2 Samuel 19:1-33 ▼

1 And it was declared to Joab, “Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.”

2 And the victory that day became mourning for all the people, for the people heard it that day, saying, “The king is grieved for his son.”

3 And the people stole away that day to go into the city, as the people steal away who are ashamed in their fleeing in battle.

4 And the king covered his face, and the king cried out in a loud voice, “O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!”

5 And Joab came to the king to the house, and said, “You have disgraced today the faces of all your servants who have saved your life today, and the lives of your sons and daughters, and the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines,

6 in that you love those who hate you and hate those who love you. For you have declared today that not unto you are princes and servants; for I know today that if Absalom had lived and all of us today had died, that then it would be upright in your eyes.

7 And now arise, go out, and speak to the heart of your servants, for by YHWH I swear, if you do not go out, not a man will stay with you this night. And this is worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.”

8 And the king arose and sat in the gate. And all the people declared, saying, “There is the king, sitting in the gate.” And all the people came before the face of the king. For Israel had fled, each man to his tent.

9 And all the people were in a dispute throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king snatched us up from the hand of our enemies, and he saved us from the hand of the Philistines. And he has fled from the land because of Absalom.

10 And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in the battle. And now, why are you? silent about bringing back the king?”

11 And King David sent to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, saying, “Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, ‘Why are you? the last to bring back the king to his house, since the words of all Israel have come to the king, to his house?

12 My brothers you? are, my bone and you? are my flesh. And why are you? the last to bring back the king?’

13 And say to Amasa, ‘Is it not that you are my bone and my flesh? So may God do to me, and even may He add, if you are not the commander of the army before me all the days in place of Joab.’”

14 And he swayed the hearts of all the men of Judah as one man. And they sent to the king, “Return, you and all your servants.”

15 And 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 son of Gera the Benjamite, who was from Bahurim, hurried, and he came down with the men of Judah to meet King David.

17 And a thousand men of Benjamin were with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons, and his twenty servants with him. And they rushed into the Jordan before the face of the king.

18 And they passed over the ford to bring over the house of the king, and to do what was good in his eyes. And Shimei son of Gera fell down before the face of the king when he had crossed the Jordan.

19 And he said to the king, “Let not my lord reckon to me iniquity or remember what your servant did wrong on the day that my lord the king left Jerusalem, that the king should put it to heart.

20 For I your servant know that I have sinned. And behold, I have come today, the first of all the house of Joseph, to go down to meet my lord the king.”

21 And Abishai son of Zeruiah answered and said, “In exchange for this, shall not Shimei be put to death, in that he cursed the anointed of YHWH?”

22 And David said, “And what have I to do with you?, sons of Zeruiah, that you? should be unto me for an adversary today? Shall today any man be put to death in Israel? For do I not know that this day I am king over Israel?”

23 And the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king swore to him.

24 And Mephibosheth son of Saul came down to meet the king, and he had not cared for his feet, and not trimmed his mustache, and his clothes he had not washed from the day of the going away of the king until the day that he returned in peace.

25 And it came to pass, when he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?”

26 And he answered, “My lord the king, my servant deceived me, for your servant said, ‘I will saddle for myself the donkey, that I may ride on it and go to the king, because your servant is lame.’

27 And he has slandered your servant to my lord the king. And my lord the king is like the angel of God; and do what is good in your eyes.

28 For were not all the house of my father as but dead men before my lord the king? And you set your servant among those who eat at your own table. And what right have I anymore to cry still to the king?”

29 And the king said to him, “Why do you speak anymore of your matters? I have said that you and Ziba shall divide the land.”

30 And Mephibosheth said to the king, “Instead, let him take all of it, inasmuch as my lord the king has come back in peace to his own house.”

31 And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim and went across the Jordan with the king, to send him away over the Jordan.

32 And Barzillai was very old, a son of eighty years, and he had provided for the king while he stayed at Mahanaim. For he was a very rich man.

33 And the king said to Barzillai, “You pass over with me, and I will provide for you while you are with me in Jerusalem.”