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

And Joab was told, “Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.”

2 a nd 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.'

So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people. For the people heard it said that day, “The king is grieved for his son.”

3 A nd 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;

And the people stole back into the city that day, as people who are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.

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

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

5 A nd 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,

Then Joab came into the house to the king, and said, “Today you have disgraced all your servants who today have saved your life, the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives and the lives of your concubines,

6 t o 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.

in that you love your enemies and hate your friends. For you have declared today that you regard neither princes nor servants; for today I perceive that if Absalom had lived and all of us had died today, then it would have pleased you well.

7 ` 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.'

Now therefore, arise, go out and speak comfort to your servants. For I swear by the Lord, if you do not go out, not one will stay with you this night. And that will be worse for you than all the evil that has befallen you from your youth until now.”

8 A nd 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.

Then the king arose and sat in the gate. And they told all the people, saying, “There is the king, sitting in the gate.” So all the people came before the king. For everyone of Israel had fled to his tent. David Returns to Jerusalem

9 A nd 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,

Now all the people were in a dispute throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king saved us from the hand of our enemies, he delivered us from the hand of the Philistines, and now he has fled from the land because of Absalom.

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

But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. Now therefore, why do you say nothing about bringing back the king?”

11 A nd 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;)

So King David sent to Zadok and 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 words of all Israel have come to the king, to his very house?

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

You are my brethren, you are my bone and my flesh. Why then are you the last to bring back the king?’

13 A nd 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.'

And say to Amasa, ‘ Are you not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you are not commander of the army before me continually in place of Joab.’”

14 A nd 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.'

So he swayed the hearts of all the men of Judah, just as the heart of one man, so that they sent this word to the king: “Return, you and all your servants!”

15 A nd 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,

Then the king returned and came to the Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to escort the king across the Jordan.

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

And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, who was from Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David.

17 a nd 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.

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 the Jordan before the king.

18 A nd 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,

Then a ferryboat went across to carry over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good. David’s Mercy to Shimei Now Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king when he had crossed the Jordan.

19 a nd 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;

Then he said to the king, “Do not let my lord impute iniquity to me, or remember what wrong your servant did on the day that my lord the king left Jerusalem, that the king should take it to heart.

20 f or 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.'

For I, your servant, know that I have sinned. Therefore here I am, the first to come today of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.”

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

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 A nd 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?'

And David 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 do I not know that today I am king over Israel?”

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

Therefore the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king swore to him. David and Mephibosheth Meet

24 A nd 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 --

Now Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king. And he had not cared for his feet, nor trimmed his mustache, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he returned in peace.

25 a nd 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?'

So it was, when he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?”

26 A nd 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;

And he answered, “My lord, O king, my servant deceived me. For your servant said, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself, that I may ride on it and go to the king,’ because your servant is lame.

27 a nd 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,

And he has slandered your servant to my lord the king, but my lord the king is like the angel of God. Therefore do what is good in your eyes.

28 f or 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?'

For all my father’s house were but dead men before my lord the king. Yet you set your servant among those who eat at your own table. Therefore what right have I still to cry out anymore to the king?”

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

So the king said to him, “Why do you speak anymore of your matters? I have said, ‘You and Ziba divide the land.’”

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

Then Mephibosheth said to the king, “Rather, let him take it all, inasmuch as my lord the king has come back in peace to his own house.” David’s Kindness to Barzillai

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

And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim and went across the Jordan with the king, to escort him across the Jordan.

32 a nd 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;

Now Barzillai was a very aged man, eighty years old. And he had provided the king with supplies while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very rich man.

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

And the king said to Barzillai, “Come across with me, and I will provide for you while you are with me in Jerusalem.”

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

But Barzillai said to the king, “How long have I to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?

35 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?

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

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

Your servant will go a little way across the Jordan with the king. And why should the king repay me with such a reward?

37 L et, 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.'

Please let your servant turn back again, that I may die in my own city, near the grave of my father and mother. But here is your servant Chimham; let him cross over with my lord the king, and do for him what seems good to you.”

38 A nd 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.'

And the king answered, “Chimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him what seems good to you. Now whatever you request of me, I will do for you.”

39 A nd 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.

Then all the people went over the Jordan. And when the king had crossed over, the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his own place. The Quarrel About the King

40 A nd 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.

Now the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him. And all the people of Judah escorted the king, and also half the people of Israel.

41 A nd, 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).

Just then all the men of Israel came to the king, and said to the king, “Why have our brethren, the men of Judah, stolen you away and brought the king, his household, and all David’s men with him across the Jordan?”

42 A nd 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?'

So all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because the king is a close relative of ours. Why then are you angry over this matter? Have we ever eaten at the king’s expense? Or has he given us any gift?”

43 A nd 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.

And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, “We have ten shares in the king; therefore we also have more right to David than you. Why then do you despise us—were we not the first to advise bringing back our king?” Yet the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.