2 Samuel 19

1And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weepeth and mourneth for Absalom.

1Joab was told, 'Look, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.'

2And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people; for the people heard say that day, The king grieveth for his son.

2Because the people heard that the king was grieving for his son, the victory of that day turned into a day of mourning for the entire army.

3And the people gat them by stealth that day into the city, as people that are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.

3The troops sneaked back into the city that day, just as soldiers who are ashamed sneak away when they run from a battle.

4And the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!

4The king covered his face and cried out loudly, 'O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!'

5And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, who 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;

5Then Joab went into the house to the king and said, 'Today you have humiliated all your men who just saved your life, along with the lives of your sons, daughters, wives, and concubines.'

6in that thou lovest them that hate thee, and hatest them that love thee. For thou hast declared this day, that princes and servants are nought unto thee: for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well.

6'You love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have made it clear today that your commanders and men mean nothing to you. I can see that if Absalom were alive today and all of us were dead, you would be perfectly happy.'

7Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably unto thy servants; for I swear by Jehovah, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry a man with thee this night: and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that hath befallen thee from thy youth until now.

7'Now get up, go out, and encourage your men. I swear by the LORD that if you don't go out, not one man will stay with you tonight. That would be worse for you than all the trouble you have faced from your youth until now.'

8Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king is sitting in the gate: and all the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled every man to his tent.

8So the king got up and sat in the city gate. When the word spread that the king was sitting in the gate, all the people came to him. Meanwhile, the Israelites who had supported Absalom had all fled to their homes.

9And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, and he saved us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled out of the land from Absalom.

9Throughout all the tribes of Israel, the people were arguing, saying, 'The king rescued us from our enemies and saved us from the Philistines, but now he has fled the country because of Absalom.'

10And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back?

10'And Absalom, whom we anointed to rule over us, has died in battle. So why hasn't anyone said a word about bringing the king back?'

11And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, to bring him to his house.

11King David sent a message to Zadok and Abiathar the priests: 'Ask the elders of Judah, "Why are you the last ones to bring the king back to his palace, since what all Israel is saying has reached the king?"'

12Ye are my brethren, ye are my bone and my flesh: wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the king?

12'Tell them, "You are my relatives, my own flesh and blood. Why then are you the last to bring back the king?"'

13And 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 before me continually in the room of Joab.

13'And say to Amasa, "Are you not my own flesh and blood? May God punish me severely if you do not become the commander of my army from now on, replacing Joab."'

14And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man; so that they sent unto the king, saying, Return thou, and all thy servants.

14David won over the hearts of all the men of Judah as if they were one man. They sent word to the king, 'Return, you and all your officials.'

15So the king returned, and came to the Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to bring the king over the Jordan.

15So the king started back and reached the Jordan River. The people of Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king and escort him across the Jordan.

16And Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, who was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.

16Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David.

17And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went through the Jordan in the presence of the king.

17With him were a thousand Benjamites, along with Ziba, the servant of Saul’s family, and Ziba’s fifteen sons and twenty servants. They rushed to the Jordan to meet the king.

18And there went over a ferry-boat to bring over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, when he was come over the Jordan.

18They crossed the river at the shallow place to bring the king’s household over and to do whatever he wanted. When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell down before the king.

19And he said unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.

19He said to the king, 'May my lord not hold me guilty. Please do not remember the wrong your servant did on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. May the king not keep it on his mind.'

20For thy servant doth know that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am come this day the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.

20'For I, your servant, know that I have sinned. That is why I have come here today, the first person from all the tribes of Joseph, to come down and meet my lord the king.'

21But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed Jehovah’s anointed?

21But Abishai son of Zeruiah said, 'Shouldn't Shimei be put to death for this? He cursed the person the LORD anointed!'

22And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel?

22David replied, 'What does this have to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Why are you acting like my enemies today? Should anyone be put to death in Israel today? Don't I know that today I am king over Israel?'

23And the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him.

23So the king said to Shimei, 'You shall not die,' and the king gave him his oath.

