English Standard Version

New King James Version

Joab Rebukes David

It was told Joab, “Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.”

David Returns to Jerusalem

And Joab was told, “Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.”

So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people, for the people heard that day, “The king is grieving for his son.”

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So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people. For the people heard it said that day, “The king is grieved for his son.”

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And the people stole into the city that day as people steal in who are ashamed when they flee in battle.

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And the people [a]stole back into the city that day, as people who are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.

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The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!”

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But the king covered his face, and the king cried out with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!”

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Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, “You have today covered with shame the faces of all your servants, who have this day saved your life and the lives of your sons and your daughters and the lives of your wives and your concubines,

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Then Joab came into the house to the king, and said, “Today you have disgraced all your servants who today have saved your life, the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives and the lives of your concubines,

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because you love those who hate you and hate those who love you. For you have made it clear today that commanders and servants are nothing to you, for today I know that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then you would be pleased.

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in that you love your enemies and hate your friends. For you have declared today that you [b]regard neither princes nor servants; for today I perceive that if Absalom had lived and all of us had died today, then it would have pleased you well.

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Now therefore arise, go out and speak kindly to your servants, for I swear by the Lord, if you do not go, not a man will stay with you this night, and this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.”

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Now therefore, arise, go out and speak [c]comfort to your servants. For I swear by the Lord, if you do not go out, not one will stay with you this night. And that will be worse for you than all the evil that has befallen you from your youth until now.”

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Then the king arose and took his seat in the gate. And the people were all told, “Behold, the king is sitting in the gate.” And all the people came before the king.

David Returns to Jerusalem

Now Israel had fled every man to his own home.

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Then the king arose and sat in the gate. And they told all the people, saying, “There is the king, sitting in the gate.” So all the people came before the king.
For everyone of Israel had fled to his tent.

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And all the people were arguing throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies and saved us from the hand of the Philistines, and now he has fled out of the land from Absalom.

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David Returns to Jerusalem

Now all the people were in a dispute throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king saved us from the hand of our enemies, he delivered us from the hand of the Philistines, and now he has fled from the land because of Absalom.

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But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?”

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But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. Now therefore, why do you say nothing about bringing back the king?”

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And King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar the priests: “Say to the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his house, when the word of all Israel has come to the king?a

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So King David sent to Zadok 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 words of all Israel have come to the king, to his very house?

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You are my brothers; you are my bone and my flesh. Why then should you be the last to bring back the king?’

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You are my brethren, you are my bone and my flesh. Why then are you the last to bring back the king?’

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And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me and more also, if you are not commander of my army from now on in place of Joab.’”

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And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you are not commander of the army before me [d]continually in place of Joab.’ ”

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And he swayed the heart of all the men of Judah as one man, so that they sent word to the king, “Return, both you and all your servants.”

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So he swayed the hearts of all the men of Judah, just as the heart of one man, so that they sent this word to the king: “Return, you and all your servants!”

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So the king came back to the Jordan, and Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king and to bring the king over the Jordan.

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Then the king returned and came to the Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to escort the king across the Jordan.

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David Pardons His Enemies

And Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, from Bahurim, hurried to come down with the men of Judah to meet King David.

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And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, who was from Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David.

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And with him were a thousand men from Benjamin. And Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, with his fifteen sons and his twenty servants, rushed down to the Jordan before the king,

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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 over the Jordan before the king.

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and they crossed the ford to bring over the king’s household and to do his pleasure. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was about to cross the Jordan,

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Then a ferryboat went across to carry over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good.
David’s Mercy to Shimei

Now Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king when he had crossed the Jordan.

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and said to the king, “Let not my lord hold me guilty or remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. Do not let the king take it to heart.

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Then he said to the king, “Do not let my lord [e]impute iniquity to me, or remember what wrong your servant did on the day that my lord the king left Jerusalem, that the king should take it to heart.

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For your servant knows that I have sinned. Therefore, behold, I have come this day, the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.”

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For I, your servant, know that I have sinned. Therefore here I am, the first to come today of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.”

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Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, “Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord’s anointed?”

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

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But David said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day be as an adversary to me? Shall anyone be put to death in Israel this day? For do I not know that I am this day king over Israel?”

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And David said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should be adversaries to me today? Shall any man be put to death today in Israel? For do I not know that today I am king over Israel?”

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And the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king gave him his oath.

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Therefore the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king swore to him.

