A Call to Yahweh in Distress

A psalm of David at his fleeing from the presence of Absalom, his son.^[a]

Absalom Leads a Rebellion

15 It happened afterward that Absalom made himself a chariot with horses and fifty men running before him. ² Absalom used to rise early in the morning, and he stood beside^[a] the road at the gate; anyone^[b] who had a legal dispute to bring to the king for judgment Absalom would call to him and say, “Where are you from?”^[c] And he would say, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.” ³ Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your case is good and right, but for you there is no hearing with the king.” ⁴ Then Absalom would say, “Oh, that someone would^[d] appoint me as judge in the land, that anyone^[e] might come to me who had a legal dispute or a case, and I would give him justice.” ⁵ It happened whenever anyone drew near to do obeisance to him, that he would stretch his hand and take hold of him and kiss him. ⁶ Absalom did like this to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment; so Absalom stole the hearts^[f] of the people of Israel.

⁷ It happened at the end of four^[g] years that Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow which I have made to Yahweh in Hebron, ⁸ for your servant made a vow while I was staying in Geshur in Aram, saying, ‘If Yahweh will indeed let me return^[h] to Jerusalem, then I will worship Yahweh.’” ⁹ Then the king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he got up and went to Hebron. ¹⁰ Then Absalom sent scouts throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “When you hear the sound of the trumpet, you shall shout ‘Absalom has become king in Hebron!’” ¹¹ Two hundred men from Jerusalem went with Absalom as invited guests, going in their innocence as they did not know anything. ¹² Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, the advisor of David, from his city Giloh, while he offered the sacrifices. The conspiracy grew in strength,^[i] and the people were going and increasing^[j] with Absalom.

David Flees from Jerusalem

¹³ Then the messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts^[k] of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom.” ¹⁴ Then David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, “Get up and let us flee, for there will be no escape for us from Absalom! Hurry to go, otherwise he will come quickly and overtake us! And he will bring disaster on us and evil! He will attack the city with the edge of the sword!” ¹⁵ Then the servants of the king said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king chooses, your servants are ready to act!”^{[l] 16} The king went out with^[m] all his household following him,^[n] but the king left behind ten concubines to look after the house. ¹⁷ So the king went out with^[o] all the people following him,^[p] and they stopped at the last house.^{[q] 18} All his servants were passing by him:^[r] all of the Kerethites and all of the Pelethites and all of the Gittites—six hundred men who had followed him^[s] from Gath—passing before the king.^{[t] 19} The king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why are you also coming with us? Return and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner; moreover, you are an exile. You are far from your place.^{[u] 20} Yesterday when you came and today,^[v] I have caused you to wander by going with us. Now I am going to where I am going; return and let your brothers return. May loyal love and faithfulness be with you.” ²¹ But Ittai answered the king and said, “As Yahweh lives^[w] and my lord the king lives,^[x] surely in the place wherever my lord the king shall be, if for death or if for life, surely there your servant will be.” ²² Then David said to Ittai, “Go and pass over.” So Ittai the Gittite passed over and all his men and all of the little children who were with him. ²³ All of the land was weeping with a loud voice as all the people were passing by and the king was crossing through the Wadi Kidron, and all the people were passing on the road to the wilderness.^[y]

The Priests Offer Sacrifices for David

²⁴ Suddenly Zadok was there, and all of the Levites with him, carrying the ark of the covenant of God. They set the ark of God down, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until all the people passed out of the city. ²⁵ The king said to Zadok, “Let the ark of God return to the city. If I find favor in the eyes of Yawheh, he will let me return and let me see him in his dwelling place. ²⁶ But if he says, ‘I take no pleasure in you,’ then I am ready.^[z] Let him do to me that which is good in his eyes. ²⁷ Then the king said to Zadok the priest, “Are you a seer? Return to the city in peace, with Ahimaaz your son and Jonathan the son of Abiathar, your two sons with you. ²⁸ See, I am waiting at the fords of the wilderness until a word comes from you all to inform me.” ²⁹ So Zadok and Abiathar returned the ark of God to Jerusalem and they remained there.

