2 Samuel 19
19
1 Now it was reported to Joab that the king was weeping and mourning for his son.
2 And so the victory on that day was turned into mourning for all the people. For the people heard it said on that day, "The king is grieving over his son."
3 And the people declined to enter the city on that day, in the manner that the people were accustomed to decline if they had turned and fled from battle.
4 And the king covered his head, and he was crying out in a great voice: "My son, Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!"
5 Therefore, Joab, entering to the king in the house, said: "Today you have shamed the faces of all your servants, who saved your life, and the lives of your sons and your daughters, and the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines.
6 You love those who hate you, and you hate those who love you. And you have revealed this day that you have no concern for your leaders and for your servants. And truly, I know now that if Absalom had lived, and if we all had been killed, then it would have pleased you.
7 Now then, rise up and go out, and speak so as to make amends to your servants. For I swear to you by the Lord that if you will not go forth, not even one person will be left with you this night. And this will be worse for you than all the evils that have come to you, from your youth even to the present."
8 Therefore, the king rose up, and he sat at the gate. And it was announced to all the people that the king was sitting at the gate. And the entire multitude went before the king. But Israel fled to their own tents.
9 And all the people were conflicted, in all the tribes of Israel, saying: "The king has freed us from the hand of our enemies. He himself saved us from the hand of the Philistines. But now he flees from the land for the sake of Absalom.
10 But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in the war. How long will you be silent, and not lead back the king?"
11 Then truly, king David sent to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, saying: "Speak to those greater by birth of Judah, saying: 'Why have you arrived last to lead back the king into his house? (For the talk in all of Israel had reached the king in his house.)
12 You are my brothers; you are my bone and my flesh. Why are you the last to lead back the king?'
13 And say to Amasa: 'Are you not my bone and my flesh? May God do these things, and may he add these other things, if you will not be the leader of the military in my sight, for all time, in the place of Joab.' "
14 And he inclined the heart of all the men of Judah, as if one man. And they sent to the king, saying, "Return, you and all your servants."
15 And the king returned. And he went as far as the Jordan, and all of Judah went as far as Gilgal, so as to meet the king, and to lead him across the Jordan.
16 And Shimei, the son of Gera, the son of Benjamin, from Bahurim, hurried and descended with the men of Judah to meet king David,
17 with one thousand men from Benjamin, and with Ziba, the servant from the house of Saul. And with him were his fifteen sons and twenty servants. And going into the Jordan,
18 they crossed the fords before the king, so that they might lead across the house of the king, and might act in accord with his order. Then, Shimei, the son of Gera, prostrating himself before the king after he had now gone across the Jordan,
19 said to him: "May you not impute to me, my lord, the iniquity, nor call to mind the injuries, of your servant in the day that you, my lord the king, departed from Jerusalem. And may you not store it up in your heart, O king.
20 For as your servant, I acknowledge my sin. And for this reason, today, I arrive as the first from all the house of Joseph, and I descend to meet my lord the king."
21 Yet truly, Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, responding, said, "Should not Shimei, because of these words, be killed, since he cursed the Christ of the Lord?"
22 And David said: "What is it to me and to all of you, O sons of Zeruiah? Why are you acting toward me this day like Satan? Why should any man be put to death on this day in Israel? Or do you not know that today I have been made king over Israel?"
23 And the king said to Shimei, "You shall not die." And he swore to him.
24 And Mephibosheth, the son of Saul, descended to meet the king, with unwashed his feet and uncut beard. And he had not washed his garments from the day that the king had departed, until the day of his return in peace.
25 And when he had met the king at Jerusalem, the king said to him, "Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?"
26 And in response, he said: "My lord the king, my servant spurned me. And I, your servant, spoke to him so that he might saddle a donkey for me, and I might climb upon it and go with the king. For I, your servant, am lame.
27 Moreover, he also accused me, your servant, to you, my lord the king. But you, my lord the king, are like an Angel of God. Do whatever is pleasing to you.
28 For my father's house was deserving of nothing but death before my lord the king. Yet you have placed me, your servant, among the guests of your table. Therefore, what just complaint might I have? Or what else can I cry out to the king?"
29 Then the king said to him: "Why are you still speaking? What I have spoken is fixed. You and Ziba shall divide the possessions."
30 And Mephibosheth responded to the king, "But now let him take it all, since my lord the king has been returned peacefully into his own house."
31 Likewise, Barzillai the Gileadite, descending from Rogelim, led the king across the Jordan, having prepared also to follow him beyond the river.
32 Now Barzillai the Gileadite was very old, that is, eighty years old. And he provided the king with sustenance when he was staying at the encampment. For indeed, he was an exceedingly rich man.
33 And so the king said to Barzillai, "Come with me, so that you may rest securely with me in Jerusalem."
34 And Barzillai said to the king: "How many days remain in the years of my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?
35 Today I am eighty years old. Are my senses quick to discern sweet and bitter? Or is food and drink able to delight your servant? Or can I still hear the voice of men and women singers? Why should your servant be a burden to my lord the king?
36 I, your servant, shall procede a little ways from the Jordan with you. I am not in need of this recompense.
37 But I beg you that I, your servant, may be returned and may die in my own city, and may be buried beside the sepulcher of my father and my mother. But there is your servant Chimham; let him go with you, my lord the king. And do for him whatever seems good to you."
38 And so the king said to him: "Let Chimham cross over with me, and I will do for him whatever will be pleasing to you. And all that you ask of me, you shall obtain."
39 And when the entire people and the king had crossed over the Jordan, the king kissed Barzillai, and he blessed him. And he returned to his own place.
40 Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went with him. Now all the people of Judah had led the king across, but only as much as one half part of the people of Israel were there.
41 And so, all the men of Israel, running to the king, said to him: "Why have our brothers, the men of Judah, stolen you away. And why have they led the king and his house across the Jordan, and all the men of David with him?"
42 And all the men of Judah responded to the men of Israel: "Because the king is nearer to me. Why are you angry over this matter? Have we eaten anything belonging to the king, or have any gifts been given to us?"
43 And the men of Israel responded to the men of Judah, and said: "I have the greater amount, ten parts, with the king, and so David belongs to me more so than to you. Why have you caused me injury, and why was it not announced to me first, so that I might lead back my king?" But the men of Judah answered more firmly than the men of Israel.
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2 Samuel 19: CPDV
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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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