2 Samuel 19
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
David’s Kingdom Restored
19 It was reported to Joab, ‘The king is weeping. He’s mourning over Absalom.’ 2 That day’s victory was turned into mourning for all the troops because on that day the troops heard, ‘The king is grieving over his son.’ 3 So they returned to the city quietly that day like troops come in when they are humiliated after fleeing in battle. 4 But the king covered his face(A) and cried loudly, ‘My son Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son! ’
5 Then Joab went into the house to the king and said, ‘Today you have shamed all your soldiers – those who saved your life as well as your sons, your wives, and your concubines – 6 by loving your enemies and hating those who love you! Today you have made it clear that the commanders and soldiers mean nothing to you. In fact, today I know that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead, it would be fine with you![a]
7 ‘Now get up! Go out and encourage[b] your soldiers, for I swear by the Lord that if you don’t go out, not a man will remain with you tonight.(B) This will be worse for you than all the trouble that has come to you from your youth until now! ’
8 So the king got up and sat in the city gate,(C) and all the people were told, ‘Look, the king is sitting in the city gate.’ Then they all came into the king’s presence.
Meanwhile, each Israelite had fled to his tent.(D) 9 People throughout all the tribes of Israel were arguing among themselves, saying, ‘The king rescued us from the grasp of our enemies,(E) and he saved us from the grasp of the Philistines,(F) but now he has fled from the land because of Absalom.(G) 10 But Absalom, the man we anointed over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about restoring the king? ’
11 King David sent word to the priests Zadok and Abiathar:(H) ‘Say to the elders of Judah, “Why should you be the last to restore the king to his palace? The talk of all Israel has reached the king at his house. 12 You are my brothers, my flesh and blood.[c](I) So why should you be the last to restore the king? ” 13 And tell Amasa,(J) “Aren’t you my flesh and blood?[d] May God punish me and do so severely if you don’t become commander of my army from now on instead of Joab! ” ’
14 So he won over[e] all the men of Judah, and they unanimously sent word to the king: ‘Come back, you and all your servants.’ 15 Then the king returned. When he arrived at the Jordan, Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king and escort him across the Jordan.
16 Shimei son of Gera,(K) the Benjaminite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17 There were a thousand men from Benjamin with him. Ziba, an attendant from the house of Saul,(L) with his fifteen sons and twenty servants also rushed down to the Jordan ahead of the king. 18 They forded the Jordan to bring the king’s household across and do whatever the king desired.[f]
When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell face down before the king 19 and said to him, ‘My lord, don’t hold me guilty, and don’t remember your servant’s wrongdoing on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem.(M) May the king not take it to heart. 20 For your servant knows that I have sinned. But look! Today I am the first one of the entire house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.’
21 Abishai son of Zeruiah asked, ‘Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord’s anointed? ’(N)
22 David answered, ‘Sons of Zeruiah, do we agree on anything?(O) Have you become my adversary today? Should any man be killed in Israel today? Am I not aware that today I’m king over Israel? ’ 23 So the king said to Shimei, ‘You will not die.’ Then the king gave him his oath.(P)
24 Mephibosheth,(Q) Saul’s grandson, also went down to meet the king. He had not taken care of his feet, trimmed his moustache, 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, ‘Mephibosheth, why didn’t you come with me? ’
26 ‘My lord the king,’ he replied, ‘my servant Ziba betrayed me. Actually your servant said, “I’ll saddle the donkey for myself[g] so that I may ride it and go with the king” – for your servant is lame.(R) 27 Ziba slandered your servant to my lord the king.(S) But my lord the king is like the angel of God,(T) so do whatever you think best.[h] 28 For my grandfather’s entire family deserves death from my lord the king, but you set your servant among those who eat at your table.(U) So what further right do I have to keep on making appeals to the king? ’
29 The king said to him, ‘Why keep on speaking about these matters of yours? I hereby declare: you and Ziba are to divide the land.’(V)
30 Mephibosheth said to the king, ‘Instead, since my lord the king has come to his palace safely, let Ziba take it all! ’
31 Barzillai the Gileadite(W) had come down from Rogelim and accompanied the king to the River Jordan to see him off at the Jordan. 32 Barzillai was a very old man – eighty years old – and since he was a very wealthy man, he had provided for the needs of the king while he stayed in Mahanaim.(X)
33 The king said to Barzillai, ‘Cross over with me, and I’ll provide for you[i] at my side in Jerusalem.’
34 Barzillai replied to the king, ‘How many years of my life are left that I should go up to Jerusalem with the king? 35 I’m now eighty years old.(Y) Can I discern what is pleasant and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats or drinks? Can I still hear the voice of male and female singers? Why should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king?(Z) 36 Since your servant is only going with the king a little way across the Jordan, why should the king repay me with such a reward? 37 Please let your servant return so that I may die in my own city near the tomb of my father and mother. But here is your servant Chimham;(AA) let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him what seems good to you.’[j]
38 The king replied, ‘Chimham will cross over with me, and I will do for him what seems good to you, and whatever you desire from me I will do for you.’ 39 So all the people crossed the Jordan, and then the king crossed. The king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and Barzillai returned to his home.
40 The king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went with him. All the troops of Judah and half of Israel’s escorted the king. 41 Suddenly, all the men of Israel came to the king. They asked him, ‘Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, take you away secretly and transport the king and his household across the Jordan, along with all of David’s men? ’
42 All the men of Judah responded to the men of Israel, ‘Because the king is our relative. Why does this make you angry? Have we ever eaten anything of the king’s or been honoured at all? ’[k]
43 The men of Israel answered the men of Judah, ‘We have ten shares in the king,(AB) so we have a greater claim to David than you. Why then do you despise us? Weren’t we the first to speak of restoring our king? ’(AC) But the words of the men of Judah were harsher than those of the men of Israel.
Footnotes
- 19:6 Lit be right in your eyes
- 19:7 Lit speak to the heart of
- 19:12 Lit my bone and my flesh
- 19:13 Lit my bone and my flesh?
- 19:14 Lit he turned the heart of
- 19:18 Lit do what is good in his eyes
- 19:26 LXX, Syr, Vg read said to him, ‘Saddle the donkey for me
- 19:27 Lit do what is good in your eyes
- 19:33 LXX reads for your old age; Ru 4:15
- 19:37 Lit what is good in your eyes, also in v. 38
- 19:42 LXX reads king’s or has he given us a gift or granted us a portion
2 Samuel 19
Living Bible
19 Word soon reached Joab that the king was weeping and mourning for Absalom. 2 As the people heard of the king’s deep grief for his son, the joy of that day’s wonderful victory was turned into deep sadness. 3 The entire army crept back into the city as though they were ashamed and had been beaten in battle.
4 The king covered his face with his hands and kept on weeping, “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, your wives, and concubines; and yet you act like this, making us feel ashamed, as though we had done something wrong. 6 You seem to love those who hate you, and hate those who love you. Apparently we don’t mean anything to you; if Absalom had lived and all of us had died, you would be happy. 7 Now go out there and congratulate the troops, for I swear by Jehovah that if you don’t, not a single one of them will remain here during the night; then you will be worse off than you have ever been in your entire life.”
8-10 So the king went out and sat at the city gates, and as the news spread throughout the city that he was there, everyone went to him.
Meanwhile, there was much discussion and argument going on all across the nation: “Why aren’t we talking about bringing the king back?” was the great topic everywhere. “For he saved us from our enemies, the Philistines; and Absalom, whom we made our king instead, chased him out of the country, but now Absalom is dead. Let’s ask David to return and be our king again.”
11-12 Then David sent Zadok and Abiathar the priests to say to the elders of Judah, “Why are you the last ones to reinstate the king? For all Israel is ready, and only you are holding out. Yet you are my own brothers, my own tribe, my own flesh and blood!”
