2 Samuel 19

1Then it was reportedH5046 to JoabH3097H2009, “The kingH4428 is weepingH1058 and mourningH56 overH5921 AbsalomH53.” 2And thatH1931 day’sH3117 victoryH8668 was turnedH1961 into mourningH60 for allH3605 the peopleH5971, becauseH3588 on thatH1931H559 dayH3117 they were toldH8085, “The kingH4428 is grievingH6087 overH5921 his sonH1121.”

3So theyH5971 returnedH935 to the cityH5892 quietlyH1589 thatH1931 dayH3117, asH834 peopleH5971 steal awayH1589 in humiliationH3637 after fleeingH5127 a battleH4421. 4But the kingH4428 coveredH3813 his faceH6440 and cried outH2199H4428 at the topH1419 of his voiceH6963, “O my sonH1121 AbsalomH53! O AbsalomH53, my sonH1121, my sonH1121!”

5Then JoabH3097 wentH935 intoH413 the houseH1004 and saidH559 to the kingH4428, “TodayH3117 you have disgracedH954 allH3605 your servantsH5650 who have savedH4422 your lifeH5315H3117 and the livesH5315 of your sonsH1121 and daughtersH1323H5315, of your wivesH802H5315, and of your concubinesH6370. 6You loveH157 those who hate youH8130 and hateH8130 those who love youH157! For you have made it clearH5046 todayH3117 thatH3588 the commandersH8269 and soldiersH5650 mean nothingH369 to you. I knowH3045 todayH3117H3588 thatH3588 ifH3808 AbsalomH53 were aliveH2416 and allH3605H3117 of us were deadH4191H3588H227, it would have pleased youH3477H5869!

7Now thereforeH6258 get upH6965! Go outH3318 and speakH1696H5921 comfort toH3820 your servantsH5650, forH3588 I swearH7650 by the LORDH3068 that ifH3588 you do notH369 go outH3318, notH518 a manH376 will remainH3885 with youH854 tonightH3915. ThisH2063 will be worseH7489 for you than allH3605 the adversityH7451 thatH834 has befallenH935 youH5921 from your youthH5271 untilH5704 nowH6258!”

David Restored as King

8So the kingH4428 got upH6965 and satH3427 in the gateH8179, and allH3605 the peopleH5971 were toldH5046H559: “BeholdH2009, the kingH4428 is sittingH3427 in the gateH8179.” So theyH5971 allH3605 cameH935 beforeH6440 the kingH4428.

Meanwhile, the IsraelitesH3478 had fledH5127, each manH376 to his homeH168. 9AndH1961 allH3605 the peopleH5971 throughoutH3605 the tribesH7626 of IsraelH3478 were arguingH559H1777, “The kingH4428 rescued usH5337 from the handH3709 of our enemiesH341 andH1931 delivered usH4422 from the handH3709 of the PhilistinesH6430, but nowH6258 he has fledH1272H4480 the landH776 becauseH5921 of AbsalomH53. 10But AbsalomH53, the manH834 we anointedH4886 over usH5921, has diedH4191 in battleH4421. SoH6258 whyH4100 do youH859 say nothingH2790 about restoringH7725 the kingH4428?”

11Then KingH4428 DavidH1732 sent this messageH7971 toH413 ZadokH6659 andH413 AbiatharH54, the priestsH3548H559: “SayH1696 toH413 the eldersH2205 of JudahH3063H559, ‘WhyH4100 should you beH1961 the lastH314 to restoreH7725 the kingH4428 toH413 his palaceH1004, since the talkH1697 of allH3605 IsraelH3478 has reachedH935 the kingH4428H413 atH413 his quartersH1004? 12YouH859 are my brothersH251, my own fleshH1320 and bloodH6106. So whyH4100 should youH859 beH1961 the lastH314 to restoreH7725 the kingH4428?’ 13And sayH559 to AmasaH6021, ‘Aren’tH3808 youH859 my fleshH1320 and bloodH6106? May GodH430 punishH3541H6213 me, and ever soH3541 severelyH3254, ifH518 from now onH3605H3117 you areH1961 notH3808 the commanderH8269 of myH6440 armyH6635 in placeH8478 of JoabH3097!’”

14So he swayedH5186 the heartsH3824 of allH3605 the menH376 of JudahH3063 as though they were oneH259 manH376, and they sentH7971 word toH413 the kingH4428: “ReturnH7725, youH859 and allH3605 your servantsH5650.”

