2 Samuel 19

Complete Jewish Bible

19 ^(18:33)Trembling, the king went up to the room over the gate, weeping and crying, “Oh, my son Avshalom! My son! My son Avshalom! If only I had died instead of you! Oh, Avshalom, my son, my son!”

²⁽¹⁾Yo’av was told, “The king is weeping, mourning for Avshalom.” ³⁽²⁾Thus the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people, for the people heard it said that day that the king was grieving for his son; ⁴⁽³⁾so that the people entered the city furtively that day, the way that people who are ashamed creep away when fleeing a battlefield. ⁵⁽⁴⁾Meanwhile, the king covered his face and cried aloud, “Oh, my son Avshalom! Oh, Avshalom, my son, my son!”

⁶⁽⁵⁾Yo’av went inside to the king and said, “Today you made all your servants feel ashamed. They saved your life today, and the lives of your sons, daughters, wives and concubines. ⁷⁽⁶⁾But you love those who hate you and hate those who love you. Today you said that princes and servants mean nothing to you — for I can see today that it would have pleased you more if Avshalom had lived today, and we had all died! ⁸⁽⁷⁾Now get up, go out and speak heart-to-heart with your servants. For I swear by Adonai that if you don’t go out, not one man will stay here with you tonight — and that will be worse for you than all the misfortunes you have suffered from your youth until now.” ⁹⁽⁸⁾So the king got up and sat in the city gateway; and when all the people were told, “Now the king is sitting in the gate,” they came before the king.

Meanwhile, Isra’el had fled, each man to his tent; ¹⁰⁽⁹⁾and throughout all the tribes of Isra’el there was dissension among all the people. They were saying, “The king delivered us from the power of our enemies, and he saved us from the power of the P’lishtim; but now he has fled the land to escape Avshalom. ¹¹⁽¹⁰⁾However, Avshalom, whom we anointed to rule us, is dead in battle. So now, why doesn’t anyone suggest bringing the king back?”

¹²⁽¹¹⁾King David sent this message to Tzadok and Evyatar the cohanim: “Ask the leaders of Y’hudah, ‘Why are you the last to bring the king back to his palace? The king has already heard that all Isra’el wants to return him to his palace. ¹³⁽¹²⁾You are my kinsmen, my flesh and bone; so why are you the last to bring back the king?’ ¹⁴⁽¹³⁾Also tell ‘Amasa, ‘You are my flesh and bone. May God bring terrible curses on me and worse ones yet if from now on you are not permanent commander of my army instead of Yo’av.” ¹⁵⁽¹⁴⁾Thus he turned the hearts of all the men of Y’hudah around as if they were one man, so that they sent a message to the king, “Come back, you and all your servants!”

¹⁶⁽¹⁵⁾The king started back and arrived at the Yarden, while Y’hudah came to Gilgal in order to meet the king and bring the king over the Yarden. ¹⁷⁽¹⁶⁾Shim‘i the son of Gera, the Binyamini from Bachurim, hurried and came down with the men of Y’hudah to meet King David. ¹⁸⁽¹⁷⁾There were a thousand men of Binyamin with him, also Tziva the servant of the house of Sha’ul with his fifteen sons and twenty servants; and they rushed into the Yarden ahead of the king ¹⁹⁽¹⁸⁾to ferry the king’s household across and do whatever else the king wanted done. Shim‘i the son of Gera fell down before the king when he was ready to cross the Yarden ²⁰⁽¹⁹⁾and said to the king, “May my lord not hold me guilty of a crime. Don’t remember the wrong your servant did on the day my lord the king left Yerushalayim. May the king not take it to heart! ²¹⁽²⁰⁾For your servant knows that I have sinned. Therefore, look — I am the first one of all the house of Yosef to come today and go down to meet my lord the king.”

²²⁽²¹⁾Avishai the son of Tz’ruyah answered, “Shouldn’t Shim‘i be put to death for this? After all, he cursed Adonai’s anointed ruler!” ²³⁽²²⁾But David said, “What do I have in common with you, you sons of Tz’ruyah? Why have you become my adversaries today? Should anyone in Isra’el be put to death today? Don’t I know that today I am king over Isra’el?” ²⁴⁽²³⁾Then the king said to Shim‘i, “You will not be put to death,” and the king swore it to him.

