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2 Samuel 19
New English Translation

19 (19:2) Joab was told, “The king is weeping and mourning over Absalom.” 2 So the victory of that day was turned to mourning as far as all the people were concerned. For the people heard on that day, “The king is grieved over his son.” 3 That day the people stole away to go to the city the way people who are embarrassed steal away in fleeing from battle. 4 The king covered his face and cried out loudly,[a] “My son, Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!”

5 So Joab visited[b] the king at his home. He said, “Today you have embarrassed all your servants who have saved your life this day, as well as the lives of your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your concubines. 6 You seem to love your enemies and hate your friends! For you have as much as declared today that leaders and servants don’t matter to you. I realize now[c] that if[d] Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today,[e] it would be all right with you. 7 So get up now and go out and give some encouragement to[f] your servants. For I swear by the Lord that if you don’t go out there, not a single man will stay here with you tonight! This disaster will be worse for you than any disaster that has overtaken you from your youth right to the present time!”

8 So the king got up and sat at the city gate. When all the people were informed that the king was sitting at the city gate, they[g] all came before him.

David Goes Back to Jerusalem

But the Israelite soldiers[h] had all fled to their own homes.[i] 9 All the people throughout all the tribes of Israel were arguing among themselves saying, “The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies. He rescued us from the hand of the Philistines, but now he has fled from the land because of Absalom. 10 But Absalom, whom we anointed as our king,[j] has died in battle. So now why do you hesitate to bring the king back?”[k]

11 Then King David sent a message to Zadok and Abiathar the priests saying, “Tell the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you delay any further in bringing the king back to his palace,[l] when everything Israel is saying has come to the king’s attention.[m] 12 You are my brothers—my very own flesh and blood![n] Why should you delay any further in bringing the king back?’ 13 Say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my flesh and blood?[o] God will punish me severely,[p] if from this time on you are not the commander of my army in place of Joab!’”

14 He[q] won over the hearts of all the men of Judah as though they were one man. Then they sent word to the king saying, “Return, you and all your servants as well.” 15 So the king returned and came to the Jordan River.[r]

Now the people of Judah[s] had come to Gilgal to meet the king and to help him[t] cross the Jordan. 16 Shimei son of Gera the Benjaminite from Bahurim came down quickly with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17 There were 1,000 men from Benjamin with him, along with Ziba the servant[u] of Saul’s household, and with him his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They hurriedly crossed[v] the Jordan within sight of the king. 18 They crossed at the ford in order to help the king’s household cross and to do whatever he thought appropriate.

Now after he had crossed the Jordan, Shimei son of Gera threw himself down before the king. 19 He said to the king, “Don’t think badly of me, my lord, and don’t recall the sin of your servant on the day when you, my lord the king, left[w] Jerusalem! Please don’t call it to mind! 20 For I, your servant,[x] know that I sinned, and I have come today as the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.”

21 Abishai son of Zeruiah replied, “For this should not Shimei be put to death? After all, he cursed the Lord’s anointed!” 22 But David said, “What do we have in common,[y] you sons of Zeruiah? You are like my enemy today! Should anyone be put to death in Israel today? Don’t I know that today I am king over Israel?” 23 The king said to Shimei, “You won’t die.” The king vowed an oath[z] concerning this.

24 Now Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson,[aa] came down to meet the king. From the day the king had left until the day he safely[ab] returned, Mephibosheth[ac] had not cared for his feet[ad] nor trimmed[ae] his mustache nor washed his clothes.

25 When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, “Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?” 26 He replied, “My lord the king, my servant deceived me! I[af] said, ‘Let me get my donkey saddled so that I can ride on it and go with the king,’ for I[ag] am lame. 27 But my servant[ah] has slandered me[ai] to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like an angel of God. Do whatever seems appropriate to you. 28 After all, there was no one in the entire house of my grandfather[aj] who did not deserve death from my lord the king. But instead you allowed me to eat at your own table![ak] What further claim do I have to ask[al] the king for anything?”

29 Then the king replied to him, “Why should you continue speaking like this? You and Ziba will inherit the field together.” 30 Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him have[am] the whole thing! My lord the king has returned safely[an] to his house!”

31 Now when Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim, he crossed the Jordan with the king so he could send him on his way from there.[ao] 32 But Barzillai was very old—eighty years old, in fact—and he had taken care of the king when he stayed in Mahanaim, for he was a very rich[ap] man. 33 So the king said to Barzillai, “Cross over with me, and I will take care of you while you are with me in Jerusalem.”

