2 Samuel Chapter 19
1 Then Joab heard, “The king is crying and mourning for Absalom.” 2 The victory that day turned into mourning because those who heard about it said, “The king is grieving for his son.” 3 So the people slipped into the city like humiliated people sneak away from battle. 4 The king covered his face and cried out, “Absalom! My son! My son!”
5 Then Joab went into the house and told the king,
“You’ve shamed your men today. They’ve saved your life, the lives of your sons and daughters, your wives and concubines. 6 By loving the ones that hate you and hating the ones that love you, you’ve shown that officers and troops don’t mean anything to you. If Absalom was alive and all of us dead, you’d be pleased. 7 Get up; go speak graciously to them. I swear by Yahveh, if you don’t, not a man will spend the night with you. This will be worse than all the bad things that have come on you since you were young.”
2 Sam 19:1-7
8 The king got up and sat in the gate. When they told the people, “The king is sitting in the gate,” they went to him.
The Israelites that followed Absalom had fled home, 9 and the people were quarreling throughout the tribes,
“The king delivered us from our enemies and saved us from the Philistines, but now he has fled out of the land from Absalom. 10 But Absalom that we anointed has died in battle. Why be silent about bringing David back as our king?”
11 Then King David sent to Zadok and Abiathar the priests,
“Say to the elders in Judah, ‘Why are you the last to bring the king back to his palace, since the word of all Israel has come to the king and to his house? 12 You’re my kin, my flesh and bone. Why then are you the last to welcome him back?’ 13 Tell Amasa, ‘Aren’t you my flesh and bone? God do so to me and more if you won’t command my army continually in place of Joab.’”
14 He convinced the people in Judah to agree; they sent word for the king and the ones with him to come back.
2 Sam 19:8-14
David Returns to Jerusalem
15The king started back and got as far as the Jordan. Judah came to Gilgal to meet him and escort him across.
16Then Shimei Ben-Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet David. 17 1,000 Benjamites came with him, with Ziba the steward of Saul’s household, and Ziba’s own 15 sons and 20 servants. They rushed to the Jordan ahead of the king. 18 They kept going back and forth across the ford to escort the king’s household over and do what pleased him. Shimei fell down to him as he was about to cross the Jordan,
19 “Forgive me. Don’t take to heart what I did when you were leaving Jerusalem. 20 I know I’ve sinned; I’ve come down, the first from the House of Joseph, to meet you.”
21 But Abishai Ben-Zeruiah answered, “Shouldn’t we put him to death for cursing Yahveh’s anointed?”
22 David said, “What do I have I to do with you that you should disagree with me? Should any man be put to death in Israel today? Don’t I know I’m king?”
23 He swore to Shimei, “You won’t die.”
2 Sam 19:15-23
24 Then Saul’s son Mephibosheth came down to meet the king. He hadn’t taken care of his feet, trimmed his mustache, or washed his clothes since David left. 25 When he came to Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, “Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?”
26 He answered,
“My lord the king, my servant deceived me. I said, ‘I’ll saddle a donkey so I can go with the king,’ because I’m lame. 27 He slandered me to you, but you’re like an angel of God. Do what you think’s right. 28 All my father’s family was nothing but dead men; yet you set me among the ones that ate at your own table. What right do I have to complain?”
29 The king said, “Why are you still talking about your affairs? I’ve decided that you and Ziba will divide the land.”
30 Mephibosheth said, “Let him have it all since you’ve come home safely.”
2 Sam 19:24-30
31 Barzillai of Gilead had come down from Rogelim and went on with the king to escort him across the Jordan. 32 He was old and had sustained the king while he was staying at Mahanaim because he was a really wealthy man. 33 The king told Barzillai,
“Cross over with me, and I’ll take care of you in Jerusalem.”
34 But he said,
“How long do I have left to live that I should go up with you to Jerusalem? 35 I’m 80 years old. Can I distinguish good from bad, or taste what I eat, or still hear men and women singing? Why should I be an added burden to you? 36 I’d simply be crossing over the Jordan with you. Why should you compensate me with this reward? 37 Let me go back so I can die in my own town near my parents’ grave. But here is my son Kimham. Let him cross over with you, and you can do for him what seems good.”
2 Sam 19:31-37
38 The king answered, “Chimham will cross over with me, and I’ll do for him what seems good to you and whatever you need me to do for you.”
39 The king and the people crossed the Jordan. He kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he went back home.
40 The king and Chimham went on over to Gilgal. Judah and half of Israel crossed with the king. 41 The men from Israel came to the king and said, “Why did our fellow Jews in Judah steal you away and bring you, your family, and your men across the Jordan?”
42 The men from Judah answered, “Because the king is a close relative of ours. Why are you mad about that? Have we eaten at all at the kings’ expense, or has anything been taken for us?”
43 But the men of Israel said, “We have ten parts in the king, so we have more claim on David than you do. Why then did you dishonor us? Wasn’t it our advice first to bring him back?”
Yet the men from Judah were more adamant than the men from Israel.
2 Sam 19:38-43