2 Samuel Chapter 19

2 Samuel Chapter 19
1 And it was told Joab, Behold, the king
weepeth and mourneth for Absalom. 2
Therefore the victory of that day was
turned into mourning to all the people:
for the people heard say that day, The
king sorroweth for his son. 3 And the
people went that day into the city
secretly, as people confounded hide
themselves when they flee in battle.
4 So the king hid his face, and the king
cried with a loud voice, My son
Absalom, Absalom my son, my son.
5 Then Joab came into the house to the
king, and said, Thou hast shamed this
day the faces of all thy servants, which
this day have saved thy life, and the
lives of thy sons and of thy daughters,
and the lives of thy wives, and the lives
of thy concubines,
6 In that thou lovest thine enemies, and
hatest thy friends: for thou hast declared
this day, that thou regardest neither thy
princes nor servants: therefore this day I
perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and
we all had died this day, that then it
would have pleased thee well.
7 Now therefore up, come out, and speak
comfortably unto thy servants: for I
swear by the Lord, except thou come out,
there will not tarry one man with thee
this night: and that will be worse unto
thee, than all the evil that fell on thee
from thy youth hitherto.
8 Then the king arose, and sat in the
gate: and they told unto all the people,
saying, Behold, the king doth sit in the
gate: and all the people came before the
king: for Israel had fled every man to his
tent.
9 Then all the people were at strife
throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying,
The king saved us out of the hand of our
enemies, and he delivered us out of the
hand of the Philistines, and now he is
fled out of the land for Absalom. 10 And
Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is
dead in battle: therefore why are ye so
slow to bring the king again?
11 But king David sent to Zadok and to
Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak unto
the elders of Judah, and say, Why are ye
behind to bring the king again to his
house, (for the saying of all Israel is
come unto the king, even to his house)
12 Ye are my brethren: my bones and my
flesh are ye: wherefore then are ye the
last that bring the king again?
13 Also say ye to Amasa, Art thou not
my bone and my flesh? God do so to me
and more also, if thou be not captain of
the host to me forever in the room of
Joab.
14 So he bowed the hearts of all the men
of Judah, as of one man: therefore they
sent to the king, saying, Return thou with
all thy servants. 15 So the king returned,
and came to Jordan. And Judah came to
Gilgal, for to go to meet the king, and to
conduct him over Jordan. 16 And Shimei
the son of Gera, the son of Jemini, which
was of Bahurim, hasted and came down
with the men of Judah to meet king
David,
17 And a thousand men of Benjamin
with him, and Ziba the servant of the
house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and
twenty servants with him: and they went
over Jordan before the king.
18 And there went over a boat to carry
over the king's household, and to do him
pleasure. Then Shimei the son of Gera
fell before the king, when he was come
over Jordan,
19 And said unto the king, Let not my
lord impute wickedness unto me, nor
remember the thing that thy servant did
wickedly when my lord the king
departed out of Jerusalem, that the king
should take it to his heart. 20 For thy
servant doth know, that I have done
amiss: therefore behold, I am the first
this day of all the house of Joseph, that
am come to go down to meet my lord the
king.
21 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah
answered, and said, Shall not Shimei die
for this, because he cursed the Lord's
anointed?
22 And David said, What have I to do
with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that this
day ye should be adversaries unto me?
Shall there any man die this day in
Israel? For do not I know that I am this
day king over Israel?
23 Therefore the king said unto Shimei,
Thou shalt not die, and the king swear
unto him.
24 And Mephibosheth the son of Saul
came down to meet the king, and had
neither washed his feet, nor dressed his
beard, nor washed his clothes from the
time the king departed, until he returned
in peace.
25 And when he was come to Jerusalem,
and met the king, the king said unto him,
Wherefore wentest not thou with me,
Mephibosheth?
26 And he answered, My lord the king,
my servant deceived me: for thy servant
said, I would have mine ass saddled to
ride thereon, for to go with the king,
because thy servant is lame.
27 And he hath accused thy servant unto
my lord the king: but my lord the king is
as an angel of God: do therefore thy
pleasure.
28 For all my father's house were but
dead men before my lord the king, yet
didst thou set thy servant among them
that did eat at thine own table: what right
therefore have I yet to cry any more unto
the king?
29 And the king said unto him, Why
speakest thou any more of thy matters? I
have said, Thou, and Ziba divide the
lands.
30 And Mephibosheth said unto the king,
Yea, let him take all, seeing my lord the
king is come home in peace.
31 Then Barzillai the Gileadite came
down from Rogelim, and went over
Jordan with the king, to conduct him
over Jordan.
32 Now Barzillai was a very aged man ,
even fourscore year old, and he had
provided the king of sustenance, while
he lay at Mahanaim: for he was a man of
very great substance.
33 And the king said unto Barzillai,
Come over with me, and I will feed thee
with me in Jerusalem.
34 And Barzillai said unto the king,
How long have I to live, that I should go
up with the king to Jerusalem?
35 I am this day fourscore year old: and
can I discern between good or evil?
Hath thy servant any taste in that I eat or
in that I drink? Can I hear any more the
voice of singing men and women?
Wherefore then should thy servant be
any more a burden unto my lord the
king?
36 Thy servant will go a little way over
Jordan with the king, and why will the
king recompense it me with such a
reward?
37 I pray thee, let thy servant turn back
again, that I may die in mine own city,
and be buried in the grave of my father
and of my mother: but behold thy servant
Chimham, let him go with my lord the
king, and do to him what shall please
thee.
38 And the king answered, Chimham
shall go with me, and I will do to him
that thou shalt be content with: and
whatsoever thou shalt require of me, that
will I do for thee.
39 So all the people went over Jordan:
and the king passed over: and the king
kissed Barzillai, and blessed him, and he
returned unto his own place. 40 Then the
king went to Gilgal, and Chimham went
with him, and all the people of Judah
conducted the king, and also half the
people of Israel. 41 And behold, all the
men of Israel came to the king, and said
unto the king, Why have our brethren the
men of Judah stolen thee away, and have
brought the king and his household, and
all David's men with him over Jordan?
42 And all the men of Judah answered
the men of Israel, Because the king is
near of kin to us: and wherefore now be
ye angry for this matter? Have we eaten
of the king's cost, or have we taken any
bribes?
43 And the men of Israel answered the
men of Judah, and said, We have ten
parts in the king, and have also more
right to David than ye: Why then did ye
despise us, that our advice should not be
first had in restoring our king? And the
words of the men of Judah were fiercer
than the words of the men of Israel.