2 Samuel 19:24-43 ▼

24 And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came down to meet the king, and he had neither trimmed his beard nor changed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day the king came again in peace.

25 And it came to pass, when he came to Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, Mephibosheth, why did you not go with me?

26 Mephibosheth answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me: for I said to him, Saddle me an ass that I may ride upon it and go with my lord the king; because your servant is lame.

27 And my servant has lied about me, O my lord the king; but you, my lord the king, you are as an angel of God; do therefore what is good in your eyes.

28 For all of my father's house were worthy of death before my lord the king; yet you counted your servant among those who eat at your table. Now therefore I cannot justify myself, neither speak before my lord the king.

29 And the king said to him, You have spoken more than enough, I have already commanded that you and Ziba shall divide the fields.

30 And Mephibosheth said to the king, Yea, let him take all the produce also forasmuch as my lord the king has come again in peace to his own house.

31 Now Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Dobelin and went with the king to conduct him over the Jordan.

32 Now Barzillai was a very aged man, eighty years old; and he had provided the king with food while he remained at Mahanaim; for he was a very wealthy man.

33 And the king said to Barzillai, Come along with me, and I will feed you with me in Jerusalem.

34 And Barzillai said to the king, How many years have I to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?

35 I am this day eighty years old; and I cannot discern between luxury and simple living; neither can your servant taste what he eats or what he drinks. Nor can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women. Why then should your servant be a burden to my lord the king?

36 Your servant can hardly cross the Jordan with my lord the king; let not my lord the king recompense me with such a reward.

37 Let your servant turn back again, that I may die in my own city and be buried beside the grave of my father and my mother. But behold here is with you your servant Bimham my son; let him go over with my lord the king, and do you to him what seems good in your sight.

38 And the king said, Bimham shall go over with me and I will do to him that which seems good to you; and whatever you shall ask of me, that will I do for you.

39 And when all the people had crossed the Jordan and the king had crossed also, the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him; and he returned to his own place.

40 Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Bimham went on with him; and all the people of Judah went on with the king, and also half the people of Israel.

41 And, behold, 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 you over the Jordan and all your household and all men of Judah with you?

42 And all the men of Judah answered and said to the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to us; why then are you displeased over this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king's cost? Or has he given us any gifts?

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 go ahead of us? We should have been the first to bring back the king. And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.