| NET Bible | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 1Joab was told, "The king is weeping and mourning over Absalom." | 1Then it was told Joab, "Behold, the king is weeping and mourns for Absalom." |
| 2So the victory of that day was turned to mourning as far as all the people were concerned. For the people heard on that day, "The king is grieved over his son." | 2The victory that day was turned to mourning for all the people, for the people heard it said that day, "The king is grieved for his son." |
| 3That day the people stole away to go to the city the way people who are embarrassed steal away in fleeing from battle. | 3So the people went by stealth into the city that day, as people who are humiliated steal away when they flee in battle. |
| 4The king covered his face and cried out loudly, "My son, Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!" | 4The king covered his face and cried out with a loud voice, "O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!" |
| 5So Joab visited the king at his home. He said, "Today you have embarrassed all your servants who have saved your life this day, as well as the lives of your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your concubines. | 5Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, "Today you have covered with shame the faces of all your servants, who today have saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines, |
| 6You seem to love your enemies and hate your friends! For you have as much as declared today that leaders and servants don't matter to you. I realize now that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, it would be all right with you. | 6by loving those who hate you, and by hating those who love you. For you have shown today that princes and servants are nothing to you; for I know this day that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then you would be pleased. |
| 7So get up now and go out and give some encouragement to your servants. For I swear by the LORD that if you don't go out there, not a single man will stay here with you tonight! This disaster will be worse for you than any disaster that has overtaken you from your youth right to the present time!" | 7"Now therefore arise, go out and speak kindly to your servants, for I swear by the LORD, if you do not go out, surely not a man will pass the night with you, and this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now." |
| 8So the king got up and sat at the city gate. When all the people were informed that the king was sitting at the city gate, they all came before him. David Goes Back to Jerusalem But the Israelite soldiers had all fled to their own homes. | 8So the king arose and sat in the gate. When they told all the people, saying, "Behold, the king is sitting in the gate," then all the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled, each to his tent. |
| 9All the people throughout all the tribes of Israel were arguing among themselves saying, "The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies. He rescued us from the hand of the Philistines, but now he has fled from the land because of Absalom. | 9All the people were quarreling throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, "The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies and saved us from the hand of the Philistines, but now he has fled out of the land from Absalom. |
| 10But Absalom, whom we anointed as our king, has died in battle. So now why do you hesitate to bring the king back?" | 10"However, Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. Now then, why are you silent about bringing the king back?" |
| 11Then King David sent a message to Zadok and Abiathar the priests saying, "Tell the elders of Judah, 'Why should you delay any further in bringing the king back to his palace, when everything Israel is saying has come to the king's attention. | 11Then King David sent to Zadok and 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 word of all Israel has come to the king, even to his house? |
| 12You are my brothers--my very own flesh and blood! Why should you delay any further in bringing the king back?' | 12'You are my brothers; you are my bone and my flesh. Why then should you be the last to bring back the king?' |
| 13Say to Amasa, 'Are you not my flesh and blood? God will punish me severely, if from this time on you are not the commander of my army in place of Joab!'" | 13"Say to Amasa, 'Are you not my bone and my flesh? May God do so to me, and more also, if you will not be commander of the army before me continually in place of Joab.'" |
| 14He won over the hearts of all the men of Judah as though they were one man. Then they sent word to the king saying, "Return, you and all your servants as well." | 14Thus he turned the hearts of all the men of Judah as one man, so that they sent word to the king, saying, "Return, you and all your servants." |
| 15So the king returned and came to the Jordan River. Now the people of Judah had come to Gilgal to meet the king and to help him cross the Jordan. | 15The king then returned and came as far as the Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal in order to go to meet the king, to bring the king across the Jordan. |
| 16Shimei son of Gera the Benjaminite from Bahurim came down quickly with the men of Judah to meet King David. | 16Then Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite who was from Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David. |
| 17There were a thousand men from Benjamin with him, along with Ziba the servant of Saul's household, and with him his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They hurriedly crossed the Jordan within sight of the king. | 17There were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, with Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they rushed to the Jordan before the king. |
| 18They crossed at the ford in order to help the king's household cross and to do whatever he thought appropriate. Now after he had crossed the Jordan, Shimei son of Gera threw himself down before the king. | 18Then they kept crossing the ford to bring over the king's household, and to do what was good in his sight. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king as he was about to cross the Jordan. |
| 19He said to the king, "Don't think badly of me, my lord, and don't recall the sin of your servant on the day when you, my lord the king, left Jerusalem! Please don't call it to mind! | 19So he said to the king, "Let not my lord consider me guilty, nor remember what your servant did wrong on the day when my lord the king came out from Jerusalem, so that the king would take it to heart. |
| 20For I, your servant, know that I sinned, and I have come today as the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king." | 20"For your servant knows that I have sinned; therefore behold, I have come today, the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king." |
| 21Abishai son of Zeruiah replied, "For this should not Shimei be put to death? After all, he cursed the LORD's anointed!" | 21But Abishai the son of Zeruiah said, "Should not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD'S anointed?" |
