2 Samuel 19

1 And word was given to Joab that the king was weeping and sorrowing for Absalom.

And they brought Joab word, saying, Behold, the king weeps and mourns for Abessalom.

2 And the salvation of that day was changed to sorrow for all the people: for it was said to the people, The king is in bitter grief for his son.

And the victory was turned that day into mourning to all the people, for the people heard say that day, The king grieves after his son.

3 And the people made their way back to the town quietly and secretly, as those who are shamed go secretly when they go in flight from the war.

And the people stole away that day to go into the city, as people steal away when they are ashamed as they flee in the battle.

4 But the king, covering his face, gave a great cry, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!

And the king hid his face: and the king cried with a loud voice, My son Abessalom! Abessalom my son!

5 And Joab came into the house to the king and said, Today you have put to shame the faces of all your servants who even now have kept you and your sons and your daughters and your wives and all your women safe from death;

And Joab went in to the king, into the house, and said, You have this day shamed the faces of all your servants that have delivered you this day, and [have saved] the lives of your sons and of your daughters, and the lives of your wives, and of your concubines,

6 For your haters, it seems, are dear to you, and your friends are hated. For you have made it clear that captains and servants are nothing to you: and now I see that if Absalom was living and we had all been dead today, it would have been right in your eyes.

forasmuch as you love them that hate you, and hate them that love you; and you have this day declared, that your princes and your servants are nothing [in your sight]: for I know this day, that if Abessalom were alive, [and] all of us dead today, then it would have been right in your sight.

7 So get up now, and go out and say some kind words to your servants; for, by the Lord, I give you my oath, that if you do not go out, not one of them will keep with you tonight; and that will be worse for you than all the evil which has overtaken you from your earliest years.

And now arise, and go forth, and speak comfortably to your servants; for I have sworn by the Lord, that unless you will go forth today, there shall not a man remain with you this night: and know for yourself, this thing [will] indeed [be] evil to you beyond all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.

8 Then the king got up and took his seat near the town-door. And word was given to all the people that the king was in the public place: and all the people came before the king. Now all the men of Israel had gone back in flight to their tents.

Then the king arose, and sat in the gate: and all the people reported, saying, Behold, the king sits in the gate. And all the people went in before the king to the gate; for Israel had fled every man to his tent.

9 And through all the tribes of Israel the people were having arguments, saying, The king made us safe from the hands of those who were against us and made us free from the hands of the Philistines; and now he has gone in flight from the land, because of Absalom.

And all the people disputed among all the tribes of Israel, saying, King David delivered us from all our enemies, and he rescued us from the hand of the Philistines: and now he has fled from the land, and from his kingdom, and from Abessalom.

10 And Absalom, whom we made a ruler over us, is dead in the fight. So now why do you say nothing about getting the king back? And word of what all Israel was saying came to the king.

And Abessalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle: and now why are you silent about bringing back the king? And the word of all Israel came to the king.

11 And King David sent word to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, Say to the responsible men of Judah, Why are you the last to take steps to get the king back to his house?

And king David sent to Sadoc and Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak to the elders of Israel, saying, Why are you the last to bring back the king to his house? whereas the word of all Israel is come to the king to his house.

12 You are my brothers, my bone and my flesh; why are you the last to get the king back again?

You [are] my brethren, you [are] my bones and my flesh: why are you the last to bring back the king to his house?

13 And say to Amasa, Are you not my bone and my flesh? May God's punishment be on me, if I do not make you chief of the army before me at all times in place of Joab!

And you shall say to Amessai, [Are] you not my bone and my flesh? and now God do so to me, and more also, if you shall not be commander of the host before me continually in the room of Joab.

14 And the hearts of the men of Judah were moved like one man; so that they sent to the king, saying, Come back, with all your servants.

And he bowed the heart of all the men of Juda as that of one man; and they sent to the king, saying, Return you, and all your servants.

15 So the king came back, and came as far as Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, meeting the king there, to take him back with them over Jordan.

And the king returned, and came as far as Jordan. And the men of Juda came to Galgala on their way to meet the king, to cause the king to pass over Jordan.

16 And Shimei, the son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, got up quickly and went down with the men of Judah for the purpose of meeting King David;

And Semei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, of Baurim, hasted and went down with the men of Juda to meet king David.

17 And with him a thousand men of Benjamin, and Ziba, the servant of Saul, with his fifteen sons and twenty servants, came rushing to Jordan before the king,

And a thousand men of Benjamin [were] with him, and Siba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons with him, and his twenty servants with him: and they went directly down to Jordan before the king,

18 And kept going across the river to take the people of the king's house over, and to do whatever was desired by the king. And Shimei, the son of Gera, went down on his face in the dust before the king, when he was about to go over Jordan,

and they performed the service of bringing the king over; and there went over a ferry-boat to remove the household of the king, and to do that which was right in his eyes. And Semei the son of Gera fell on his face before the king, as he went over Jordan;

19 And said to him, Let me not be judged as a sinner in your eyes, O my lord, and do not keep in mind the wrong I did on the day when my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, or take it to heart.

and said to the king, Let not my lord now impute iniquity, and remember not all the iniquity of your servant in the day in which my lord went out from Jerusalem, so that the king should mind it.

20 For your servant is conscious of his sin: and so, as you see, I have come today, the first of all the sons of Joseph, for the purpose of meeting my lord the king.

For your servant knows that I have sinned: and, behold, I am come today before all Israel and the house of Joseph, to go down and meet my lord the king.

21 But Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, said, Is not death the right fate for Shimei, because he has been cursing the one marked by the holy oil?

And Abessai the son of Saruia answered and said, Shall not Semei therefore be put to death, because he cursed the Lord's anointed?

