8Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And the word spread to all the people, “The king is sitting at the city gate.” And all the people came before the king; for every man had fled to his tent. 9And all the people throughout all the tribes of Israel were arguing things like, “The king saved us from our enemies; and he delivered from the Philistines; and now he has fled from the country because of Absalom. 10And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now, therefore, why do you not speak a word about bringing the king back?” 11And King David sent to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, saying, “Speak to the elders of Judah, and say, ‘Why are you the last to welcome the king back to his house? Seeing the speech of all Israel has come to the king, and to his house? 12You are my brothers - my flesh and blood. Why, then, are you the last to welcome the king back?’ 13And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not of my flesh and blood? God do so to me, and more also, if you are not made commander of the army before me the place of Joab’. 14And he won over the hearts of all the men of Judah, as of one man; so that they sent this word to the king, “Return, you and all your servants”. 15So the king started back, and came to the Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to greet the king, to escort the king across the Jordan.

16And Shimei, son of Gera, a Benjamite, who was of Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba, the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and twenty servants with him; and they crossed over the Jordan before the king. 18And a ferry boat went over to carry the king's household over, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei, the son of Gera, bowed before the king, as he came across the Jordan; 19And said to the king, “Let not my lord impute iniquity to me, nor remember that which I did perversely the day that my lord, the king, fled out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart. 20For I know that I have sinned; therefore, I have come, the first out of all the house of Joseph today, to come down to meet my lord, the king”. 21But Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, answered and said, “Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD's anointed?” 22And David said, “What has this to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day interfere with me? Should anyone be put to death today in Israel; Do I not know that I am this day king over Israel?” 23Therefore, the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die”. And the king swore to him.

24And Mephibosheth, the 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 returned in peace. 25And when he had come to Jerusalem to greet the king, the king said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?” 26And he answered, “My lord, O king, my servant deceived me; for I said, “I will saddle me a donkey, that I may ride on it, and go to the king; because I am lame”. 27And he (Ziba) has slandered me to you, my lord, the king, by saying that I refused to come. But my lord, the king is as an angel of God; do, therefore, what you think is best. 28For all of my father's house were but dead men before you, the king; yet you set your servant among them who ate at your own table. What right, therefore, have I to cry any more unto the king?” 29And David, the king said to him, “Why say any more of this? I have said, ‘You and Ziba divide the land’. 30And Mephibosheth said to the king, “Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord, the king, has returned in peace to his own house”.

31And Barzillai, the Gileadite, came down from Rogelim, and crossed over the Jordan with the king, to escort him over the Jordan. 32Now Barzillai was very old, eighty years old, and he had provided the king with sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he was a very great (wealthy) man. 33And the king said to Barzillai, “Come over and stay with me I will provide for you in Jerusalem”. 34And Barzillai said to the king, “How long have I to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35I am this day eighty years old. Can I discern between good and evil? Can I taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? Why, then, should I be a further burden to my lord, the king? 36I will go a little way beyond the Jordan with the king; and why should the king reward me in this way? 37Let me then return, I pray you, that I may die in my own city, and be buried beside the grave of my father and mother. But here is your servant, Chimham; let him go with my lord, the king; and do for him what seems good to you.” 38And David answered, “Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do for him what seems good to you; and whatever you shall need of me, that will I do for you”. 39And all the people crossed over the Jordan. And when the king had crossed over, the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned to his own place. 40Then the king proceeded on to Gilgal, and Chimham went with him; and all the people of Judah escorted the king, as well as half the people of Israel.

41And then all the men of Israel came to the king, and said to him, “Why have our brethren, the men of Judah, stolen you away, and have brought the king, and his household, with all David's men, over the Jordan?” 42And all the men of Judah answered them, “Because the king is closely related to us. Why, then, are you angry about it? Have we eaten any of the king's provisions? Or have we received any special favors?” 43And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, “We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more claim on David than you. Why, then, did you despise us, that our advice was not taken about bringing back our king?” And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.