2 Samuel 19-21

New American Standard Bible 1995

Joab Reproves David’s Lament

19 Then it was told Joab, “Behold, ^(A)the king is weeping and mourns for Absalom.” ² The ^[a]victory 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 went by stealth into the city that day, as people who are humiliated steal away when they flee in battle. ⁴ The king ^(B)covered his face and ^[b]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 covered with shame the faces of all your servants, who today have saved 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 shown today that ^[c]princes and servants are nothing to you; for I know this day that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then ^[d]you would be pleased. ⁷ Now therefore arise, go out and speak ^[e]kindly to your servants, for I swear by the Lord, if you do not go out, surely ^(D)not a man will pass the night with you, and this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.”

David Restored as King

⁸ So the king arose and sat in the gate. When 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 All the people were quarreling throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “^(G)The king delivered us from the ^[f]hand of our enemies and ^(H)saved us from the ^[g]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. Now then, why are you silent about bringing the king back?”

¹¹ Then King David sent to ^(J)Zadok and Abiathar the priests, saying, “Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, ‘Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house, since 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 bring back the king?’ ¹³ 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 turned the hearts of all the men of Judah ^(P)as one man, so that 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 bring the king 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 There were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, with ^(S)Ziba the servant 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 crossing the ford to bring over the king’s household, 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 cross 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 came out from Jerusalem, so that the king would ^[h]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 Lord’s anointed?” 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 The king said to Shimei, “^(Z)You shall not die.” Thus the king swore to him.

²⁴ Then ^(AA)Mephibosheth the ^[i]son of Saul came down to meet the king; and ^(AB)he had neither ^[j]cared for his feet, nor ^[k]trimmed his mustache, nor ^(AC)washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace. ²⁵ It was 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 dead men 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 ^[l]complain anymore to the king?” ²⁹ So the king said to him, “Why do you still speak of your affairs? I have ^[m]decided, ‘You and Ziba shall divide the land.’” ³⁰ Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him even take it all, since my lord the king has come safely to his own house.”

³¹ Now ^(AJ)Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim; and he went on to the Jordan with the king to ^[n]escort him over the Jordan. ³² Now Barzillai was very old, being eighty years old; and he had ^[o](AK)sustained the king while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very great man. ³³ The king said to Barzillai, “You cross over with me and I will ^[p]sustain you in Jerusalem with me.” ³⁴ But Barzillai said to the king, “^(AL)How long ^[q]have I yet to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? ³⁵ I am ^[r]now ^(AM)eighty years old. Can I distinguish 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 cross 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 cross over with my lord the king, and do for him what is good in your sight.” ³⁸ The king answered, “Chimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him what is good in your sight; and whatever you ^[s]require of me, I will do for you.” ³⁹ All the people crossed over the Jordan and the king crossed 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 ^[t]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 brought the king and his household and all David’s men with him over the Jordan?” ⁴² Then all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because ^(AU)the king is a close relative to ^[u]us. Why then ^[v]are you angry about this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king’s expense, or has ^[w]anything been taken for us?” ⁴³ But the men of Israel answered the men of Judah and said, “^[x](AV)We have ten parts in the king, therefore ^[y]we also have more claim on David than you. Why then did you treat us with contempt? Was it not ^[z]our advice first to bring back ^[aa]our king?” Yet the words of the men of Judah were harsher than the words of the men of Israel.

Sheba’s Revolt

20 Now ^(AW)a worthless fellow happened to be there whose name was Sheba, the son of ^(AX)Bichri, a Benjamite; and he blew the trumpet and said,

² So all the men of Israel ^[ab]withdrew from following David and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah ^[ac]remained steadfast to their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.

³ Then David came to his house at Jerusalem, and ^(BB)the king took the ten women, the concubines whom he had left to keep the house, and placed them under guard and provided them with sustenance, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up until the day of their death, living as widows.

⁴ Then the king said to ^(BC)Amasa, “Call out the men of Judah for me within three days, and be present here yourself.” ⁵ So Amasa went to call out the men of Judah, but he ^(BD)delayed longer than the set time which he had appointed him. ⁶ And David said to ^(BE)Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom; ^(BF)take your lord’s servants and pursue him, so that he does not find for himself fortified cities and escape from our sight.” ⁷ So Joab’s men went out after him, ^(BG)along with the Cherethites and the Pelethites and all the mighty men; and they went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri. ⁸ When they were at the large stone which is in ^(BH)Gibeon, Amasa came ^[ad]to meet them. Now Joab was ^[ae]dressed in his military attire, and over it was a belt with a sword in its sheath fastened at his waist; and as he went forward, it fell out. ⁹ Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?” And ^(BI)Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.

Amasa Murdered

¹⁰ But Amasa was not on guard against the sword which was in Joab’s hand so ^(BJ)he struck him in the belly with it and poured out his inward parts on the ground, and did not strike him again, and he died. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri. ¹¹ Now there stood by him one of Joab’s young men, and said, “Whoever favors Joab and whoever is for David, ^(BK)let him follow Joab.” ¹² But Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he ^[af]removed Amasa from the highway into the field and threw a garment over him when he saw that everyone who came by him stood still.

Revolt Put Down

¹³ As soon as he was removed from the highway, all the men passed on after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.

