2 Samuel 19
19
1 (19:2) Joab was told, “The king is weeping and mourning over Absalom.” 2 So the victory of that day was turned to mourning as far as all the people were concerned. For the people heard on that day, “The king is grieved over his son.” 3 That day the people stole away to go to the city the way people who are embarrassed steal away in fleeing from battle. 4 The king covered his face and cried out loudly,#tn Heb “with a great voice.” “My son, Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!”
5 So Joab visited#tn Heb “came to.” the king at his home. He said, “Today you have embarrassed all your servants who have saved your life this day, as well as the lives of your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your concubines. 6 You seem to love your enemies and hate your friends! For you have as much as declared today that leaders and servants don’t matter to you. I realize now#tn Heb “today.” that if#tc The translation follows the Qere, 4QSama, and many medieval Hebrew mss in reading לוּ (lu, “if”) rather than MT לֹא (lo’, “not”). Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today,#tc The Lucianic Greek recension and Syriac Peshitta lack “today.” it would be all right with you. 7 So get up now and go out and give some encouragement to#tn Heb “and speak to the heart of.” your servants. For I swear by the Lord that if you don’t go out there, not a single man will stay here with you tonight! This disaster will be worse for you than any disaster that has overtaken you from your youth right to the present time!”
8 So the king got up and sat at the city gate. When all the people were informed that the king was sitting at the city gate, they#tn Heb “all the people.” all came before him.
David Goes Back to Jerusalem
But the Israelite soldiers#tn The Hebrew text has simply “Israel” (see 18:16-17). had all fled to their own homes.#tn Heb “had fled, each to his tent.” 9 All the people throughout all the tribes of Israel were arguing among themselves saying, “The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies. He rescued us from the hand of the Philistines, but now he has fled from the land because of Absalom. 10 But Absalom, whom we anointed as our king,#tn Heb “over us.” has died in battle. So now why do you hesitate to bring the king back?”#tc The LXX includes the following words at the end of v. 11: “And what all Israel was saying came to the king’s attention.” The words are misplaced in the LXX from v. 12 (although the same statement appears there in the LXX as well).
11 Then King David sent a message to Zadok and Abiathar the priests saying, “Tell the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you delay any further in bringing the king back to his palace,#tn Heb “his house.” when everything Israel is saying has come to the king’s attention.#tc The Hebrew text adds “to his house” (= palace), but the phrase, which also appears earlier in the verse, is probably accidentally repeated here. 12 You are my brothers – my very own flesh and blood!#tn Heb “my bone and my flesh.” Why should you delay any further in bringing the king back?’ 13 Say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my flesh and blood?#tn Heb “my bone and my flesh.” God will punish me severely,#tn Heb “Thus God will do to me and thus he will add.” if from this time on you are not the commander of my army in place of Joab!’”
14 He#tn The referent of “he” is not entirely clear: cf. NCV “David”; TEV “David’s words”; NRSV, NLT “Amasa.” won over the hearts of all the men of Judah as though they were one man. Then they sent word to the king saying, “Return, you and all your servants as well.” 15 So the king returned and came to the Jordan River.#tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
Now the people of Judah#tn The Hebrew text has simply “Judah.” had come to Gilgal to meet the king and to help him#tn Heb “the king.” The pronoun (“him”) has been used in the translation to avoid redundancy. cross the Jordan. 16 Shimei son of Gera the Benjaminite from Bahurim came down quickly with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17 There were a thousand men from Benjamin with him, along with Ziba the servant#tn Heb “youth.” of Saul’s household, and with him his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They hurriedly crossed#tn Heb “rushed into.” the Jordan within sight of the king. 18 They crossed at the ford in order to help the king’s household cross and to do whatever he thought appropriate.