²⁵⁽²⁴⁾M’fivoshet the son of Sha’ul came down to meet the king. He hadn’t cared for his legs, trimmed his beard or washed his clothes from the day the king had left until the day he came home in peace. ²⁶⁽²⁵⁾When he came to Yerushalayim to meet the king, the king said to him, “Why didn’t you go with me, M’fivoshet?” ²⁷⁽²⁶⁾He answered, “My lord king, my servant deceived me. I your servant had said, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself to ride on and go with the king,’ since your servant is lame. ²⁸⁽²⁷⁾But he slandered me your servant to my lord the king. However, my lord the king is like an angel of God; so do whatever seems right to you. ²⁹⁽²⁸⁾For all my father’s household deserved death at the hand of my lord the king; nevertheless you placed your servant with those who eat at your own table. I deserve nothing more; so why should I come crying any more to the king?” ³⁰⁽²⁹⁾The king said to him, “Why speak any more about these matters of yours? I say: you and Tziva, divide the land.” ³¹⁽³⁰⁾M’fivoshet said to the king, “Indeed, let him take it all; for me it’s enough that my lord the king has come home in peace.”

³²⁽³¹⁾Barzillai the Gil‘adi had come down from Roglim and passed on to the Yarden with the king to bring him across the Yarden. ³³⁽³²⁾Barzillai was a very old man, eighty years old; he had provided for the king’s needs when he was staying at Machanayim; for he was a wealthy man. ³⁴⁽³³⁾The king said to Barzillai, “Come on across with me, and I will provide for your needs with me in Yerushalayim.” ³⁵⁽³⁴⁾Barzillai said to the king, “How much longer can I live, that I should go up with the king to Yerushalayim? ³⁶⁽³⁵⁾I am now eighty years old. Can I tell good from bad? Can your servant even taste what he eats or drinks? Can I hear the voice of men and women singing any more? Why should your servant burden my lord the king? ³⁷⁽³⁶⁾Your servant only wants to cross the Yarden with the king; why should the king reward this so generously? ³⁸⁽³⁷⁾Please, just let your servant go back and die in my own city, near the grave of my father and mother. But here is your servant Khimham; let him cross with my lord the king; and do for him whatever seems good to you.” ³⁹⁽³⁸⁾The king answered, “Khimham will cross with me, and I will do for him whatever seems good to you. Whatever you ask of me, I will do for you.” ⁴⁰⁽³⁹⁾So all the people crossed the Yarden; and the king crossed too. The king kissed Barzillai and blessed him; then he returned to his home. ⁴¹⁽⁴⁰⁾The king crossed over to Gilgal, and Khimham crossed with him. All the people of Y’hudah brought the king across, as did half the people of Isra’el.

⁴²⁽⁴¹⁾Now all the men of Isra’el came to the king and said to him, “Why have our kinsmen, the men of Y’hudah, stolen you away and brought the king and his household across the Yarden, and all David’s men with him?” ⁴³⁽⁴²⁾All the men of Y’hudah answered the men of Isra’el, “Because the king is our close relative. Why are you angry about this? Have we eaten anything at the king’s expense? Has any gift been given to us?”

⁴⁴⁽⁴³⁾The men of Isra’el answered the men of Y’hudah, “We have ten shares in the king; also we have more right in David than you. So why did you despise us? Weren’t we the first to suggest bringing our king back?” But the men of Y’hudah spoke more vehemently than the men of Isra’el.

2 Samuel 19

New International Version

19 ^[a]Joab was told, “The king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.” ²And for the whole army the victory that day was turned into mourning, because on that day the troops heard it said, “The king is grieving for his son.” ³The men stole into the city that day as men steal in who are ashamed when they flee from battle. ⁴The king covered his face and cried aloud, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!”

⁵Then Joab went into the house to the king and said, “Today you have humiliated all your men, who have just saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters and the lives of your wives and concubines. ⁶You love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have made it clear today that the commanders and their men mean nothing to you. I see that you would be pleased if Absalom were alive today and all of us were dead. ⁷Now go out and encourage your men. I swear by the Lord that if you don’t go out, not a man will be left with you by nightfall. This will be worse for you than all the calamities that have come on you from your youth till now.”^(A)

⁸So the king got up and took his seat in the gateway. When the men were told, “The king is sitting in the gateway,^(B)” they all came before him.