34 Barzillai replied to the king, “How many days do I have left to my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35 I am now eighty years old. Am I able to discern good and bad? Can I[aq] taste what I eat and drink? Am I still able to hear the voices of male and female singers? Why should I[ar] continue to be a burden to my lord the king? 36 I will cross the Jordan with the king and go a short distance.[as] Why should the king reward me in this way? 37 Let me[at] return so that I may die in my own town near the grave of my father and my mother. But look, here is your servant Kimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him whatever seems appropriate to you.”

38 The king replied, “Kimham will cross over with me, and I will do for him whatever I deem appropriate. And whatever you choose, I will do for you.”

39 So all the people crossed the Jordan, as did the king. After the king had kissed him and blessed him, Barzillai returned to his home.[au] 40 When the king crossed over to Gilgal, Kimham[av] crossed over with him. Now all the soldiers[aw] of Judah along with half the soldiers of Israel had helped the king cross over.[ax]

41 Then all the men of Israel began coming to the king. They asked the king, “Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, sneak the king[ay] away and help the king and his household cross the Jordan—and not only him but all of David’s men as well?” 42 All the men of Judah replied to the men of Israel, “Because the king is our close relative! Why are you so upset about this? Have we eaten at the king’s expense?[az] Or have we misappropriated anything for our own use?” 43 The men of Israel replied to the men of Judah, “We have ten shares in the king, and we have a greater claim on David than you do! Why do you want[ba] to curse us? Weren’t we the first to suggest bringing back our king?” But the comments of the men of Judah were more severe than those of the men of Israel.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 19:4 tn Heb “with a great voice.”
  2. 2 Samuel 19:5 tn Heb “came to.”
  3. 2 Samuel 19:6 tn Heb “today.”
  4. 2 Samuel 19:6 tc The translation follows the Qere, 4QSama, and many medieval Hebrew mss in reading לוּ (lu, “if”) rather than MT לֹא (loʾ, “not”).
  5. 2 Samuel 19:6 tc The Lucianic Greek recension and Syriac Peshitta lack “today.”
  6. 2 Samuel 19:7 tn Heb “and speak to the heart of.”
  7. 2 Samuel 19:8 tn Heb “all the people.”
  8. 2 Samuel 19:8 tn The Hebrew text has simply “Israel” (see 18:16-17).
  9. 2 Samuel 19:8 tn Heb “had fled, each to his tent.”
  10. 2 Samuel 19:10 tn Heb “over us.”
  11. 2 Samuel 19:10 tc The LXX includes the following words at the end of v. 11: “And what all Israel was saying came to the king’s attention.” The words are misplaced in the LXX from v. 12 (although the same statement appears there in the LXX as well).
  12. 2 Samuel 19:11 tn Heb “his house.”
  13. 2 Samuel 19:11 tc The Hebrew text adds “to his house” (= palace), but the phrase, which also appears earlier in the verse, is probably accidentally repeated here.
  14. 2 Samuel 19:12 tn Heb “my bone and my flesh.”
  15. 2 Samuel 19:13 tn Heb “my bone and my flesh.”
  16. 2 Samuel 19:13 tn Heb “Thus God will do to me and thus he will add.”
  17. 2 Samuel 19:14 tn The referent of “he” is not entirely clear: cf. NCV “David”; TEV “David’s words”; NRSV, NLT “Amasa.”
  18. 2 Samuel 19:15 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
  19. 2 Samuel 19:15 tn The Hebrew text has simply “Judah.”
  20. 2 Samuel 19:15 tn Heb “the king.” The pronoun (“him”) has been used in the translation to avoid redundancy.
  21. 2 Samuel 19:17 tn Heb “youth.”
  22. 2 Samuel 19:17 tn Heb “rushed into.”
  23. 2 Samuel 19:19 tn Though this verb in the MT is third person masculine singular, it should probably be read as second person masculine singular. It is one of fifteen places where the Masoretes placed a dot over each of the letters of the word in question in order to call attention to their suspicion of the word. Their concern in this case apparently had to do with the fact that this verb and the two preceding verbs alternate from third person to second and back again to third. Words marked in this way in Hebrew manuscripts or printed editions are said to have puncta extrordinaria, or “extraordinary points.”
  24. 2 Samuel 19:20 tn The Hebrew text has simply “your servant.” The word "I" has been supplied for English style.
  25. 2 Samuel 19:22 tn Heb “what to me and to you.”
  26. 2 Samuel 19:23 tn Heb “swore to him.”
  27. 2 Samuel 19:24 tn Heb “son.”
  28. 2 Samuel 19:24 tn Heb “in peace.” So also in v. 31.
  29. 2 Samuel 19:24 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Mephibosheth) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  30. 2 Samuel 19:24 tn Heb “done his feet.”
  31. 2 Samuel 19:24 tn Heb “done.”
  32. 2 Samuel 19:26 tn Heb “your servant.”
  33. 2 Samuel 19:26 tn Heb “your servant.”
  34. 2 Samuel 19:27 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (the servant) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  35. 2 Samuel 19:27 tn Heb “your servant.”
  36. 2 Samuel 19:28 tn Heb “father.”
  37. 2 Samuel 19:28 tn Heb “and you placed your servant among those who eat at your table.”
  38. 2 Samuel 19:28 tn Heb “to cry out to.”
  39. 2 Samuel 19:30 tn Heb “take.”
  40. 2 Samuel 19:30 tn Heb “in peace.”
  41. 2 Samuel 19:31 tc The MT reading אֶת־בַיַּרְדֵּן (ʾet vayyarden, “in the Jordan”) is odd syntactically. The use of the preposition after the object marker אֶת (ʾet) is difficult to explain. Graphic confusion is likely in the MT; the translation assumes the reading מִיַּרְדֵּן (miyyarden, “from the Jordan”). Another possibility is to read the definite article on the front of “Jordan” (הַיַּרְדֵּן, hayyarden; “the Jordan”).
  42. 2 Samuel 19:32 tn Heb “great.”
  43. 2 Samuel 19:35 tn Heb “your servant.”
  44. 2 Samuel 19:35 tn Heb “your servant.”
  45. 2 Samuel 19:36 tn Heb “Like a little your servant will cross the Jordan with the king.”
  46. 2 Samuel 19:37 tn Heb “your servant.”
  47. 2 Samuel 19:39 tn Heb “to his place.”
  48. 2 Samuel 19:40 tn The MT in this instance alone spells the name with final ן (nun, “Kimhan”) rather than as elsewhere with final ם (mem, “Kimham”). As in most other translations, the conventional spelling (with ם) has been used here to avoid confusion.
  49. 2 Samuel 19:40 tn Heb “people.”
  50. 2 Samuel 19:40 tc The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew mss in reading the Hiphil verb הֶעֱבִירוּ (heʿeviru, “they caused to pass over”) rather than the Qal verb וַיְעֱבִרוּ (vayeʿeviru, “they crossed over”) of the MT.
  51. 2 Samuel 19:41 tn Heb “sneak you.”
  52. 2 Samuel 19:42 tn Heb “from the king.”
  53. 2 Samuel 19:43 tn The translation understands the verb in a desiderative sense, indicating the desire but not necessarily the completed action of the party in question. It is possible, however, that the verb should be given the more common sense of accomplished action, in which case it means here “Why have you cursed us?”
Close NLT

2 Samuel 19
New Living Translation

Joab Rebukes the King

19 [a]Word soon reached Joab that the king was weeping and mourning for Absalom. 2 As all the people heard of the king’s deep grief for his son, the joy of that day’s victory was turned into deep sadness. 3 They crept back into the town that day as though they were ashamed and had deserted in battle. 4 The king covered his face with his hands and kept on crying, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!”

5 Then Joab went to the king’s room and said to him, “We saved your life today and the lives of your sons, your daughters, and your wives and concubines. Yet you act like this, making us feel ashamed of ourselves. 6 You seem to love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have made it clear today that your commanders and troops mean nothing to you. It seems that if Absalom had lived and all of us had died, you would be pleased. 7 Now go out there and congratulate your troops, for I swear by the Lord that if you don’t go out, not a single one of them will remain here tonight. Then you will be worse off than ever before.”

8 So the king went out and took his seat at the town gate, and as the news spread throughout the town that he was there, everyone went to him.

Meanwhile, the Israelites who had supported Absalom fled to their homes. 9 And throughout all the tribes of Israel there was much discussion and argument going on. The people were saying, “The king rescued us from our enemies and saved us from the Philistines, but Absalom chased him out of the country. 10 Now Absalom, whom we anointed to rule over us, is dead. Why not ask David to come back and be our king again?”

11 Then King David sent Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, to say to the elders of Judah, “Why are you the last ones to welcome back the king into his palace? For I have heard that all Israel is ready. 12 You are my relatives, my own tribe, my own flesh and blood! So why are you the last ones to welcome back the king?” 13 And David told them to tell Amasa, “Since you are my own flesh and blood, like Joab, may God strike me and even kill me if I do not appoint you as commander of my army in his place.”