Now after he had crossed the Jordan, Shimei son of Gera threw himself down before the king. 19 He said to the king, “Don’t think badly of me, my lord, and don’t recall the sin of your servant on the day when you, my lord the king, left#tn Though this verb in the MT is 3rd person masculine singular, it should probably be read as 2nd person masculine singular. It is one of fifteen places where the Masoretes placed a dot over each of the letters of the word in question in order to call attention to their suspicion of the word. Their concern in this case apparently had to do with the fact that this verb and the two preceding verbs alternate from third person to second and back again to third. Words marked in this way in Hebrew manuscripts or printed editions are said to have puncta extrordinaria, or “extraordinary points.” Jerusalem!#map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4. Please don’t call it to mind! 20 For I, your servant,#tn The Hebrew text has simply “your servant.” know that I sinned, and I have come today as the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.”
21 Abishai son of Zeruiah replied, “For this should not Shimei be put to death? After all, he cursed the Lord’s anointed!” 22 But David said, “What do we have in common,#tn Heb “what to me and to you.” you sons of Zeruiah? You are like my enemy today! Should anyone be put to death in Israel today? Don’t you realize that today I am king over Israel?” 23 The king said to Shimei, “You won’t die.” The king vowed an oath#tn Heb “swore to him.” concerning this.
24 Now Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson,#tn Heb “son.” came down to meet the king. From the day the king had left until the day he safely#tn Heb “in peace.” So also in v. 31. returned, Mephibosheth#tn Heb “he”; the referent (Mephibosheth) has been specified in the translation for clarity. had not cared for his feet#tn Heb “done his feet.” nor trimmed#tn Heb “done.” his mustache nor washed his clothes.
25 When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, “Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?” 26 He replied, “My lord the king, my servant deceived me! I#tn Heb “your servant.” said, ‘Let me get my donkey saddled so that I can ride on it and go with the king,’ for I#tn Heb “your servant.” am lame. 27 But my servant#tn Heb “and he”; the referent (the servant) has been specified in the translation for clarity. has slandered me#tn Heb “your servant.” to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like an angel of God. Do whatever seems appropriate to you. 28 After all, there was no one in the entire house of my grandfather#tn Heb “father.” who did not deserve death from my lord the king. But instead you allowed me to eat at your own table!#tn Heb “and you placed your servant among those who eat at your table.” What further claim do I have to ask#tn Heb “to cry out to.” the king for anything?”
29 Then the king replied to him, “Why should you continue speaking like this? You and Ziba will inherit the field together.” 30 Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him have#tn Heb “take.” the whole thing! My lord the king has returned safely#tn Heb “in peace.” to his house!”
31 Now when Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim, he crossed the Jordan with the king so he could send him on his way from there.#tc The MT reading אֶת־בַיַּרְדֵּן (’et-vayyarden, “in the Jordan”) is odd syntactically. The use of the preposition after the object marker אֶת (’et) is difficult to explain. Graphic confusion is likely in the MT; the translation assumes the reading מִיַּרְדֵּן (miyyarden, “from the Jordan”). Another possibility is to read the definite article on the front of “Jordan” (הַיַּרְדֵּן, hayyarden; “the Jordan”). 32 But Barzillai was very old – eighty years old, in fact – and he had taken care of the king when he stayed in Mahanaim, for he was a very rich#tn Heb “great.” man. 33 So the king said to Barzillai, “Cross over with me, and I will take care of you while you are with me in Jerusalem.”
34 Barzillai replied to the king, “How many days do I have left to my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35 I am presently eighty years old. Am I able to discern good and bad? Can I#tn Heb “your servant.” taste what I eat and drink? Am I still able to hear the voices of male and female singers? Why should I#tn Heb “your servant.” continue to be a burden to my lord the king? 36 I will cross the Jordan with the king and go a short distance.#tn Heb “Like a little your servant will cross the Jordan with the king.” Why should the king reward me in this way? 37 Let me#tn Heb “your servant.” return so that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother. But look, here is your servant Kimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him whatever seems appropriate to you.”
38 The king replied, “Kimham will cross over with me, and I will do for him whatever I deem appropriate. And whatever you choose, I will do for you.”