Hushai Offers to Serve King David

³⁰ Now David was going up on the Ascent of the Olives, weeping as he went,^[aa] with his head covered and going barefoot. All the people who were with him each covered their head and wept as they went.^{[ab] 31} Now David was told, “Ahithophel was among the conspirators with Absalom.” Then David said, “Please frustrate the counsel of Ahithophel, O Yahweh.” ³² It happened that as David was coming up to the summit where he used to worship God, suddenly Hushai the Arkite was there to meet him. His coat was torn and dirt was on his head. ³³ David said to him, “If you move on with me, you will be a burden to me, ³⁴ but if you want to return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘I am your servant, O king. I used to be a servant of your father, but from then and now I will be your servant,’ then you can frustrate the counsel of Ahithophel for me. ³⁵ Will not Zadok and Abiathar the priests be with you there? It shall be that all the words you hear from the house of the king you shall tell Zadok and Abiathar the priests. ³⁶ Look, there with them are their two sons, Ahimaaz of Zadok and Jonathan of Abiathar. You shall send to me by means of them^[ac] all the words that you hear.” ³⁷ So Hushai the friend of David came to the city as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.

Ziba Brings Provisions

16 Now David passed a little from beyond the summit, and suddenly Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth was there to meet him with a pair of saddled donkeys; on them were two hundred loaves of bread and a hundred raisin cakes, with a hundred summer fruits and a skin of wine. ² The king said to Ziba, “What do you want to accomplish by bringing these?”^[ad] And Ziba said, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on; the bread and the summer fruit are for the young men to eat, and the wine is for the faint in the wilderness to drink. ³ Then the king said, “Where is the son of your lord?” And Ziba said to the king, “He is living in Jerusalem for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel shall return the kingdom of my father to me.’” ⁴ The king said to Ziba, “Look, all that was Mephibosheth’s is yours.” Ziba said, “I hereby do obeisance; may I find favor in your eyes, my lord the king.”

Shimei Curses David

⁵ King David came up to Bahurim and suddenly a man from there was coming out from the family of the house of Saul, and his name was Shimei the son of Gera. He was cursing as he came out.^{[ae] 6} And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David and at all the people and at all the mighty warriors on his right and on his left. ⁷ Shimei said while cursing him, “Go out, go out, you man of bloodshed,^[af] you man of wickedness.^{[ag] 8} Yahweh has returned on you all the blood of the household of Saul whom you have supplanted as king,^[ah] and Yahweh has given the kingship into the hand of Absalom your son. Look, you are in disaster for you are a man of blood.” ⁹ Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please let me go over and take off his head.” ¹⁰ The king said, “What do we have in common,^[ai] sons of Zeruiah? If^[aj] he curses because Yahweh has said to him ‘Curse David,’ who can say, “Why have you done this?” ¹¹ David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Look, my son who came out of my loins^[ak] is seeking my life. Now as far as^[al] this Benjaminite, leave him alone and let him curse, for Yahweh has spoken to him. ¹² Perhaps Yahweh will look in my eye^[am] and repay good for me in place of his curse this day. ¹³ Then David and his men went on the road, with Shimei going on the side of the hill beside him, cursing as he went.^[an] He threw stones beside him and threw^[ao] dust in the air. ¹⁴ When the king and all of the people who were with him arrived, he was weary, so he recovered there.

Hushai Comes to Absalom

¹⁵ Now Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, had come to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him. ¹⁶ When Hushai the Arkite the friend of David came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king, long live the king!” ¹⁷ Absalom said to Hushai, “This is your loyal love with your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?” ¹⁸ Then Hushai said to Absalom, “No, rather, whom Yahweh and this people and all the men of Israel have chosen, to him^[ap] I will be, and with him I will remain. ¹⁹ Furthermore,^[aq] for whom have I served? Is it not in the presence of his son that I have served before your father? So shall I serve you!”^{[ar] 20} Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give your advice. What shall we do?” ²¹ And Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go to the concubines of your father whom he left behind to watch over the house, then all of Israel will hear that you made yourself odious to your father, and all of your followers will be motivated!”^{[as] 22} Then they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he went in to the concubines of his father before the eyes of all Israel. ²³ The counsel that Ahithophel gave in those days was regarded as when a man^[at] inquired of the word of God, so all the counsel of Ahithophel was esteemed both by David and by Absalom.