15So the kingH4428 returnedH7725, and when he arrivedH935 atH5704 the JordanH3383, the men of JudahH3063 cameH935 to GilgalH1537 toH1980 meetH7122 him and escort himH4428 acrossH5674 the JordanH3383.

Shimei Pardoned

16Then ShimeiH8096 sonH1121 of GeraH1617, a BenjamiteH1145 from BahurimH980H3381, hurriedH4116 down withH5973 the menH376 of JudahH3063 to meetH7122 KingH4428 DavidH1732, 17along with a thousandH505 menH376 of BenjaminH1144, as well as ZibaH6717 the stewardH5288 of the houseH1004 of SaulH7586 and his fifteenH2568H6240 sonsH1121 and twentyH6242 servantsH5650.

They rushed downH6743 to the JordanH3383 beforeH6440 the kingH4428 18and crossedH5674 at the fordH5679 to carry overH5674 the king’sH4428 householdH1004 and to doH6213 what was goodH2896 in his sightH5869.

When ShimeiH8096 sonH1121 of GeraH1617 crossedH5674 the JordanH3383, he fell downH5307 beforeH6440 the kingH4428 19and saidH559, “My lordH113, do notH408 holdH2803 me guiltyH5771, and do notH408 rememberH2142 your servant’sH5650 wrongdoingH5753 on the dayH3117 my lordH113 the kingH4428 leftH3318 JerusalemH3389. May the kingH4428 not takeH7760 it toH413 heartH3820. 20ForH3588 your servantH5650 knowsH3045 thatH3588 IH589 have sinnedH2398, so here I amH2009H935 todayH3117 as the firstH7223 of allH3605 the houseH1004 of JosephH3130 to come downH3381 to meetH7122 my lordH113 the kingH4428.”

21But AbishaiH52 sonH1121 of ZeruiahH6870H559 saidH6030, “Shouldn’tH3808 ShimeiH8096 be put to deathH4191 forH8478 thisH2063, becauseH3588 he cursedH7043 the LORD’sH3068 anointedH4899?”

22And DavidH1732 repliedH559, “SonsH1121 of ZeruiahH6870, whatH4100 have I to do with you, thatH3588 you should beH1961 my adversariesH7854 todayH3117? Should any manH376 be put to deathH4191 in IsraelH3478 todayH3117? Am I notH3808 indeedH3588 awareH3045 thatH3588 todayH3117 I amH589 kingH4428 overH5921 IsraelH3478?”

23So the kingH4428 saidH559 toH413 ShimeiH8096, “You shall notH3808 dieH4191.” And the kingH4428 swore an oathH7650 to him.

Mephibosheth Excused

24Then MephiboshethH4648, Saul’sH7586 grandsonH1121, went downH3381 to meetH7122 the kingH4428. He had notH3808 caredH6213 for his feetH7272 or trimmedH6213 his mustacheH8222 or washedH3526 his clothesH899H3808 fromH4480 the dayH3117 the kingH4428 had leftH1980 untilH5704 the dayH3117 he returnedH935 safelyH7965. 25AndH1961 he cameH935 from JerusalemH3389 to meetH7122 the kingH4428, who askedH559 him, “MephiboshethH4648, whyH4100 did you notH3808 goH1980 with meH5973?”

26“My lordH113 the kingH4428,” he repliedH559, “becauseH3588 I am lameH6455, I saidH559, ‘I will have my donkeyH2543 saddledH22801 so that I may rideH7392 on itH5921 and goH1980 withH854 the kingH4428.’ But my servantH5650 Ziba deceived meH7411, 27and he has slanderedH7270 your servantH5650 toH413 my lordH113 the kingH4428.

Yet my lordH113 the kingH4428 is like the angelH43972 of GodH430, so doH6213 what is goodH2896 in your eyesH5869. 28ForH3588H3808H1961 allH3605 the houseH1004 of my grandfatherH1H3588H518H376 deserves deathH4194 from my lordH113 the kingH4428, yet you have setH7896 your servantH5650 among those who eatH398 at your tableH7979. WhatH4100 furtherH5750 right, thenH6666, do I haveH3426 to keepH5750 appealingH2199 toH413 the kingH4428?”

29The kingH4428 repliedH559, “WhyH4100 sayH1696 any moreH5750? I hereby declareH559 that youH859 and ZibaH6717 are to divideH2505 the landH7704.”

