Chapter 19

Joab Reproves David’s Lament

1 Then it was told Joab, “Behold, athe king is weeping and mourns for Absalom.”

2 The 1victory 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 acovered his face and 1cried out with a loud voice, “bO 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 1princes and servants are nothing to you; for I know this day that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then 2you would be pleased.

7 “Now therefore arise, go out and speak 1kindly to your servants, for I swear by the Lord, if you do not go out, surely anot 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 asitting in the gate,” then all the people came before the king.

Now bIsrael had fled, each to his tent.

9 All the people were quarreling throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “aThe king delivered us from the 1hand of our enemies and bsaved us from the 1hand of the Philistines, but now che 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 aZadok 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; ayou are my bone and my flesh. Why then should you be the last to bring back the king?’

13 “Say to aAmasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? bMay God do so to me, and more also, if you will not be ccommander of the army before me continually din place of Joab.’ ”

14 Thus he turned the hearts of all the men of Judah aas 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 aGilgal in order to go to meet the king, to bring the king across the Jordan.

16 Then aShimei 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 aZiba 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, “aLet 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 1take it to heart.

20 “For your servant knows that I have sinned; therefore behold, I have come today, athe first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.”

21 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah said, “aShould not Shimei be put to death for this, bbecause he cursed the Lord’s anointed?”

22 David then said, “aWhat have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day be an adversary to me? bShould 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, “aYou shall not die.” Thus the king swore to him.

24 Then aMephibosheth the 1son of Saul came down to meet the king; and bhe had neither 2cared for his feet, nor 2trimmed his mustache, nor cwashed 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, “aWhy 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,’ abecause your servant is lame.

27 “Moreover, ahe has slandered your servant to my lord the king; but my lord the king is blike the angel of God, therefore do what is good in your sight.

28 “For aall my father’s household was nothing but dead men before my lord the king; byet you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. What right do I have yet that I should 1complain anymore to the king?”

29 So the king said to him, “Why do you still speak of your affairs? I have 1decided, ‘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 aBarzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim; and he went on to the Jordan with the king to 1escort him over the Jordan.

32 Now Barzillai was very old, being eighty years old; and he had 1asustained 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 1sustain you in Jerusalem with me.”

34 But Barzillai said to the king, “aHow long 1have I yet to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?

35 “I am 1now aeighty 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 bthe voice of singing men and women? cWhy 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 aChimham, 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 1require of me, I will do for you.”

39 All the people crossed over the Jordan and the king crossed too. The king then akissed 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 ahalf the people of Israel 1accompanied the king.

41 And behold, all the men of Israel came to the king and said to the king, “aWhy had our brothers bthe 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 athe king is a close relative to 1us. Why then 2are you angry about this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king’s expense, or has 3anything been taken for us?”

43 But the men of Israel answered the men of Judah and said, “1aWe have ten parts in the king, therefore 1we also have more claim on David than you. Why then did you treat us with contempt? Was it not 1our advice first to bring back 1our king?” Yet the words of the men of Judah were harsher than the words of the men of Israel.