1 I t was told Joab, Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.

And it is declared to Joab, `Lo, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom;'

2 S o the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people, for they heard it said, The king grieves for his son.

and the salvation on that day becometh mourning to all the people, for the people hath heard on that day, saying, `The king hath been grieved for his son.'

3 T he people slipped into the city stealthily that day as humiliated people steal away when they flee in battle.

And the people stealeth away, on that day, to go in to the city, as the people steal away, who are ashamed, in their fleeing in battle;

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

and the king hath covered his face, yea, the king crieth -- a loud voice -- `My son Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son.'

5 A nd Joab came into the house to the king and said, You have today covered the faces of all your servants with shame, who this day have saved your life and the lives of your sons and your daughters and the lives of your wives and concubines.

And Joab cometh in unto the king to the house, and saith, `Thou hast put to shame to-day the faces of all thy servants, those delivering thy life to-day, and the life of thy sons, and of thy daughters, and the life of thy wives, and the life of thy concubines,

6 F or you love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have declared today that princes and servants are nothing to you; for today I see that if Absalom had lived and all the rest of us had died, you would be well pleased.

to love thine enemies, and to hate those loving thee, for thou hast declared to-day that thou hast no princes and servants, for I have known to-day that if Absalom alive, and all of us to-day dead, that then it were right in thine eyes.

7 S o now arise, go out and speak kindly and encouragingly to your servants; for I swear by the Lord that if you do not go, not a man will remain with you this night. And this will be worse for you than all the evil that has befallen you from your youth until now.

`And now, rise, go out and speak unto the heart of thy servants, for by Jehovah I have sworn, that -- thou art not going out -- there doth not lodge a man with thee to-night; and this worse for thee than all the evil that hath come upon thee from thy youth till now.'

8 T hen the king arose and sat in the gate. And all were told, The king is sitting in the gate, and they all came before the king. Now Israel had fled, every man to his home.

And the king riseth, and sitteth in the gate, and to all the people they have declared, saying, `Lo, the king is sitting in the gate;' and all the people come in before the king, and Israel hath fled, each to his tents.

9 A nd all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king delivered us from the hands of our enemies, and he saved us from the hands of the Philistines. And now he has fled out of the land from Absalom.

And it cometh to pass, all the people are contending through all the tribes of Israel, saying, `The king delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, yea, he himself delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines, and now he hath fled out of the land because of Absalom,

10 A nd Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. So now, why do you say nothing about bringing back the king?

and Absalom whom we anointed over us dead in battle, and now, why are ye silent -- to bring back the king?'

11 A nd King David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Say to the elders of Judah, Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house, when the word of all Israel has come to the king, to bring him to his house?

And king David sent unto Zadok and unto Abiathar the priests, saying, `Speak ye unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye last to bring back the king unto his house? (and the word of all Israel hath come unto the king, unto his house;)

12 Y ou are my kinsmen; you are my bone and my flesh. Why then are you the last to bring back the king?

my brethren ye, my bone and my flesh ye, and why are ye last to bring back the king?

13 A nd say to Amasa, Are you not of my bone and of my flesh? May God do so to me, and more also, if you are not commander of my army hereafter in place of Joab.

And to Amasa say ye, Art not thou my bone and my flesh? Thus doth God do to me, and thus He doth add, if thou art not head of the host before me all the days instead of Joab.'

14 H e inclined the hearts of all the men of Judah as one man, so they sent word to, Return, you and all your servants.

And he inclineth the heart of all the men of Judah as one man, and they send unto the king, `Turn back, thou, and all thy servants.'

15 S o returned and came to the Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king, to conduct him over the Jordan.

And the king turneth back, and cometh in unto the Jordan, and Judah hath come to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to bring the king over the Jordan,

16 A nd Shimei son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim, hastily came down with the men of Judah to meet King David,

and Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite, who from Bahurim, hasteth, and cometh down with the men of Judah, to meet king David,

17 A nd 1, 000 men of Benjamin with him. And Ziba, the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and twenty servants with him, rushed to the Jordan and pressed quickly into the king’s presence.

and a thousand men with him from Benjamin, and Ziba servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him, and they have gone prosperously over the Jordan before the king.

18 A nd there went over a ferryboat to bring over the king’s household and to do what he thought good. And Shimei son of Gera fell down before the king as David came to the Jordan,

And passed over hath the ferry-boat to carry over the household of the king, and to do that which good in his eyes, and Shimei son of Gera hath fallen before the king in his passing over into Jordan,

19 A nd said to the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity to me and hold me guilty, nor remember what your servant did the day my lord went out of Jerusalem; may the king not take it to heart.

and saith unto the king, `Let not my lord impute to me iniquity; neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely in the day that my lord the king went out from Jerusalem, -- for the king to set unto his heart;

20 F or your servant knows that I have sinned; therefore, behold, I am today the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.

for thy servant hath known that I have sinned; and lo, I have come to-day, first of all the house of Joseph, to go down to meet my lord the king.'

21 B ut Abishai son of Zeruiah said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord’s anointed?

And Abishai son of Zeruiah answereth and saith, `For this is not Shimei put to death -- because he reviled the anointed of Jehovah?'

22 D avid said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should be an adversary to me today? Shall anyone be put to death today in Israel? For do not I know that I am this day king over Israel?

And David saith, `What -- to me and to you, O sons of Zeruiah, that ye are to me to-day for an adversary? to-day is any man put to death in Israel? for have I not known that to-day I king over Israel?'

