2 Samuel 19

Joab Reproves David’s Lament

1Then it was toldH5046 JoabH3097, “BeholdH2009, 1the kingH4428 is weepingH1058 and mournsH56 for AbsalomH53.” 2The 2victoryH8668 that dayH3117 was turnedH1961 to mourningH60 for allH3605 the peopleH5971, for the peopleH5971 heardH8085 it saidH559 that dayH3117, “The kingH4428 is grievedH6087 for his sonH1121.” 3So the peopleH5971 wentH935 by stealthH1589 into the cityH5892 that dayH3117, as peopleH5971 who are humiliatedH3637 stealH1589 awayH1589 when they fleeH5127 in battleH4421. 4The kingH4428 3coveredH3813 his faceH6440 and 4criedH2199 out with a loudH1419 voiceH6963, “5O my sonH1121 AbsalomH53, O AbsalomH53, my sonH1121, my sonH1121!” 5Then JoabH3097 cameH935 into the houseH1004 to the kingH4428 and saidH559, “TodayH3117 you have coveredH954 with shameH954 the facesH6440 of allH3605 your servantsH5650, who todayH3117 have savedH4422 your lifeH5315 and the livesH5315 of your sonsH1121 and daughtersH1323, the livesH5315 of your wivesH802, and the livesH5315 of your concubinesH6370, 6by lovingH157 those who hateH8130 you, and by hatingH8130 those who loveH157 you. For you have shownH5046 todayH3117 that 6princesH8269 and servantsH5650 are nothingH369 to you; for I knowH3045 this dayH3117 that ifH3863 AbsalomH53 were aliveH2416 and allH3605 of us were deadH4191 todayH3117, thenH227 7you would be pleasedH3474H5869. 7NowH6258 therefore ariseH6965, goH3318 out and speakH1696 8kindlyH3820 to your servantsH5650, for I swearH7650 by the LordH3068, ifH3588 you do not goH3318 out, surelyH518 9not a manH376 will passH3885 the nightH3915 with you, and thisH2088 will be worseH7489 for you thanH4480 allH3605 the evilH7463 that has comeH935 upon you from your youthH5271 untilH5704 nowH6258.”

David Restored as King

8So the kingH4428 aroseH6965 and satH3427 in the gateH8179. When they toldH5046 allH3605 the peopleH5971, sayingH559, “BeholdH2009, the kingH4428 is 10sittingH3427 in the gateH8179,” then allH3605 the peopleH5971 cameH935 beforeH6440 the kingH4428.

Now 11IsraelH3478 had fledH5127, eachH376 to his tentH168. 9AllH3605 the peopleH5971 were quarrelingH1777 throughout allH3605 the tribesH7626 of IsraelH3478, sayingH559, “12The kingH4428 deliveredH5337 us from the 13handH3709 of our enemiesH340 and 14savedH4422 us from the 15handH3709 of the PhilistinesH6430, but nowH6258 16he has fledH1272 out of the landH776 from AbsalomH53. 10However, AbsalomH53, whomH834 we anointedH4886 overH5921 us, has diedH4191 in battleH4421. NowH6258 then, whyH4100 are you silentH2790 about bringingH7725 the kingH4428 backH7725?”

11Then KingH4428 DavidH1732 sentH7971 to 17ZadokH6659 and AbiatharH54 the priestsH3548, sayingH559, “SpeakH1696 to the eldersH2205 of JudahH3063, sayingH559, ‘WhyH4100 are you the lastH314 to bringH7725 the kingH4428 backH7725 to his houseH1004, since the wordH1697 of allH3605 IsraelH3478 has comeH935 to the kingH4428, even to his houseH1004? 12You are my brothersH251; 18you are my boneH6106 and my fleshH1320. WhyH4100 then should you be the lastH314 to bringH7725 backH7725 the kingH4428?’ 13SayH559 to 19AmasaH6021, ‘Are you not my boneH6106 and my fleshH1320? 20May GodH430 doH6213 soH3541 to me, and moreH3254 alsoH3541, ifH518 you will not be 21commanderH8269 of the armyH6635 beforeH6440 me continuallyH3605H3117 22in placeH8478 of JoabH3097.’” 14Thus he turnedH5186 the heartsH3824 of allH3605 the menH376 of JudahH3063 23as oneH259 manH376, so that they sentH7971 word to the kingH4428, saying, “ReturnH7725, you and allH3605 your servantsH5650.” 15The kingH4428 then returnedH7725 and cameH935 as farH5704 as the JordanH3383. And JudahH3063 cameH935 to 24GilgalH1537 in order to goH1980 to meetH7122 the kingH4428, to bringH5674 the kingH4428 acrossH5674 the JordanH3383.

