2 Samuel 19

1 And it was told Joab, —Lo! the king, is weeping and mourning over Absolom.

Now it was reported to Joab that the king was weeping and mourning for his son.

2 So the victory, on that day, was turned into mourning, with all the people, —for the people heard, on that day, saying, The king is distressed for his son.

And so the victory on that day was turned into mourning for all the people. For the people heard it said on that day, “The king is grieving over his son.”

3 And the people stole away, on that day, to go into the city, —as people steal away who are put to shame, when they flee in battle.

And the people declined to enter the city on that day, in the manner that the people were accustomed to decline if they had turned and fled from battle.

4 But, the king, muffled his face, and the king made outcry, with a loud voice, —O my son Absolom, O Absolom, my son, my son!

And the king covered his head, and he was crying out in a great voice: “My son, Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!”

5 Then came Joab unto the king, in the house, —and said—Thou hast, to-day, covered with shame the faces of all thy servants, who have rescued thy life to-day, and the lives of thy sons and thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines;

Therefore, Joab, entering to the king in the house, said: “Today you have shamed the faces of all your servants, who saved your life, and the lives of your sons and your daughters, and the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines.

6 by loving them who hated thee, and hating them who loved thee, —for thou hast declared, to-day, that, nothing to thee, are princes or servants, for I perceive, to-day, that, if, Absolom, had lived, and, all we, to-day had died, that, then, it had been right in thine eyes.

You love those who hate you, and you hate those who love you. And you have revealed this day that you have no concern for your leaders and for your servants. And truly, I know now that if Absalom had lived, and if we all had been killed, then it would have pleased you.

7 Now, therefore, rise—go forth, and speak unto the heart of thy servants, —for, by Yahweh, have I sworn, that, if thou do not go forth, not a man shall tarry with thee to-night, and this will be to thee, a greater misfortune, than all the misfortune that hath come upon thee from thy youth until now.

Now then, rise up and go out, and speak so as to make amends to your servants. For I swear to you by the Lord that if you will not go forth, not even one person will be left with you this night. And this will be worse for you than all the evils that have come to you, from your youth even to the present.”

8 So the king arose, and took his seat in the gate, —and, to all the people, was it told, saying—Lo! the king, is sitting in the gate. Then came all the people before the king, but, Israel, had fled every man to his home.

Therefore, the king rose up, and he sat at the gate. And it was announced to all the people that the king was sitting at the gate. And the entire multitude went before the king. But Israel fled to their own tents.

9 And it came to pass that all the people were reproaching one another, throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, —the king, delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, and, he, rescued us out of the hand of the Philistines, but, now, he hath fled out of the land, away from Absolom;

And all the people were conflicted, in all the tribes of Israel, saying: “The king has freed us from the hand of our enemies. He himself saved us from the hand of the Philistines. But now he flees from the land for the sake of Absalom.

10 and, Absolom, whom we anointed over us, hath died in the battle. Now, therefore, why are, ye, silent as to bringing back the king?

But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in the war. How long will you be silent, and not lead back the king?”

11 And, King David, sent unto Zadok and unto Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak ye unto the elders of Judah, saying, Wherefore should ye be behindhand, in bringing back the king unto his home, —seeing that, the speech of all Israel, hath come unto the king, regarding his home?

Then truly, king David sent to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, saying: “Speak to those greater by birth of Judah, saying: ‘Why have you arrived last to lead back the king into his house? (For the talk in all of Israel had reached the king in his house.)

12 Mine own brethren, are ye, my bone and my flesh, are ye, —wherefore then should ye be behindhand in bringing back the king?

You are my brothers; you are my bone and my flesh. Why are you the last to lead back the king?’

13 And, unto Amasa, shall ye say, Art not, thou, my bone and my flesh? So, let God do to me, and, so, let him add, if thou become not, prince of the army, before me continually, instead of Joab.

And say to Amasa: ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? May God do these things, and may he add these other things, if you will not be the leader of the military in my sight, for all time, in the place of Joab.’”

14 Thus bowed he the heart of all the men of Judah, as one man, —and they sent unto the king, Return, thou, and all thy servants.

And he inclined the heart of all the men of Judah, as if one man. And they sent to the king, saying, “Return, you and all your servants.”

