Entonces dieron aviso a Joab: He aquí, el rey llora y se lamenta por Absalón^a. 2 Y la victoria¹ aquel día se convirtió en duelo para todo el pueblo, porque el pueblo oyó decir aquel día: El rey está entristecido por su hijo. 3 Aquel día el pueblo entró calladamente en la ciudad, como pueblo que humillado, entra a escondidas cuando huye de la batalla. 4 Y el rey con su rostro cubierto, clamaba^1a en alta voz: ¡Oh hijo mío Absalón, oh Absalón, hijo mío, hijo mío^b! 5 Joab entró en la casa del rey, y dijo: Hoy has cubierto de vergüenza el rostro de todos tus siervos que han salvado hoy tu vida, la vida de tus hijos e hijas, la vida de tus mujeres y la vida de tus concubinas, 6 al amar a aquellos que te odian y al odiar a aquellos que te aman. Pues hoy has demostrado que príncipes¹ y siervos no son nada para ti; porque ahora en este día sé que si Absalón estuviera vivo y todos nosotros hoy estuviéramos muertos, entonces tú estarías complacido². 7 Ahora pues, levántate, sal y habla bondadosamente a¹ tus siervos, porque juro por el SEÑOR que si no sales, ciertamente ni un solo hombre^a pasará la noche contigo, y esto te será peor que todo el mal que ha venido sobre ti desde tu juventud hasta ahora. 8 Entonces el rey se levantó y se sentó a la puerta. Y cuando avisaron a todo el pueblo, diciendo: He aquí, el rey está sentado a la puerta^a, entonces todo el pueblo vino delante del rey.David regresa a Jerusalén

Pero los de Israel habían huido, cada uno a su tienda^b. 9 Y todo el pueblo reñía en todas las tribus de Israel, diciendo: El rey nos ha librado de mano¹ de nuestros enemigos y nos ha salvado de mano² de los filisteos^a, pero ahora ha huido de la tierra, de Absalón^b. 10 Sin embargo, Absalón, a quien ungimos sobre nosotros, ha muerto en combate. Ahora pues, ¿por qué guardáis silencio respecto a restaurar al rey?

11 Entonces el rey David envió mensaje a los sacerdotes Sadoc y Abiatar^a, diciendo: Hablad a los ancianos de Judá, y decidles¹: «¿Por qué sois los últimos en hacer volver al rey a su casa, ya que la palabra de todo Israel ha llegado al rey, a su casa? 12 Sois mis hermanos; mi hueso y mi carne sois^a. ¿Por qué, pues, sois los últimos en hacer volver al rey?». 13 Y decid a Amasa^a: «¿No eres hueso mío y carne mía^b? Así haga Dios conmigo y aun más si no has de ser comandante del ejército^c delante de mí para siempre en lugar de Joab^d». 14 Así inclinó el corazón de todos los hombres de Judá como el de un solo hombre^a, y enviaron palabra al rey, diciendo: Regresa, tú y todos tus siervos. 15 Volvió el rey y llegó hasta el Jordán. Y Judá vino a Gilgal para ir al encuentro del rey^a, para conducir al rey al otro lado del Jordán.

16 Entonces Simei, hijo de Gera, el benjamita que era de Bahurim, se dio prisa y descendió con los hombres de Judá al encuentro del rey David^a. 17 Con él había mil hombres de Benjamín, y Siba, siervo^a de la casa de Saúl, y con él sus quince hijos y sus veinte siervos; y se apresuraron a pasar el Jordán delante del rey. 18 Y seguían cruzando el vado para pasar a toda la casa del rey, y hacer lo que le pareciera bien¹. Y Simei, hijo de Gera, se postró ante el rey cuandoeste iba a pasar el Jordán. 19 Y dijo al rey: No me considere culpable^a mi señor, ni te acuerdes del mal que tu siervo hizo el día en que mi señor el rey salió de Jerusalén; que el rey no lo guarde en su corazón. 20 Pues yo tu siervo reconozco que he pecado; por tanto, he aquí que hoy he venido, el primero de toda la casa de José, para descender al encuentro de mi señor el rey^a. 21 Pero Abisai, hijo de Sarvia, respondió, y dijo: ¿No ha de morir Simei por esto^a, porque maldijo al ungido del SEÑOR^b? 22 Entonces David dijo: ¿Qué tengo yo que ver con vosotros, hijos de Sarvia^a, para que en este día me seáis adversarios? ¿Ha de morir hoy hombre alguno en Israel^b? ¿Acaso no sé que hoy soy rey sobre Israel? 23 Y el rey dijo a Simei: No morirás. Así el rey se lo juró^a.

