1 And it was told Joab , Behold, the king H4428 weeps H1058 and mourns for Absalom H53 . 2 And the victory that day was [turned] into mourning וַיִּתְאַבֵּ֖ל vai.yit.'a.Bel H56 for all the people; for the people heard say that day, The king H4428 is grieved for his son. 3 And the people H5971 stole away that day H3117 into the city , as people H5971 steal away when ashamed of fleeing in battle . 4 And the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, My son Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son! 5 And Joab came into the house to the king H4428 , and said, Thou hast put to shame this day the faces H6440 of all thy servants who have this day 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 those that love thee. For thou hast declared this day H3117 , that neither princes nor servants H5650 are anything to thee: for to-day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived , and all we had died to-day, then it would have been right in thine eyes. 7 But now arise, go forth , and speak consolingly to thy servants H5650 ; for I swear by Jehovah, if thou go not forth , there will not tarry one with thee this night; and that would be worse to thee than all the evil that has befallen thee from thy youth until now . 8 Then the king arose H6965 , and sat in the gate. And they told 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 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 because of Absalom. 10 And Absalom H53 , whom we anointed over us , is dead in battle; and now H6258 why are ye silent as to bringing the king H4428 back? 11 And king H4428 David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak to 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 his house. 13 And say 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 instead of Joab. 14 And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah as of one man ; and they sent to the king, Return , thou and all thy servants. 16 And Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, 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 forded the Jordan before the king H4428 . 18 And a ferry boat passed to and fro to carry over the king's household H1004 , and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son H1121 of Gera fell down before the king H4428 as he was [just] crossing over the Jordan H3383 . 19 And he said to the king H4428 , Let not my lord impute iniquity to 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 heart. 21 And Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Should 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 to me ? Should 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 . Now he had neither washed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king H4428 departed until the day he came [again] in peace. 26 And he said H559 , My lord, O king H4428 , my servant deceived me ; for thy servant said H559 , I will saddle me the ass, and ride thereon, and go H1980 with the king H4428 ; for thy servant is lame. 27 And he has slandered thy servant H5650 to 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 thy sight. 28 For all my father's house were but dead men before my lord H113 the king H4428 ; and thou didst set thy servant H5650 among them that eat at thine own H5869 table. What further right therefore have I ? and for what should I cry any more to the king H4428 ? 29 And the king H4428 said to him , Why H4100 speakest thou any more of thy matters? I have said , Thou and Ziba divide the land. 30 And Mephibosheth said H559 to the king H4428 , Let him even take all , since my lord the king H4428 is come again H5750 in peace to his own house. 31 And Barzillai the Gileadite came בָּ֞א ba' H935 down from Rogelim, and went H935 over the Jordan with the king H4428 , to conduct him over the Jordan. 32 And Barzillai H1271 was very aged, eighty years old; and it was he that had maintained the king H4428 while he abode at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man. 33 And the king H4428 said to Barzillai H1271 , Pass thou over with me , and I will maintain thee with me in Jerusalem. 35 I am this day H3117 eighty years old: can I discern between good and bad? can thy servant taste what I eat and what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? and why H4100 should thy servant be yet a burden to my lord the king H4428 ? 36 Thy servant H5650 will go a little way over the Jordan with the king H4428 ; and why H4100 should the king H4428 recompense it to me with this 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 of my mother. But behold thy servant H5650 Chimham: let him go over with my lord the king H4428 ; and do to him what seems good to thee. 38 And the king H4428 said, Chimham shall go H7725 over with me , and I will do to him that which seems good הַטּ֖וֹב ha.Tov H2896 to 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 to his own H5869 place . 41 And behold, all the men of Israel H3478 came to the king H4428 , and said to the king H4428 , Why have our brethren the men of Judah H3063 stolen thee away , and have brought the king H4428 , and his household, and all David's men with him , over the Jordan? 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 me ; and why מַדּוּעַ֩ ma.du.a' H4069 then are ye angry for this matter? have we eaten anything which came H935 from the king H4428 , or has he given us any present ? ← 2 Samuel 18 2 Samuel 20 → Commentaries on 2 Samuel 19 Darby Bible — 1889 — Public Domain
Commentaries