Hushai Frustrates the Counsel of Ahithophel

17 Then Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Please let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will set out and pursue after David tonight.^{[au] 2} I will come upon him while he is weary and weak.^[av] I will startle him, and all of the people who are with him will flee. Then I will strike down the king while he is alone. ³ Then I will return all the people to you; when all have returned, the man whom you are seeking will be dead,^[aw] but all the people will be safe.” ⁴ The word was right in the eyes of Absalom and in the eyes of all the elders of Israel. ⁵ Then Absalom said, “Please call also for Hushai the Arkite, and let us hear what he has to say^[ax] also.” ⁶ So Hushai came to Absalom, who said to him, “Shall we do according to this word that Ahithophel has spoken? If not, then you tell us.” ⁷ Then Hushai said to Absalom, “The counsel that Ahithophel gave is not good at this time.”^{[ay] 8} Hushai continued, “You know your father and his men, that they are mighty warriors and they are enraged^[az] as a bear robbed of her offspring in the field. Your father is a man of war, so he will not spend the night with the troops. ⁹ Now he has hidden himself in one of the caves or in one of the places. At the moment he falls on them^[ba] the first time, whoever hears^[bb] the report will say, ‘There has been a defeat among the people who follow after Absalom.’ ¹⁰ And he is also a valiant warrior,^[bc] whose heart is like the heart of the lion. He^[bd] will certainly melt^[be] with fear, for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty warrior and those who are with him are valiant warriors.^{[bf] 11} I give the advice that all of Israel from Dan to Beersheba should be completely gathered to you, as the sand which is on the seashore for abundance, with you personally^[bg] going into the battle. ¹² Then we will come to him in one of the places where he may be found, and we shall come upon him as the dew falls on the ground. He and all the men who are with him will not survive, not even one! ¹³ Even if he withdraws to a city, all Israel will bring up ropes to that city, and they will drag him away to the valley until there is not even a pebble to be found.” ¹⁴ Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Arkite is better than the advice of Ahithophel.” (Now Yahweh had ordained to frustrate the good counsel of Ahithophel in order for Yahweh to bring misery upon Absalom).

Hushai Sends Word to David

¹⁵ Hushai said to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, “Thus and so^[bh] Ahithophel advised Absalom and the elders of Israel, but thus and so^[bi] I have advised. ¹⁶ So then, send quickly and tell David, ‘Don’t spend the night at the fords of the wilderness! Moreover, by all means cross over lest the king and all the people who are with him be swallowed up.’” ¹⁷ Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En Rogel, so a servant girl used to go and tell them, then they would go and tell King David, for they were not able to be seen coming to the city. ¹⁸ But a young man saw them and told Absalom, so both of them went quickly and came to the house of a man at Bahurim. Now he had a well in his courtyard, so they went down there. ¹⁹ Then the woman took and spread a covering over the opening of the well; then she spread out dried grain on it, so nothing was discovered. ²⁰ When the servants of Absalom came to the woman at the house, they said, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” And she said to them, “They crossed over the brook of water.” So they searched but could not find them, so they returned to Jerusalem. ²¹ After they left, they came up from the well and went and told King David. They said to David, “Set out and cross over the water quickly, for thus Ahithophel has advised against you.” ²² So David and all the people who were with him set out, and they crossed over the Jordan until morning light until there was no one^[bj] missing who had not crossed over the Jordan. ²³ When Ahithophel saw that his advice was not followed, he saddled the donkey, and he set out and went up to his house in his city. After he set his house in order,^[bk] he hanged himself, and he died and was buried in the tomb of his ancestors.^[bl]

²⁴ Now David had come to Mahanaim, and Absalom had crossed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him. ²⁵ Absalom had appointed Amasa in place of Joab over the army. Now Amasa was the son of a man whose name was Ithra the Israelite, who had married^[bm] Abigail the daughter of Nahash the sister of Zeruiah, the mother of Joab. ²⁶ Israel and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead. ²⁷ Just as David had arrived in Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites^[bn] and Makir the son of Ammiel from Lo Debar and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim ²⁸ brought beds and basins and objects of pottery, as well as wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils, ²⁹ honey, curds, sheep, cheese, and cattle for David and for the people who were with him to eat. For they had thought, “The troops are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.”

Absalom Dies in Battle

18 Then David mustered the people who were with him, and he appointed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. ² David sent forth a third of the troops under the command of Joab,^[bo] and a third under the command of Abishai,^[bp] the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, and the remaining third under the command of Ittai^[bq] the Gittite. And the king said to the troops, “I, even I, will certainly go out^[br] with you.” ³ Then the troops said, “You will not go out, for if we must flee,^[bs] then they will not care about us;^[bt] even if half of us die, they will not care about us,^[bu] but now, you are like ten thousand of us. And so then, it is better for us that you be in the city to help.” ⁴ The king said to them, “I will do what seems good in your eyes.” So the king stood at the side of the gate while all of the troops went out by hundreds and by thousands. ⁵ The king ordered Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, “With respect to the young man Absalom, deal gently for me.” And all the troops heard when the king ordered all of the commanders concerning the matter of Absalom.