24 También Mefiboset, hijo¹ de Saúl, descendió al encuentro del rey^a; y no se había aseado² los pies, ni recortado³ el bigote, ni lavado la ropa^b, desde el día en que el rey se marchó hasta el día en que volvió en paz. 25 Y sucedió que cuando vino de Jerusalén al encuentro del rey,este¹ le dijo: ¿Por qué no fuiste^a conmigo, Mefiboset? 26 Y él respondió: Oh rey, señor mío, mi siervo me engañó; pues tu siervo se dijo: «Me aparejaré un asno para montar en él e ir con el rey», porque tu siervo es cojo^a. 27 Además, ha calumniado a tu siervo ante mi señor el rey^a; pero mi señor el rey es como el ángel de Dios; haz, pues, lo que te parezca bien^1b. 28 Porque toda la casa de mi padre no era más que hombres muertos ante mi señor el rey^a; con todo, pusiste a tu siervo entre los que comían a tu propia mesa^b. ¿Qué derecho tengo todavía para quejarme¹ más al rey? 29 Y el rey le dijo: ¿Por qué sigues hablando de tus asuntos? Yo he decidido¹: «Tú y Siba os repartiréis las tierras». 30 Y Mefiboset dijo al rey: Que él las tome todas, ya que mi señor el rey ha vuelto en paz a su propia casa.

31 Barzilai galaadita también había descendido de Rogelim^a, y había cruzado el Jordán con el rey para despedirlo en el Jordán. 32 Barzilai era muy anciano, de ochenta años, y había dado provisiones al rey mientraseste permanecía en Mahanaim^a, porque era hombre muy poderoso¹. 33 Y el rey dijo a Barzilai: Pasa conmigo y yo te sustentaré¹ junto a mí en Jerusalén. 34 Pero Barzilai respondió al rey: ¿Cuánto tiempo me queda de vida^1a para que yo suba con el rey a Jerusalén? 35 Tengo ahora¹ ochenta años^a. ¿Puedo distinguir entre lo bueno y lo malo? ¿Puede tu siervo saborear lo que come o bebe? ¿Puede oír aún la voz de los cantores o de las cantoras^b? ¿Por qué, pues, ha de ser tu siervo otra carga más para mi señor el rey^c? 36 Tu siervo no haría más que pasar el Jordán con el rey. ¿Por qué ha de concederme el rey esta recompensa? 37 Permite que tu siervo vuelva, para morir en mi ciudad junto al sepulcro de mi padre y de mi madre. Sin embargo, aquí tienes a tu siervo Quimam^a; que pase él con mi señor el rey, y haz por él lo que te parezca bien. 38 Y el rey respondió: Quimam pasará conmigo, y haré por él lo que te parezca bien; y todo lo que me pidas¹, lo haré por ti. 39 Todo el pueblo pasó el Jordán y el rey también pasó. Entonces el rey besó a Barzilai y lo bendijo, yeste regresó a su lugar^a.

40 El rey siguió hasta Gilgal y Quimam fue con él; y todo el pueblo de Judá y también la mitad del pueblo de Israel acompañaban al¹ rey^a. 41 Y he aquí, todos los hombres de Israel vinieron al rey y le dijeron^1a: ¿Por qué te han secuestrado nuestros hermanos^b, los hombres de Judá, y han hecho pasar el Jordán al rey y a su casa, y a todos los hombres de David con él? 42 Entonces todos los hombres de Judá respondieron a los hombres de Israel: Porque el rey es pariente cercano nuestro^1a. ¿Por qué, pues, estáis enojados por esto?² ¿Acaso hemos comido algo a costa del rey, o se nos ha dado algo³? 43 Pero los hombres de Israel respondieron¹ a los hombres de Judá, y dijeron: Nosotros tenemos diez partes^a en el rey, y por eso también tenemos más derecho que vosotros sobre David. ¿Por qué, pues, nos habéis menospreciado? ¿No fue nuestro consejo² el primero que se dio para hacer volver a nuestro rey? Pero las palabras de los hombres de Judá fueron más duras que las palabras de los hombres de Israel.

¹Then it was reported to Joab, “Behold, ^athe king is weeping and he mourns for Absalom.” 2 So the ¹victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people, because the people heard it said that day, “The king is in mourning over his son.” 3 And the people entered the city surreptitiously that day, just as people who are humiliated surreptitiously flee in battle. 4 And the king ^acovered his face and ¹cried out with a loud voice, “^bMy son Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son!” 5 Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, “Today you have shamed ¹all your servants, who have saved your life today and the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines, 6 by loving those who hate you, and by hating those who love you. For you have revealed today that ¹commanders 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 ²as far as you are concerned. 7 Now therefore arise, go out and speak ¹kindly to your servants, for I swear by the LORD, if you do not go out, ^ano man will stay the night with you, and this will be worse for you than all the misfortune that has ²happened to you from your youth until now!”