14 Then Amasa[b] convinced all the men of Judah, and they responded unanimously. They sent word to the king, “Return to us, and bring back all who are with you.”

David’s Return to Jerusalem

15 So the king started back to Jerusalem. And when he arrived at the Jordan River, the people of Judah came to Gilgal to meet him and escort him across the river. 16 Shimei son of Gera, the man from Bahurim in Benjamin, hurried across with the men of Judah to welcome King David. 17 A thousand other men from the tribe of Benjamin were with him, including Ziba, the chief servant of the house of Saul, and Ziba’s fifteen sons and twenty servants. They rushed down to the Jordan to meet the king. 18 They crossed the shallows of the Jordan to bring the king’s household across the river, helping him in every way they could.

David’s Mercy to Shimei

As the king was about to cross the river, Shimei fell down before him. 19 “My lord the king, please forgive me,” he pleaded. “Forget the terrible thing your servant did when you left Jerusalem. May the king put it out of his mind. 20 I know how much I sinned. That is why I have come here today, the very first person in all Israel[c] to greet my lord the king.”

21 Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said, “Shimei should die, for he cursed the Lord’s anointed king!”

22 “Who asked your opinion, you sons of Zeruiah!” David exclaimed. “Why have you become my adversary[d] today? This is not a day for execution, for today I am once again the king of Israel!” 23 Then, turning to Shimei, David vowed, “Your life will be spared.”

David’s Kindness to Mephibosheth

24 Now Mephibosheth,[e] Saul’s grandson, came down from Jerusalem to meet the king. He had not cared for his feet, trimmed his beard, or washed his clothes since the day the king left Jerusalem. 25 “Why didn’t you come with me, Mephibosheth?” the king asked him.

26 Mephibosheth replied, “My lord the king, my servant Ziba deceived me. I told him, ‘Saddle my donkey[f] so I can go with the king.’ For as you know I am crippled. 27 Ziba has slandered me by saying that I refused to come. But I know that my lord the king is like an angel of God, so do what you think is best. 28 All my relatives and I could expect only death from you, my lord, but instead you have honored me by allowing me to eat at your own table! What more can I ask?”

29 “You’ve said enough,” David replied. “I’ve decided that you and Ziba will divide your land equally between you.”

30 “Give him all of it,” Mephibosheth said. “I am content just to have you safely back again, my lord the king!”

David’s Kindness to Barzillai

31 Barzillai of Gilead had come down from Rogelim to escort the king across the Jordan. 32 He was very old—eighty years of age—and very wealthy. He was the one who had provided food for the king during his stay in Mahanaim. 33 “Come across with me and live in Jerusalem,” the king said to Barzillai. “I will take care of you there.”

34 “No,” he replied, “I am far too old to go with the king to Jerusalem. 35 I am eighty years old today, and I can no longer enjoy anything. Food and wine are no longer tasty, and I cannot hear the singers as they sing. I would only be a burden to my lord the king. 36 Just to go across the Jordan River with the king is all the honor I need! 37 Then let me return again to die in my own town, where my father and mother are buried. But here is your servant, my son Kimham. Let him go with my lord the king and receive whatever you want to give him.”

38 “Good,” the king agreed. “Kimham will go with me, and I will help him in any way you would like. And I will do for you anything you want.” 39 So all the people crossed the Jordan with the king. After David had blessed Barzillai and kissed him, Barzillai returned to his own home.

40 The king then crossed over to Gilgal, taking Kimham with him. All the troops of Judah and half the troops of Israel escorted the king on his way.

An Argument over the King

41 But all the men of Israel complained to the king, “The men of Judah stole the king and didn’t give us the honor of helping take you, your household, and all your men across the Jordan.”

42 The men of Judah replied, “The king is one of our own kinsmen. Why should this make you angry? We haven’t eaten any of the king’s food or received any special favors!”

43 “But there are ten tribes in Israel,” the others replied. “So we have ten times as much right to the king as you do. What right do you have to treat us with such contempt? Weren’t we the first to speak of bringing him back to be our king again?” The argument continued back and forth, and the men of Judah spoke even more harshly than the men of Israel.

Footnotes

  1. 19:1 Verses 19:1-43 are numbered 19:2-44 in Hebrew text.
  2. 19:14 Or David; Hebrew reads he.
  3. 19:20 Hebrew in the house of Joseph.
  4. 19:22 Or my prosecutor.
  5. 19:24 Mephibosheth is another name for Merib-baal.
  6. 19:26 As in Greek, Syriac, and Latin versions; Hebrew reads I will saddle a donkey for myself.
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