, y no se había aseado los pies, ni se había recortado la barba, ni se había lavado la ropa, desde el día en que el rey partió hasta el día en que volvió a casa en paz.

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.

25 Cuando llegó a Jerusalén para recibir al rey, éste le dijo: “¿Por qué no has ido conmigo, Mefiboset?”

When he arrived from Jerusalem to greet the king, the king said to him, “Mephibosheth, why did you not go with me?”

26 Él respondió: “Señor mío, oh rey, mi siervo me engañó. Porque tu siervo dijo: ‘Voy a ensillar un asno para mí, para montar en él e ir con el rey’, porque tu siervo es cojo.

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].

27 Él ha calumniado a tu siervo ante mi señor el rey, pero mi señor el rey es como un ángel de Dios. Haz, pues, lo que te parezca bien.

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.

28 Porque toda la casa de mi padre no era más que hombres muertos ante mi señor el rey; sin embargo, tú pusiste a tu siervo entre los que comían a tu mesa. ¿Qué derecho, pues, tengo todavía para apelar más al rey?”

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.”

29 El rey le dijo: “¿Por qué hablas más de tus asuntos? Yo digo que tú y Siba se repartan la tierra”.

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].”

30 Mefiboset dijo al rey: “Sí, que se lo lleve todo, porque mi señor el rey ha venido en paz a su casa”.

Mephibosheth replied to the king, “Your Majesty, [I am content that] you have returned safely. So allow him to take all the land.”

31 Barzilai, el Galaadita, descendió de Rogelim, y pasó el Jordán con el rey para conducirlo al otro lado del Jordán.

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.

32 Barzilai era un hombre muy anciano, de ochenta años. Él le había proporcionado el sustento al rey mientras estuvo en Mahanaim, pues era un hombre muy grande.

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.

33 El rey le dijo a Barzilai: “Pasa conmigo, y te mantendré conmigo en Jerusalén”.

The king said to Barzillai, “Come with me to Jerusalem, and I will take care of you.”

34 Barzilai dijo al rey: “¿Cuántos son los días de los años de mi vida, para que suba con el rey a Jerusalén?

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]

35 Hoy tengo ochenta años. ¿Puedo discernir entre lo bueno y lo malo? ¿Puede tu siervo probar lo que como o lo que bebo? ¿Acaso puedo oír ya la voz de los hombres que cantan y de las mujeres que cantan? ¿Por qué entonces tu siervo ha de ser una carga para mi señor el rey?

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]

36 Tu siervo sólo pasará el Jordán con el rey. ¿Por qué ha de pagarme el rey con semejante recompensa?

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].

37 Por favor, deja que tu siervo regrese, para que yo muera en mi ciudad, junto a la tumba de mi padre y de mi madre. Pero he aquí a tu siervo Quimam; déjalo pasar con mi señor el rey; y haz con él lo que te parezca bien.”

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!”

38 El rey respondió: “Chimham irá conmigo, y yo haré con él lo que te parezca bien. Todo lo que me pidas, eso haré por ti”.

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.”

39 Todo el pueblo pasó el Jordán, y el rey también. Entonces el rey besó a Barzilai y lo bendijo, y se volvió a su lugar.

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.

40 Entonces el rey pasó a Gilgal, y Quimam pasó con él. Todo el pueblo de Judá hizo pasar al rey, y también la mitad del pueblo de Israel.

[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.

41 He aquí que todos los hombres de Israel vinieron al rey y le dijeron: “¿Por qué nuestros hermanos, los hombres de Judá, te han robado y han hecho pasar el Jordán al rey y a su familia, y a todos los hombres de David con él?”

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]

42 Todos los hombres de Judá respondieron a los de Israel: “Porque el rey es un pariente cercano a nosotros. ¿Por qué, pues, os enfadáis por este asunto? ¿Acaso hemos comido a costa del rey? ¿O nos ha dado él algún regalo?”

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.”

43 Los hombres de Israel respondieron a los de Judá y dijeron: “Nosotros tenemos diez partes en el rey, y también tenemos más derecho a David que ustedes. ¿Por qué, pues, nos habéis despreciado, para que nuestro consejo no sea el primero en hacer volver a nuestro rey?” Las palabras de los hombres de Judá fueron más feroces que las de los hombres de Israel.

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.