16Then 25ShimeiH8096 the sonH1121 of GeraH1617, the BenjamiteH1145 whoH834 was from BahurimH980, hurriedH4116 and cameH3381 downH3381 with the menH376 of JudahH3063 to meetH7122 KingH4428 DavidH1732. 17There were a thousandH505 menH376 of BenjaminH1144 with him, with 26ZibaH6717 the servantH5288 of the houseH1004 of SaulH7586, and his fifteenH2568H6240 sonsH1121 and his twentyH6242 servantsH5650 with him; and they rushedH6743 to the JordanH3383 beforeH6440 the kingH4428. 18Then they kept crossingH5674 the fordH5679 to bringH5674 overH5674 the king’sH4428 householdH1004, and to doH6213 whatH2896 was goodH2896 in his sightH5869. And ShimeiH8096 the sonH1121 of GeraH1617 fellH5307 downH5307 beforeH6440 the kingH4428 as he was about to crossH5674 the JordanH3383. 19So he saidH559 to the kingH4428, “27Let not my lordH113 considerH2803 me guiltyH5771, norH408 rememberH2142 whatH834 your servantH5650 didH5753 wrongH5753 on the dayH3117 whenH834 my lordH113 the kingH4428 cameH3318 out from JerusalemH3389, so that the kingH4428 would 28takeH7760 it to heartH3820. 20For your servantH5650 knowsH3045 that I have sinnedH2398; therefore beholdH2009, I have comeH935 todayH3117, 29the firstH7223 of allH3605 the houseH1004 of JosephH3130 to goH3381 downH3381 to meetH7122 my lordH113 the kingH4428.” 21But AbishaiH52 the sonH1121 of ZeruiahH6870 saidH559, “30Should not ShimeiH8096 be putH4191 to deathH4191 for thisH2088, 31becauseH3588 he cursedH7043 the Lord’sH3068 anointedH4899?” 22DavidH1732 then saidH559, “32WhatH4100 have I to do with you, O sonsH1121 of ZeruiahH6870, that you should this dayH3117 be an adversaryH7854 to me? 33Should anyH376 manH376 be putH4191 to deathH4191 in IsraelH3478 todayH3117? For do I not knowH3045 that I am kingH4428 overH5921 IsraelH3478 todayH3117?” 23The kingH4428 saidH559 to ShimeiH8096, “34You shall not dieH4191.” Thus the kingH4428 sworeH7650 to him.

24Then 35MephiboshethH4648 the 36sonH1121 of SaulH7586 cameH3381 downH3381 to meetH7122 the kingH4428; and 37he had neitherH3808 38caredH6213 for his feetH7272, norH3808 39trimmedH6213 his mustacheH8222, norH3808 40washedH3526 his clothesH899, from the dayH3117 the kingH4428 departedH1980 untilH5704 the dayH3117 he cameH935 home in peaceH7965. 25It was whenH3588 he cameH935 from JerusalemH3389 to meetH7122 the kingH4428, that the kingH4428 saidH559 to him, “41WhyH4100 did you not goH1980 with me, MephiboshethH4648?” 26So he answeredH559, “O my lordH113, the kingH4428, my servantH5650 deceivedH7411 me; for your servantH5650 saidH559, ‘I will saddleH2280 a donkeyH2543 for myself that I may rideH7392 on it and goH1980 with the kingH4428,’ 42becauseH3588 your servantH5650 is lameH6455. 27Moreover, 43he has slanderedH7270 your servantH5650 to my lordH113 the kingH4428; but my lordH113 the kingH4428 is 44like the angelH4397 of GodH430, therefore doH6213 whatH2896 is goodH2896 in your sightH5869. 28For 45allH3605 my father’sH1 householdH1004 was nothingH3808 but deadH4194 menH376 before my lordH113 the kingH4428; 46yet you setH7896 your servantH5650 among those who ateH398 at your own tableH7979. WhatH4100 rightH6666 do I haveH3426 yetH5750 that I should 47complainH2199 anymoreH5750 to the kingH4428?” 29So the kingH4428 saidH559 to him, “WhyH4100 do you stillH5750 speakH1696 of your affairsH1697? I have 48decidedH559, ‘You and ZibaH6717 shall divideH2505 the landH7704.’” 30MephiboshethH4648 saidH559 to the kingH4428, “Let him evenH1571 takeH3947 it allH3605, sinceH310H834 my lordH113 the kingH4428 has comeH935 safelyH7965 to his own houseH1004.”

