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19 And it was told Yoav, Hinei, HaMelech weepeth and mourneth for Avshalom.

(3) And the teshu’ah (salvation, deliverance) on that day was turned into evel (mourning) unto kol HaAm; for the people heard say that day how HaMelech was grieved for bno.

(4) And the people stole that day into the Ir [Machanayim] as people being ashamed steal in when they flee in milchamah.

(5) But HaMelech covered his face, and HaMelech cried with a kol gadol, O beni Avshalom, O Avshalom, beni, beni!

(6) And Yoav came into the bais to HaMelech, and said, Thou hast disgraced this day the faces of all thy avadim, which this day have saved thy nefesh, and the nefesh of thy banim and of thy banot, and the nefesh of thy nashim, and the nefesh of thy pilagshim (concubines);

(7) In that thou lovest thine enemies, and hatest thy friends. For thou hast declared this day, that thou hast no regard for sarim nor avadim; for this day I perceive, that if Avshalom had lived, and this day all we were mesim (dead ones), then it would have been yashar in thy sight.

(8) Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak to the lev unto thy avadim; for I swear by Hashem, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one ish with thee halailah (this night); and that will be worse unto thee than kol hara’ah that befell thee from thy youth until now.

(9) Then HaMelech arose, and sat in the sha’ar. And they told unto kol haAm, saying, Hinei, HaMelech doth sit in the sha’ar. And kol haAm came before HaMelech: for Yisroel had fled every ish to his ohel.

(10) And kol haAm were having dissension throughout kol Shivtei Yisroel saying, HaMelech saved us out of the palm of oyveinu (our enemies) and he delivered us out of the palm of the Pelishtim; and now he is fled from HaAretz because of Avshalom.

10 (11) And Avshalom, whom mashachnu (we anointed) over us, is dead in milchamah. Now therefore why are ye not speaking of bringing back HaMelech?

11 (12) And Dovid HaMelech sent to Tzadok and to Evyatar the kohanim, saying, Speak unto the Ziknei Yehudah, saying, Why are ye the last ones to bring HaMelech back to his Bais? Seeing the talk of kol Yisroel is come to HaMelech, even to his Bais.

12 (13) Ye are my brethren, ye are my atzmot and my basar; why then are ye the last ones to bring back HaMelech?

13 (14) And say ye to Amasa, Art thou not of my etzem, and of my basar? Elohim do so to me, and more also, if thou be not sar tzava before me continually in place of Yoav.

14 (15) And he swayed the levav kol Ish Yehudah, even as the lev of one man; so that they sent this word unto HaMelech, Return thou, and all thy avadim.

15 (16) So HaMelech returned, and came to Yarden. And Yehudah came to Gilgal, to go to meet HaMelech, to conduct HaMelech over Yarden.

16 (17) And Shimei Ben Gera, a Ben HaYemini, which was of Bachurim, hasted and came down with the Ish Yehudah to meet Dovid HaMelech.

17 (18) And there were an elef ish of Binyamin with him, and Tziva the na’ar of the Bais Sha’ul, and his fifteen banim and his twenty avadim with him; and they went over Yarden before HaMelech.

18 (19) And there went over a ferry to carry over the Bais HaMelech, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei Ben Gera fell down before HaMelech, as he was come over Yarden;

19 (20) And said unto HaMelech, Let not adoni impute avon (iniquity) unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy eved did perversely the day that adoni HaMelech went out of Yerushalayim, that HaMelech should take it to his lev.

20 (21) For thy eved doth know that I have sinned; therefore, hinei, I am come rishom (first) this day of all the Bais Yosef to go down to meet adoni HaMelech.

21 (22) But Avishai Ben Tzeruyah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed Hashem’s Moshiach?

22 (23) And Dovid said, What have I to do with you, ye Bnei Tzeruyah, that ye should this day be as satan unto me? Shall there be ish put to death this day in Yisroel? For do not I know that I am this day Melech al Yisroel?

23 (24) Therefore HaMelech said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And HaMelech swore a shevu’a unto him.

24 (25) And Mephivoshet Ben Sha’ul came down to meet HaMelech, and had neither bathed his regal, nor trimmed his safam (mustache), nor washed his clothes, from the day HaMelech departed until the day he came again in shalom.

25 (26) And it came to pass, when he [Mephivoshet] was come to Yerushalayim to meet HaMelech, that HaMelech said unto him, why wentest not thou with me, Mephivoshet?

