2 Samuel 19
19
1#2Sa 18:5; 18:14It was reported to Joab that the king was weeping and mourning over Absalom. 2The victory that day was turned into mourning for all of the people, for the people heard that day, “The king is grieving for his son.” 3So the people entered the city by stealth that day, as a people who have been disgraced steal away when they flee from battle. 4#2Sa 15:30; 18:33The king covered his face and called with a loud voice, “My son Absalom, my son, my son!”
5Then Joab came to the king in his house and said, “Today you have shamed the faces of all of your servants who saved your life today, as well as the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines, 6by loving those who hated you and hating those who love you. You have shown today that commanders and servants are nothing to you. I know that if Absalom were alive instead today and all of us were dead, then this would be right in your eyes. 7#Pr 14:28; Ge 34:3Now go out and speak reassuringly to your servants, for I swear by the Lord that if you do not go out, no man will stay with you this night, and this will be worse for you than any calamity that has come against you from your youth until now.”
8#2Sa 18:24; 18:4So the king arose and took his seat in the gate, and the people were all told, “The king is sitting in the gate.” So all the people came before the king, but the children of Israel had fled, each to his tent.
David Returns to Jerusalem
9#2Sa 15:14; 8:1–14Now all of the people began to quarrel throughout all of the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies, and he saved us from the hand of the Philistines, but now he has fled from the land on account of Absalom. 10But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. Now why are you idle to bring back the king?”
11#2Sa 15:29Then David sent word to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, saying, “Speak to the elders of Israel, saying, ‘Why are you last to bring the king back to his house when the word of all Israel has come to the king, to his house? 12#2Sa 5:1You are my brother. You are my bone and my flesh. Why are you last to bring back the king?’ 13#2Sa 17:25; Ru 1:17Say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? May God do to me, and more so, if you are not commander of the army before me from now on in the place of Joab.’ ”
14#Jdg 20:1He swayed the heart of every man of Judah as though they were one man, and they sent a message to the king: “Return, you and all of your servants.”
15#Jos 5:9; 1Sa 11:14–15So the king returned and came as far as the Jordan, and Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king and bring the king across the Jordan. 16#1Ki 2:8; 2Sa 16:5–13Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite who was from Bahurim, hastened to go down with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17#2Sa 9:2; 16:1–4With him were a thousand men from Benjamin. And Ziba, the servant of the house of Saul, with his fifteen sons and twenty servants, rushed down to the Jordan before the king. 18They crossed the ford to bring the household of the king across and to do what was pleasing in his eyes.
Shimei the son of Gera fell before the king as he was crossing the Jordan, 19#1Sa 22:15and he said to the king, “Do not regard me as guilty, my lord, or remember how your servant went astray the day when my lord the king went out from Jerusalem. May the king not take it to heart. 20#2Sa 16:5For your servant knows that I have sinned. Therefore, I have come this day, first from all of the house of Joseph, to go down to meet my lord the king.”
21#Ex 22:28; 1Sa 26:9Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, “Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the anointed of the Lord?”
22#1Sa 11:13; 2Sa 16:10David said, “What do you sons of Zeruiah have against me that you should become an adversary to me today? Should any man in Israel be put to death today? For do I not know that today I am king over Israel?” 23#1Ki 2:8–9; 2:37The king said to Shimei, “You will not die.” The king gave him his oath.
24Then Mephibosheth the son of Saul went down to meet the king. He had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his mustache, nor washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he came back in peace. 25#2Sa 16:17When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?”
26He said, “My lord, O king, my servant deceived me. For your servant said, ‘I will saddle the mule for myself in order to ride on it and go with the king,’ because your servant is lame. 27#2Sa 14:17; 14:20But he has slandered your servant to my lord the king. Still my lord the king is as the angel of God, so do what seems best to you. 28#2Sa 9:13; 9:10For all my father’s house were but dead men before my lord the king. Yet you set your servant among those who eat at your table. What right do I have to cry out any more to the king?”
29The king said to him, “Why do you still speak of your affairs? I say that you and Ziba shall divide the field.”
30Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him even take everything, since my lord the king has come safely to his house.”
