2 Samuel 19
19
1Soon Joab was told, “The king is crying and mourning for Absalom.” 2Victory that day was turned into mourning for the whole army, because they were told, “The king is grieving for his son.” 3They stole back into town that day like defeated people steal in, ashamed of running away from the battle. 4The king held his face in his hands and sobbed loudly, “My son Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!”
5Then Joab went inside and told the king, “Today you have humiliated all your men who have saved your life, and the lives of your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your concubines. 6You did this by loving those who hate you and hating those who love you. Today you have made it plain that the commanders and the men don't mean anything to you. Today I'm sure that you'd be quite happy if Absalom was alive and all of us were dead! 7So get up, go out, and thank your men. I swear by the Lord that if you don't, you won't have a man left by tonight. That will be far worse for you than all the disasters you've had from your youth until now.”
8So the king got up and went to sit at the town gate.#19:8. In other words, David made himself accessible to them, rather than stay cooped up in his room. Everybody was told: “Look, the king is sitting at the town gate.” They all came to see the king.
In the meantime the Israelites had run away and gone to their homes. 9Everyone among the tribes of Israel were arguing with each other, saying, “The king rescued us from the persecution of our enemies, he saved us from the Philistines, but now he's had to run from the country because of Absalom. 10Now Absalom, the man we chose to be our king by anointing him, has died in battle. Why don't we do something and invite King David#19:10. “David”: name supplied for clarity. to come back?”
11King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests: “Tell the elders of Judah, ‘Are you going to be the last people to bring the king back to his palace, since the king has heard that all of Israel wants it? 12You are my brothers, my own flesh and blood. Why should you be the last ones to want to bring the king back?’ 13Tell Amasa, ‘Aren't you my flesh and blood too? May God punish me very severely if from now on you're not the commander of my army instead of Joab!’”
14Amasa convinced all the people of Judah to unitedly support David,#19:14. “David”: name supplied for clarity. so they sent a message to the king: “Please come back, you and everyone with you.” 15The king began his journey back, and when he arrived at the Jordan, the men of Judah met him at Gilgal to help him cross the river. 16Shimei,#19:16. See 16:5. son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17With him were one thousand men from the tribe of Benjamin, including Ziba, servant of Saul's family, as well as Ziba's fifteen sons and twenty servants. They rushed down to the Jordan to meet the king. 18They crossed at the ford to bring the king's household over and whatever else he wanted. Shimei crossed the Jordan and fell facedown before the king.
19“Your Majesty, please forgive me and disregard the wrong that I, your servant, did when Your Majesty left Jerusalem. Please forget all about it. 20I, your servant, recognize that I have sinned. But look! Today I'm the first from any of the tribes of Joseph to come down and meet Your Majesty.”
21Abishai, son of Zeruiah, said, “Shouldn't Shimei be executed for this, because he cursed the Lord's anointed one?”
22But David replied, “What's that got to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah?#19:22. David is not only replying to Abishai, but also to Joab, Abishai's brother. Do you want to be my enemies today? Is this a day to execute anybody in Israel? Aren't I certain that today I'm the king of Israel once more?”
23David turned to Shimei and swore an oath to him, “You're not going to die.”
24Then Mephibosheth, Saul's grandson, went to meet the king. He had refused to look after his feet or trim his mustache or have his clothes washed from the day the king left until the day of his peaceful return. 25When he arrived from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, “Why didn't you come with me, Mephibosheth?”
26Mephibosheth answered, “Your Majesty, my servant Ziba tricked me. I told him, ‘Saddle up my donkey#19:26. Septuagint reading. Hebrew: “Let me saddle up my donkey.” so I can ride her and leave with the king,’ because you know that I'm lame. 27Ziba has misrepresented me, your servant, to Your Majesty. However, Your Majesty is like an angel of God, so do what you think best. 28All my grandfather's family could only expect death from Your Majesty, but you included me, your servant, among those who eat at your table. So what right do I have to ask the king for anything more?”
29“Why talk any more about these issues of yours?” David responded. “I've decided that you and Ziba should divide the land.”
30Mephibosheth replied to the king, “Let him have it all! I'm just happy that Your Majesty has returned home in peace.”