| 22But David said, "What do we have in common, you sons of Zeruiah? You are like my enemy today! Should anyone be put to death in Israel today? Don't you realize that today I am king over Israel?" | 22David then said, "What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day be an adversary to me? Should any man be put to death in Israel today? For do I not know that I am king over Israel today?" |
| 23The king said to Shimei, "You won't die." The king vowed an oath concerning this. | 23The king said to Shimei, "You shall not die." Thus the king swore to him. |
| 24Now Mephibosheth, Saul's grandson, came down to meet the king. From the day the king had left until the day he safely returned, Mephibosheth had not cared for his feet nor trimmed his mustache nor washed his clothes. | 24Then Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king; and he had neither cared for his feet, nor trimmed his mustache, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace. |
| 25When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, "Why didn't you go with me, Mephibosheth?" | 25It was when he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, "Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?" |
| 26He replied, "My lord the king, my servant deceived me! I said, 'Let me get my donkey saddled so that I can ride on it and go with the king,' for I am lame. | 26So he answered, "O my lord, the 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. |
| 27But my servant has slandered me to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like an angel of God. Do whatever seems appropriate to you. | 27"Moreover, he has slandered your servant to my lord the king; but my lord the king is like the angel of God, therefore do what is good in your sight. |
| 28After all, there was no one in the entire house of my grandfather who did not deserve death from my lord the king. But instead you allowed me to eat at your own table! What further claim do I have to ask the king for anything?" | 28"For all my father's household was nothing but dead men before my lord the king; yet you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. What right do I have yet that I should complain anymore to the king?" |
| 29Then the king replied to him, "Why should you continue speaking like this? You and Ziba will inherit the field together." | 29So the king said to him, "Why do you still speak of your affairs? I have decided, 'You and Ziba shall divide the land.'" |
| 30Mephibosheth said to the king, "Let him have the whole thing! My lord the king has returned safely to his house!" | 30Mephibosheth said to the king, "Let him even take it all, since my lord the king has come safely to his own house." |
| 31Now when Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim, he crossed the Jordan with the king so he could send him on his way from there. | 31Now Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim; and he went on to the Jordan with the king to escort him over the Jordan. |
| 32But Barzillai was very old--eighty years old, in fact--and he had taken care of the king when he stayed in Mahanaim, for he was a very rich man. | 32Now Barzillai was very old, being eighty years old; and he had sustained the king while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very great man. |
| 33So the king said to Barzillai, "Cross over with me, and I will take care of you while you are with me in Jerusalem." | 33The king said to Barzillai, "You cross over with me and I will sustain you in Jerusalem with me." |
| 34Barzillai replied to the king, "How many days do I have left to my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? | 34But Barzillai said to the king, "How long have I yet to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? |
| 35I am presently eighty years old. Am I able to discern good and bad? Can I taste what I eat and drink? Am I still able to hear the voices of male and female singers? Why should I continue to be a burden to my lord the king? | 35"I am now eighty years old. Can I distinguish between good and bad? Or can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Or can I hear anymore the voice of singing men and women? Why then should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king? |
| 36I will cross the Jordan with the king and go a short distance. Why should the king reward me in this way? | 36"Your servant would merely cross over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king compensate me with this reward? |
| 37Let me return so that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother. But look, here is your servant Kimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him whatever seems appropriate to you." | 37"Please let your servant return, that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother. However, here is your servant Chimham, let him cross over with my lord the king, and do for him what is good in your sight." |
| 38The king replied, "Kimham will cross over with me, and I will do for him whatever I deem appropriate. And whatever you choose, I will do for you." | 38The king answered, "Chimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him what is good in your sight; and whatever you require of me, I will do for you." |
| 39So all the people crossed the Jordan, as did the king. After the king had kissed him and blessed him, Barzillai returned to his home. | 39All the people crossed over the Jordan and the king crossed too. The king then kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his place. |
| 40When the king crossed over to Gilgal, Kimham crossed over with him. Now all the soldiers of Judah along with half of the soldiers of Israel had helped the king cross over. | 40Now the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him; and all the people of Judah and also half the people of Israel accompanied the king. |
| 41Then all the men of Israel began coming to the king. They asked the king, "Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, sneak the king away and help the king and his household cross the Jordan--and not only him but all of David's men as well?" | 41And behold, all the men of Israel came to the king and said to the king, "Why had our brothers the men of Judah stolen you away, and brought the king and his household and all David's men with him over the Jordan?" |
| 42All the men of Judah replied to the men of Israel, "Because the king is our close relative! Why are you so upset about this? Have we eaten at the king's expense? Or have we misappropriated anything for our own use?" | 42Then 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 expense, or has anything been taken for us?" |
| 43The men of Israel replied to the men of Judah, "We have ten shares in the king, and we have a greater claim on David than you do! Why do you want to curse us? Weren't we the first to suggest bringing back our king?" But the comments of the men of Judah were more severe than those of the men of Israel. | 43But the men of Israel answered the men of Judah and said, "We have ten parts in the king, therefore we also have more claim on David than you. Why then did you treat us with contempt? Was it not our advice first to bring back our king?" Yet the words of the men of Judah were harsher than the words of the men of Israel. |
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