Meanwhile, the Israelites had fled to their homes.

David Returns to Jerusalem

⁹Throughout the tribes of Israel, all the people were arguing among themselves, saying, “The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies; he is the one who rescued us from the hand of the Philistines.^(C) But now he has fled the country to escape from Absalom;^(D) ¹⁰and Absalom, whom we anointed to rule over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?”

¹¹King David sent this message to Zadok^(E) and Abiathar, the priests: “Ask the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his palace, since what is being said throughout Israel has reached the king at his quarters? ¹²You are my relatives, my own flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to bring back the king?’ ¹³And say to Amasa,^(F) ‘Are you not my own flesh and blood?^(G) May God deal with me, be it ever so severely,^(H) if you are not the commander of my army for life in place of Joab.^(I)’”

¹⁴He won over the hearts of the men of Judah so that they were all of one mind. They sent word to the king, “Return, you and all your men.” ¹⁵Then the king returned and went as far as the Jordan.

Now the men of Judah had come to Gilgal^(J) to go out and meet the king and bring him across the Jordan. ¹⁶Shimei^(K) son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David. ¹⁷With him were a thousand Benjamites, along with Ziba,^(L) the steward of Saul’s household,^(M) and his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They rushed to the Jordan, where the king was. ¹⁸They crossed at the ford to take the king’s household over and to do whatever he wished.

When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell prostrate before the king ¹⁹and said to him, “May my lord not hold me guilty. Do not remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem.^(N) May the king put it out of his mind. ²⁰For I your servant know that I have sinned, but today I have come here as the first from the tribes of Joseph to come down and meet my lord the king.”

²¹Then Abishai^(O) son of Zeruiah said, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this? He cursed^(P) the Lord’s anointed.”^(Q)

²²David replied, “What does this have to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah?^(R) What right do you have to interfere? Should anyone be put to death in Israel today?^(S) Don’t I know that today I am king over Israel?” ²³So the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king promised him on oath.^(T)

²⁴Mephibosheth,^(U) Saul’s grandson, also went down to meet the king. He had not taken care of his feet or 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, “Why didn’t you go with me,^(V) Mephibosheth?”

²⁶He said, “My lord the king, since I your servant am lame,^(W) I said, ‘I will have my donkey saddled and will ride on it, so I can go with the king.’ But Ziba^(X) my servant betrayed me. ²⁷And he has slandered your servant to my lord the king. My lord the king is like an angel^(Y) of God; so do whatever you wish. ²⁸All my grandfather’s descendants deserved nothing but death^(Z) from my lord the king, but you gave your servant a place among those who eat at your table.^(AA) So what right do I have to make any more appeals to the king?”

²⁹The king said to him, “Why say more? I order you and Ziba to divide the land.”

³⁰Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him take everything, now that my lord the king has returned home safely.”

³¹Barzillai^(AB) the Gileadite also came down from Rogelim to cross the Jordan with the king and to send him on his way from there. ³²Now Barzillai was very old, eighty years of age. He had provided for the king during his stay in Mahanaim, for he was a very wealthy^(AC) man. ³³The king said to Barzillai, “Cross over with me and stay with me in Jerusalem, and I will provide for you.”

³⁴But Barzillai answered the king, “How many more years will I live, that I should go up to Jerusalem with the king? ³⁵I am now eighty^(AD) years old. Can I tell the difference between what is enjoyable and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats and drinks? Can I still hear the voices of male and female singers?^(AE) Why should your servant be an added^(AF) burden to my lord the king? ³⁶Your servant will cross over the Jordan with the king for a short distance, but why should the king reward me in this way? ³⁷Let your servant return, that I may die in my own town near the tomb of my father^(AG) and mother. But here is your servant Kimham.^(AH) Let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him whatever you wish.”

³⁸The king said, “Kimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him whatever you wish. And anything you desire from me I will do for you.”

³⁹So all the people crossed the Jordan, and then the king crossed over. The king kissed Barzillai and bid him farewell,^(AI) and Barzillai returned to his home.

⁴⁰When the king crossed over to Gilgal, Kimham crossed with him. All the troops of Judah and half the troops of Israel had taken the king over.