31#1Ki 2:7Now Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim in order to see the king across the Jordan. 32#1Sa 25:2Barzillai was very old, eighty years old. But he sustained the king during his stay in Mahanaim, for he was a very rich man. 33The king said to Barzillai, “Cross over with me and I will sustain you with me in Jerusalem.”
34Barzillai said to the king, “How many days are left in my life that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35#2Sa 15:33; Ezr 2:65I am now eighty years old. Can I discern what is pleasant from what is harmful? Can your servant taste what I eat and what I drink? Can I still hear the voices of men and women who sing? Why, then, should your servant be a burden to my lord the king? 36Your servant is merely crossing over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king repay me with this reward? 37#1Ki 2:7; Jer 41:17Now allow your servant to return, that I may die in my own city with the grave of my father and my mother. But here is your servant Kimham. He will cross over with my lord the king. Do for him what seems best to you.”
38The king said, “Kimham will cross over with me, and I will do for him what seems best to you. Whatever you require of me, I will do for you.”
39#Ge 31:55; 47:7; Ru 1:14All of the people crossed over the Jordan. And when the king had crossed over, the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him and he returned to his own place.
40The king passed on to Gilgal, and Kimham went on with him; all of the people of Judah and half of the people of Israel passed on with the king.
41#Jdg 8:1; 12:1Now all of the men of Israel were coming to the king and said to the king, “Why have our brothers, the men of Judah, stolen you away and brought the king and his household across the Jordan, and all of the men of David with him?”
42#2Sa 19:12All of the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because the king is our close relative. Why are you angry over this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king’s expense? Has he given any gift to us?”
43#2Sa 5:1; Gal 5:20And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah and said, “We have ten shares in the king. Therefore we also have more claim on David than you. Why then did you treat us with contempt? Were we not the first to advise bringing back our king?”
But the words of the men of Judah were harsher than the words of the men of Israel.
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2 Samuel 19: MEV
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Military Bible Association
2 Samuel 19
19
David’s Kingdom Restored
1It was reported to Joab, “The king is weeping. He’s mourning over Absalom.” 2That day’s victory was turned into mourning for all the troops because on that day the troops heard, “The king is grieving over his son.” 3So they returned to the city quietly that day like troops come in when they are humiliated after fleeing in battle. 4But the king covered his face#2Sm 15:30 and cried loudly, “My son Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!”
5Then Joab went into the house to the king and said, “Today you have shamed all your soldiers — those who saved your life as well as your sons, your wives, and your concubines — 6by loving your enemies and hating those who love you! Today you have made it clear that the commanders and soldiers mean nothing to you. In fact, today I know that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead, it would be fine with you!#19:6 Lit be right in your eyes
7“Now get up! Go out and encourage#19:7 Lit speak to the heart of your soldiers, for I swear by the Lord that if you don’t go out, not a man will remain with you tonight.#Pr 14:28 This will be worse for you than all the trouble that has come to you from your youth until now!”
8So the king got up and sat in the city gate,#2Sm 18:4,24,33 and all the people were told, “Look, the king is sitting in the city gate.” Then they all came into the king’s presence.
Meanwhile, each Israelite had fled to his tent.#2Sm 18:17 9People throughout all the tribes of Israel were arguing among themselves, saying, “The king rescued us from the grasp of our enemies,#2Sm 8:1–14 and he saved us from the grasp of the Philistines,#2Sm 5:20; 8:1 but now he has fled from the land because of Absalom.#2Sm 15:14 10But Absalom, the man we anointed over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about restoring the king?”
11King David sent word to the priests Zadok and Abiathar:#2Sm 15:29 “Say to the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you be the last to restore the king to his palace? The talk of all Israel has reached the king at his house. 12You are my brothers, my flesh and blood.#19:12 Lit my bone and my flesh#Gn 29:14; 2Sm 5:1 So why should you be the last to restore the king?’ 13And tell Amasa,#2Sm 17:25 ‘Aren’t you my flesh and blood?#19:13 Lit my bone and my flesh? May God punish me and do so severely if you don’t become commander of my army from now on instead of Joab! ’”
14So he won over#19:14 Lit he turned the heart of all the men of Judah, and they unanimously sent word to the king: “Come back, you and all your servants.” 15Then the king returned. When he arrived at the Jordan, Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king and escort him across the Jordan.
