1 And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weepeth and mourneth
for Absalom.
2 And
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.
3 And
the people gat them by stealth that day into the city, as people being ashamed
steal away when they flee in battle.
4 But
the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son
Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!
5 And
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;
6 In
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.
7 Now
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.
8 Then
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.
9 And
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.
10 And
Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why speak
ye not a word of bringing the king back?
11 And
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.
12 Ye are my
brethren, ye are my
bones and my flesh: wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the king?
13 And
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.
14 And
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.
15 So
the king returned, and came to Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet
the king, to conduct the king over Jordan.
16 And
Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with
the men of Judah to meet king David.
17 And 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.
18 And
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;
19 And
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.
20 For
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.
21 But
Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death
for this, because he cursed the LORD'S anointed?
22 And
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?
23 Therefore
the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him.
24 And
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.
25 And
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?
26 And
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.
27 And
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.
28 For
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?
29 And
the king said unto him, Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I have said,
Thou and Ziba divide the land.
30 And
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.
31 And
Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim, and went over Jordan with the
king, to conduct him over Jordan.
32 Now
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.
33 And
the king said unto Barzillai, Come thou over with me, and I will feed thee with
me in Jerusalem.
34 And
Barzillai said unto the king, How long have I to live, that I should go up with
the king unto Jerusalem?
35 I 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?
36 Thy
servant will go a little way over Jordan with the king: and why should the king
recompense it me with such a reward?
37 Let
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.
38 And
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.
39 And
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.
40 Then
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.
41 And,
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?
42 And
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?
at all of the king's cost? or hath he given us any gift?
43 And
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.
