2 Samuel 19:2-40

2The 1victory that day was turned to mourning for all the people, for the people heard it said that day, “The king is grieved for his son.” 3So the people went by stealth into the city that day, as people who are humiliated steal away when they flee in battle. 4The king 2covered his face and 3cried out with a loud voice, “4O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!” 5Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, “Today you have covered with shame the faces of all your servants, who today have saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines, 6by loving those who hate you, and by hating those who love you. For you have shown today that 5princes and servants are nothing to you; for I know this day that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then 6you would be pleased. 7Now therefore arise, go out and speak 7kindly to your servants, for I swear by the Lord, if you do not go out, surely 8not a man will pass the night with you, and this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.” 8So the king arose and sat in the gate. When they told all the people, saying, “Behold, the king is 9sitting in the gate,” then all the people came before the king.

Now 10Israel had fled, each to his tent. 9All the people were quarreling throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “11The king delivered us from the 12hand of our enemies and 13saved us from the 14hand of the Philistines, but now 15he has fled out of the land from Absalom. 10However, Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. Now then, why are you silent about bringing the king back?”

11Then King David sent to 16Zadok and Abiathar the priests, saying, “Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, ‘Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house, since the word of all Israel has come to the king, even to his house? 12You are my brothers; 17you are my bone and my flesh. Why then should you be the last to bring back the king?’ 13Say to 18Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? 19May God do so to me, and more also, if you will not be 20commander of the army before me continually 21in place of Joab.’” 14Thus he turned the hearts of all the men of Judah 22as one man, so that they sent word to the king, saying, “Return, you and all your servants.” 15The king then returned and came as far as the Jordan. And Judah came to 23Gilgal in order to go to meet the king, to bring the king across the Jordan.

16Then 24Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite who was from Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17There were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, with 25Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they rushed to the Jordan before the king. 18Then they kept crossing the ford to bring over the king’s household, and to do what was good in his sight. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king as he was about to cross the Jordan. 19So he said to the king, “26Let not my lord consider me guilty, nor remember what your servant did wrong on the day when my lord the king came out from Jerusalem, so that the king would 27take it to heart. 20For your servant knows that I have sinned; therefore behold, I have come today, 28the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.” 21But Abishai the son of Zeruiah said, “29Should not Shimei be put to death for this, 30because he cursed the Lord’s anointed?” 22David then said, “31What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day be an adversary to me? 32Should any man be put to death in Israel today? For do I not know that I am king over Israel today?” 23The king said to Shimei, “33You shall not die.” Thus the king swore to him.

24Then 34Mephibosheth the 35son of Saul came down to meet the king; and 36he had neither 37cared for his feet, nor 38trimmed his mustache, nor 39washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace. 25It was when he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, “40Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?” 26So he answered, “O my lord, the king, my servant deceived me; for your servant said, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself that I may ride on it and go with the king,’ 41because your servant is lame. 27Moreover, 42he has slandered your servant to my lord the king; but my lord the king is 43like the angel of God, therefore do what is good in your sight. 28For 44all my father’s household was nothing but dead men before my lord the king; 45yet you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. What right do I have yet that I should 46complain anymore to the king?” 29So the king said to him, “Why do you still speak of your affairs? I have 47decided, ‘You and Ziba shall divide the land.’” 30Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him even take it all, since my lord the king has come safely to his own house.”

31Now 48Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim; and he went on to the Jordan with the king to 49escort him over the Jordan. 32Now Barzillai was very old, being eighty years old; and he had 5051sustained the king while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very great man. 33The king said to Barzillai, “You cross over with me and I will 52sustain you in Jerusalem with me.” 34But Barzillai said to the king, “53How long 54have I yet to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35I am 55now 56eighty years old. Can I distinguish between good and bad? Or can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Or can I hear anymore 57the voice of singing men and women? 58Why then should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king? 36Your servant would merely cross over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king compensate me with this reward? 37Please let your servant return, that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother. However, here is your servant 59Chimham, let him cross over with my lord the king, and do for him what is good in your sight.” 38The king answered, “Chimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him what is good in your sight; and whatever you 60require of me, I will do for you.” 39All the people crossed over the Jordan and the king crossed too. The king then 61kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his place.

40Now the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him; and all the people of Judah and also 62half the people of Israel 63accompanied the king.