2 Samuel 19

Joab Rebukes David’s Public Mourning

1It was told to Joab, “Look, the king is weeping and mourning over Absalom.” 2So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people, for the people heard that day, “The king is grieving over his son.” 3The people stole into the city that day as people steal in who are ashamed when they flee in battle. 4The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, “My son Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!” 5Then Joab came to the king in the house and said, “Today you have shamed the faces of all your servants who saved your life today, and the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines, 6by loving those who hate you and hating those who love you. For you have made known today that commanders and servants are nothing to you. For I know today that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then it would be right in your eyes. 7And now arise, go out, and speak to the heart of your servants. For I swear by the LORD that if you do not go out, not a man will remain with you tonight, and this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.” 8Then the king arose and sat in the gate. They told all the people, saying, “Look, the king is sitting in the gate.” And all the people came before the king.

Now Israel had fled, each to his tent.

Israel Debates Bringing David Back

9All the people were disputing throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king rescued us from the hand of our enemies and delivered us from the hand of the Philistines, but now he has fled from the land because of Absalom. 10Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. And now why are you silent about bringing the king back?”

David Appeals to Judah

11King David sent to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, saying, “Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, ‘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 at his house? 12You are my brothers; you are my bone and my flesh. Why then should you be the last to bring the king back?’ 13And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? Thus may God do to me and more also, if you are not commander of the army before me all the days in place of Joab.’” 14He turned the heart of all the men of Judah as one man, so that they sent to the king, “Return, you and all your servants.” 15So the king returned and came as far as the Jordan, and Judah came to Gilgal to go to meet the king and bring the king across the Jordan.

Shimei Begs for Mercy

16Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite who was from Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17With him were one thousand men from Benjamin, and Ziba servant of Saul’s house, with his fifteen sons and twenty servants with him. They rushed to the Jordan before the king 18and crossed at the ford to bring the king’s household over and to do what was good in his eyes.

Shimei son of Gera fell before the king as he was about to cross the Jordan. 19He said to the king, “Do not let my lord count guilt to me, and do not remember what your servant did perversely on the day my lord the king went out from Jerusalem. Let the king not set it upon his heart. 20For your servant knows that I have sinned. And look, I have come today as the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.”

David Spares Shimei

21Abishai son of Zeruiah answered and said, “Should not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD’s anointed?” 22David said, “What have I to do with you, sons of Zeruiah, that you should be adversaries to me today? Shall anyone be put to death in Israel today? For do I not know that today I am king over Israel?” 23The king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king swore to him.

Mephibosheth Comes to Meet David

24Mephibosheth son of Saul came down to meet the king. He had not tended his feet, trimmed his mustache, or washed his clothes from the day the king went away until the day he came back in peace. 25And it happened when he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?” 26He said, “My lord the king, my servant deceived me, for your servant said, ‘I will saddle the donkey for myself, and I will ride on it and go with the king,’ because your servant is lame. 27He slandered your servant to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like a messenger of God, so do what is good in your eyes. 28For all my father’s house were nothing but men deserving death before my lord the king, yet you set your servant among those who eat at your table. So what right do I still have to cry out any more to the king?” 29The king said to him, “Why speak any more of your matters? I say: you and Ziba shall divide the land.” 30Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him even take all of it, now that my lord the king has come in peace to his house.”

Barzillai Refuses Royal Provision

31Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim and crossed the Jordan with the king to send him on from the Jordan. 32Barzillai was very old, eighty years old. He had provided the king with food while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very great man. 33The king said to Barzillai, “Cross over with me, and I will provide for you with me in Jerusalem.” 34But Barzillai said to the king, “How many are the days of the years of my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35I am eighty years old today. Can I discern between good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I still hear the voice of male and female singers? Why then should your servant be another burden to my lord the king? 36Your servant will cross over the Jordan with the king only a little way. Why should the king repay me with this reward? 37Please let your servant return, so that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother. But look, your servant Chimham—let him cross over with my lord the king, and do for him what is good in your eyes.” 38The king said, “Chimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him what is good in your eyes. Whatever you choose from me, I will do for you.” 39All the people crossed the Jordan, and the king crossed. The king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his place.

Judah and Israel Quarrel over the King

40The king crossed to Gilgal, and Chimham crossed with him. All the people of Judah brought the king across, and also half the people of Israel. 41And look, 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 across the Jordan, and all David’s men with him?” 42All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because the king is near to us. Why is this matter burning to you? Have we eaten anything at the king’s expense? Has anything been carried off for us?” 43The men of Israel answered the men of Judah and said, “We have ten shares in the king, and in David also we have more than you. Why then did you despise us? Was not our word first to bring back our king?” But the word of the men of Judah was harsher than the word of the men of Israel.