2 Samuel 19:9-15
Lexham English Bible
David Returns from Exile
9 Then it happened that all the people were disputing among all the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies, and he saved us from the hand of the Philistines, but now he has fled from the land because of Absalom. 10 Now Absalom whom we anointed as king over us has died in the battle; so then, why are you taking no action to restore the king?” 11 Then King David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, “Speak to the elders of Judah: ‘Why are you last to bring back the king to his house? The talk of all Israel has come to the king in his house. 12 My brothers, you are my bones and you are my flesh. Why should you be the last to bring back the king?’ 13 To Amasa you shall say: ‘Are you not my bones and my flesh? May God punish me[a] if you are not the commander of my army before me forever, in place of Joab.’” 14 So he turned the heart of all the men of Judah as one man, and they sent word to the king, “Return, you and all your servants.”
15 Then the king returned and he came to the Jordan; Judah had come to Gilgal to come to meet the king, to bring the king over the Jordan.
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- 2 Samuel 19:13 Literally “Thus may God do to me and thus may he add”
2 Samuel 19:9-15
Common English Bible
9 Everyone was arguing throughout Israel’s tribes, saying, “The king delivered us from our enemies’ power, and he rescued us from the Philistines’ power, but now he has fled from the land and from controlling his own kingdom.[a] 10 And Absalom, the one we anointed over us, is dead in battle. So why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?”
11 When the things that all the Israelites were saying reached the king,[b] David sent a message to the priests Zadok and Abiathar: “Say the following to the elders of Judah: ‘Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his palace?[c] 12 You are my relatives! You are my flesh and bones! Why should you be the last to bring the king back?’ 13 And tell Amasa, ‘Aren’t you my flesh and bones too? May God deal harshly with me and worse still if you don’t become commander of my army from now on instead of Joab!’”
14 So he won over the hearts of everyone in Judah as though they were one person, and they sent word to the king: “Come back—you and all your servants.” 15 So the king came back and arrived at the Jordan River. Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king and bring him across the Jordan.
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- 2 Samuel 19:9 LXX; MT from over Absalom
- 2 Samuel 19:11 LXX, OL; MT lacks When… the king, though a version of this clause appears in 19:12.
- 2 Samuel 19:11 MT adds The things that all the Israelites were saying reached the king in his home (or palace).
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