1 And it was told Joab , Behold, the king H4428 weepeth and mourneth for Absalom H53 . 2 And the victory that day was turned into mourning וַיִּתְאַבֵּ֖ל vai.yit.'a.Bel H56 unto all the people; for the people heard say that day, The king H4428 grieveth for his son. 3 And the people H5971 gat them by stealth that day H3117 into the city , as people H5971 that are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle . 4 And the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son! 5 And Joab came into the house to the king H4428 , and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces H6440 of all thy servants, who this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons H1121 and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines; 6 in that thou lovest them that hate thee, and hatest them that love thee. For thou hast declared this day H3117 , that princes and servants H5650 are nought unto thee: for this day H3117 I perceive, that if Absalom had lived , and all we had died this day H3117 , then it had pleased thee well. 7 Now therefore arise, go forth , and speak comfortably unto thy servants H5650 ; for I swear by Jehovah, if thou go not forth , there will not tarry a man with thee this night: and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that hath befallen thee from thy youth until now . 8 Then the king arose H6965 , and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the people , saying H1696 , Behold, the king is sitting in the gate: and all the people came H935 before the king . Now H6258 Israel had fled every man H376 to his tent. 9 And all the people H5971 were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel H3478 , saying H559 , The king H4428 delivered us out of the hand of our enemies , and he saved us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled H5127 out of the land from Absalom. 10 And Absalom H53 , whom we anointed over us , is dead in battle. Now H6258 therefore H6258 why speak ye not a word of bringing the king H4428 back? 11 And king H4428 David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why H4100 are ye the last to bring לְהָשִׁ֥יב le.ha.Shiv H7725 the king H4428 back לְהָשִׁ֥יב le.ha.Shiv H7725 to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king H4428 , to bring H7725 him to his house. 12 Ye are my brethren, ye are my bone and my flesh: wherefore then are ye the last H314 to bring H935 back H7725 the king H4428 ? 13 And say ye to Amasa, Art thou not my bone H6106 and my flesh H1320 ? God do so to me , and more also , if thou be H1961 not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab. 14 And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man ; so that they sent unto the king, saying תֹּֽמְר֔וּ to.me.Ru H559 , Return thou, and all thy servants. 16 And Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, who was of Bahurim, hasted and came H935 down with the men of Judah H3063 to meet king H4428 David. 17 And there were a thousand men H376 of Benjamin with him , and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons H1121 and his twenty servants with him ; and they went H3381 through the Jordan in the presence of the king H4428 . 18 And there went over a ferry-boat to bring over the king’s H4428 household H1004 , and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son H1121 of Gera fell down before the king H4428 , when he was come over the Jordan H3383 . 19 And he said unto the king H4428 , Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me , neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king H4428 went out of Jerusalem, that the king H4428 should take it to his heart. 20 For thy servant H5650 doth know that I have sinned: therefore , behold, I am come H3318 this day H3117 the first of all the house of Joseph to go H3318 down to meet my lord H113 the king H4428 . 21 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this , because he cursed Jehovah’s anointed? 22 And David said H559 , What have I to do with you , ye sons H1121 of Zeruiah H6870 , that ye should this day be adversaries unto me ? shall there any man be put יוּמַ֖ת yu.Mat H4191 to death י֤וּמַת Yu.mat H4191 this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel? 24 And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king H4428 ; and he had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king H4428 departed until the day he came home in peace. 25 And it came H935 to pass , when he was come H935 to Jerusalem to meet the king H4428 , that the king H4428 said unto him , Wherefore wentest not thou with me , Mephibosheth H4648 ? 26 And he answered , My lord, O king H4428 , my servant deceived me : for thy servant said H559 , I will saddle me an ass, that I may ride thereon, and go H1980 with the king H4428 ; because thy servant is lame. 27 And he hath slandered thy servant H5650 unto my lord H113 the king H4428 ; but my lord H113 the king H4428 is as an angel of God : do therefore what is good in thine eyes. 28 For all my father’s house were but dead men before my lord H113 the king H4428 ; yet didst thou set thy servant H5650 among them that did eat at thine own H5869 table. What right therefore have I yet that I should cry any more unto the king H4428 ? 29 And the king H4428 said unto him , Why H4100 speakest thou any more of thy matters? I say, Thou and Ziba divide the land. 30 And Mephibosheth said H559 unto the king H4428 , yea, let him take all , forasmuch as my lord the king H4428 is come in peace unto his own house. 31 And Barzillai the Gileadite came בָּ֞א ba' H935 down from Rogelim; and he went H935 over the Jordan with the king H4428 , to conduct him over the Jordan. 32 Now Barzillai H1271 was a very aged man, even fourscore years old: and he had provided the king H4428 with sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man. 33 And the king H4428 said unto Barzillai H1271 , Come thou over with me , and I will sustain H3557 thee with me in Jerusalem. 34 And Barzillai H1271 said H559 unto the king H4428 , How many are the days of the years of my life, that I should go up with the king H4428 unto Jerusalem H3389 ? 35 I am this day H3117 fourscore years old: can I discern between good and bad? can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king H4428 ? 36 Thy servant H5650 would but just go over the Jordan with the king H4428 : and why H4100 should the king H4428 recompense it me with such a reward? 37 Let thy servant H5650 , I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own city, by the grave of my father and my mother. But behold, thy servant H5650 Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king H4428 ; and do to him what shall seem good unto thee. 38 And the king H4428 answered , Chimham shall go H7725 over with me , and I will do to him that which shall seem good הַטּ֖וֹב ha.Tov H2896 unto thee: and whatsoever thou shalt require of me , that will I do for thee. 39 And all the people went over the Jordan, and the king H4428 went over : and the king H4428 kissed Barzillai, and blessed him ; and he returned unto his own H5869 place . 41 And , behold, all the men of Israel H3478 came to the king H4428 , and said unto the king H4428 , Why have our brethren the men of Judah H3063 stolen thee away , and brought the king H4428 , and his household, over the Jordan, and all David’s men with him ? 42 And all the men H376 of Judah H3063 answered the men H376 of Israel H3478 , Because the king H4428 is near of kin to us : wherefore then are ye angry for this matter? have we eaten at all at the king’s H4428 cost? or hath he given us any gift? ← 2 Samuel 18 2 Samuel 20 → Commentaries on 2 Samuel 19 American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries