2 Samuel 19:15-30

New International Version

¹⁵Then the king returned and went as far as the Jordan.

Now the men of Judah had come to Gilgal^(A) to go out and meet the king and bring him across the Jordan. ¹⁶Shimei^(B) son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David. ¹⁷With him were a thousand Benjamites, along with Ziba,^(C) the steward of Saul’s household,^(D) and his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They rushed to the Jordan, where the king was. ¹⁸They 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 ¹⁹and 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.^(E) May the king put it out of his mind. ²⁰For 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.”

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

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

²⁴Mephibosheth,^(L) 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. ²⁵When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, “Why didn’t you go with me,^(M) Mephibosheth?”

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