30And MephiboshethH4648 saidH559 toH413 the kingH4428, “InsteadH1571, sinceH310 my lordH113 the kingH4428 has safelyH7965 comeH935 toH413 his own houseH1004, let Ziba takeH3947 it allH3605!”

David’s Kindness to Barzillai

31Now BarzillaiH1271 the GileaditeH1569 had come downH3381 from RogelimH7274 to crossH5674 the JordanH3383 withH854 the kingH4428 and send him on his wayH7971 from there. 32BarzillaiH1271 was quiteH3966 oldH2204, eightyH8084 yearsH8141 of ageH1121, and sinceH3588 he was a veryH3966 wealthyH1419 manH376H1931, heH1931 had providedH3557 for the kingH4428 while he stayedH7871 in MahanaimH4266.

33The kingH4428 saidH559 toH413 BarzillaiH1271H859, “Cross overH5674 with meH854, and I will provideH3557 for youH853 at my sideH5978 in JerusalemH3389.”

34But BarzillaiH1271 repliedH559, “How manyH4100 yearsH3117H8141 of my lifeH2416 remain, thatH3588 I should go upH5927 to JerusalemH3389 withH854 the kingH4428? 35I amH595 nowH3117 eightyH8084 years oldH1121H8141. Can I discernH3045H996 what is goodH2896 and what is notH7451H518? Can your servantH5650 tasteH2938 whatH834 he eatsH398 or drinksH8354H518? Can I stillH5750 hearH8085 the voiceH6963 of singing menH7891 and womenH7891? WhyH4100 should your servantH5650 beH1961 an addedH5750 burdenH4853 toH413 my lordH113 the kingH4428?

36Your servantH5650 will go withH854 the kingH4428 only a short distanceH4592 pastH5674 the JordanH3383; whyH4100 should the kingH4428 repay meH1580 with suchH2063 a rewardH1578? 37PleaseH4994 let your servantH5650 returnH7725, that I may dieH4191 in my own cityH5892 nearH5973 the tombH6913 of my fatherH1 and motherH517. But hereH2009 is your servantH5650 ChimhamH3643. Let him cross overH5674 withH5973 my lordH113 the kingH4428, and doH6213 for him whatH834 is goodH2895 in your sightH5869.”

38The kingH4428 repliedH559, “ChimhamH3643 will cross overH5674 with meH854, and IH589 will doH6213 for him what is goodH2896 in your sightH5869, and I will doH6213 for you whateverH3605 you desireH977 of meH5921.”

39So allH3605 the peopleH5971 crossedH5674 the JordanH3383, and then the kingH4428 crossed overH5674. The kingH4428 kissedH5401 BarzillaiH1271 and blessed himH1288, and Barzillai returnedH7725 homeH4725.

40Then the kingH4428 crossed overH5674 to GilgalH1537, and ChimhamH3643 crossed overH5674 with himH5973. AllH3605 the troopsH5971 of JudahH3063H5674 andH1571 halfH2677 the troopsH5971 of IsraelH3478 escorted the kingH4428.

Contention over the King

41SoonH2009 allH3605 the menH376 of IsraelH3478 cameH935 toH413 the kingH4428 and askedH559H413H4428, “WhyH4069 did our brothersH251, the menH376 of JudahH3063, take you away secretlyH1589 and bring the kingH4428 and his householdH1004 acrossH5674 the JordanH3383, together withH5973 allH3605 of David’sH1732 menH376?”

42And allH3605 the menH376 of JudahH3063 repliedH6030 toH5921 the menH376 of IsraelH3478, “We did this becauseH3588 the kingH4428 is ourH413 relativeH7138. WhyH4100 does thisH2088 angerH2734 youH5921H1697H2088? Have we ever eatenH398 atH4480 the king’sH4428 expense orH518H5375 received anythingH5375 for ourselves?”

43“We have tenH6235 sharesH3027 in the kingH4428,” answeredH6030 the menH376 of IsraelH3478, “so we have more claimH1571H589 to DavidH1732 than youH4480. WhyH4069 then do you despise usH7043? Were we notH3808H1961 the firstH7223 to speakH1697 of restoringH7725 our kingH4428?”

But the menH376 of JudahH3063 spoke more fiercelyH7185H1697 than the menH376 of IsraelH3478.