2 Samuel 19:9-43

9All the people were quarreling throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “1The king delivered us from the 2hand of our enemies and 3saved us from the 4hand of the Philistines, but now 5he 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 6Zadok 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; 7you are my bone and my flesh. Why then should you be the last to bring back the king?’ 13Say to 8Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? 9May God do so to me, and more also, if you will not be 10commander of the army before me continually 11in place of Joab.’” 14Thus he turned the hearts of all the men of Judah 12as 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 13Gilgal in order to go to meet the king, to bring the king across the Jordan.

16Then 14Shimei 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 15Ziba 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, “16Let 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 17take it to heart. 20For your servant knows that I have sinned; therefore behold, I have come today, 18the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.” 21But Abishai the son of Zeruiah said, “19Should not Shimei be put to death for this, 20because he cursed the Lord’s anointed?” 22David then said, “21What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day be an adversary to me? 22Should 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, “23You shall not die.” Thus the king swore to him.

24Then 24Mephibosheth the 25son of Saul came down to meet the king; and 26he had neither 27cared for his feet, nor 28trimmed his mustache, nor 29washed 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, “30Why 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,’ 31because your servant is lame. 27Moreover, 32he has slandered your servant to my lord the king; but my lord the king is 33like the angel of God, therefore do what is good in your sight. 28For 34all my father’s household was nothing but dead men before my lord the king; 35yet you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. What right do I have yet that I should 36complain anymore to the king?” 29So the king said to him, “Why do you still speak of your affairs? I have 37decided, ‘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 38Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim; and he went on to the Jordan with the king to 39escort him over the Jordan. 32Now Barzillai was very old, being eighty years old; and he had 4041sustained 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 42sustain you in Jerusalem with me.” 34But Barzillai said to the king, “43How long 44have I yet to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35I am 45now 46eighty 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 47the voice of singing men and women? 48Why 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 49Chimham, 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 50require of me, I will do for you.” 39All the people crossed over the Jordan and the king crossed too. The king then 51kissed 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 52half the people of Israel 53accompanied the king. 41And behold, all the men of Israel came to the king and said to the king, “54Why had our brothers 55the men of Judah stolen you away, and brought the king and his household and all David’s men with him over the Jordan?” 42Then all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because 56the king is a close relative to 57us. Why then 58are you angry about this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king’s expense, or has 59anything been taken for us?” 43But the men of Israel answered the men of Judah and said, “6061We have ten parts in the king, therefore 62we also have more claim on David than you. Why then did you treat us with contempt? Was it not 63our advice first to bring back 64our king?” Yet the words of the men of Judah were harsher than the words of the men of Israel.