1 J oab was told, “Behold, the king weeps and mourns for Absalom.”

It was told Joab, Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.

2 T he victory that day was turned into mourning among all the people; for the people heard it said that day, “The king grieves for his son.”

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

3 T he people sneaked into the city that day, as people who are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.

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

4 T he king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, “My son Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son!”

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

5 J oab came into the house to the king, and said, “Today you have shamed the faces of all your servants, who today have saved your life, and the lives of your sons and of your daughters, and the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines;

And 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.

6 i n that you love those who hate you, and hate those who love you. For you have declared today, that princes and servants are nothing to you. For today I perceive that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died today, then it would have pleased you well.

For 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.

7 N ow therefore arise, go out, and speak to comfort your servants; for I swear by Yahweh, if you don’t go out, not a man will stay with you this night. That would be worse to you than all the evil that has happened to you from your youth until now.”

So 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.

8 T hen the king arose, and sat in the gate. They told to all the people, saying, “Behold, the king is sitting in the gate.” All the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled every man to his tent.

Then 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.

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

And 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.

10 A bsalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why don’t you speak a word of bringing the king back?”

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

11 K ing David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, “Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, ‘Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house? Since the speech of all Israel has come to the king, to return him to his house.

And 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?

12 Y ou are my brothers. You are my bone and my flesh. Why then are you the last to bring back the king?’

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

13 S ay to Amasa, ‘Aren’t you my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you aren’t captain of the army before me continually instead of Joab.’”

And 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.

14 H e bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as one man; so that they sent to the king, saying, “Return, you and all your servants.”

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

15 S o the king returned, and came to the Jordan. Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to bring the king over the Jordan.

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

16 S himei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, who was of Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.

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

17 T here were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of Saul’s house, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went through the Jordan in the presence of the king.

And 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.

18 A ferry boat went to bring over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good. Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, when he had come over the Jordan.

And 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,

19 H e said to the king, “Don’t let my lord impute iniquity to me, or remember that which your servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.

And 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.

20 F or your servant knows that I have sinned. Therefore behold, I have come today as the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.”

For 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.

21 B ut Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed Yahweh’s anointed?”

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

22 D avid said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should be adversaries to me today? Shall any man be put to death today in Israel? For don’t I know that I am king over Israel today?”

David 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?

23 T he king said to Shimei, “You will not die.” The king swore to him.

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

24 M ephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king; and he had neither groomed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace.

Mephibosheth 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.

25 W hen he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, “Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?”

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

26 H e answered, “My lord, O king, my servant deceived me. For your servant said, I will saddle me a donkey, that I may ride on it, and go with the king; because your servant is lame.

He 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.

27 H e has slandered your servant to my lord the king, but my lord the king is as an angel of God. Do therefore what is good in your eyes.

He 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.

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

For 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?

29 T he king said to him, “Why do you speak any more of your matters? I say, you and Ziba divide the land.”

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

30 M ephibosheth said to the king, “Yes, let him take all, because my lord the king has come in peace to his own house.”

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

31 B arzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim; and he went over the Jordan with the king, to conduct him over the Jordan.

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

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

Now 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.

33 T he king said to Barzillai, “Come over with me, and I will sustain you with me in Jerusalem.”

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

34 B arzillai said to the king, “How many are the days of the years of my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?

And 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?

35 I am eighty years old, today. Can I discern between good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear the voice of singing men and singing women any more? Why then should your servant be a burden to my lord the king?

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?

36 Y our servant would but just go over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king repay me with such a reward?

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

37 P lease let your servant turn back again, that I may die in my own city, by the grave of my father and my mother. But behold, your servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good to you.”

Let 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.

38 T he king answered, “Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good to you. Whatever you request of me, that I will do for you.”

The 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.

39 A ll the people went over the Jordan, and the king went over. Then the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned to his own place.

So 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.

40 S o the king went over to Gilgal, and Chimham went over with him. All the people of Judah brought the king over, and also half the people of Israel.

Then 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.

41 B ehold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said to the king, “Why have our brothers the men of Judah stolen you away, and brought the king, and his household, over the Jordan, and all David’s men with him?”

And 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?

42 A ll the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because the king is a close relative to us. Why then are you angry about this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king’s cost? Or has he given us any gift?”

But 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?

43 T he men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, “We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more claim to David than you. Why then did you despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king?” The words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

Then 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.