31Barzillai the Gileadite had also come down from Rogelim to help the king cross the Jordan and to make his way onwards from there. 32Barzillai was very old, eighty years of age, and because he was a very wealthy man, he had provided the king with food while he was staying in Mahanaim.
33The king said to Barzillai, “Cross the Jordan with me, and I will provide for you while you stay with me in Jerusalem.”
34“How much longer do you think I have to live so I could go to Jerusalem and stay there with the king?” Barzillai replied. 35“I'm already eighty. I don't enjoy anything anymore. I can't taste what I eat or drink. I can't hear when people sing. There's no point for me, your servant, to be another burden to Your Majesty! 36For your servant to cross the Jordan River with the king is enough reward for me!#19:36. These two verses are set out as questions in the Hebrew, but they work better as statements in English. 37Then let your servant go back home, that I may die in my home town near the tomb of my father and mother. But here is your servant, my son#19:37. The text does not explicitly say that Chimham is Barzillai's son, but some Septuagint manuscripts do so and it is a likely conclusion. Chimham. Let him cross over with Your Majesty, and treat him as you think best.”
38The king replied, “Chimham will cross over with me, and I will treat him as you think best, and I will do for you whatever you want.”
39So everybody crossed the Jordan first, and then the king crossed over. The king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and then Barzillai went back home. 40Then the king carried on to Gilgal, and Chimham went with him. The whole army of Judah and half the army of Israel accompanied the king.
41But soon the men of Israel who were there came to the king and asked him, “Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, secretly take Your Majesty away and bring you and your household across the Jordan, together with all your men?”
42The men of Judah explained to the men of Israel, “We did this because the king is one of our relatives. Why are you getting upset about this? When did we ever eat the king's food? When did we ever get anything for ourselves?”
43“We've got ten shares in the king,”#19:43. Referring to the ten northern tribes. the men of Israel replied, “so we have a greater claim on David than you do. Why do you look down on us? Weren't we the first ones to talk about bringing back our king?” But the men of Judah argued even more strongly than the men of Israel.
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2 Samuel 19: FBV
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com
2 Samuel 19
19
Joab Scolds David
1People told Joab what had happened, “Look, the king is crying and mourning for Absalom.” 2So the joy of victory turned to sadness for everyone. It was a very sad day because the people heard, “The king is mourning for his son.”
3The people came into the city quietly as if they were the ones who had been defeated in battle. 4The king had covered his face and was crying loudly, “O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!”
5Joab came into the king’s palace and said to the king, “You are humiliating every one of your officers! Look, they saved your life today and the lives of your sons and daughters and your wives and slave women. 6It seems that you love those who hate you, and you hate those who love you! Today you have made it clear to your officers and men that they mean nothing to you. It appears as if you would have been perfectly happy if Absalom had lived and the rest of us had been killed today! 7Now get up and go encourage your officers. I swear by the Lord, if you don’t go out and do that right now, not one man will be with you tonight. And that will be worse for you than all the trouble you have had since you were a child.”
8So the king went to the city gate.#19:8 city gate This was where the public meetings were held. The news spread that the king was at the gate, so all the people came to see him, except for the Israelites who had run away to their homes.
David Is King Again
9The tribes of Israel began discussing what to do next. They said, “King David saved us from the Philistines and our other enemies. David left the country because he was running away from Absalom. 10We anointed Absalom to be the king, but he was killed in battle. So we should bring David back to be the king again.”
11King David sent a message to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. David said, “Speak to the leaders of Judah and tell them, ‘Why are you the last tribe to bring King David back home? See, all the Israelites are talking about bringing the king back home. 12You are my brothers, my family, so why are you the last tribe to bring the king back?’ 13Also tell Amasa, ‘You are part of my family. I swear that I will make you captain of the army in Joab’s place.’”
14David touched the hearts of the people of Judah, and they all agreed as one. The people of Judah sent a message to the king, saying, “You and all your officers come back!”
15King David came to the Jordan River. The people of Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king and take him across the Jordan River.
Shimei Asks David to Forgive Him
16Shimei son of Gera, from the tribe of Benjamin, lived in Bahurim. Shimei rushed down to meet King David, with the rest of the people of Judah. 17About 1000 people from the tribe of Benjamin came with Shimei. Ziba the servant from Saul’s family also came. Ziba brought his 15 sons and 20 servants with him. All these people hurried to the Jordan River to meet King David.