⁴¹Soon all the men of Israel were coming to the king and saying to him, “Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, steal the king away and bring him and his household across the Jordan, together with all his men?”^(AJ)

⁴²All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “We did this because the king is closely related to us. Why are you angry about it? Have we eaten any of the king’s provisions? Have we taken anything for ourselves?”

⁴³Then the men of Israel^(AK) answered the men of Judah, “We have ten shares in the king; so we have a greater claim on David than you have. Why then do you treat us with contempt? Weren’t we the first to speak of bringing back our king?”

But the men of Judah pressed their claims even more forcefully than the men of Israel.

Footnotes

2 Samuel 19:1 In Hebrew texts 19:1-43 is numbered 19:2-44.

2 Samuel 19

King James Version

19 And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weepeth and mourneth for Absalom.

²And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people: for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his son.

³And the people gat them by stealth that day into the city, as people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.

⁴But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!

⁵And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines;

⁶In that thou lovest thine enemies, and hatest thy friends. For thou hast declared this day, that thou regardest neither princes nor servants: for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well.

⁷Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably unto thy servants: for I swear by the Lord, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one with thee this night: and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that befell thee from thy youth until now.

⁸Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king doth sit in the gate. And all the people came before the king: for Israel had fled every man to his tent.

⁹And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king saved us out of the hand of our enemies, and he delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled out of the land for Absalom.

¹⁰And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back?

¹¹And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, even to his house.

¹²Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones and my flesh: wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the king?

¹³And say ye to Amasa, Art thou not of my bone, and of my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab.

¹⁴And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man; so that they sent this word unto the king, Return thou, and all thy servants.

¹⁵So the king returned, and came to Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan.

¹⁶And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.

¹⁷And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went over Jordan before the king.

¹⁸And there went over a ferry boat to carry over the king's household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was come over Jordan;

¹⁹And said unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.

²⁰For thy servant doth know that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.

²¹But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord's anointed?

²²And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel?

²³Therefore the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him.

²⁴And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace.

²⁵And it came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore wentest not thou with me, Mephibosheth?

²⁶And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me: for thy servant said, I will saddle me an ass, that I may ride thereon, and go to the king; because thy servant is lame.

²⁷And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore what is good in thine eyes.

²⁸For all of my father's house were but dead men before my lord the king: yet didst thou set thy servant among them that did eat at thine own table. What right therefore have I yet to cry any more unto the king?

²⁹And the king said unto him, Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba divide the land.

³⁰And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house.

³¹And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim, and went over Jordan with the king, to conduct him over Jordan.

³²Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourscore years old: and he had provided the king of sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man.

³³And the king said unto Barzillai, Come thou over with me, and I will feed thee with me in Jerusalem.

³⁴And Barzillai said unto the king, How long have I to live, that I should go up with the king unto Jerusalem?

³⁵I am this day fourscore years old: and can I discern between good and evil? can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king?

³⁶Thy servant will go a little way over Jordan with the king: and why should the king recompense it me with such a reward?

³⁷Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own city, and be buried by the grave of my father and of my mother. But behold thy servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good unto thee.

³⁸And the king answered, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good unto thee: and whatsoever thou shalt require of me, that will I do for thee.

³⁹And all the people went over Jordan. And when the king was come over, the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned unto his own place.

⁴⁰Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him: and all the people of Judah conducted the king, and also half the people of Israel.

⁴¹And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said unto the king, Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away, and have brought the king, and his household, and all David's men with him, over Jordan?

⁴²And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to us: wherefore then be ye angry for this matter? have we eaten at all of the king's cost? or hath he given us any gift?

⁴³And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than ye: why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

New International Version (NIV)

2 Samuel 19

Complete Jewish Bible

2 Samuel 19

New International Version

David Returns to Jerusalem

Footnotes

Cross references

2 Samuel 19

King James Version

More on the NIV

2 Samuel 19 Complete Jewish Bible

2 Samuel 19 New International Version

David Returns to Jerusalem

Footnotes

Cross references

2 Samuel 19 King James Version

More on the NIV

2 Samuel 19

Complete Jewish Bible

2 Samuel 19

New International Version

2 Samuel 19

King James Version