24And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king; and he had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace.

24Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, also went down to meet the king. He had not cared for his feet, trimmed his beard, or washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he returned safely.

25And it came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore wentest not thou with me, Mephibosheth?

25When he arrived from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, 'Mephibosheth, why didn't you go with me?'

26And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me: for thy servant said, I will saddle me an ass, that I may ride thereon, and go with the king; because thy servant is lame.

26He said, 'My lord the king, my servant Ziba deceived me. I said, "I will have my donkey saddled so I can ride it and go with the king," because I am lame.'

27And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore what is good in thine eyes.

27'But Ziba slandered your servant to my lord the king. However, my lord the king is like an angel of God, so do whatever you think is best.'

28For 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 that I should cry any more unto the king?

28'All my grandfather’s descendants deserved nothing but death from my lord the king, yet you gave me a seat among those who eat at your own table. So what right do I have to make any more requests to the king?'

29And the king said unto him, Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I say, Thou and Ziba divide the land.

29The king said to him, 'Why say anything more? I have decided that you and Ziba will divide the land between you.'

30And Mephibosheth said unto the king, yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come in peace unto his own house.

30Mephibosheth said to the king, 'Let him take it all, now that my lord the king has come home safely to his palace.'

31And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim; and he went over the Jordan with the king, to conduct him over the Jordan.

31Barzillai the Gileadite also came down from Rogelim to escort the king across the Jordan River.

32Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourscore years old: and he had provided the king with sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man.

32Barzillai was very old, eighty years of age. He had provided food for the king while he was staying at Mahanaim, for he was a very wealthy man.

33And the king said unto Barzillai, Come thou over with me, and I will sustain thee with me in Jerusalem.

33The king said to Barzillai, 'Come across with me and live in Jerusalem, and I will take care of you there.'

34And Barzillai said unto the king, How many are the days of the years of my life, that I should go up with the king unto Jerusalem?

34But Barzillai answered the king, 'How many years do I have left to live, that I should go up to Jerusalem with the king?'

35I am this day fourscore years old: can I discern between good and bad? can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king?

35'I am eighty years old today. Can I still tell the difference between what is good and what is not? Can I taste what I eat or drink? Can I still hear the voices of male and female singers? Why should I be an extra burden to my lord the king?'

36Thy servant would but just go over the Jordan with the king: and why should the king recompense it me with such a reward?

36'Your servant will just walk a little way across the Jordan with the king. Why should the king give me such a great reward?'

37Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own city, by the grave of my father and my mother. But behold, thy servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good unto thee.

37'Please let me go back, so I can die in my own town near the grave of my father and mother. But here is your servant Chimham; let him go across with my lord the king. Do for him whatever seems good to you.'

38And the king answered, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good unto thee: and whatsoever thou shalt require of me, that will I do for thee.

38The king said, 'Chimham will go with me, and I will do for him whatever you wish. And I will do for you anything you ask of me.'

39And all the people went over the Jordan, and the king went over: and the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned unto his own place.

39So all the people crossed the Jordan, and then the king crossed. The king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and Barzillai returned to his home.

40So the king went over to Gilgal, and Chimham went over with him: and all the people of Judah brought the king over, and also half the people of Israel.

40The king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went with him. All the troops of Judah and half the troops of Israel escorted the king across.

41And, 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 brought the king, and his household, over the Jordan, and all David’s men with him?

41Soon all the men of Israel came to the king and said, 'Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, steal you away and bring the king and his household across the Jordan, along with all his men?'

42And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to us: wherefore then are ye angry for this matter? have we eaten at all at the king’s cost? or hath he given us any gift?

42All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, 'We did this because the king is a close relative of ours. Why are you angry about this? Have we eaten at the king’s expense? Has he given us any gifts?'

43And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than ye: why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

43The men of Israel answered the men of Judah, 'We have ten shares in the king, so we have a greater claim on David than you do. Why did you ignore us? Weren't we the first to talk about bringing back our king?' But the men of Judah spoke even more harshly than the men of Israel.