22 And David said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you put yourselves against me today? is it right for any man in Israel to be put to death today? for I am certain today that I am king in Israel.

And David said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Saruia, that you as it were lie in wait against me this day? today no man in Israel shall be put to death, for I know not if I this day reign over Israel.

23 So the king said to Shimei, You will not be put to death. And the king gave him his oath.

And the king said to Semei, You shall not die: and the king swore to him.

24 And Mephibosheth, the son of Saul's son, came down for the purpose of meeting the king; his feet had not been cared for or his hair cut or his clothing washed from the day when the king went away till the day when he came back in peace.

And Memphibosthe the son of Saul's son went down to meet the king, and had not dressed his feet, nor pared his nails, nor shaved himself, neither had he washed his garments, from the day that the king departed, until the day when he arrived in peace.

25 Now when he had come from Jerusalem to see the king, the king said to him, Why did you not come with me, Mephibosheth?

And it came to pass when he went into Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, Why did you not go with me, Memphibosthe?

26 And he said in answer, Because of the deceit of my servant, my lord king: for I, your servant, said to him, You are to make ready an ass and on it I will go with the king, for your servant has not the use of his feet.

And Memphibosthe said to him, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me; for your servant said to him, Saddle me the ass, and I will ride upon it, and go with the king; for your servant [is] lame.

27 He has given you a false account of me: but my lord the king is like the angel of God: do then whatever seems good to you.

And he has dealt deceitfully with your servant to my lord the king: but my lord the king [is] as an angel of God, and do you that which is good in your eyes.

28 For all my father's family were only dead men before my lord the king: and still you put your servant among those whose place is at the king's table. What right then have I to say anything more to the king?

For all the house of my father were but as dead men before my lord the king; yet you have set your servant among them that eat at your table: and what right have I any longer even to cry to the king?

29 And the king said, Say nothing more about these things. I say, Let there be a division of the land between Ziba and you.

And the king said to him, Why speak you any longer of your matters? I have said, You and Siba shall divide the land.

30 And Mephibosheth said, Let him take it all, now that my lord the king has come back to his house in peace!

And Memphibosthe said to the king, Yes, let him take all, since my lord the king has come in peace to his house.

31 And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim; and he went on as far as Jordan with the king to take him across Jordan.

And Berzelli the Galaadite came down from Rogellim, and crossed over Jordan with the king, that he might conduct the king over Jordan.

32 Now Barzillai was a very old man, as much as eighty years old: and he had given the king everything he had need of, while he was at Mahanaim, for he was a very great man.

And Berzelli was a very old man, eighty years old; and he had maintained the king when he lived in Manaim; for he was a very great man.

33 And the king said to Barzillai, Come over with me, and I will take care of you in Jerusalem.

And the king said to Berzelli, You shall go over with me, and I will nourish your old age with me in Jerusalem.

34 And Barzillai said to the king, How much of my life is still before me, for me to go up to Jerusalem with the king?

And Berzelli 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 now eighty years old: good and bad are the same to me; have meat and drink any taste for me now? am I able to take pleasure in the voices of men or women in song? why then am I to be a trouble to my lord the king?

I am this day eighty years old: can I then distinguish between good and evil? Can your servant taste any longer what I eat or drink? can I any longer hear the voice of singing men or singing women? and therefore shall your servant any longer be a burden to my lord the king?

36 Your servant's desire was only to take the king over Jordan; why is the king to give me such a reward?

Your servant will go a little way over Jordan with the king: and why does the king return me this recompense?

37 Let your servant now go back again, so that when death comes to me, it may be in my town and by the resting-place 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.

Let, I pray you, your servant remain, and I will die in my city, by the tomb of my father and of my mother. And, behold, your servant Chamaam shall go over with my lord the king; and do you to him as it seems good in your eyes.

38 And the king said in answer, Let Chimham go over with me, and I will do for him whatever seems good to you: and whatever your desire is, I will do it for you.

And the king said, Let Chamaam go over with me, and I will do to him what is good in my sight; and whatever you shall choose at my hand, I will do for you.

39 Then all the people went over Jordan, and the king went over: and the king gave Barzillai a kiss, with his blessing; and he went back to his place.

And all the people went over Jordan, and the king went over; and the king kissed Berzelli, and blessed him; and he returned to his place.

40 So the king went over to Gilgal, and Chimham went with him: and all the people of Judah, as well as half the people of Israel, took the king on his way.

And the king went over to Galgala, and Chamaam went over with him: and all the men of Juda went over with the king, and also half the people of Israel.

41 Then the men of Israel came to the king and said, Why have our countrymen of Judah taken you away in secret and come over Jordan with the king and all his family, because all his people are David's men?

And behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said to the king, Why have our brethren the men of Juda stolen you away, and caused the king and all his house to pass over Jordan, and all the men of David with him?

42 And all the men of Judah gave this answer to the men of Israel, Because the king is our near relation: why then are you angry about this? have we taken any of the king's food, or has he given us any offering?

And all the men of Juda answered the men of Israel, and said, Because the king is near of kin to us: and why were you thus angry concerning this matter? have we indeed eaten of the king's food? or has he given us a gift, or has he sent us a portion?

43 And in answer to the men of Judah, the men of Israel said, We have ten parts in the king, and we are the first in order of birth: why did you make nothing of us? and were we not the first to make suggestions for getting the king back? And the words of the men of Judah were more violent than the words of the men of Israel.

And the men of Israel answered the men of Juda, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we are older than you, we have also an interest in David above you: and why have you thus insulted us, and why was not our advice taken before that of Juda, to bring back our king? And the speech of the men of Juda was sharper than the speech of the men of Israel.