1 i And it was told to Joab, “Behold, the king is weeping and mourning over Absalom.” 2 i So, the salvation on that day became to mourning for all the people, because the people heard on that day, saying, “The king is grieved over his son.” 3 i And the people on that day stole away ii into the city, just as the humiliated people steal away in their fleeing in the battle. 4 i And the king covered his face and cried out with a loud voice, “My son, Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son.”
5 i And Joab came in to the king at the house and said, “Today, you put to shame all your servants' faces who delivered your soul today, and your sons' and your daughters' soul, and your women's soul, and your concubine's soul, 6 i to love your haters and to hate your lovers. For you have declared today that you have no leaders or servants. For I know today that if Absalom lived and all of us today died, for then it would be right in your eyes. 7 i And now, arise, go out and speak upon your servants' heart. For in Yehvah I swear, that if you do not go out, not a man will stay with you tonight. And this bad to you shall be worse than all the bad that has come upon you from your youth until now.”
8 i And the king arose and sat in the gate. And they told all the people, saying, “Behold, the king is sitting in the gate.” And all the people came before the king. And Israel fled each to his tent.
9 i And it was, all the people disputed among all Israel's tribes, saying, “The king delivered us from our enemies palm, and he delivered us from Philistines' palm. And now, he fled the land because of Absalom. 10 i And Absalom whom we anointed over us has died in the battle. And now, why are you silent to bring back the king?”
11 i And David the king sent to Zadok and to Abithar the priests, saying, “Speak to Judah's elders, saying, 'Why are you behind to bring back the king to his house, and all of Israel's word has come to the king to his house? 12 i You are my brethren. You are my bone and my flesh. So, why are you behind to bring back the king?' 13 i And to Amasa you shall say, 'Are you not my bone and my flesh. Thus Gods do to me, and thus may he add, if you shall not be army leader before all the days instead of Joab.'” 14 i And he swayed every man's heart of Judah as one man, and they sent for the king, “You, return and all your servants.”
15 i And the king returned and came unto the Jordan, and Judah came to the Gilgal to go to meet the king to bring the king over the Jordan. 16 i And Shimei, son of Gera, the Benjamite, who was from Young Men, hurried and came down with Judah's men to meet David the king. 17 i A thousand men from Benjamin were with him, and Ziba, a young man of Saul's house, and fifteen of his sons, and twenty of his servants with him. And they rushed iii the Jordan before the king. 18 i And the ferry boat crossed over to bring over the house of the king and to do the good in his eyes.
And Shemei, son of Gera, fell before the king when he crossed over the Jordan. 19 i And he said to the king, “Do not consider to me, my lord, iniquity, and do not remember, the king to put to his heart, with what your servant committed iniquity on the day when my lord the king went out from Jerusalem. 20 i For your servant knows that I sinned. And behold, I have come today first to all Joseph's house to come down to meet my lord the king.”
21 i And Abishai, son of Zeruiah, answered and said, “Shall not Shemei be put to death for this? For he cursed Yehvah's anointed.” 22 i And David said, “What is it to me and to you, sons of Zeruiah, that you should be for me today for an adversary? iv Shall a man be put to death today? For do I not know that I am king today over Israel?” 23 i And the king said to Shemei, “You shall not die.” And the king swore to him.
24 i And Mephibosheth, Saul's son, went down to meet the king. And he had not done his feet, and had not done his mustache, and had not washed his garments, from the day the king went until the day in which he came in peace. 25 i And it was, when he came in Jerusalem to meet the king, so the king said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?” 26 i And he said, “My lord, the king, my servant deceived me. For your servant said, 'Saddle the donkey for me, and I will ride upon her, and I will go with the king.' For your servant is lame. 27 i And he has slandered your servant to my lord the king. And my lord the king is as the messenger of the Gods. So, do the good in your eyes. 28 i For all my father's house were nothing but dead men to my lord the king. And you have set your servant with those who eat at your table. So, what right do I still have so to cry out still to the king?” 29 i And the king said to him, “Why do you speak still of your matter. I have said, 'You and Ziba shall divide the field.'” 30 i And Mephibosheth said to the king, “Also, let him take it all, since my lord the king has come in peace to his house.”
31 i And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim and crossed over the Jordan with the king to send him over the Jordan. 32 i And Barzillai was very old, a son of eighty years, and he supported the king in his sojourning in Two Camps, for he was a very great v man. 33 i And the king said to Barzillai, “You, cross over with me, and I will provide for you with me in Jerusalem.” 34 i And Barzillai said to the king, “For what are the days of years of my life that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35 i I am a son of eighty years today. Do I know between good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat and what I drink? Can I still hear the voice of male singers and female singers? So, why should your servant be for a burden to my lord the king? 36 i For a little your servant will cross over the Jordan with the king. So, why should the king repay me this repayment?”
37 i “Please, return your servant and let me die in my city with the grave of my father and my mother. And behold, your servant Chimham vi shall cross over with my lord the king, and do for him what is good in your eyes.” 38 i And the king said, “Chimham will cross over with me, and I will do for him the good in your eyes. And all that you choose upon me I will do for you.”
39 i And all the people crossed over the Jordan, and the king crossed over. And the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his place. 40 i And the king crossed over to the Gilgal, and Chimham crossed over with him. And all Judah's people crossed over with the king, and also half of Israel's people.
41 i And behold, all the men of Israel came to the king and said to the king, “Why have our brethren, Judah's men, stolen you and crossed the king and his house and all David's men with him over the Jordan?” 42 i And all Judah's men answered against Israel's men, “Because the king is near to us. And why is this, you have anger over this matter? Have we really eaten from the king? Has anything been taken for us?” 43 i And Israel's men answered Judah's men and said, “Ten hands to me in the king and also in David, I more than you. So, why do you lightly esteem me? And was it not my word first, mine, to bring back my king?” But, Judah's word was harsher than Israel's word.
Translated by Darwin Fish. See original pdf.
- In the Hebrew text, all verse numbers in this chapter are one ahead of the English text. ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
- ב נב גנ תג ית) yitgagêv) “stole away” DARBY; “steal away” KJV; “went by stealth” NAS; “stole back” NKJV ^
- חו לג צל) tsâlhu) “rushed” NAS, Green; “went over” NKJV, KJV; See footnote for Judges 14:6. ^
- שלטלן) sâtân) “adversary” ^
- דול גל) gâdol) “great” YLT, NAS, KJV; “rich” NKJV - “great” used here in the sense of great wealth. ^
- כתמגהלם) khimhâm) “Chimham” - found also in 2 Samuel 19:38, 40; and in Jeremiah 41:17 (written, ם מוהם כג [kemohem], read כתמגהלם] khimhâm]) for a location. ^