15 Then the king returned, and came as far as the Jordan, —and, Judah, came to Gilgal, to go and meet the king, to escort the king over the Jordan.

And the king returned. And he went as far as the Jordan, and all of Judah went as far as Gilgal, so as to meet the king, and to lead him across the Jordan.

16 Then hastened Shimei, son of Gera, the Benjamite, who was of Bahurim, —and came down, with the men of Judah, to meet King David.

And Shimei, the son of Gera, the son of Benjamin, from Bahurim, hurried and descended with the men of Judah to meet king David,

17 And, a thousand men, were with him, out of Benjamin, Ziba also, servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and twenty servants, with him, —and they went through the Jordan, before the king.

with one thousand men from Benjamin, and with Ziba, the servant from the house of Saul. And with him were his fifteen sons and twenty servants. And going into the Jordan,

18 But the ferry-boat kept crossing, to bring over the household of the king, and to do what was good in his eyes. And, Shimei, son of Gera, fell down before the king, when he had passed over the Jordan;

they crossed the fords before the king, so that they might lead across the house of the king, and might act in accord with his order. Then, Shimei, the son of Gera, prostrating himself before the king after he had now gone across the Jordan,

19 and he said unto the king—Let not my lord impute to me iniquity, neither do thou remember the perverseness of thy servant, on the day that thou wentest out, my lord O king, from Jerusalem, that the king should lay it upon his heart.

said to him: “May you not impute to me, my lord, the iniquity, nor call to mind the injuries, of your servant in the day that you, my lord the king, departed from Jerusalem. And may you not store it up in your heart, O king.

20 For thy servant doth know, that, I, sinned, —lo! therefore, I have arrived to-day, as the first of all the house of Joseph, to come down to meet my lord the king.

For as your servant, I acknowledge my sin. And for this reason, today, I arrive as the first from all the house of Joseph, and I descend to meet my lord the king.”

21 Then responded Abishai, son of Zeruiah, and said, For this, shall not Shimei be put to death, for that he cursed the Anointed of Yahweh?

Yet truly, Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, responding, said, “Should not Shimei, because of these words, be killed, since he cursed the Christ of the Lord?”

22 But David said, What have I in common with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, for ye would become to me, to-day, a very traitor! Shall there, to-day, be put to death a man in Israel? for do I not know, that, to-day, I, am king over Israel?

And David said: “What is it to me and to all of you, O sons of Zeruiah? Why are you acting toward me this day like Satan? Why should any man be put to death on this day in Israel? Or do you not know that today I have been made king over Israel?”

23 Then said the king unto Shimei—Thou shalt not die. And the king sware to him.

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

24 And, Mephibosheth, son of Saul, came down to meet the king, —he had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor, his clothes, had he washed, from the day the king departed, until the day that he entered in peace.

And Mephibosheth, the son of Saul, descended to meet the king, with unwashed feet and uncut beard. And he had not washed his garments from the day that the king had departed, until the day of his return in peace.

25 And it came to pass, when he entered Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore wentest thou not with me, Mephibosheth.

And when he had met the king at Jerusalem, the king said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?”

26 And he said, My lord, O king, my servant, betrayed me, —for thy servant said—I will even saddle me mine ass, that I may ride thereon, and go with the king, for, lame, is thy servant.

And in response, he said: “My lord the king, my servant spurned me. And I, your servant, spoke to him so that he might saddle a donkey for me, and I might climb upon it and go with the king. For I, your servant, am lame.

27 And he hath slandered thy servant, unto my lord the king, —but, my lord the king, is as a messenger of God, do therefore what is good in thine own eyes.

Moreover, he also accused me, your servant, to you, my lord the king. But you, my lord the king, are like an Angel of God. Do whatever is pleasing to you.

28 For, when all the house of my father were nothing better than dead men, unto my lord the king, then didst thou set thy servant among them that used to eat at thy table, —what then have I further, by way of right, or to cry out any further unto the king?

For my father’s house was deserving of nothing but death before my lord the king. Yet you have placed me, your servant, among the guests of your table. Therefore, what just complaint might I have? Or what else can I cry out to the king?”

29 Then the king said unto him, Wherefore shouldst thou speak any further of thine affairs? I have said—Thou and Ziba, shall share the land.

Then the king said to him: “Why are you still speaking? What I have spoken is fixed. You and Ziba shall divide the possessions.”