⁶ The army went out to the field to meet Israel, and the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim. ⁷ The army of Israel was defeated there before the servants of David, and the defeat there was great on that day: twenty thousand. ⁸ The battle there was spreading over the surface of all the land, and the forest devoured more among the army than^[bv] the sword did on that day. ⁹ Absalom was found in the presence of the servants of David as he was riding on the mule. The mule went under the thicket of the great oak tree, and his head was caught in the tree. He was left hanging between heaven and earth, and the mule which was under him went on. ¹⁰ When a certain man saw it, he told Joab, and he said, “Look, I saw Absalom hanging in the oak tree!” ¹¹ Then Joab said to the man who was telling him, “Look, if you saw, why did you not strike him down to the ground there? I would have gladly given you^[bw] ten pieces of silver and a leather belt.” ¹² The man said to Joab, “Even if I felt the weight^[bx] of a thousand pieces of silver in my palms, I would not have sent my hand against the son of the king, for in our ears the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Whoever you may be, protect the young man Absalom.’ ¹³ If I had dealt treacherously against his life, and there is not any matter hidden from the king, you would have presented yourself aloof.”^{[by] 14} Joab said, “No longer will I wait in your presence.” Then he took three spears in his hand and thrust them into the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the oak tree. ¹⁵ Then ten of the young men who bore the weapons of Joab surrounded him and struck and killed Absalom. ¹⁶ Then Joab blew on the trumpet and the troops returned from pursuing after Israel, for Joab kept back the troops. ¹⁷ They took Absalom and they threw him into the large pit in the forest and raised a very great heap of stones over him. Then all of Israel fled, each to his tent.

¹⁸ (Now Absalom had taken and set up for himself in his lifetime a stone pillar that is in the valley of the king, because he said, “I have no son in order to remember my name,” and he called the stone pillar by his name. It is called the monument of Absalom until this day). ¹⁹ Now Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Please let me run and bring the good news to the king that Yahweh has vindicated him from the hand of his enemies.” ²⁰ Joab said to him, “You will not be a man bringing^[bz] good news this day! You may bring good news on another day, but today you will not be bringing good news because the king’s son is dead.” ²¹ Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen”; then the Cushite bowed down to Joab and ran off. ²² Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok again said to Joab, “Come what may,^[ca] please let me also run after the Cushite.” Joab asked, “Why are you wanting to run, my son, when for you there is no messenger’s reward?”^{[cb] 23} “Come what may,^[cc] I want to run.” He said to him, “Run,” so Ahimaaz ran on the road on the plain, and he passed the Cushite.

²⁴ Now David was sitting between the two gates, and the sentinel went up to the roof of the gate by the wall and he lifted up his eyes and watched, and look, a man was running by himself. ²⁵ The sentry called and told the king, and the king said, “If he is alone, good news is in his mouth.” He kept coming closer.^{[cd] 26} Then the sentinel saw another man running, so the sentinel called to the gatekeeper and said, “Look, a man running alone.” The king said, “This one also is bringing good news.” ²⁷ The sentinel said, “I am seeing that the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zakok.” The king said, “He is a good man; he will come, for good news.” ²⁸ Then Ahimaaz called and said to the king, “Peace.” He bowed down to the king with his face to the ground, and he said, “May Yahweh your God be blessed, who has delivered the men who raised their hand against my lord the king.” ²⁹ The king said, “Is it peace for the young man Absalom?” Ahimaaz said, “I saw the great commotion when Joab the servant of the king sent your servant, but I do not know what it was all about.” ³⁰ Then the king said, “Turn aside, take your place here,” so he turned aside and waited. ³¹ Suddenly the Cushite arrived and said, “May my lord the king receive the good news, for Yahweh has vindicated you today from the power of all who stood up against you.” ³² The king said to the Cushite, “Is it peace for the young man Absalom?” Then the Cushite answered, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up against you to harm you^[ce] be like the young man!” ^33 [cf] The king was upset, and he went up to the upper room of the gate and wept. He said as he went, “My son, Absalom, my son, my son, Absalom. If only^[cg] I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son.”

King David Weeps for Absalom

19 And it was told to Joab that the king was weeping and he mourned over Absalom, ² so the victory turned to mourning on that day for all the army, because they had heard that day, “The king is grieving over his son.” ³ The army came secretly^[ch] into the city on that day because the army was disgraced when they fled in the battle, ⁴ and because the king had covered his face and cried with a loud voice, “My son, Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son.”