26 (27) And he answered, Adoni, O Melech, avdi deceived me: for thy eved said, I will saddle me a chamor, that I may ride thereon, and go to HaMelech; because thy eved is pise’ach (lame).

27 (28) And he hath slandered thy eved unto adoni HaMelech; but adoni HaMelech is like malach HaElohim; do therefore what is tov in thine eyes.

28 (29) For all of the bais avi were but anshei mavet before adoni HaMelech; yet didst thou set thy eved among them that did eat at thine own shulchan. What tzedakah (right) therefore have I yet to appeal any more unto HaMelech?

29 (30) And HaMelech said unto him, Why speakest thou any more of thy devarim? I have said, Thou and Tziva divide the sadeh.

30 (31) And Mephivoshet said unto HaMelech, Indeed, let him take all, forasmuch as adoni HaMelech is come again in shalom unto his own bais.

31 (32) And Barzillai the Gileadi came down from Roglim, and went over Yarden with HaMelech, to conduct him over Yarden.

32 (33) Now Barzillai was zaken me’od, even fourscore shanah; and he had been the support of HaMelech while he dwelt at Machanayim; for he was an ish gadol me’od.

33 (34) HaMelech said unto Barzillai, Come thou over with me, and with me I will be your support in Yerushalayim.

34 (35) And Barzillai said unto HaMelech, How long have I to live, that I should go up with HaMelech to Yerushalayim?

35 (36) I am this day fourscore shanah old; and can I discern between tov and rah? Can thy eved taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear any more the voice of sharim (singing men) and sharot (singing women)? Why then should thy eved be yet a massa (burden) unto adoni HaMelech?

36 (37) Thy eved will go a little way over Yarden with HaMelech; and why should HaMelech reward me with such a reward?

37 (38) Let thy eved, now, turn back again, that I may die in mine own city, and be buried near the kever of avi and of immi. But hinei thy eved Chimham [i.e., one of his sons, 1Kgs 2:7]; let him go over with adoni HaMelech; and do to him what shall seem tov unto thee.

38 (39) And HaMelech answered, Chimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him that which shall seem tov unto thee; and whatsoever thou shalt request of me, that will I do for thee.

39 (40) And kol haAm crossed over Yarden. And when HaMelech was come over, HaMelech kissed Barzillai, and put a bracha on him; and he returned unto his own makom (place, home).

40 (41) Then HaMelech went on to Gilgal, and Kimham crossed over with him; and kol Am Yehudah conducted HaMelech, and also half Am Yisroel.

41 (42) And, hinei, kol Ish Yisroel came to HaMelech, and said unto HaMelech, Why have acheinu Ish Yehudah stolen thee away, and have brought HaMelech across, and his Bais (household), and kol Anshei Dovid with him, over Yarden?

42 (43) And kol Ish Yehudah answered Ish Yisroel, Because HaMelech is near of kin to us; why then be ye angry for this matter? Have we eaten at all from HaMelech? Or hath he given us anything?

43 (44) And Ish Yisroel answered the Ish Yehudah, and said, We have ten shares as much in HaMelech, and we have also more in Dovid than ye; why then did ye slight us? Were we not the first to give the davar in bringing back my melech? And the devar Ish Yehudah were harsher than the devar Ish Yisroel.

19 [a]Joab was told, “The king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.” And for the whole army the victory that day was turned into mourning, because on that day the troops heard it said, “The king is grieving for his son.” The men stole into the city that day as men steal in who are ashamed when they flee from battle. The king covered his face and cried aloud, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!”

Then Joab went into the house to the king and said, “Today you have humiliated all your men, who have just saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters and the lives of your wives and concubines. You love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have made it clear today that the commanders and their men mean nothing to you. I see that you would be pleased if Absalom were alive today and all of us were dead. Now go out and encourage your men. I swear by the Lord that if you don’t go out, not a man will be left with you by nightfall. This will be worse for you than all the calamities that have come on you from your youth till now.”(A)

So the king got up and took his seat in the gateway. When the men were told, “The king is sitting in the gateway,(B)” they all came before him.

Meanwhile, the Israelites had fled to their homes.

David Returns to Jerusalem

Throughout the tribes of Israel, all the people were arguing among themselves, saying, “The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies; he is the one who rescued us from the hand of the Philistines.(C) But now he has fled the country to escape from Absalom;(D) 10 and Absalom, whom we anointed to rule over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?”