30 And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Even the whole, let him take, —now that my lord the king hath entered, in peace, into his own house.

And Mephibosheth responded to the king, “But now let him take it all, since my lord the king has been returned peacefully into his own house.”

31 And, Barzillai the Gileadite, came down from Rogelim, —and passed, with the king, over the Jordan, to escort him over the Jordan.

Likewise, Barzillai the Gileadite, descending from Rogelim, led the king across the Jordan, having prepared also to follow him beyond the river.

32 Now, Barzillai, was very aged, eighty years old, —and, he himself, had sustained the king, throughout his sojourn in Mahanaim, for he was, an exceeding great man.

Now Barzillai the Gileadite was very old, that is, eighty years old. And he provided the king with sustenance when he was staying at the encampment. For indeed, he was an exceedingly rich man.

33 So then the king said unto Barzillai, —Thou, come over with me, and I will sustain thee with me, in Jerusalem.

And so the king said to Barzillai, “Come with me, so that you may rest securely with me in Jerusalem.”

34 But Barzillai said unto the king, —Like unto what, are the days of the years of my life, that I should come up with the king, to Jerusalem.

And Barzillai said to the king: “How many days remain in the years of my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?

35 Eighty years old, am I to-day—could I discern between good and bad? or could thy servant taste what I might eat, and what I might drink? or could I hearken any more to the voice of singing men and singing women? Wherefore, then, should thy servant yet be a burden unto my lord the king?

Today I am eighty years old. Are my senses quick to discern sweet and bitter? Or is food and drink able to delight your servant? Or can I still hear the voice of men and women singers? Why should your servant be a burden to my lord the king?

36 Just a little way, will thy servant pass over the Jordan with the king, —but wherefore should the king recompense me with this reward?

I, your servant, shall proceed a little ways from the Jordan with you. I am not in need of this recompense.

37 Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own city, by the grave of my father, and my mother. But here is thy servant Chimham—let him pass over with my lord the king, and do unto him that which may be good in thine eyes.

But I beg you that I, your servant, may be returned and may die in my own city, and may be buried beside the sepulcher of my father and my mother. But there is your servant Chimham; let him go with you, my lord the king. And do for him whatever seems good to you.”

38 Then said the king, With me, shall Chimham pass over, and, I, will do unto him that which shall be good in thine eyes, —and, whatsoever thou shalt choose to lay upon me, I will do for thee.

And so the king said to him: “Let Chimham cross over with me, and I will do for him whatever will be pleasing to you. And all that you ask of me, you shall obtain.”

39 And, when all the people had passed over the Jordan, then, the king, passed over, —and the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him, and he returned unto his own place.

And when the entire people and the king had crossed over the Jordan, the king kissed Barzillai, and he blessed him. And he returned to his own place.

40 And the king passed over to Gilgal, and, Chimham, passed over with him, —and, all the people of Judah, escorted the king, yea moreover, half the people of Israel.

Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went with him. Now all the people of Judah had led the king across, but only as much as one half part of the people of Israel were there.

41 Then lo! all the men of Israel, were coming unto the king, —and they said unto the king—Why did our brethren the men of Judah steal thee away, and escort the king and his household over the Jordan, and all the men of David with him?

And so, all the men of Israel, running to the king, said to him: “Why have our brothers, the men of Judah, stolen you away. And why have they led the king and his house across the Jordan, and all the men of David with him?”

42 And all the men of Judah made answer unto the men of Israel—Because the king is, near of kin, unto us, wherefore, then, is it, that ye are angry over this matter? Have we, eaten, at the king’s cost? or hath he, bestowed any gifts, on us?

And all the men of Judah responded to the men of Israel: “Because the king is nearer to me. Why are you angry over this matter? Have we eaten anything belonging to the king, or have any gifts been given to us?”

43 And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said—Ten parts, have we in the king, therefore, even in David, have we more right than ye. Why, then, made ye light of us, so that our word was not heard first as to bringing back our king? And, the words of the men of Judah, were fiercer than, the words of the men of Israel.

And the men of Israel responded to the men of Judah, and said: “I have the greater amount, ten parts, with the king, and so David belongs to me more so than to you. Why have you caused me injury, and why was it not announced to me first, so that I might lead back my king?” But the men of Judah answered more firmly than the men of Israel.