8 So the king got up and sat at the gate. When they told all the people, saying, “Behold, the king is ^asitting at the gate,” then all the people came before the king.

Now ^bIsrael had fled, each to his tent. 9 And all the people were quarreling throughout the tribes of Israel, saying, “^aThe king rescued us from the ¹hands of our enemies and ^bsaved us from the ²hands of the Philistines, but now ^che has fled out of the land from Absalom. 10 However, Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. Now then, why are you silent about bringing the king back?”

11 Then King David sent word to ^aZadok 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 word of all Israel has come to the king, even to his house? 12 You are my brothers; ^ayou are my bone and my flesh. Why then should you be the last to bring back the king?’ 13 And say to ^aAmasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? ^bMay God do so to me, and more so, if you will not be ^ccommander of the army ¹for me continually, ^din place of Joab.’” 14 So he turned the hearts of all the men of Judah ^aas one man, so that they sent word to the king, saying, “Return, you and all your servants.” 15 The king then returned and came as far as the Jordan. And the men of Judah came to ^aGilgal in order to go to meet the king, to escort the king across the Jordan.

16 Then ^aShimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite who was from Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17 And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and ^aZiba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they rushed to the Jordan before the king. 18 Then they crossed the shallow places repeatedly to bring over the king’s household, and to do what was good in his sight. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king as he was about to cross the Jordan. 19 And he said to the king, “^aMay my lord not consider me guilty, nor call to mind what your servant did wrong on the day when my lord the king went out from Jerusalem, so that the king would ¹take it to heart. 20 For your servant knows that I have sinned; so behold, I have come today, ^athe first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.” 21 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah responded, “^aShould Shimei not be put to death for this, ^bthe fact that he cursed the LORD’S anointed?” 22 David then said, “^aWhat ¹is there between you and me, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should be an adversary to me today? ^bShould anyone be put to death in Israel today? For do I not know that I am king over Israel today?” 23 So the king said to Shimei, “^aYou shall not die.” The king also swore to him.

24 Then ^aMephibosheth the ¹grandson of Saul came down to meet the king; but ^bhe had neither ²tended to his feet, nor ³trimmed his mustache, nor ^cwashed his clothes since the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace. 25 And it was when he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, “^aWhy did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?” 26 So he said, “My lord the king, my servant betrayed me; for your servant said, ‘I will ¹saddle the donkey for myself so that I may ride on it and go with the king,’ ^asince your servant cannot walk. 27 Furthermore, ^ahe has slandered your servant to my lord the king; but my lord the king is ^blike the angel of God, therefore do what is good in your sight. 28 For ^aall my father’s household was only people worthy of death to my lord the king; ^byet you placed your servant among those who ate at your own table. So what right do I still have, that I should ¹complain anymore to the king?” 29 So the king said to him, “Why do you still speak of your affairs? I have ¹decided, ‘You and Ziba shall divide the land.’” 30 And Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him even take it all, since my lord the king has come safely to his own house.”

31 Now ^aBarzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim; and he went on to the Jordan with the king to ¹escort him over the Jordan. 32 Barzillai was very old: eighty years old; and he had ^aprovided the king food while he stayed in Mahanaim, for he was a very great man. 33 So the king said to Barzillai, “You cross over with me, and I will provide you food in Jerusalem with me.” 34 But Barzillai said to the king, “^aHow long ¹do I still have to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35 I am ¹now ^aeighty years old. Can I distinguish between good and bad? Or can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Or can I still hear ^bthe voice of men and women singing? ^cWhy then should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king? 36 Your servant would merely cross over the Jordan with the king. So why should the king compensate me with this reward? 37 Please let your servant return, so that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother. However, here is your servant ^aChimham; let him cross over with my lord the king, and do for him what is good in your sight.” 38 And the king answered, “Chimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him what is good in your sight; and whatever you ¹require of me, I will do for you.” 39 All the people crossed over the Jordan and the king crossed too. The king then ^akissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his place.

40 Now the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him; and all the people of Judah and also ^ahalf the people of Israel ¹accompanied the king. 41 And behold, all the men of Israel came to the king and said to the king, “^aWhy have our brothers, ^bthe men of Judah, abducted you and brought the king and his household and all David’s men with him, over the Jordan?” 42 Then all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because ^athe king is a close relative to ¹us. Why then are you angry about this matter? Have we eaten at all ²at the king’s expense, or has anything been taken for us?” 43 But the men of Israel answered the men of Judah and said, “^1aWe have ten parts in the king, therefore ²we also have more claim on David than you. Why then did you treat ³us with contempt? Was it not ⁴our ⁵advice first to bring back ⁶our king?” Yet the words of the men of Judah were harsher than the words of the men of Israel.