18The people went across the Jordan River to help bring the king’s family back to Judah. They did whatever the king wanted. While the king was crossing the river, Shimei son of Gera came to meet him. He bowed down to the ground in front of the king. 19Shimei said to the king, “My lord, don’t think about the wrong things I did. My lord and king, don’t remember the bad things I did when you left Jerusalem. 20I know that I sinned. That is why today I am the first person from Joseph’s family#19:20 Joseph’s family This probably means the Israelites who followed Absalom. Many times the name Ephraim (a son of Joseph) is used for all the tribes in northern Israel. to come down and meet you, my lord and king.”
21Abishai son of Zeruiah said, “Let’s kill him for all the bad things he said about the Lord’s chosen king.#19:21 chosen king Literally, “anointed one.””
22David said, “What should I do with you, sons of Zeruiah? Are you trying to cause me trouble? No one will be put to death in Israel today! Today I know that I am king over Israel.”
23Then the king said to Shimei, “You will not die.” The king made a promise to Shimei that he himself would not kill Shimei.#19:23 David did not kill Shimei. But a few years later, David’s son Solomon ordered Shimei to be put to death. See 1 Kings 2:44-46.
Mephibosheth Goes to See David
24Saul’s grandson,#19:24 grandson Literally, “son.” Mephibosheth, came down to meet King David. Mephibosheth had not cared for his feet, trimmed his mustache, or washed his clothes since the day the king left Jerusalem. 25When he met the king at Jerusalem, the king said, “Mephibosheth, why didn’t you go with me when I ran away from Jerusalem?”
26Mephibosheth answered, “My lord and king, my servant tricked me. I am crippled so I said to my servant, Ziba, ‘Go saddle a donkey for me so that I can go with the king.’ 27But my servant tricked me and said bad things about me. My lord and king, you are like an angel from God. Do whatever you think is right. 28You could have killed all my grandfather’s#19:28 grandfather’s Literally, “father’s.” family, but you did not do that. Instead, you included me among the people who eat at your own table. So I don’t have a right to complain to the king about anything.”
29The king said to Mephibosheth, “Don’t say anything more about your problems. This is what I have decided: You and Ziba will divide the land.”
30Mephibosheth said to the king, “My lord and king, it is enough that you have come home in peace. Let Ziba have the land.”
David Asks Barzillai to Come With Him
31Barzillai of Gilead came down from Rogelim to cross the Jordan River with King David and send him on his way home. 32Barzillai was a very old man, 80 years old. He had given the king food and other things when David was staying at Mahanaim. Barzillai could do this because he was a very rich man. 33David said to Barzillai, “Come across the river with me. I will take care of you if you will live in Jerusalem with me.”
34But Barzillai said to the king, “Do you know how old I am? Do you think I can go with you to Jerusalem? 35I am 80 years old! I am too old to tell what is bad or good. I cannot taste what I eat or drink or hear the voices of men and women singers. Why should you want to be bothered with me? 36I don’t need any of the things that you want to give me. I will cross the Jordan River with you. 37Then please let me go back so that I can die in my own town and be buried in the grave of my father and mother. But here is Kimham; take him back with you as a servant, my lord and king. Do whatever you want with him.”
38The king answered, “Kimham will go back with me. I will be kind to him for you. I will do anything for you.”
David Goes Back Home
39The king kissed Barzillai and blessed him. Barzillai went back home, and the king and all the people went across the river.
40The king crossed the Jordan River to Gilgal. Kimham went with him. All the people of Judah and half the people of Israel led David across the river.
Israelites Argue With the People of Judah
41All the Israelites came to the king and said to him, “Why did our brothers, the people of Judah, steal you away? Why did they bring you and your family back across the Jordan River with your men?”
42All the people of Judah answered the Israelites, “We did it because the king is our close relative. Why are you angry with us about this? We have not eaten food at the king’s expense. The king did not give us any gifts.”
43The Israelites answered, “We have ten shares in David,#19:43 ten shares in David Judah and Benjamin were two of the tribes that later became the kingdom of Judah after the kingdom split. The other ten tribes were in the kingdom of Israel. so we have more right to David than you do. Why did you ignore us? We were the first ones to talk about bringing our king back.”
But the people of Judah replied with words that were even louder and angrier than those of the Israelites.
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