13 And he told them to tell Amasa, “Since you are my nephew, may God strike me dead if I do not appoint you as commander-in-chief of my army in place of Joab.” 14 Then Amasa convinced all the leaders of Judah, and they responded as one man. They sent word to the king, “Return to us and bring back all those who are with you.”
15 So the king started back to Jerusalem. And when he arrived at the Jordan River, it seemed as if everyone in Judah had come to Gilgal to meet him and escort him across the river! 16 Then Shimei (the son of Gera the Benjaminite), the man from Bahurim, hurried across with the men of Judah to welcome King David. 17 A thousand men from the tribe of Benjamin were with him, including Ziba, the servant of Saul, and Ziba’s fifteen sons and twenty servants; they rushed down to the Jordan to arrive ahead of the king. 18 They all worked hard ferrying the king’s household and troops across, and helped them in every way they could.
As the king was crossing, Shimei fell down before him, 19 and pleaded, “My lord the king, please forgive me and forget the terrible thing I did when you left Jerusalem; 20 for I know very well how much I sinned. That is why I have come here today, the very first person in all the tribe of Joseph to greet you.”
21 Abishai asked, “Shall not Shimei die, for he cursed the Lord’s chosen king!”
22 “Don’t talk to me like that!” David exclaimed. “This is not a day for execution but for celebration! I am once more king of Israel!”
23 Then, turning to Shimei, he vowed, “Your life is spared.”
24-25 Now Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, arrived from Jerusalem to meet the king. He had not washed his feet or clothes nor trimmed his beard since the day the king left Jerusalem.
“Why didn’t you come with me, Mephibosheth?” the king asked him.
26 And he replied, “My lord, O king, my servant Ziba deceived me. I told him, ‘Saddle my donkey so that I can go with the king.’ For as you know I am lame. 27 But Ziba has slandered me by saying that I refused to come.[a] But I know that you are as an angel of God, so do what you think best. 28 I and all my relatives could expect only death from you, but instead you have honored me among all those who eat at your own table! So how can I complain?”
29 “All right,” David replied. “My decision is that you and Ziba will divide the land equally between you.”
30 “Give him all of it,” Mephibosheth said. “I am content just to have you back again!”
31-32 Barzillai, who had fed the king and his army during their exile in Mahanaim, arrived from Rogelim to conduct the king across the river. He was very old now, about eighty, and very wealthy.
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 for that. 35 I am eighty years old today, and life has lost its excitement.[b] Food and wine are no longer tasty, and entertainment is not much fun; I would only be a burden to my lord the king. 36 Just to go across the river with you is all the honor I need! 37 Then let me return again to die in my own city, where my father and mother are buried. But here is Chimham.[c] Let him go with you and receive whatever good things you want to give him.”
38 “Good,” the king agreed. “Chimham shall go with me, and I will do for him whatever I would have done for you.”
39 So all the people crossed the Jordan with the king; and after David had kissed and blessed Barzillai, he returned home. 40 The king then went on to Gilgal, taking Chimham with him. And most of Judah and half of Israel were there to greet him. 41 But the men of Israel complained to the king because only men from Judah had ferried him and his household across the Jordan.
42 “Why not?” the men of Judah replied. “The king is one of our own tribe. Why should this make you angry? We have charged him nothing—he hasn’t fed us or given us gifts!”
43 “But there are ten tribes in Israel,” the others replied, “so we have ten times as much right in the king as you do; why didn’t you invite the rest of us? And, remember, we were the first to speak of bringing him back to be our king again.”
The argument continued back and forth, and the men of Judah were very rough in their replies.
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 19:27 saying that I refused to come, implied.
- 2 Samuel 19:35 life has lost its excitement, literally, “can I discern between good and bad?”
- 2 Samuel 19:37 Chimham. According to Josephus, Chimham was Barzillai’s son.
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