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And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king. He had neither taken care of his feet nor trimmed his beard nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came back in safety.

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David and Mephibosheth Meet

Now Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king. And he had not cared for his feet, nor trimmed his mustache, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he returned in peace.

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And when he came to Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?”

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So it was, when he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?”

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He answered, “My lord, O king, my servant deceived me, for your servant said to him, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself,b that I may ride on it and go with the king.’ For your servant is lame.

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And he answered, “My lord, O king, my servant deceived me. For your servant said, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself, that I may ride on it and go to the king,’ because your servant is lame.

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He has slandered your servant to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like the angel of God; do therefore what seems good to you.

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And he has slandered your servant to my lord the king, but my lord the king is like the angel of God. Therefore do what is good in your eyes.

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For all my father’s house were but men doomed to death before my lord the king, but you set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right have I, then, to cry to the king?”

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For all my father’s house were but dead men before my lord the king. Yet you set your servant among those who eat at your own table. Therefore what right have I still to [f]cry out anymore to the king?”

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And the king said to him, “Why speak any more of your affairs? I have decided: you and Ziba shall divide the land.”

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So the king said to him, “Why do you speak anymore of your matters? I have said, ‘You and Ziba divide the land.’ ”

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And Mephibosheth said to the king, “Oh, let him take it all, since my lord the king has come safely home.”

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Then Mephibosheth said to the king, “Rather, let him take it all, inasmuch as my lord the king has come back in peace to his own house.”

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Now Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim, and he went on with the king to the Jordan, to escort him over the Jordan.

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David’s Kindness to Barzillai

And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim and went across the Jordan with the king, to escort him across the Jordan.

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Barzillai was a very aged man, eighty years old. He had provided the king with food while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very wealthy man.

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Now Barzillai was a very aged man, eighty years old. And he had provided the king with supplies while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very rich man.

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And the king said to Barzillai, “Come over with me, and I will provide for you with me in Jerusalem.”

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And the king said to Barzillai, “Come across with me, and I will provide for you while you are with me in Jerusalem.”

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But Barzillai said to the king, “How many years have I still to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?

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But Barzillai said to the king, “How long have I to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?

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I am this day eighty years old. Can I discern what is pleasant and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats or what he drinks? Can I still listen to the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king?

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I am today eighty years old. Can I discern between the good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear any longer the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be a further burden to my lord the king?

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Your servant will go a little way over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king repay me with such a reward?

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Your servant will go a little way across the Jordan with the king. And why should the king repay me with such a reward?

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Please let your servant return, that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother. But here is your servant Chimham. Let him go over with my lord the king, and do for him whatever seems good to you.”

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Please let your servant turn back again, that I may die in my own city, near the grave of my father and mother. But here is your servant Chimham; let him cross over with my lord the king, and do for him what seems good to you.”

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And the king answered, “Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do for him whatever seems good to you, and all that you desire of me I will do for you.”

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And the king answered, “Chimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him what seems good to you. Now whatever you request of me, I will do for you.”

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Then all the people went over the Jordan, and the king went over. And the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his own home.

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Then all the people went over the Jordan. And when the king had crossed over, the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his own place.

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The king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him. All the people of Judah, and also half the people of Israel, brought the king on his way.

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The Quarrel About the King

Now the king went on to Gilgal, and [g]Chimham went on with him. And all the people of Judah escorted the king, and also half the people of Israel.

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Then all the men of Israel came to the king and said to the king, “Why have our brothers the men of Judah stolen you away and brought the king and his household over the Jordan, and all David’s men with him?”

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Just then all the men of Israel came to the king, and said to the king, “Why have our brethren, the men of Judah, stolen you away and brought the king, his household, and all David’s men with him across the Jordan?”

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All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because the king is our close relative. Why then are you angry over this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king’s expense? Or has he given us any gift?”

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So all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because the king is a close relative of ours. Why then are you angry over this matter? Have we ever eaten at the king’s expense? Or has he given us any gift?”

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And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, “We have ten shares in the king, and in David also we have more than you. Why then did you despise us? Were we not the first to speak of bringing back our king?” But the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

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And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, “We have ten shares in the king; therefore we also have more right to David than you. Why then do you despise us — were we not the first to advise bringing back our king?”
Yet the words of the men of Judah were [h]fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

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English Standard Version

New King James Version

2 Samuel 19

2 Samuel 19