2 Samuel 19
19
1 # 19.1 19:2 in Heb Joab was told that the king was crying and mourning Absalom. 2So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the troops because they heard that day that the king was grieving for his son. 3So that day the troops crept back into the city like soldiers creep back ashamed after they’ve fled from battle. 4The king covered his face and cried out in a loud voice, “Oh, my son Absalom! Oh, Absalom, my son! My son!”
5Joab came to the king inside and said, “Today you have humiliated all your servants who have saved your life today, not to mention the lives of your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your secondary wives, 6by loving those who hate you and hating those who love you! Today you have announced that the commanders and their soldiers are nothing to you, because I know that if Absalom were alive today and the rest of us dead, that would be perfectly fine with you! 7Now get up! Go out and encourage your followers! I swear to the LORD that if you don’t go out there, not one man will stick with you tonight—and that will be more trouble for you than all the trouble that you’ve faced from your youth until now.”
8So the king went and sat down in the city gate. All the troops were told that the king was sitting in the gate, so they came before the king.
David returns to Jerusalem
Meanwhile, the Israelites had fled to their homes. 9Everyone was arguing throughout Israel’s tribes, saying, “The king delivered us from our enemies’ power, and he rescued us from the Philistines’ power, but now he has fled from the land and from controlling his own kingdom.#19.9 LXX; MT from over Absalom 10And Absalom, the one we anointed over us, is dead in battle. So why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?”
11When the things that all the Israelites were saying reached the king,#19.11 LXX, OL; MT lacks When… the king, though a version of this clause appears in 19:12. David sent a message to the priests Zadok and Abiathar: “Say the following to the elders of Judah: ‘Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his palace?#19.11 MT adds The things that all the Israelites were saying reached the king in his home (or palace). 12You are my relatives! You are my flesh and bones! Why should you be the last to bring the king back?’ 13And tell Amasa, ‘Aren’t you my flesh and bones too? May God deal harshly with me and worse still if you don’t become commander of my army from now on instead of Joab!’”
14So he won over the hearts of everyone in Judah as though they were one person, and they sent word to the king: “Come back—you and all your servants.” 15So the king came back and arrived at the Jordan River. Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king and bring him across the Jordan.
16Gera’s son Shimei, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, hurried down with the people of Judah to meet King David. 17A thousand men from Benjamin were with him. Ziba too, the servant of Saul’s house, along with his fifteen sons and twenty servants, rushed to the Jordan ahead of the king 18to do the work of ferrying#19.18 LXX; MT while the crossing was under way, to ferry over the king’s household and to do whatever pleased him.
Gera’s son Shimei fell down before the king when he crossed the Jordan. 19He said to the king, “May my master not hold me guilty or remember your servant’s wrongdoing that day my master the king left Jerusalem. Please forget about it, Your Majesty,#19.19 19:18-19 Heb uncertain 20because your servant knows that I have sinned. But look, I am the first person from the entire family of Joseph to come down today and meet my master the king.”
21Zeruiah’s son Abishai responded, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for that—for cursing the LORD’s anointed?”
22But David said, “My problems aren’t yours, you sons of Zeruiah. Why are you becoming my enemy today? Should anyone in Israel be put to death today? Don’t I know that today I am again king over Israel?”
23Then the king told Shimei, “You will not die.” And the king swore this to him.
24Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, also came down to meet the king. He hadn’t taken care of his feet, trimmed his beard, 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 go with me?”
26“My master and king,” Mephibosheth answered, “my servant abandoned me! Because your servant is lame, I asked my servant, ‘Saddle a donkey for me#19.26 LXX, Syr, Vulg; MT your servant said, I will saddle a donkey for myself so I can ride and go to the king.’ 27So Ziba has slandered your servant to my master and king, but my master and king is a messenger of God. So do whatever seems best to you. 28Even though all the members of my grandfather’s family were nothing short of demonic#19.28 Or were doomed to death by my master the king; MT men of death toward my master and king, you still put your servant with those who eat at your table. So what right do I have to beg for still more from the king?”
29“You don’t need to talk any more about this,” the king said to him. “I order you and Ziba to divide the property.”
30Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him take all of it, since my master and king has come home safely.”
31Now Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim. He accompanied the king to the Jordan River to send him off there. 32Barzillai was very old, 80 years of age. He had supported the king during his stay at Mahanaim because Barzillai was a very wealthy man.
33The king said to Barzillai, “Come over the Jordan with me. I will provide for you at my side in Jerusalem.”
34But Barzillai said to the king, “How many years do I have left that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35I am now 80 years old. Do I know what is good or bad anymore? Can your servant taste what I eat or drink? Can I even hear the voices of men or women singers? Why should your servant be a burden to my master and king? 36Your servant will cross a short way over the Jordan with the king, but why should the king give me such a reward? 37Let your servant return so I may die in my own town near the grave of my parents. But here is your servant Chimham. Let him cross over with my master and king, and treat him as you think best.”
38The king said, “Okay. Chimham will cross over with me, and I will treat him as I#19.38 LXX; MT you think best. And I will do for you anything you desire from me.”
39So all the people crossed over the Jordan River, and the king stayed behind.#19.39 LXX; MT crossed over The king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and then Barzillai went back to his home. 40When the king crossed over to Gilgal, Chimham went with him. All the troops of Judah and half the troops of Israel escorted the king across.
41Then everyone in Israel came and said to the king, “Why did our relatives the people of Judah steal you away, and bring the king and his household across the Jordan River, along with all of his soldiers?”
42Then all the people of Judah answered the Israelites, “Because the king is our relative! Why are you angry at us about this? Have we taken any of the king’s food? Has he given us any gifts?”
43But the Israelites answered the people of Judah, “We have ten shares in the monarchy! What’s more, we are the oldest offspring, not you!#19.43 LXX, OL; MT we have a greater claim on David than you do. So why have you disrespected us? Weren’t we the first to talk about bringing back our king?”
But the words of the people of Judah were even harsher than the words of the Israelites.#19.43 19:39-43 Heb uncertain
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2 Samuel 19: CEB
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
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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