2Sam 19
1
And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weeps and mourns for Absalom.
2
And the victory that day was turned into mourning to all the people; for the people
heard say that day, The king grieves for his son.
3
And the people gat them by stealth that day into the city, as people that are ashamed
steal away when they flee in battle.
4
And the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom,
O Absalom, my son, my son!
5
And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, You have shamed this day the faces
of all your servants, who this day 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
in that you love them that hate you, and hate them that love you. For you have declared
this day, that princes and servants are nothing to you: for this day I perceive, that
if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased you well.
7
Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably to your servants; for I swear
by YHWH, if you go not forth, there will not tarry a man with you this night: and
that will be worse to you than all the evil that has befallen you from your youth
until now.
8
Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told to all the people, saying,
Behold, the king is sitting in the gate: and all the people came before the king.
Now Israel had fled every man to his tent.
9
And 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 is fled out of the land from Absalom.
10
And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why speak
you not a word of bringing the king back?
11
And 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? seeing
the speech of all Israel is come to the king, [to bring him] to his house.
12
You are my brethren, you are my bone and my flesh: wherefore then are you the last
to bring back the king?
13
And say you to Amasa, Art you not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more
also, if you be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab.
14
And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as [the heart of] one man; so
that they sent to the king, [saying], Return you, and all your servants.
15
So the king returned, and came to the Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet
the king, to bring the king over the Jordan.
16
And Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, who was of Bahurim, hasted and came down
with the men of Judah to meet king David.
17
And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house
of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went through
the Jordan in the presence of the king.
18
And there went over a ferry-boat to bring over the king`s household, and to do what
he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, when he was
come over the Jordan.
19
And he said to the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity to me, neither do you 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 your servant does know that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am come this day
the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.
21
But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death
for this, because he cursed YHWH`s anointed?
22
And David said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should this
day be adversaries to me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel?
for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel?
23
And the king said to Shimei, You shall not die. And the king swore to him.
24
And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king; and he had neither dressed
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 came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king
said to him, Wherefore went not you with me, Mephibosheth?
26
And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me: for your servant said, I
will saddle me an ass, that I may ride thereon, and go with the king; because your
servant is lame.
27
And he has slandered your servant to my lord the king; but my lord the king is as
an angel of God: do therefore what is good in your eyes.
28
For all my father`s house were but dead men before my lord the king; yet did you set
your servant among them that did eat at your own table. What right therefore have
I yet that I should cry any more to the king?
29
And the king said to him, Why speak you any more of your matters? I say, You and Ziba
divide the land.
30
And Mephibosheth said to the king, yea, let him take all, seeing that as my lord the
king is come in peace to his own house.
31
And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim; and he went over the Jordan with
the king, to conduct him over the Jordan.
32
Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourscore years old: and he had provided the
king with sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man.
33
And the king said to Barzillai, Come you over with me, and I will sustain you with
me in Jerusalem.
34
And 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
I am this day fourscore years old: can I discern 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? wherefore then should your servant be yet a burden to my lord the king?
36
Your servant would but just go over the Jordan with the king: and why should the king
recompense it me with such a reward?
37
Let your servant, I pray you, turn back again, that I may die in mine 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 answered, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him whom which
shall seem good to you: and whatever you shall require of me, that will I do for you.
39
And all the people went over the Jordan, and the king went over: and the king kissed
Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned to his own place.
40
So the king went over to Gilgal, and Chimham went over with him: and all the people
of Judah brought the king over, and also half the people of Israel.
41
And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said to the king, Why have
our brethren 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 answered the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin
to us: wherefore then are you angry for 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 answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the
king, and we have also more [right] in David than you: why then did you despise us,
that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king? And the words of
the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.