16Shimei son of Gera,#2Sm 16:5; 1Kg 2:8 the Benjaminite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17There were a thousand men from Benjamin with him. Ziba, an attendant from the house of Saul,#2Sm 16:1–4 with his fifteen sons and twenty servants also rushed down to the Jordan ahead of the king. 18They forded the Jordan to bring the king’s household across and do whatever the king desired.#19:18 Lit do what is good in his eyes
When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell facedown before the king 19and said to him, “My lord, don’t hold me guilty, and don’t remember your servant’s wrongdoing on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem.#2Sm 16:5–13 May the king not take it to heart. 20For your servant knows that I have sinned. But look! Today I am the first one of the entire house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.”
21Abishai son of Zeruiah asked, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord’s anointed?” #Ex 22:28
22David answered, “Sons of Zeruiah, do we agree on anything?#2Sm 3:39; 16:10 Have you become my adversary today? Should any man be killed in Israel today? Am I not aware that today I’m king over Israel?” 23So the king said to Shimei, “You will not die.” Then the king gave him his oath.#1Kg 2:8–9,37,46
24Mephibosheth,#2Sm 9:6 Saul’s grandson, also went down to meet the king. He had not taken care of his feet, trimmed his mustache, or washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he returned safely. 25When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, “Mephibosheth, why didn’t you come with me?”
26“My lord the king,” he replied, “my servant Ziba betrayed me. Actually your servant said, ‘I’ll saddle the donkey for myself#19:26 LXX, Syr, Vg read said to him, ‘Saddle the donkey for me so that I may ride it and go with the king’ — for your servant is lame.#2Sm 4:4; 9:3 27Ziba slandered your servant to my lord the king.#2Sm 16:1–4 But my lord the king is like the angel of God,#2Sm 14:17,20 so do whatever you think best.#19:27 Lit do what is good in your eyes 28For my grandfather’s entire family deserves death from my lord the king, but you set your servant among those who eat at your table.#2Sm 9:1–13 So what further right do I have to keep on making appeals to the king?”
29The king said to him, “Why keep on speaking about these matters of yours? I hereby declare: you and Ziba are to divide the land.”#2Sm 9:9; 16:4
30Mephibosheth said to the king, “Instead, since my lord the king has come to his palace safely, let Ziba take it all!”
31Barzillai the Gileadite#1Kg 2:7 had come down from Rogelim and accompanied the king to the Jordan River to see him off at the Jordan. 32Barzillai was a very old man — eighty years old — and since he was a very wealthy man, he had provided for the needs of the king while he stayed in Mahanaim.#2Sm 17:27–29
33The king said to Barzillai, “Cross over with me, and I’ll provide for you#19:33 LXX reads for your old age; Ru 4:15 at my side in Jerusalem.”
34Barzillai replied to the king, “How many years of my life are left that I should go up to Jerusalem with the king? 35I’m now eighty years old.#Ps 90:10 Can I discern what is pleasant and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats or drinks? Can I still hear the voice of male and female singers? Why should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king?#2Sm 15:33 36Since your servant is only going with the king a little way across the Jordan, why should the king repay me with such a reward? 37Please let your servant return so that I may die in my own city near the tomb of my father and mother. But here is your servant Chimham;#1Kg 2:7; Jr 41:17 let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him what seems good to you.”#19:37 Lit what is good in your eyes, also in v. 38
38The king replied, “Chimham will cross over with me, and I will do for him what seems good to you, and whatever you desire from me I will do for you.” 39So all the people crossed the Jordan, and then the king crossed. The king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and Barzillai returned to his home.
40The king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went with him. All the troops of Judah and half of Israel’s escorted the king. 41Suddenly, all the men of Israel came to the king. They asked him, “Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, take you away secretly and transport the king and his household across the Jordan, along with all of David’s men?”
42All the men of Judah responded to the men of Israel, “Because the king is our relative. Why does this make you angry? Have we ever eaten anything of the king’s or been honored at all?” #19:42 LXX reads king’s or has he given us a gift or granted us a portion
43The men of Israel answered the men of Judah, “We have ten shares in the king,#1Kg 11:31 so we have a greater claim to David than you. Why then do you despise us? Weren’t we the first to speak of restoring our king?” #2Sm 19:9–10 But the words of the men of Judah were harsher than those of the men of Israel.
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