⁵ Then Joab came to the king’s house and said, “Today you have humiliated the faces of all of your servants who have saved your life this day, and the life of your sons and your daughters, the life of your wives, and the life of your concubines, ⁶ by loving those who hate you and hating those who love you. Indeed, you have made clear this day that you have no regard for your commanders or officers, for I have realized today that were Absalom alive, and all of us were dead, then that would have been right in your eyes! ⁷ So then, get up and go out and speak kindly to your servants,^[ci] for I swear by Yahweh, if you do not go out, no man will lodge this night with you, and this disaster will be greater for you than any disaster that has come upon you from your childhood until now!” ⁸ So the king got up and he sat in the gate, and they told all the army, “Look, the king is sitting in the gate.” Then all the army came before the king; whereas all of Israel had fled, each to his tent.

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^[cj] 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. ¹⁶ Then Shimei the son of Gera, the son of the Benjaminite, who was from Bahurim quickly came down with the men of Judah to meet King David, ¹⁷ and a thousand men were with him from Benjamin. Too, Ziba the servant of the household of Saul and fifteen of his sons and twenty of his servants were with him, and they rushed to the Jordan before the king. ¹⁸ The crossing took place^[ck] to bring the household of the king over and to do good in his eyes. Then Shimei the son of Gera fell before the king when he crossed over the Jordan, ¹⁹ and he said to the king, “May not my lord hold me guilty, and may you not remember how your servant did wrong on the day that my lord the king went out from Jerusalem, by taking it to heart! ²⁰ For your servant knows that I have sinned; look, I have come this day as the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.” ²¹ Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah responded and said, “Because of this, should not Shimei be put to death, for he cursed the anointed one of Yahweh?” ²² Then David said, “What is it to me or to you, sons of Zeruiah, that you should be an adversary today? Should anyone be put to death in Israel? Do I not know today that I am king over Israel?” ²³ Then the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die,” and so the king swore to him.

²⁴ Now, Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king; he had not taken care of his feet nor trimmed his moustache nor washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he came back in peace. ²⁵ It happened that when he came to Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, “Why did you not come with me, Mephibosheth?” ²⁶ Then he said, “My lord the king, my servant deceived me, for your servant had said, ‘Let me saddle the donkey that I may ride on her and go with the king,’ for your servant is lame. ²⁷ But he slandered against your servant to my lord the king. My lord the king is like the angel of God; do as you see fit..”^{[cl] 28} For there was no one in all the house of my father who were not doomed to death^[cm] before my lord the king, but you set your servant among those who eat at your table. Do I have any righteousness any longer except to cry out to the king?” ²⁹ Then the king said to him, “Why should you speak any more about the matter? I have decided: you and Ziba shall divide the land.” ³⁰ Then Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him take the whole thing, since my lord the king has come safely^[cn] to his house.”

³¹ Then Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim and crossed with the king over the Jordan to escort him through the Jordan. ³² Now Barzillai was very old, eighty years old.^[co] Now he had provided the king with food while he was staying at Mahanaim, for he was a very wealthy man. ³³ The king said to Barzillai, “You cross over with me, and I will provide for you to dwell with me in Jerusalem.” ³⁴ Then Barzillai said to the king, “What are the days of the years of my life, that I should go with the king to Jerusalem? ³⁵ I am eighty years old today. Can I discern between good and bad? Or can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Or can I still hear the voice of singing men and women? Why should your servant be a burden any longer to my lord the king? ³⁶ Your servant shall go over the Jordan with the king a little way, but why should the king recompense me with this reward? ³⁷ Please let your servant return, and let me die in my city in the tomb of my father and my mother. Here is your servant Kimham; let him cross over with my lord the king, and do for him that which is good in your eyes.” ³⁸ The king said, “Let Kimham go over with me, and I will do for him the good in your eyes, 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 and kissed Barzillai and blessed him; then he returned to his place. ⁴⁰ The king went over to Gilgal, and Kimham went over with him. All the people of Judah went over with the king, and half of the people of Israel too. ⁴¹ Suddenly, all the men of Israel were coming to the king. They said to the king, “Why have our brothers the men of Judah stolen away and brought the king and his household over the Jordan, with all the men of David?” ⁴² Then all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because the king is my close relative! Why are you this angry over this matter? Have we by any means eaten anything from the king? Did we take by any means anything that was not ours?”^{[cp] 43} Then the people of Israel answered the men of Judah and said, “I have ten times as much^[cq] in the king, moreover in David I have more than you. Why did you treat me with contempt by not giving me first chance^[cr] to bring back my king?” But the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the word of the men of Israel.