39 So all the people crossed the Jordan, as did the king. After the king had kissed him and blessed him, Barzillai returned to his home.#tn Heb “to his place.” 40 When the king crossed over to Gilgal, Kimham#tn The MT in this instance alone spells the name with final ן (nun, “Kimhan”) rather than as elsewhere with final ם (mem, “Kimham”). As in most other translations, the conventional spelling (with ם) has been used here to avoid confusion. crossed over with him. Now all the soldiers#tn Heb “people.” of Judah along with half of the soldiers of Israel had helped the king cross over.#tc The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew mss in reading the Hiphil verb הֶעֱבִירוּ (he’eviru, “they caused to pass over”) rather than the Qal verb וַיְעֱבִרוּ (vay’ÿviru, “they crossed over”) of the MT.
41 Then all the men of Israel began coming to the king. They asked the king, “Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, sneak the king away and help the king and his household cross the Jordan – and not only him but all of David’s men as well?”
42 All the men of Judah replied to the men of Israel, “Because the king is our close relative! Why are you so upset about this? Have we eaten at the king’s expense?#tn Heb “from the king.” Or have we misappropriated anything for our own use?” 43 The men of Israel replied to the men of Judah, “We have ten shares in the king, and we have a greater claim on David than you do! Why do you want#tn The translation understands the verb in a desiderative sense, indicating the desire but not necessarily the completed action of the party in question. It is possible, however, that the verb should be given the more common sense of accomplished action, in which case it means here “Why have you cursed us?” to curse us? Weren’t we the first to suggest bringing back our king?” But the comments of the men of Judah were more severe than those of the men of Israel.
Currently Selected:
2 Samuel 19: NET
Highlight
Share
Compare
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
1996 - 2007 by Biblical Studies Press, LLC
2 Samuel 19
19
1And it was tolde Ioab, Behold, the King weepeth and mourneth for Absalom. 2Therefore the victorie of that day was turned into mourning to all the people: for the people heard say that day, The King soroweth for his sonne. 3And the people went that day into the citie secretly, as people confounded hide them selues when they flee in battell. 4So the King hid his face, and the King cryed with a loude voyce, My sonne Absalom, Absalom my sonne, my sonne. 5Then Ioab came into the house to the King, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy seruants, which this day haue saued thy life and the liues of thy sones, and of thy daughters, and the liues of thy wiues, and the liues of thy concubines, 6In that thou louest thine enemies, and hatest thy friendes: for thou hast declared this day, that thou regardest neither thy princes nor seruants: therefore this day I perceiue, that if Absalom had liued, and we all had dyed this day, that then it would haue pleased thee well. 7Nowe therefore vp, come out, and speake comfortably vnto thy seruants: for I sweare by the Lord, except thou come out, there will not tarie one man with thee this night: and that wil be worse vnto thee, then all the euill that fell on thee from thy youth hitherto. 8Then the King arose, and sate in the gate: and they tolde vnto all the people, saying, Beholde, the King doeth sit in the gate: and all the people came before the King: for Israel had fled euery man to his tent. 9Then all the people were at strife thorowout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The King saued vs out of the hand of our enemies, and he deliuered vs out of the hande of the Philistims, and nowe he is fled out of the lande for Absalom. 10And Absalom, whome we anoynted ouer vs, is dead in battel: therefore why are ye so slow to bring the King againe? 11But King Dauid sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the Priestes, saying, Speake vnto the Elders of Iudah, and say, Why are ye behind to bring the King againe to his house, (for the saying of al Israel is come vnto the king, euen to his house) 12Ye are my brethren: my bones and my flesh are ye: wherefore then are ye the last that bring the King againe? 13Also say ye to Amasa, Art thou not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me and more also, if thou be not captaine of the hoste to me for euer in the roume of Ioab. 14So he bowed the heartes of all the men of Iudah, as of one man: therefore they sent to the King, saying, Returne thou with all thy seruants. 15So the King returned, and came to Iorden. And Iudah came to Gilgal, for to goe to meete the King, and to conduct him ouer Iorde. 