2 Samuel 19:9-43

9And all the people were quarreling throughout the tribes of Israel, saying, “1The king rescued us from the 2hands of our enemies and 3saved us from the 4hands 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 word 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?’ 13And say to 8Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? 9May God do so to me, and more so, if you will not be 10commander of the army 11for me continually, 12in place of Joab.’” 14So he turned the hearts of all the men of Judah 13as 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 the men of Judah came to 14Gilgal in order to go to meet the king, to escort the king across the Jordan.

16Then 15Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite who was from Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and 16Ziba 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 crossed the shallow places repeatedly 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. 19And he said to the king, “17May my lord not consider me guilty, nor call to mind what your servant did wrong on the day when my lord the king went out from Jerusalem, so that the king would 18take it to heart. 20For your servant knows that I have sinned; so behold, I have come today, 19the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.” 21But Abishai the son of Zeruiah responded, “20Should Shimei not be put to death for this, 21the fact that he cursed the Lord’s anointed?” 22David then said, “22What 23is there between you and me, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should be an adversary to me today? 24Should anyone be put to death in Israel today? For do I not know that I am king over Israel today?” 23So the king said to Shimei, “25You shall not die.” The king also swore to him.

24Then 26Mephibosheth the 27grandson of Saul came down to meet the king; but 28he had neither 29tended to his feet, nor 30trimmed his mustache, nor 31washed his clothes since the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace. 25And it was when he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, “32Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?” 26So he said, “My lord the king, my servant betrayed me; for your servant said, ‘I will 33saddle the donkey for myself so that I may ride on it and go with the king,’ 34since your servant cannot walk. 27Furthermore, 35he has slandered your servant to my lord the king; but my lord the king is 36like the angel of God, therefore do what is good in your sight. 28For 37all my father’s household was only people worthy of death to my lord the king; 38yet you placed your servant among those who ate at your own table. So what right do I still have, that I should 39complain anymore to the king?” 29So the king said to him, “Why do you still speak of your affairs? I have 40decided, ‘You and Ziba shall divide the land.’” 30And Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him even take it all, since my lord the king has come safely to his own house.”

31Now 41Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim; and he went on to the Jordan with the king to 42escort him over the Jordan. 32Barzillai was very old: eighty years old; and he had 43provided the king food while he stayed in Mahanaim, for he was a very great man. 33So the king said to Barzillai, “You cross over with me, and I will provide you food in Jerusalem with me.” 34But Barzillai said to the king, “44How long 45do I still have to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35I am 46now 47eighty years old. Can I distinguish between good and bad? Or can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Or can I still hear 48the voice of men and women singing? 49Why then should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king? 36Your servant would merely cross over the Jordan with the king. So why should the king compensate me with this reward? 37Please let your servant return, so that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother. However, here is your servant 50Chimham; let him cross over with my lord the king, and do for him what is good in your sight.” 38And the king answered, “Chimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him what is good in your sight; and whatever you 51require of me, I will do for you.” 39All the people crossed over the Jordan and the king crossed too. The king then 52kissed 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 53half the people of Israel 54accompanied the king. 41And behold, all the men of Israel came to the king and said to the king, “55Why have our brothers, 56the men of Judah, abducted you 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 57the king is a close relative to 58us. Why then are you angry about this matter? Have we eaten at all 59at the king’s expense, or has anything 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 63us with contempt? Was it not 64our 65advice first to bring back 66our king?” Yet the words of the men of Judah were harsher than the words of the men of Israel.