Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Add parallel Print Page Options
Close LSB

2 Samuel 19
Legacy Standard Bible

Joab Tells David to Speak to His Servants

19 Then it was told to Joab, “Behold, (A)the king is weeping and mourns for Absalom.” 2 And the salvation that day was turned to mourning for all the people, for the people heard it said that day, “The king is grieved for his son.” 3 So the people stole away to enter into the city that day, as people who are dishonored steal away when they flee in battle. 4 But as for the king, he (B)wrapped his face up. Then the king cried out with a loud voice, “(C)O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!” 5 Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, “Today you have shamed the faces of all your servants, who today have provided escape for your life and the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines, 6 by loving those who hate you, and by hating those who love you. For you have informed all of us today that [a]princes and servants are nothing to you; for I know this day that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, surely then it would be right in your eyes. 7 So now, arise, go out and speak to the heart of your servants, for I swear by Yahweh, if you do not go out, surely (D)not a man will pass the night with you, and this will be of greater evil for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.”

David Returns to Jerusalem

8 So the king arose and sat in the gate. And they told all the people, saying, “Behold, the king is (E)sitting in the gate.” Then all the people came before the king.

Now (F)Israel had fled, each to his tent. 9 And it happened that all the people were disputing throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “(G)The king delivered us from the [b]hand of our enemies and (H)provided us escape from the [c]hand of the Philistines, but now (I)he has fled out of the land from Absalom. 10 However, Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. So now, why are you silent about having the king return?”

11 Now King David had sent to (J)Zadok and Abiathar the priests, saying, “Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, ‘Why are you the last to have the king return to his house, while the word of all Israel has come to the king, even to his house? 12 You are my brothers; (K)you are my bone and my flesh. Why then should you be the last to have the king return?’ 13 And say to (L)Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? (M)May God do so to me, and more also, if you will not be (N)commander of the army before me continually (O)in place of Joab.’” 14 Thus he inclined the hearts of all the men of Judah (P)as one man, so they sent word to the king, saying, “Return, you and all your servants.” 15 The king then returned and came as far as the Jordan. And Judah came to (Q)Gilgal in order to go to meet the king, to cause the king to pass over across the Jordan.

16 Then (R)Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite who was from Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17 Now there were one thousand men of Benjamin with him, with (S)Ziba the young man of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they rushed to the Jordan before the king. 18 Then they kept passing over the ford to cause the king’s household to pass over, and to do what was good in his sight. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king as he was about to pass over the Jordan. 19 So he said to the king, “(T)Let not my lord consider me guilty, nor remember what your servant did wrong on the day when my lord the king went out from Jerusalem, so that the king would [d]take it to heart. 20 For your servant knows that I have sinned; therefore behold, I have come today, (U)the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.” 21 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah said, “(V)Should not Shimei be put to death for this, (W)because he cursed the anointed of Yahweh?” 22 David then said, “(X)What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day be an adversary to me? (Y)Should any man be put to death in Israel today? For do I not know that I am king over Israel today?” 23 And the king said to Shimei, “(Z)You shall not die.” Thus the king swore to him.

24 Now (AA)Mephibosheth the [e]son of Saul had come down to meet the king; and (AB)he had not done anything for his feet, nor done anything for his mustache, nor (AC)washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace. 25 Now it happened when he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, “(AD)Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?” 26 So he answered, “O my lord, the king, my servant deceived me; for your servant said, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself that I may ride on it and go with the king,’ (AE)because your servant is lame. 27 Moreover, (AF)he has slandered your servant to my lord the king; but my lord the king is (AG)like the angel of God, therefore do what is good in your sight. 28 For (AH)all my father’s household was nothing but men worthy of death before my lord the king; (AI)yet you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. What right do I have yet that I should [f]complain anymore to the king?” 29 So the king said to him, “Why do you still speak of your affairs? I have [g]decided, ‘You and Ziba shall divide the land.’” 30 And Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him even take it all, since my lord the king has come in peace to his own house.”

