19It was reported to Joab, "The king is weeping. He's mourning over Absalom."H5046H3097H4428H1058H56H532That day's victory was turned into mourning for all the troops because on that day the troops heard, "The king is grieving over his son."H8668H3117H60H5971H5971H8085H559H3117H4428H6087H11213So they returned to the city quietly that day like people come in when they are humiliated after fleeing in battle.H5971H935H1589H3117H5892H5971H3637H1589H5127H44214But the king hid his face and cried out at the top of his voice, "My son Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!"H4428H3813H6440H4428H2199H1419H6963H1121H53H53H1121H11215Then Joab went into the house to the king and said, "Today you have shamed all your soldiers— those who rescued your life and the lives of your sons and daughters, your wives, and your concubines.H3097H935H1004H4428H559H3001H3117H6440H5650H3117H4422H5315H5315H1121H1323H5315H802H5315H63706You love your enemies and hate those who love you! Today you have made it clear that the commanders and soldiers mean nothing to you. In fact, today I know that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead, it would be fine with you!H157H8130H8130H157H5046H3117H8269H5650H3117H3045H3863H53H2416H4191H3117H3477H58697"Now get up! Go out and encourage your soldiers, for I swear by the LORD that if you don't go out, not a man will remain with you tonight. This will be worse for you than all the trouble that has come to you from your youth until now!"H6965H3318H1696H3820H5650H7650H3068H3318H3885H376H3915H7489H7451H935H52718So the king got up and sat in the gate, and all the people were told: "Look, the king is sitting in the gate." Then they all came into the king's presence. Meanwhile, each Israelite had fled to his tent.H4428H6965H3427H8179H5046H5971H559H4428H3427H8179H5971H935H6440H4428H3478H5127H376H1689All the people among all the tribes of Israel were arguing: "The king delivered us from the grasp of our enemies, and he rescued us from the grasp of the Philistines, but now he has fled from the land because of Absalom.H5971H1777H7626H3478H559H4428H5337H3709H341H4422H3709H6430H1272H776H5310But Absalom, the man we anointed over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about restoring the king?"H53H4886H4191H4421H2790H7725H4428H772511King David sent word to the priests, Zadok and Abiathar: "Say to the elders of Judah, 'Why should you be the last to restore the king to his palace? The talk of all Israel has reached the king at his house.H4428H1732H7971H6659H54H3548H559H1696H2205H3063H559H314H7725H4428H7725H1004H1697H3478H935H4428H100412You are my brothers, my flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to restore the king?'H251H6106H1320H314H7725H442813And tell Amasa, 'Aren't you my flesh and blood? May God punish me and do so severely if you don't become commander of the army from now on instead of Joab!'"H559H6021H6106H1320H430H6213H3254H8269H6635H6440H3117H8478H309714So he won over all the men of Judah, and they sent word to the king: "Come back, you and all your servants."H5186H3824H376H3063H259H376H7971H4428H7725H565015Then the king returned. When he arrived at the Jordan, Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king and escort him across the Jordan.H4428H7725H935H3383H3063H935H1537H3212H7125H4428H5674H4428H5674H338316Shimei son of Gera, a Benjaminite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David.H8096H1121H1617H1145H980H4116H3381H376H3063H7125H4428H173217There were 1,000 men from Benjamin with him. Ziba, an attendant from the house of Saul, with his 15 sons and 20 servants also rushed down to the Jordan ahead of the king.H505H376H1145H6717H5288H1004H7586H2568H6240H1121H6242H5650H6743H3383H6440H442818They forded the Jordan to bring the king's household across and do whatever the king desired. When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell down before the kingH5674H5679H5674H4428H1004H6213H5869H2896H8096H1121H1617H5307H6440H4428H5674H338319and said to him, "My lord, don't hold me guilty, and don't remember your servant's wrongdoing on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. May the king not take it to heart.H559H4428H113H2803H5771H2142H5650H5753H3117H113H4428H3318H3389H4428H7760H382020For your servant knows that I have sinned. But look! Today I am the first one of the entire house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king."H5650H3045H2398H935H7223H3117H1004H3130H3381H7125H113H442821Abishai son of Zeruiah asked, "Shouldn't Shimei be put to death for this, because he ridiculed the LORD's anointed?"H52H1121H6870H6030H559H8096H4191H7043H3068H489922David answered, "Sons of Zeruiah, do we agree on anything? Have you become my adversary today? Should any man be killed in Israel today? Am