11 King David sent this message to Zadok(E) and Abiathar, the priests: “Ask the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his palace, since what is being said throughout Israel has reached the king at his quarters? 12 You are my relatives, my own flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to bring back the king?’ 13 And say to Amasa,(F) ‘Are you not my own flesh and blood?(G) May God deal with me, be it ever so severely,(H) if you are not the commander of my army for life in place of Joab.(I)’”

14 He won over the hearts of the men of Judah so that they were all of one mind. They sent word to the king, “Return, you and all your men.” 15 Then the king returned and went as far as the Jordan.

Now the men of Judah had come to Gilgal(J) to go out and meet the king and bring him across the Jordan. 16 Shimei(K) son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17 With him were a thousand Benjamites, along with Ziba,(L) the steward of Saul’s household,(M) and his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They rushed to the Jordan, where the king was. 18 They crossed at the ford to take the king’s household over and to do whatever he wished.

When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell prostrate before the king 19 and said to him, “May my lord not hold me guilty. Do not remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem.(N) May the king put it out of his mind. 20 For I your servant know that I have sinned, but today I have come here as the first from the tribes of Joseph to come down and meet my lord the king.”

21 Then Abishai(O) son of Zeruiah said, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this? He cursed(P) the Lord’s anointed.”(Q)

22 David replied, “What does this have to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah?(R) What right do you have to interfere? Should anyone be put to death in Israel today?(S) Don’t I know that today I am king over Israel?” 23 So the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king promised him on oath.(T)

24 Mephibosheth,(U) Saul’s grandson, also went down to meet the king. He had not taken care of his feet or trimmed his mustache or washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he returned safely. 25 When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, “Why didn’t you go with me,(V) Mephibosheth?”

26 He said, “My lord the king, since I your servant am lame,(W) I said, ‘I will have my donkey saddled and will ride on it, so I can go with the king.’ But Ziba(X) my servant betrayed me. 27 And he has slandered your servant to my lord the king. My lord the king is like an angel(Y) of God; so do whatever you wish. 28 All my grandfather’s descendants deserved nothing but death(Z) from my lord the king, but you gave your servant a place among those who eat at your table.(AA) So what right do I have to make any more appeals to the king?”

29 The king said to him, “Why say more? I order you and Ziba to divide the land.”

30 Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him take everything, now that my lord the king has returned home safely.”

31 Barzillai(AB) the Gileadite also came down from Rogelim to cross the Jordan with the king and to send him on his way from there. 32 Now Barzillai was very old, eighty years of age. He had provided for the king during his stay in Mahanaim, for he was a very wealthy(AC) man. 33 The king said to Barzillai, “Cross over with me and stay with me in Jerusalem, and I will provide for you.”

34 But Barzillai answered the king, “How many more years will I live, that I should go up to Jerusalem with the king? 35 I am now eighty(AD) years old. Can I tell the difference between what is enjoyable and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats and drinks? Can I still hear the voices of male and female singers?(AE) Why should your servant be an added(AF) burden to my lord the king? 36 Your servant will cross over the Jordan with the king for a short distance, but why should the king reward me in this way? 37 Let your servant return, that I may die in my own town near the tomb of my father(AG) and mother. But here is your servant Kimham.(AH) Let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him whatever you wish.”

38 The king said, “Kimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him whatever you wish. And anything you desire from me I will do for you.”

39 So all the people crossed the Jordan, and then the king crossed over. The king kissed Barzillai and bid him farewell,(AI) and Barzillai returned to his home.

40 When the king crossed over to Gilgal, Kimham crossed with him. All the troops of Judah and half the troops of Israel had taken the king over.

41 Soon all the men of Israel were coming to the king and saying to him, “Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, steal the king away and bring him and his household across the Jordan, together with all his men?”(AJ)

42 All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “We did this because the king is closely related to us. Why are you angry about it? Have we eaten any of the king’s provisions? Have we taken anything for ourselves?”

43 Then the men of Israel(AK) answered the men of Judah, “We have ten shares in the king; so we have a greater claim on David than you have. Why then do you treat us with contempt? Weren’t we the first to speak of bringing back our king?”

But the men of Judah pressed their claims even more forcefully than the men of Israel.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 19:1 In Hebrew texts 19:1-43 is numbered 19:2-44.