31 Now (AJ)Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim; and he passed over the Jordan with the king in order to send him off over the Jordan. 32 Now Barzillai was very old, being eighty years old; and he had [h](AK)sustained the king while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very great man. 33 And the king said to Barzillai, “You pass over with me and I will [i]sustain you in Jerusalem with me.” 34 But Barzillai said to the king, “(AL)How long [j]have I yet to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35 I am [k]now (AM)eighty years old. Can I know between good and bad? Or can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Or can I hear anymore (AN)the voice of singing men and women? (AO)Why then should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king? 36 Your servant would merely pass over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king compensate me with this reward? 37 Please let your servant return, that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother. However, here is your servant (AP)Chimham, let him pass over with my lord the king, and do for him what is good in your sight.” 38 So the king answered, “Chimham shall pass over with me, and I will do for him what is good in your sight; and whatever you [l]require of me, I will do for you.” 39 Then all the people passed over the Jordan and the king passed over too. The king then (AQ)kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his place.

40 Now the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him; and all the people of Judah and also (AR)half the people of Israel [m]accompanied the king. 41 And behold, all the men of Israel came to the king and said to the king, “(AS)Why had our brothers (AT)the men of Judah stolen you away, and caused the king and his household and all David’s men with him to pass over the Jordan?” 42 Then all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because (AU)the king is a close relative to [n]us. Why then [o]are you angry about this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king’s expense, or has [p]anything been taken for us?” 43 But the men of Israel answered the men of Judah and said, “[q](AV)We have ten parts in the king, therefore [r]we also have more claim on David than you. Why then did you treat us with contempt? Was it not [s]our word first to have [t]our king return?” Yet the words of the men of Judah were harsher than the words of the men of Israel.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 19:6 Or commanders
  2. 2 Samuel 19:9 Lit palm
  3. 2 Samuel 19:9 Lit palm
  4. 2 Samuel 19:19 Lit set
  5. 2 Samuel 19:24 Or grandson
  6. 2 Samuel 19:28 Lit cry out
  7. 2 Samuel 19:29 Lit said
  8. 2 Samuel 19:32 Or provided food for
  9. 2 Samuel 19:33 Or provide food for
  10. 2 Samuel 19:34 Lit are the days of the years of my life
  11. 2 Samuel 19:35 Lit today
  12. 2 Samuel 19:38 Lit choose
  13. 2 Samuel 19:40 Lit crossed over with
  14. 2 Samuel 19:42 Lit me
  15. 2 Samuel 19:42 Lit is it hot to you
  16. 2 Samuel 19:42 Or a gift
  17. 2 Samuel 19:43 Singular in Heb
  18. 2 Samuel 19:43 Singular in Heb
  19. 2 Samuel 19:43 Singular in Heb
  20. 2 Samuel 19:43 Singular in Heb
Close NRSVUE

2 Samuel 19
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

19 It was told Joab, “The king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.”(A) 2 So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the troops, for the troops heard that day, “The king is grieving for his son.” 3 The troops stole into the city that day as soldiers steal in who are ashamed when they flee in battle. 4 The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!”(B) 5 Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, “Today you have covered with shame the faces of all your officers who have saved your life today, and the lives of your sons and your daughters, and the lives of your wives and your concubines, 6 for love of those who hate you and for hatred of those who love you. You have made it clear today that commanders and officers are nothing to you, for I perceive that, if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then you would be pleased. 7 So go out at once and speak kindly to your servants, for I swear by the Lord, if you do not go, not a man will stay with you this night, and this will be worse for you than any disaster that has come upon you from your youth until now.” 8 Then the king got up and took his seat in the gate. The troops were all told, “See, the king is sitting in the gate,” and all the troops came before the king.

David Recalled to Jerusalem

Meanwhile, all the Israelites had fled to their homes.(C) 9 All the people were disputing throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies and saved us from the hand of the Philistines, and now he has fled out of the land because of Absalom.(D) 10 But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?”

11 King David sent this message to the priests Zadok and Abiathar, “Say to the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his house? The talk of all Israel has come to the king.[a] 12 You are my kin; you are my bone and my flesh; why then should you be the last to bring back the king?’(E) 13 And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? So may God do to me and more, if you are not the commander of my army from now on, in place of Joab.’ ”(F) 14 Amasa[b] swayed the hearts of all the people of Judah as one, and they sent word to the king, “Return, both you and all your servants.”(G) 15 So the king came back to the Jordan, and Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king and to bring him over the Jordan.(H)

16 Shimei son of Gera, a Benjaminite from Bahurim, hurried to come down with the people of Judah to meet King David;(I) 17 with him were a thousand people from Benjamin. And Ziba, the servant of the house of Saul, with his fifteen sons and his twenty servants, rushed down to the Jordan ahead of the king(J) 18 while the crossing was taking place,[c] to bring over the king’s household and to do his pleasure.

David’s Mercy to Shimei

Shimei son of Gera fell down before the king as he was about to cross the Jordan 19 and said to the king, “May my lord not hold me guilty or remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem; may the king not bear it in mind.(K) 20 For your servant knows that I have sinned; therefore, see, I have come this day, the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.”(L) 21 Abishai son of Zeruiah answered, “Shall not Shimei be put to death for this because he cursed the Lord’s anointed?”(M) 22 But David said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should today become an adversary to me? Shall anyone be put to death in Israel this day? For do I not know that I am this day king over Israel?”(N) 23 The king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king gave him his oath.(O)

David and Mephibosheth Meet

24 Mephibosheth grandson of Saul came down to meet the king; he had not taken care of his feet or trimmed his beard or washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he came back in safety.(P) 25 When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?”(Q) 26 He answered, “My lord, O king, my servant deceived me, for your servant said to him, ‘Saddle a donkey for me[d] so that I may ride on it and go with the king.’ For your servant is lame.(R) 27 He has slandered your servant to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like the angel of God; do therefore what seems good to you.(S) 28 For all my father’s house were doomed to death before my lord the king, but you set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right have I, then, to appeal to the king?”(T) 29 The king said to him, “Why speak any more of your affairs? I have decided: you and Ziba shall divide the land.” 30 Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him take it all, since my lord the king has arrived home safely.”

David’s Kindness to Barzillai

31 Now Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim; he went on with the king to the Jordan to escort him over the Jordan.(U) 32 Barzillai was a very aged man, eighty years old. He had provided the king with food while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very wealthy man.(V) 33 The king said to Barzillai, “Come over with me, and I will provide for you in Jerusalem at my side.” 34 But Barzillai said to the king, “How many years have I still to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35 Today I am eighty years old; can I discern what is pleasant and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats or what he drinks? Can I still listen to the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king?(W) 36 Your servant will go a little way over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king recompense me with such a reward? 37 Please let your servant return, so that I may die in my own town, near the graves of my father and my mother. But here is your servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king and do for him whatever seems good to you.”(X) 38 The king answered, “Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do for him whatever seems good to you, and all that you desire of me I will do for you.” 39 Then all the people crossed over the Jordan, and the king crossed over; the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his own home.(Y) 40 The king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him; all the people of Judah, and also half the people of Israel, brought the king on his way.

41 Then all the people of Israel came to the king and said to him, “Why have our kindred the people of Judah stolen you away and brought the king and his household over the Jordan and all David’s men with him?”(Z) 42 All the people of Judah answered the people of Israel, “Because the king is near of kin to us. Why then are you angry over this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king’s expense? Or has he given us any gift?”(AA) 43 But the people of Israel answered the people of Judah, “We have ten shares in the king, and in David also we have more than you. Why then did you despise us? Were we not the first to speak of bringing back our king?” But the words of the people of Judah were fiercer than the words of the people of Israel.(AB)

Footnotes

  1. 19.11 Gk: Heb to the king, to his house
  2. 19.14 Heb He
  3. 19.18 Cn: Heb the ford crossed
  4. 19.26 Gk Syr Vg: Heb said, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself
Next
2 Samuel 18
2 Samuel 20
Next
dropdown
Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Legacy Standard Bible Copyright ©2021 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org For Permission to Quote Information visit https://www.LSBible.org.

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)

New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.