1 Then it was told Joab, “Behold, A2 Sam 18:5, 14the king is weeping and mourns for Absalom.” 2 The 1Lit salvationvictory 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 A2 Sam 15:30covered his face and 1Lit the king criedcried out with a loud voice, “B2 Sam 18:33O 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 1Or commandersprinces and servants are nothing to you; for I know this day that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then 2Lit it would be right in your eyesyou would be pleased. 7  “Now therefore arise, go out and speak 1Lit to the heartkindly to your servants, for I swear by the Loʀᴅ, if you do not go out, surely AProv 14:28not 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.”

8 So the king arose and sat in the gate. When they told all the people, saying, “Behold, the king is A2 Sam 15:2; 18:24sitting in the gate,” then all the people came before the king.

Now B2 Sam 18:17Israel had fled, each to his tent. 9 All the people were quarreling throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “A2 Sam 8:1-14The king delivered us from the 1Lit palmhand of our enemies and B2 Sam 5:20; 8:1saved us from the 1Lit palmhand of the Philistines, but now C2 Sam 15:14he 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 A2 Sam 15:29Zadok 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; A2 Sam 5:1you are my bone and my flesh. Why then should you be the last to bring back the king?’ 13  “Say to A2 Sam 17:25Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? B1 Kin 19:2May God do so to me, and more also, if you will not be C2 Sam 8:16commander of the army before me continually D2 Sam 3:27-39; 19:5-7in place of Joab.’ ” 14 Thus he turned the hearts of all the men of Judah AJudg 20:1as 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 AJosh 5:9; 1 Sam 11:14, 15Gilgal in order to go to meet the king, to bring the king across the Jordan.

16 Then A2 Sam 16:5-13; 1 Kin 2:8Shimei 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 A2 Sam 16:1-4; 19:26, 27Ziba 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, “A1 Sam 22:15; 2 Sam 16:6-8Let 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 1Lit settake it to heart. 20  “For your servant knows that I have sinned; therefore behold, I have come today, A2 Sam 16:5the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.” 21 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah said, “A2 Sam 16:7, 8Should not Shimei be put to death for this, BEx 22:28because he cursed the Loʀᴅ’s anointed?” 22 David then said, “A2 Sam 3:39; 16:9, 10What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day be an adversary to me? B1 Sam 11:13Should 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, “A1 Kin 2:8You shall not die.” Thus the king swore to him.

24 Then A2 Sam 9:6-10Mephibosheth the 1I.e. grandsonson of Saul came down to meet the king; and B2 Sam 12:20he had neither 2Lit donecared for his feet, nor 2Lit donetrimmed his mustache, nor CEx 19:10washed 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, “A2 Sam 16:17Why 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,’ A2 Sam 9:3because your servant is lame. 27  “Moreover, A2 Sam 16:3, 4he has slandered your servant to my lord the king; but my lord the king is B2 Sam 14:17, 20like the angel of God, therefore do what is good in your sight. 28  “For A2 Sam 21:6-9all my father’s household was nothing but dead men before my lord the king; B2 Sam 9:7, 10, 13yet you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. What right do I have yet that I should 1Lit cry outcomplain anymore to the king?” 29 So the king said to him, “Why do you still speak of your affairs? I have 1Lit saiddecided, ‘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 A2 Sam 17:27-29; 1 Kin 2:7Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim; and he went on to the Jordan with the king to 1Lit sendescort him over the Jordan. 32 Now Barzillai was very old, being eighty years old; and he had 1Or provided food forA2 Sam 17:27-29sustained 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 1Or provide food forsustain you in Jerusalem with me.” 34 But Barzillai said to the king, “AGen 47:8How long 1Lit are the days of the years of my lifehave I yet to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35  “I am 1Lit todaynow APs 90:10eighty 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 BEccl 2:8; Is 5:11, 12the voice of singing men and women? C2 Sam 15:33Why 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 A2 Sam 19:40; 1 Kin 2:7; Jer 41:17Chimham, 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 1Lit chooserequire of me, I will do for you.” 39 All the people crossed over the Jordan and the king crossed too. The king then AGen 31:55; Ruth 1:14; 2 Sam 14:33kissed 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 A2 Sam 19:9, 10half the people of Israel 1Lit crossed over withaccompanied the king. 41 And behold, all the men of Israel came to the king and said to the king, “AJudg 8:1; 12:1Why had our brothers B2 Sam 19:11, 12the 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 A2 Sam 19:12the king is a close relative to 1Lit meus. Why then 2Lit is it hot to youare you angry about this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king’s expense, or has 3Or a giftanything been taken for us?” 43 But the men of Israel answered the men of Judah and said, “1Singular in HebA2 Sam 5:1; 1 Kin 11:30, 31We have ten parts in the king, therefore 1Singular in Hebwe also have more claim on David than you. Why then did you treat us with contempt? Was it not 1Singular in Hebour advice first to bring back 1Singular in Hebour king?” Yet the words of the men of Judah were harsher than the words of the men of Israel.