31Now 49BarzillaiH1271 the GileaditeH1569 had comeH3381 downH3381 from RogelimH7274; and he wentH5674 on to the JordanH3383 with the kingH4428 to 50escortH7971 him over the JordanH3383. 32Now BarzillaiH1271 was veryH3966 oldH2204, being eightyH8084 yearsH8141 oldH1121; and he had 5152sustainedH3557 the kingH4428 while he stayedH7871 at MahanaimH4266, for he was a veryH3966 greatH1419 manH376. 33The kingH4428 saidH559 to BarzillaiH1271, “You crossH5674 overH5674 with me and I will 53sustainH3557 you in JerusalemH3389 with me.” 34But BarzillaiH1271 saidH559 to the kingH4428, “54HowH4100 longH4100 55have I yet to liveH2425, that I should goH5927 up with the kingH4428 to JerusalemH3389? 35I am 56nowH3117 57eightyH8084 yearsH8141 oldH1121. Can I distinguishH3045 betweenH996 goodH2896 and badH7451? OrH518 can your servantH5650 tasteH2938 whatH834 I eatH398 or whatH834 I drinkH8354? OrH518 can I hearH8085 anymoreH5750 58the voiceH6963 of singingH7891 men and women? 59WhyH4100 then should your servantH5650 be an addedH5750 burdenH4853 to my lordH113 the kingH4428? 36Your servantH5650 would merelyH4592 crossH5674 overH5674 the JordanH3383 with the kingH4428. WhyH4100 should the kingH4428 compensateH1580 me with thisH2088 rewardH1578? 37PleaseH4994 let your servantH5650 returnH7725, that I may dieH4191 in my own cityH5892 nearH5973 the graveH6913 of my fatherH1 and my motherH517. However, hereH2009 is your servantH5650 60ChimhamH3643, let him crossH5674 overH5674 with my lordH113 the kingH4428, and doH6213 for him whatH834 is goodH2895 in your sightH5869.” 38The kingH4428 answeredH559, “ChimhamH3643 shall crossH5674 overH5674 with me, and I will doH6213 for him whatH2896 is goodH2896 in your sightH5869; and whateverH3605H834 you 61requireH977 of me, I will doH6213 for you.” 39AllH3605 the peopleH5971 crossedH5674 overH5674 the JordanH3383 and the kingH4428 crossedH5674 too. The kingH4428 then 62kissedH5401 BarzillaiH1271 and blessedH1288 him, and he returnedH7725 to his placeH4725.

40Now the kingH4428 wentH5674 on to GilgalH1537, and ChimhamH3643 wentH5674 on with him; and allH3605 the peopleH5971 of JudahH3063 and alsoH1571 63halfH2677 the peopleH5971 of IsraelH3478 64accompaniedH5674 the kingH4428. 41And beholdH2009, allH3605 the menH376 of IsraelH3478 cameH935 to the kingH4428 and saidH559 to the kingH4428, “65WhyH4069 had our brothersH251 66the menH376 of JudahH3063 stolenH1589 you awayH1589, and broughtH5674 the kingH4428 and his householdH1004 and allH3605 David’sH1732 menH376 with him overH5674 the JordanH3383?” 42Then allH3605 the menH376 of JudahH3063 answeredH6030 the menH376 of IsraelH3478, “BecauseH3588 67the kingH4428 is a closeH7138 relativeH7138 to 68us. WhyH4100 then 69are you angryH2734 aboutH5921 thisH2088 matterH1697? Have we eatenH398 at allH398 at the king’sH4428 expense, orH518 has 70anythingH5375 been takenH5375 for us?” 43But the menH376 of IsraelH3478 answeredH6030 the menH376 of JudahH3063 and saidH559, “7172We have tenH6235 partsH3027 in the kingH4428, therefore 73we alsoH1571 have moreH4480 claim on DavidH1732 thanH4480 you. WhyH4069 then did you treatH7043 us with contemptH7043? Was it not 74our adviceH1697 firstH7223 to bringH7725 backH7725 75our kingH4428?” Yet the wordsH1697 of the menH376 of JudahH3063 were harsherH7185 thanH4480 the wordsH1697 of the menH376 of IsraelH3478.