It was told to Joab, “Behold, ^athe king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.” 2 So the victory on that day was turned into mourning for all the people, for the people heard it said on that day, “The king grieves for his son.” 3 The people stole into the city of Mahanaim that day, as people who are humiliated and ashamed steal away when they retreat in battle. 4 But the king ^acovered his face and cried out with a loud voice, “^bO my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!” 5 Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, “Today you have put all your servants to shame who this day have saved your life and the lives of your sons and your daughters, and the lives of your wives and ¹concubines. 6 For you love those who hate you and hate those who love you. For you have shown today that commanders and servants are nothing to you; for today I know that if Absalom had lived and all the rest of us had died today, then you would be pleased. 7 So now stand up, go out and speak kindly and encouragingly to your servants; for I swear by the LORD that if you do not go out, ^anot a man will stay with you tonight. And this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.”

8 Then the king stood and sat at the gate of Mahanaim. And they told all the people, “The king is ^asitting at the gate,” and all the people came before the king.

But ^bIsrael Absalom’s troops had fled, every man to his tent. 9 All the people were quarreling throughout the tribes of Israel, saying, “^aThe king rescued us from the hands of our enemies, and he ^bsaved us from the hands of the Philistines, but now ^che has fled out of the land from Absalom. 10 And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. So now, why are you leaders doing nothing about bringing back the king?”

11 Then King David sent word to ^aZadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, “Say to the elders of Judah, ‘Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house in Jerusalem, since the word of all Israel has come to the king, and to his house? 12 You are my brothers (relatives, relations) ; ^ayou are my bone and my flesh. Why then are you the last to bring back the king?’ 13 Say to ^aAmasa the commander of Absalom’s troops, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? ^bMay God do so to me, and more also, if you will not be ^ccommander of my army from now on ^din place of Joab.’” 14 In this way he changed the hearts of all the men of Judah ^aas one man, so they sent word to the king, “Return, you and all your ¹servants.” 15 So David returned and came to the Jordan. And supporters from Judah came to ^aGilgal to meet the king, to escort him across the Jordan.

16 Then ^aShimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men from the tribe of Judah to meet King David, 17 and a thousand men from the tribe of Benjamin with him. And ^aZiba, the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and twenty servants with him, rushed down to the Jordan before the king. 18 Then they repeatedly crossed the ford to bring over the king’s household (family) , and to do what pleased him. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king as he was about to cross the Jordan, 19 and said to the king, “^aLet not my lord consider me guilty, nor remember what your servant did ¹wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem, so that the king would take it to heart. 20 For your servant knows that I have sinned; therefore, behold, I have come today, ^athe first of all the ¹house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.” 21 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah said, “^aShould not Shimei be put to death for this, ^bbecause he cursed the LORD’S anointed?” 22 David said, “^aWhat ¹business is this of yours, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should be an adversary to me today? ^bShould anyone be put to death in Israel today? For do I not know that today I am king over Israel?” 23 Therefore the king said to Shimei, “^aYou shall not be put to death.” And so the king gave him his promise. 1+@Kin 2:44-46

24 ^aThen Mephibosheth the grandson of Saul came down to meet the king, but he ^bhad not cared for his feet, nor trimmed his mustache, nor ^cwashed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he returned in peace and safety. 25 And when he came to Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, “^aWhy did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?” 26 He said, “My lord the king, my servant Ziba betrayed me; for I said, ‘Saddle a donkey for me so that I may ride on it and go with the king,’ ^afor your servant is lame but he took the donkeys and left without me. 2+@Sam 16:1-4 27 ^aFurther, he has slandered your servant to my lord the king; but my lord the king is like ^bthe angel of God; so do what is good in your eyes. 28 For were not ^aall of my father’s household (family) nothing but dead men before my lord the king; ^byet you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. So what right do I still have to cry out anymore to the king for help?” 29 The king said to him, “Why speak anymore of your affairs? I have said, ‘You and Ziba shall divide the land.’” 30 Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him even take it all, since my lord the king has returned to his own house in safety and peace.”

31 Now ^aBarzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim and went on to the Jordan with the king to escort him over the Jordan. 32 Barzillai was a very old man, eighty years old; and he had ^aprovided the king with food while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very great and wealthy man. 33 The king said to Barzillai, “Cross over with me and I will provide for you in Jerusalem with me.” 34 But Barzillai said to the king, “^aHow much longer have I to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35 I am this day ^aeighty years old. