2 Samuel 19
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
19 It was told Joab, Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.
2 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 The people slipped into the city stealthily that day as humiliated people steal away when they flee in battle.
4 But the king covered his face and cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!
5 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 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 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 Then the king arose and sat in the gate. And all [his followers] were told, The king is sitting in the gate, and they all came before the king. Now Israel [Absalom’s troops] had fled, every man to his home.
9 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 And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. So now, why do you say nothing about bringing back the king?
11 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 You are my kinsmen; you are my bone and my flesh. Why then are you the last to bring back the king?
13 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 He inclined the hearts of all the men of Judah as one man, so they sent word to [him], Return, you and all your servants.
15 So [David] returned and came to the Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king, to conduct him over the Jordan.
16 And Shimei son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim, hastily came down with the men of Judah to meet King David,
17 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 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 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 [when Shimei grossly insulted David]; may the king not take it to heart.
20 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 But Abishai son of Zeruiah said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord’s anointed?
22 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 Therefore the king said to Shimei, You shall not die [at my hand]. And the king gave him his oath.(A)
24 Mephibosheth the son [grandson] 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 And when he came to Jerusalem to meet the king, David said to him, Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?
26 He said, My lord O king, my servant [Ziba] 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 [but he took the donkey and left without me].
27 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 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 The king said to him, Why speak any more of your affairs? I say, You and Ziba divide the land.
30 Mephibosheth said to the king, Oh, let him take it all, since my lord the king has returned home in safety and peace.
31 Now Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim and went on to the Jordan with the king to conduct him over the Jordan.
32 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 And the king said to Barzillai, Come over with me, and I will provide for you with me in Jerusalem.
34 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 this day eighty years old. Could I now [be useful as a counselor to] 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 Your servant will only go over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king repay me with such a reward?
37 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 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 So all the people went over the Jordan. When the king had crossed over, he kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and [the great man] returned to his own place.
40 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 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 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 Then the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, We have ten [tribes’] 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.
2 Samuel 19
Wycliffe Bible
19 Forsooth it was told to Joab, that the king wept, and bewailed his son;
2 and the victory in that day was turned into mourning to all the people; for the people heard, that it was said in that day, The king maketh sorrow on his son. (and so the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people; for the people heard, that it was said that day, The king sorroweth for his son.)
3 And the people eschewed to enter into the city in that day, as the people turned and fleeing from [the] battle is wont to bow away. (And the people entered into the city on that day in shameful quiet, like the people who turned, and fled away from a battle, be wont to go.)
4 And the king covered his head, and cried with great voice (and cried with a loud voice), My son, Absalom! Absalom, my son!
5 Therefore Joab entered to the king into the house, and said, Thou hast shamed today the cheers of all thy servants, that have made safe thy life, and the life of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the life of thy wives, and the life of thy secondary wives. (And so Joab entered into the palace, and said to the king, Today thou hast brought shame upon all of thy servants who have made thy life safe, and also upon the lives of thy sons and thy daughters, and thy wives, and thy secondary wives, or thy concubines.)
6 Thou lovest them that hate thee, and thou hatest them that love thee; and thou hast showed today that thou reckest not of thy dukes and of thy servants; and verily I have known now, that if Absalom lived, and all we had been dead, then it should please thee. (Thou lovest them who hate thee, and thou hatest them who love thee; and thou hast shown today that thou carest not for thy leaders or for thy men; and now I truly know, that if Absalom had lived, and all of us had died, it would have pleased thee.)
7 Now therefore rise up, and go thou forth, and speak thou, and make satisfaction to thy servants; for I swear to thee by the Lord, that if thou shalt not go forth, soothly not one man shall dwell with thee in this night; and this shall be worse to thee, than all the evils that came [up]on thee from thy young waxing age till into this present time. (And so now rise up, and go thou out, and speak thou, and give satisfaction to thy men; for I swear by the Lord to thee, that if thou shalt not go out to them, truly not one man shall stay with thee through this night; and this shall be worse for thee, than all the evil that hath come upon thee from thy youngest age unto this present time.)
8 Therefore the king rose up, and sat in the gate; and it was told to all the people, that the king sat in the gate, and all the multitude came before the king. Forsooth Israel fled into their tabernacles (Meanwhile all the Israelites had fled to their homes).
9 And all the people strived in all the lineages of Israel, and said, The king delivered us from the hand of all our enemies, and he saved us from the hand of Philistines; and now he hath fled from the land for Absalom (and now he hath fled from the land because of Absalom).
10 Certainly Absalom, whom we anointed upon us, is dead in battle; how long be ye still, and bring not again the king? (how long shall ye be silent, and not bring back the king?) And the counsel of all Israel came to the king.
11 And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar, the priests, and said, Speak ye to the greater men in birth of Judah, and say ye, Why came ye the last to bring again the king into his house? Soothly the word of all Israel came to the king, that they would bring him again into his house. For the king said, Ye shall say these things to the people, (And King David sent word to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, and said, Speak ye to the men of great age, that is, to the elders, of Judah, and say ye, Why be ye the last to help bring back the king to his palace? Truly the word of all Israel had come to the king, that they would bring him back to his palace. And so the king said, Ye shall say these things to the elders,)
12 Ye be my brethren, ye be my bone and my flesh; why the last bring ye again the king? (Ye be my kinsmen, ye be my flesh and blood; so why be ye the last to bring back the king?)
13 And say ye to Amasa, Whether thou art not my bone and my flesh? God do these things to me, and add these things too, if thou shalt not be master of chivalry (if thou shalt not be the leader of the cavalry, or of the army), before me in all time after Joab.
14 And David bowed to him the heart of all [the] men of Judah as of one man; and they sent to the king, and said, Turn thou again, and all thy servants. (And so David turned to himself the hearts of all the men of Judah as if one man; and they sent word to the king, and said, Come thou back again with all thy men.)
15 And the king turned again, and came till to Jordan (And so the king returned, and came to the Jordan River); and all Judah came till into Gilgal to meet the king, and to lead him over (the) Jordan.
16 But Shimei, the son of Gera, the son of Benjamin, of Bahurim, hasted, and came down with the men of Judah into the meeting of king David, (And Shimei, the son of Gera, the son of Benjamin, hastened from Bahurim, and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David,)
17 with a thousand men of Benjamin; and Ziba, the servant of the house of Saul, and (the) fifteen sons of him, and (his) twenty servants were with him; and they brake into (the) Jordan, before the king (and they went over the Jordan River before the king),
18 and they passed the fords, that they should lead over the house of the king, and do by the behest of the king. Soothly Shimei, the son of Gera, kneeled before the king, when he had passed now Jordan, (and they passed over the crossing, in order to bring over the king’s household, and to do whatever the king commanded. And Shimei, the son of Gera, kneeled before the king, when he had crossed over the Jordan River,)
19 and said to the king, My lord the king, areckon thou not wickedness to me, neither have thou mind of the wrongs of thy servant in the day (nor remember the wrongs of thy servant on the day), in which thou, my lord the king, wentest out of Jerusalem, neither set thou, king, those wrongs in thine heart;
20 for I thy servant acknowledge my sin; and therefore today I came the first of all the house of Joseph, and I came down into the meeting of my lord the king (and I came down to meet my lord the king).
21 And Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, answered and said, Whether Shimei, that cursed the christ of the Lord, shall not be slain for these words? (And Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, answered to him and said, Should not Shimei, who cursed the Lord’s anointed, be killed for those words?)
22 And David said, What is (it) to me and to you, ye sons of Zeruiah? Why be ye made to me today into Satan, that is, (an) adversary? Therefore whether a man shall be slain today in Israel? Whether I know not (that) me (am) made king today on Israel? (And David said, What is it to me or to you, ye sons of Zeruiah? Why be ye made into my adversaries today? Should any man be put to death on this day in Israel? The day that I am made king upon Israel? Nay!)
23 And the king said to Shimei, Thou shalt not die; and the king swore to him.
24 Also Mephibosheth, the son of Saul, came down with unwashed feet, and with his beard unclipped, into the coming of the king. And Mephibosheth had not washed his clothes, from the day in which the king went out of Jerusalem till to the day of his coming again in peace. (And Mephibosheth, Saul’s son, came down with unwashed feet, and with his beard unclipped, to meet the king. And Mephibosheth had not washed his clothes from the day in which the king went out of Jerusalem until the day that he returned in victory/until the day that he safely returned home.)
25 And when at Jerusalem he had come to the king (And when he had come from Jerusalem to meet the king), the king said to him, Mephibosheth, why camest thou not with me?
26 And he answered and said, My lord the king, my servant despised me; and I thy servant said to him, that he should saddle the ass to me, and I should ascend, and I should go with the king; for I thy servant am crooked. (And he answered, My lord the king, my servant deceived me; for I thy servant had said to him, that he should saddle up the donkey for me, and then I would get on it, and I would go with the king; for I thy servant am crippled.)
27 Moreover and he accused me, thy servant, to thee, my lord the king; but thou, my lord the king, art as the angel of God; do thou that, that is pleasant to thee. (And moreover he hath accused me, thy servant, to thee, my lord the king; but thou, my lord the king, art like the angel of God to me; so do thou what is pleasing to thee.)
28 For the house of my father was not no but guilty of death to my lord the king; soothly thou hast set me thy servant among the guests of thy board; what therefore have I of just complaint, either (of) what may I more cry to the king? (For my father’s family was guilty of death before my lord the king; but thou hast put me thy servant among the guests at thy table; so what right have I of any complaint, or what more may I ask for from the king?)
29 And the king said to him, What speakest thou more? that that I have spoken is steadfast; thou and Ziba part the possessions. (And the king said to him, Why sayest thou anything more? my decision is final; thou and Ziba will share the possessions.)
30 And Mephibosheth answered to the king, Yea, take he all things, after that my lord the king turned again peaceably into his house (now that my lord the king hath returned home in victory/now that my lord the king hath safely returned home).
31 Also Barzillai of Gilead, a full eld man, came down from Rogelim, and led the king over Jordan, ready also to follow him over the flood. (And Barzillai of Gilead, a very old man, came down from Rogelim, and joined in escorting the king over the Jordan River.)
32 And Barzillai of Gilead was full eld, that is, of fourscore years; and he gave meats to the king, when the king dwelled in castles; for Barzillai was a full rich man. (And Barzillai of Gilead was very old, that is, eighty years old; and he gave food to the king, when the king lived at Mahanaim; for Barzillai was a very rich man.)
33 And so the king said to Barzillai, Come thou with me, that thou rest securely with me in Jerusalem. (And so the king said to Barzillai, Come thou with me, so that thou can have a peaceful life there in Jerusalem with me.)
34 And Barzillai said to the king, How many (more) be the days of [the] years of my life, that I (should) go up with the king into Jerusalem?
35 I am of fourscore years today; whether my wits be quick to deem sweet thing either bitter, either meat and drink may delight thy servant, either may I hear more the voice of singers either of singsters? Why is thy servant to (be a) charge to my lord the king? (I am eighty years old now; can my wits still judge a thing bitter or sweet? or can food and drink still delight thy servant? or can I still hear the voice of singers and singsters? No! So why should thy servant be a burden to my lord the king?)
36 I thy servant shall go forth a little from (the) Jordan with thee, I have no need to this yielding; (I thy servant shall go forth a little from the Jordan River with thee, but I have no need for this reward;)
37 but I beseech thee, that I thy servant turn again, and die in my city, and be buried beside the sepulchre of my father and of my mother; forsooth (my son) Chimham is thy servant, my lord the king, (so) go he with thee, and do thou to him that that seemeth good to thee.
38 Therefore the king said to Barzillai, Chimham (shall) go forth with me; and I shall do to him whatever thing pleaseth thee (and I shall do for him whatever pleaseth thee), and thou shalt get all thing, that thou askest of me.
39 And when all the people and the king had passed [over] Jordan, the king abode; and the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he turned again into his place. (And when the king and all the people had crossed over the Jordan River, the king stopped there; and he kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and then Barzillai returned to his home.)
40 Then the king passed forth into Gilgal, and Chimham (was) with him. And all the people of Judah had led the king over, and the half part only of the people of Israel was present (and also half the people of Israel).
41 Therefore all the men of Israel came together to the king, and said to him, Why have our brethren, the men of Judah, stolen thee, and have led the king and his house over Jordan, and all the men of David with him? (And so all the men of Israel who were there came together to the king, and said to him, Why have our brothers, the men of Judah, stolen thee away, and have led the king, and his household, and all the men of David with him, over the Jordan River?)
42 And each man of Judah answered to the men of Israel, (and said,) For the king is near (of kin) to me (For the king is our next of kin); why art thou wroth upon this thing? Whether we have eaten anything of the king(’s), either gifts be given to us?
43 And a man of Israel answered to the men of Judah, and said, I am greater by ten parts to the king, and David pertaineth more to me than to thee; why hast thou done wrong to me, and it was not told to me the former, that I should bring again my king? Forsooth the men of Judah answered harder to the men of Israel. (And the men of Israel answered to the men of Judah, and said, We have a greater stake in the king by ten parts, and David pertaineth more to us than to thee; why hast thou done us this wrong? were we not the first to say that we should bring back our king? But the men of Judah answered back even harder to the men of Israel.)
2 Samuel 19
King James Version
19 And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weepeth and mourneth for Absalom.
2 And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people: for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his son.
3 And the people gat them by stealth that day into the city, as people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.
4 But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!
5 And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines;
6 In that thou lovest thine enemies, and hatest thy friends. For thou hast declared this day, that thou regardest neither princes nor servants: for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well.
7 Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably unto thy servants: for I swear by the Lord, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one with thee this night: and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that befell thee from thy youth until now.
8 Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king doth sit in the gate. And all the people came before the king: for Israel had fled every man to his tent.
9 And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king saved us out of the hand of our enemies, and he delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled out of the land for Absalom.
10 And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back?
11 And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, even to his house.
12 Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones and my flesh: wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the king?
13 And say ye to Amasa, Art thou not of my bone, and of my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab.
14 And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man; so that they sent this word unto the king, Return thou, and all thy servants.
15 So the king returned, and came to Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan.
16 And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.
17 And 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 Jordan before the king.
18 And there went over a ferry boat to carry over the king's household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was come over Jordan;
19 And said unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.
20 For thy servant doth know that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.
21 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 And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel?
23 Therefore the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him.
24 And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace.
25 And it came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore wentest not thou with me, Mephibosheth?
26 And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me: for thy servant said, I will saddle me an ass, that I may ride thereon, and go to the king; because thy servant is lame.
27 And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore what is good in thine eyes.
28 For all of my father's house were but dead men before my lord the king: yet didst thou set thy servant among them that did eat at thine own table. What right therefore have I yet to cry any more unto the king?
29 And the king said unto him, Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba divide the land.
30 And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house.
31 And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim, and went over Jordan with the king, to conduct him over Jordan.
32 Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourscore years old: and he had provided the king of sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man.
33 And the king said unto Barzillai, Come thou over with me, and I will feed thee with me in Jerusalem.
34 And Barzillai said unto the king, How long have I to live, that I should go up with the king unto Jerusalem?
35 I am this day fourscore years old: and can I discern between good and evil? can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king?
36 Thy servant will go a little way over Jordan with the king: and why should the king recompense it me with such a reward?
37 Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own city, and be buried by the grave of my father and of my mother. But behold thy servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good unto thee.
38 And the king answered, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good unto thee: and whatsoever thou shalt require of me, that will I do for thee.
39 And all the people went over Jordan. And when the king was come over, the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned unto his own place.
40 Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him: and all the people of Judah conducted the king, and also half the people of Israel.
41 And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said unto the king, Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away, and have brought the king, and his household, and all David's men with him, over Jordan?
42 And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to us: wherefore then be ye angry for this matter? have we eaten at all of the king's cost? or hath he given us any gift?
43 And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than ye: why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
2001 by Terence P. Noble