Then it was reported to Joab , ... “ The king is weeping and mourning over Absalom. ”
And that day’s victory was turned into mourning for all the people , because on that ... day (they) were told , “ The king is grieving over his son. ”
So they returned to the city quietly that day , as people steal away in humiliation after fleeing a battle.
But the king covered - his face and cried out ... at the top of his voice , “ O my son Absalom ! O Absalom , my son , my son ! ”
Then Joab went into the house and said to the king , “ Today you have disgraced - - all your servants who have saved - your life ... - and the lives of your sons and daughters , ... of your wives , ... and of your concubines.
You love - those who hate you and hate - those who love you ! For you have made it clear today that - the commanders and soldiers mean nothing I know today ... that if Absalom were alive and all ... of us were dead , ... ... it would have pleased you ... !
Now therefore get up ! Go out and speak ... comfort to your servants , for I swear by the LORD that if you do not go out , not a man will remain with you tonight. This will be worse than all the adversity that has befallen you from your youth until now ! ”
So the king got up and sat in the gate , and all the people were told : ... “ Behold , the king is sitting in the gate. ” So they all came before the king. Meanwhile, the Israelites had fled , each man to his home.
And all the people throughout the tribes of Israel vvv were arguing , “ The king rescued us from the hand of our enemies and delivered us from the hand of the Philistines , but now he has fled ... the land because of Absalom.
But Absalom , the man we anointed over us , has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about restoring - the king ? ”
Then King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar , the priests ... : “ Say to the elders of Judah , ... ‘ Why should you be the last to restore - the king to his palace , since the talk of all Israel has reached the king ... at his quarters ?
You are my brothers , my own flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to restore - the king ? ’
And say to Amasa , ‘ Aren’t you my flesh and blood ? May God punish ... and ever so severely , if from this time ... you are not the commander of my army in place of Joab ! ’”
So he swayed - the hearts of all the men of Judah as though they were one man , and they sent word to the king : “ Return , you and all your servants. ”
So the king returned , and when he arrived at the Jordan , (the men of) Judah came to Gilgal to meet (him) and escort him - across - the Jordan.
Then Shimei son of Gera , vvv a Benjamite - from Bahurim , ... hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David ,
along with a thousand men of Benjamin , - as well as Ziba the steward of the house of Saul and his fifteen ... sons and twenty servants -. They rushed down to the Jordan before the king
and crossed at the ford to carry over the king’s household - and to do what was good in his sight. When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan , he fell down before the king
and said - - , “ My lord , do not hold guilty , and do not remember - - your servant’s wrongdoing on the day - my lord the king left Jerusalem. May the king not take it to heart.
For your servant knows that I have sinned , so here I am ... today as the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king. ”
But Abishai son of Zeruiah ... said , “ Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this , because he cursed - the LORD’s anointed ? ”
And David replied , “ Sons of Zeruiah , what that you should be adversaries today ? Should any man be put to death in Israel today ? Am I not indeed aware that today I am king over Israel ? ”
So the king said to Shimei , “ You shall not die. ” And the king swore an oath
Then Mephibosheth , Saul’s grandson , went down to meet the king. He had not cared for his feet (or) trimmed his mustache (or) washed his clothes ... from the day the king had left until the day - he returned safely.
And - he came from Jerusalem to meet the king , (who) asked “ Mephibosheth , why did you not go with me ? ”
“ My lord the king , ” he replied , “ because (I) am lame , (I) said , ‘ I will have my donkey saddled so that I may ride on it and go with the king. ’ But my servant (Ziba) deceived me , -
and he has slandered your servant to my lord the king. Yet my lord the king (is) like the angel of God , so do (what is) good in your eyes.
For ... ... all the house of my grandfather ... ... ... deserves death from my lord the king , yet you have set - your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right, then , do I have to keep appealing to the king ? ”
The king replied “ Why say any more ? I hereby declare that you and Ziba are to divide - the land. ”
And Mephibosheth said to the king , “ Instead , - since - my lord the king has safely come to his own house , let Ziba take it all ! ”
Now Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim to cross the Jordan with the king and send him on his way - (from there).
Barzillai was quite old , eighty years of age , and since he was a very wealthy man , ... he had provided - for the king while he stayed in Mahanaim.
The king said to Barzillai , ... “ Cross over with me , and I will provide for you at my side in Jerusalem. ”
But Barzillai replied - - , “ How many years ... of my life (remain) , that I should go up to Jerusalem with the king ?
I am now eighty years old .... Can I discern ... what is good and what is not ? ... Can your servant - taste what he eats - - or drinks ? ... Can I still hear the voice of singing men and women ? Why should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king ?
Your servant - could go with the king only a short distance past the Jordan ; why should the king repay me with such a reward ?
Please let your servant return , that I may die in my own city near the tomb of my father and mother. But here is your servant Chimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king , and do - what is good in your sight. ”
The king replied , “ Chimham will cross over with me , and I will do - what seems good in your sight , and I will do whatever - you desire of me. ”
So all the people - crossed the Jordan , and then the king crossed over. The king kissed Barzillai and blessed him , and Barzillai returned home.
Then the king went on to Gilgal , and Chimham crossed over with him. All the troops of Judah ... - and half the troops of Israel escorted the king.
Soon all the men of Israel came to the king and asked ... ... , “ Why did our brothers , the men of Judah , take you away secretly and bring the king - and his household - across - the Jordan , together with all of David’s men ? ”
And all the men of Judah replied to the men of Israel , “ (We did this) because the king is our relative. Why does this anger ... ... ... Have we ever eaten ... at the king’s (expense) or received anything
“ We have ten shares in the king , ” - answered the men of Israel - - - , “ so we have more claim ... to David than you. Why then do you despise us ? Were we not ... the first to speak of restoring - our king ? ” But the men of Judah pressed even harder ... (than) the men of Israel.