16And Shimei the sonne of Gera, ye sonne of Iemini, which was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Iudah to meete king Dauid, 17And a thousande men of Beniamin with him, and Ziba the seruant of the house of Saul, and his fifteene sonnes and twentie seruants with him: and they went ouer Iorden before ye king. 18And there went ouer a boate to carie ouer the Kings houshold, and to do him pleasure. Then Shimei the sonne of Gera fell before the King, when he was come ouer Iorden, 19And saide vnto the King, Let not my lorde impute wickednesse vnto me, nor remember ye thing that thy seruant did wickedly when my lorde the King departed out of Ierusalem, that the King should take it to his heart. 20For thy seruant doeth knowe, that I haue done amisse: therefore beholde, I am the first this day of al the house of Ioseph, that am come to goe downe to meete my lord the King. 21But Abishai the sonne of Zeruiah answered, and said, Shal not Shimei die for this, because he cursed the Lordes anoynted? 22And Dauid saide, What haue I to do with you, ye sonnes of Zeruiah, that this day ye should be aduersaries vnto me? shall there any man die this day in Israel? for doe not I know that I am this day King ouer Israel? 23Therefore the King saide vnto Shimei, Thou shalt not die, and the king sware vnto him. 24And Mephibosheth the sonne of Saul came downe to meete the king, and had neither washed his feete, nor dressed his beard, nor washed his clothes from the time the king departed, vntill he returned in peace. 25And when he was come to Ierusalem, and met the king, the king said vnto him, Wherefore wentest not thou with me, Mephibosheth? 26And he answered, My lorde the king, my seruant deceiued me: for thy seruant said, I would haue mine asse sadled to ride thereon, for to goe with the king, because thy seruant is lame. 27And he hath accused thy seruant vnto my lorde the king: but my lorde the king is as an Angel of God: doe therefore thy pleasure. 28For all my fathers house were but dead men before my lord the king, yet diddest thou set thy seruant among them that did eate at thine owne table: what right therefore haue I yet to crye any more vnto the king? 29And the king said vnto him, Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I haue said, Thou, and Ziba deuide the landes. 30And Mephibosheth saide vnto the king, Yea, let him take all, seeing my lorde the king is come home in peace. 31Then Barzillai the Gileadite came downe from Rogelim, and went ouer Iorden with the king, to conduct him ouer Iorden. 32Nowe Barzillai was a very aged man, euen fourescore yeere olde, and he had prouided the king of sustenance, while he lay at Mahanaim: for he was a man of very great substance. 33And the king said vnto Barzillai, Come ouer with me, and I will feede thee with me in Ierusalem. 34And Barzillai said vnto the king, Howe long haue I to liue, that I should goe vp with the king to Ierusalem? 35I am this day fourescore yeere olde: and can I discerne betweene good or euill? Hath thy seruant any taste in that I eat or in that I drinke? Can I heare any more the voyce of singing men and women? wherefore then should thy seruant be anymore a burthen vnto my lord the king? 36Thy seruant will goe a litle way ouer Iorden with the King, and why wil the king recompence it me with such a rewarde? 37I pray thee, let thy seruant turne backe againe, that I may die in mine owne citie, and be buryed in the graue of my father and of my mother: but beholde thy seruant Chimham, let him goe with my lorde the king, and doe to him what shall please thee. 38And the king answered, Chimham shall go with me, and I will do to him that thou shalt be content with: and whatsoeuer thou shalt require of me, that will I do for thee. 39So all the people went ouer Iorden: and the King passed ouer: and the King kissed Barzillai, and blessed him, and hee returned vnto his owne place. 40Then the King went to Gilgal, and Chimham went with him, and all the people of Iudah conducted the King, and also halfe ye people of Israel. 41And behold, all the men of Israel came to the King, and sayd vnto the King, Why haue our brethren the men of Iudah stollen thee away, and haue brought the King and his houshold, and all Dauids men with him ouer Iorden? 42And all the men of Iudah answered the men of Israel, Because the King is neere of kin to vs: and wherefore now be ye angry for this matter? haue we eaten of the Kings cost, or haue wee taken any bribes? 43And the men of Israel answered the men of Iudah, and saide, Wee haue ten partes in the King, and haue also more right to Dauid then ye: Why then did ye despise vs, that our aduise should not bee first had in restoring our King? And the wordes of the men of Iudah were fiercer then the wordes of the men of Israel.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Compare
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
PUBLIC DOMAIN