23 T herefore the king said to Shimei, You shall not die. And the king gave him his oath.

And the king saith unto Shimei, `Thou dost not die;' and the king sweareth to him.

24 M ephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had not dressed his feet, trimmed his beard, or washed his clothes from the day the king left until he returned in peace and safety.

And Mephibosheth son of Saul hath come down to meet the king -- and he prepared not his feet, nor did he prepare his upper lip, yea, his garments he washed not, even from the day of the going away of the king, till the day that he came in peace --

25 A nd when he came to Jerusalem to meet the king, David said to him, Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?

and it cometh to pass, when he hath come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king saith to him, `Why didst thou not go with me, Mephibosheth?'

26 H e said, My lord O king, my servant deceived me; for I said, Saddle me the donkey that I may ride on it and go to the king, for your servant is lame.

And he saith, `My lord, O king, my servant deceived me, for thy servant said, I saddle for me the ass, and ride on it, and go with the king, for thy servant lame;

27 H e has slandered your servant to my lord the king. But the king is as an angel of God; so do what is good in your eyes.

and he uttereth slander against thy servant unto my lord the king, and my lord the king as a messenger of God; and do thou that which is good in thine eyes,

28 F or all of my father’s house were but doomed to death before my lord the king; yet you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. What right therefore have I to cry any more to the king?

for all the house of my father have been nothing except men of death before my lord the king, and thou dost set thy servant among those eating at thy table, and what right have I any more -- even to cry any more unto the king?'

29 T he king said to him, Why speak any more of your affairs? I say, You and Ziba divide the land.

And the king saith to him, `Why dost thou speak any more of thy matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba -- share ye the field.'

30 M ephibosheth said to the king, Oh, let him take it all, since my lord the king has returned home in safety and peace.

And Mephibosheth saith unto the king, `Yea, the whole let him take, after that my lord the king hath come in peace unto his house.'

31 N ow Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim and went on to the Jordan with the king to conduct him over the Jordan.

And Barzillai the Gileadite hath gone down from Rogelim, and passeth over the Jordan with the king, to send him away over the Jordan;

32 N ow Barzillai was a very aged man, even eighty years old; and he had provided the king with food while he remained at Mahanaim, for he was a very great man.

and Barzillai very aged, a son of eighty years, and he hath sustained the king in his abiding in Mahanaim, for he a very great man;

33 A nd the king said to Barzillai, Come over with me, and I will provide for you with me in Jerusalem.

and the king saith unto Barzillai, `Pass thou over with me, and I have sustained thee with me in Jerusalem.'

34 A nd Barzillai said to the king, How much longer have I to live, that it would be worthwhile for me to go up with the king to Jerusalem?

And Barzillai saith unto the king, `How many the days of the years of my life, that I go up with the king to Jerusalem?

35 I am this day eighty years old. Could I now discern between good and evil? Can your servant appreciate what I eat or drink? Can I any longer enjoy the voices of singing men and women? Why then should your servant be still a burden to my lord the king?

A son of eighty years I to-day; do I know between good and evil? doth thy servant taste that which I am eating, and that which I drink? do I hearken any more to the voice of singers and songstresses? and why is thy servant any more for a burden unto my lord the king?

36 Y our servant will only go over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king repay me with such a reward?

As a little thing, thy servant doth pass over the Jordan with the king, and why doth the king recompense me this recompense?

37 L et your servant turn back again, that I may die in my own city and be buried by the grave of my father and mother. But here is your servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king. And do to him what shall seem good to you.

Let, I pray thee, thy servant turn back again, and I die in mine own city, near the burying-place of my father and of my mother, -- and lo, thy servant Chimham, let him pass over with my lord the king, and do thou to him that which good in thine eyes.'

38 T he king answered, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him what seems good to you; and whatever you ask of me I will do for you.

And the king saith, `With me doth Chimham go over, and I do to him that which good in thine eyes, yea, all that thou dost fix on me I do to thee.'

39 S o all the people went over the Jordan. When the king had crossed over, he kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and returned to his own place.

And all the people pass over the Jordan, and the king hath passed over, and the king giveth a kiss to Barzillai, and blesseth him, and he turneth back to his place.

40 T hen the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went with him; and all the people of Judah and also half the people of Israel escorted the king.

And the king passeth over to Gilgal, and Chimham hath passed over with him, and all the people of Judah, and they bring over the king, and also the half of the people of Israel.

41 A nd all the men of Israel came to the king and said to him, Why have our kinsmen, the men of Judah, stolen you away and have brought the king and his household over the Jordan, and all David’s men with him?

And, lo, all the men of Israel are coming unto the king, and they say unto the king, `Wherefore have they stolen thee -- our brethren, the men of Judah?' (and they bring the king and his household over the Jordan, and all the men of David with him).

42 B ut all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to us. Why then be angry about it? Have we eaten at all at the king’s expense? Or has he given us any gift?

And all the men of Judah answer against the men of Israel, `Because the king near unto us, and why this -- ye are displeased about this matter? have we at all eaten of the king's a gift hath he lifted up to us?'

43 T hen the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, We have ten shares in the king; and we have more right to David than you have. Why then did you despise and ignore us? Were we not the first to speak of our bringing back our king? But the words of the men of Judah were more violent than the charges of the men of Israel.

And the men of Israel answer the men of Judah, and say, `Ten parts we have in the king, and also in David more than you; and wherefore have ye lightly esteemed us, that our word hath not been first to bring back our king?' And the word of the men of Judah is sharper than the word of the men of Israel.