2 Samuel 19:9–30
9 Now all the people were in a dispute throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king saved us from the hand of our ienemies, he delivered us from the hand of the jPhilistines, and now he has kfled from the land because of Absalom. 10 But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. Now therefore, why do you say nothing about bringing back the king?”
11 So King David sent to lZadok 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 words of all Israel have come to the king, to his very house? 12 You are my brethren, you are mmy bone and my flesh. Why then are you the last to bring back the king?’ 13 nAnd say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? oGod do so to me, and more also, if you are not commander of the army before me 4continually in place of Joab.’ ” 14 So he swayed the hearts of all the men of Judah, pjust as the heart of one man, so that they sent this word to the king: “Return, you and all your servants!”
15 Then the king returned and came to the Jordan. And Judah came to qGilgal, to go to meet the king, to escort the king racross the Jordan. 16 And sShimei the son of Gera, a 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 tBenjamin with him, and uZiba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went over the Jordan before the king. 18 Then a ferryboat went across to carry over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good.
David’s Mercy to Shimei
Now Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king when he had crossed the Jordan. 19 Then he said to the king, v“Do not let my lord 5impute iniquity to me, or remember what wwrong your servant did on the day that my lord the king left Jerusalem, that the king should xtake it to heart. 20 For I, your servant, know that I have sinned. Therefore here I am, the first to come today of all ythe house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.”
21 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, “Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, zbecause he acursed the Lord’s anointed?”
22 And David said, b“What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should be adversaries to me today? cShall any man be put to death today in Israel? For do I not know that today I am king over Israel?” 23 Therefore dthe king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king swore to him.
24 Now eMephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king. And he had not cared for his feet, nor trimmed his mustache, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he returned in peace. 25 So it was, when he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, f“Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?”
26 And he answered, “My lord, O king, my servant deceived me. For your servant said, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself, that I may ride on it and go to the king,’ because your servant is lame. 27 And ghe has slandered your servant to my lord the king, hbut my lord the king is like the angel of God. Therefore do what is good in your eyes. 28 For all my father’s house were but dead men before my lord the king. iYet you set your servant among those who eat at your own table. Therefore what right have I still to 6cry out anymore to the king?”
29 So the king said to him, “Why do you speak anymore of your matters? I have said, ‘You and Ziba divide the land.’ ”
30 Then Mephibosheth said to the king, “Rather, let him take it all, inasmuch as my lord the king has come back in peace to his own house.”