I not aware that today I'm king over Israel?"H1732H559H1121H6870H3117H7854H376H4191H3117H3478H3045H3117H4428H347823So the king said to Shimei, "You will not die." Then the king gave him his oath.H4428H559H8096H4191H4428H765024Mephibosheth, Saul's grandson, also went down to meet the king. He had not taken care of his feet, trimmed his moustache, or washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he returned safely.H4648H1121H7586H3381H7125H4428H3808H6213H7272H6213H8222H3526H899H3117H4428H3212H3117H935H796525When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, "Mephibosheth, why didn't you come with me?"H935H3389H7125H4428H4428H559H1980H464826"My lord the king," he replied, "my servant [Ziba] betrayed me. Actually your servant said: 'I'll saddle the donkey for myself so that I may ride it and go with the king'— for your servant is lame.H559H113H4428H5650H7411H5650H559H2280H2543H7392H3212H4428H5650H645527Ziba slandered your servant to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like the Angel of God, so do whatever you think best.H7270H5650H113H4428H113H4428H4397H430H6213H2896H586928For my grandfather's entire family deserves death from my lord the king, but you set your servant among those who eat at your table. So what further right do I have to keep on making appeals to the king?"H1H1004H3808H4194H582H113H4428H7896H5650H398H7979H6666H3426H2199H442829The king said to him, "Why keep on speaking about [these] matters of yours? I hereby declare: you and Ziba are to divide the land."H4428H559H1696H1697H559H6717H2505H770430Mephibosheth said to the king, "Instead, since my lord the king has come to his palace safely, let Ziba take it all!"H4648H559H4428H3947H310H834H113H4428H935H7965H100431Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim and accompanied the king to the Jordan River to see him off at the Jordan.H1271H1569H3381H7274H5674H3383H4428H7971H338332Barzillai was a very old man— 80 years old— and since he was a very wealthy man, he had provided for the needs of the king while he stayed in Mahanaim.H1271H3966H2204H8084H8141H1121H4428H3557H7871H4266H3966H1419H37633The king said to Barzillai, "Cross over with me, and I'll provide for you at my side in Jerusalem."H4428H559H1271H5674H3557H338934Barzillai replied to the king, "How many years of my life are left that I should go up to Jerusalem with the king?H1271H559H4428H3117H8141H2416H5927H4428H338935I'm now 80 years old. Can I discern what is pleasant and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats or drinks? Can I still hear the voice of male and female singers? Why should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king?H3117H8084H8141H1121H3045H2896H7451H5650H2938H834H398H834H8354H8085H6963H7891H7891H5650H4853H113H442836Since your servant is only going with the king a little way across the Jordan, why should the king repay me with such a reward?H5650H5674H4592H5674H3383H4428H4428H1580H157837Please let your servant return so 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. Do for him what seems good to you."H5650H7725H4191H5892H6913H1H517H5650H3643H5674H113H4428H6213H2896H586938The king replied, "Chimham will cross over with me, and I will do for him what seems good to you, and whatever you desire from me I will do for you."H4428H559H3643H5674H6213H2896H5869H977H621339So all the people crossed the Jordan, and then the king crossed. The king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and Barzillai returned to his home.H5971H5674H3383H4428H5674H4428H5401H1271H1288H7725H472540The king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went with him. All the troops of Judah and half of Israel's escorted the king.H4428H5674H1537H3643H5674H5971H3063H5674H5674H4428H2677H5971H347841Suddenly, all the men of Israel came to the king. They asked him, "Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, take you away secretly and transport the king and his household across the Jordan, along with all of David's men?"H376H3478H935H4428H559H4428H251H376H3063H1589H5674H4428H1004H1732H582H338342All the men of Judah responded to the men of Israel, "Because the king is our relative. Why does this make you angry? Have we ever eaten anything of the king's or been honored at all?"H376H3063H6030H376H3478H4428H7138H2734H1697H398H398H4428H5375H537943The men of Israel answered the men of Judah: "We have 10 shares in the king, so we have a greater [claim] to David than you. Why then do you despise us? Weren't we the first to speak of restoring our king?" But the words of the men of Judah were harsher than those of the men of Israel.H376H3478H6030H376H3063H559H6235H3027H4428H589H1732H7043H1697H7223H7725H4428H1697H376H3063H7185H1697H376H3478
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