¹⁴ Now he went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, even Beth-maacah, and all the Berites; and they were gathered together and also went after him. ¹⁵ They came and besieged him in ^(BL)Abel Beth-maacah, and ^(BM)they ^[ag]cast up a siege ramp against the city, and it stood by the rampart; and all the people who were with Joab were wreaking destruction in order to topple the wall. ¹⁶ Then ^(BN)a wise woman called from the city, “Hear, hear! Please tell Joab, ‘Come here that I may speak with you.’” ¹⁷ So he approached her, and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” And he answered, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Listen to the words of your maidservant.” And he answered, “I am listening.” ¹⁸ Then she spoke, saying, “Formerly they used to say, ‘They will surely ask advice at Abel,’ and thus they ended the dispute. ¹⁹ I am of those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. ^(BO)You are seeking to destroy a city, even a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up ^(BP)the inheritance of the Lord?” ²⁰ Joab replied, “Far be it, far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy! ²¹ Such is not the case. But a man from ^(BQ)the hill country of Ephraim, ^(BR)Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against King David. Only hand him over, and I will depart from the city.” And the woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.” ²² Then the woman ^(BS)wisely came to all the people. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. So ^(BT)he blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, each to his tent. Joab also returned to the king at Jerusalem.

^23 (BU)Now Joab was over the whole army of Israel, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; ²⁴ and Adoram was over the forced labor, and ^(BV)Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder; ²⁵ and Sheva was scribe, and Zadok and ^(BW)Abiathar were priests; ²⁶ and Ira the Jairite was also a priest to David.

Gibeonite Revenge

21 Now there was ^(BX)a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and ^(BY)David sought the presence of the Lord. And the Lord said, “It is for Saul and his bloody house, because he put the Gibeonites to death.” ² So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them (now the Gibeonites were not of the sons of Israel but of the remnant of the Amorites, and ^(BZ)the sons of Israel ^[ah]made a covenant with them, but Saul had sought to ^[ai]kill them in his zeal for the sons of Israel and Judah). ³ Thus David said to the Gibeonites, “What should I do for you? And how can I make atonement that you may bless ^(CA)the inheritance of the Lord?” ⁴ Then the Gibeonites said to him, “^(CB)We have no concern of silver or gold with Saul or his house, nor is it for us to put any man to death in Israel.” And he said, “I will do for you whatever you say.” ⁵ So they said to the king, “^(CC)The man who consumed us and who planned ^[aj]to exterminate us from remaining within any border of Israel, ⁶ let seven men from his sons be given to us, and we will ^[ak]hang them ^(CD)before the Lord in Gibeah of Saul, ^(CE)the chosen of the Lord.” And the king said, “I will give them.”

⁷ But the king spared ^(CF)Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, ^(CG)because of the oath of the Lord which was between them, between David and Saul’s son Jonathan. ⁸ So the king took the two sons of ^(CH)Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, Armoni and Mephibosheth whom she had borne to Saul, and the five sons of ^[al](CI)Merab the daughter of Saul, whom she had borne to Adriel the son of Barzillai the ^(CJ)Meholathite. ⁹ Then he gave them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they ^[am]hanged them in the mountain before the Lord, so that the seven of them fell together; and they were put to death in the first days of harvest at ^(CK)the beginning of barley harvest.

^10 (CL)And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until ^[an]it rained on them from the sky; and ^(CM)she ^[ao]allowed neither the birds of the sky to rest on them by day nor the beasts of the field by night. ¹¹ When it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done, ¹² then David went and took ^(CN)the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh-gilead, who had stolen them from the open square of ^(CO)Beth-shan, ^(CP)where the Philistines had hanged them on the day ^(CQ)the Philistines struck down Saul in Gilboa. ¹³ He brought up the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from there, and they gathered the bones of those who had been ^[ap]hanged. ¹⁴ They buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in ^(CR)Zela, in the grave of Kish his father; thus they did all that the king commanded, and after that ^(CS)God was moved by prayer for the land.

¹⁵ Now when ^(CT)the Philistines were at war again with Israel, David went down and his servants with him; and as they fought against the Philistines, David became weary. ¹⁶ Then Ishbi-benob, who was ^(CU)among the descendants of the ^[aq]giant, the weight of whose spear was three hundred shekels of bronze in weight, ^[ar]was girded with a new sword, and he ^[as]intended to kill David. ¹⁷ But ^(CV)Abishai the son of Zeruiah helped him, and struck the Philistine and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, “^(CW)You shall not go out again with us to battle, so that you do not extinguish ^(CX)the lamp of Israel.”

^18 (CY)Now it came about after this that there was war again with the Philistines at Gob; then ^(CZ)Sibbecai the Hushathite struck down Saph, who was among the descendants of the ^[at]giant. ¹⁹ There was war with the Philistines again at Gob, and Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim the Bethlehemite ^[au]killed ^[av]Goliath the Gittite, ^(DA)the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam. ²⁰ There was war at Gath again, where there was a man of great stature who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number; and he also had been born ^(DB)to the ^[aw]giant. ²¹ When he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimei, David’s brother, struck him down. ^22 (DC)These four were born to the ^[ax]giant in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.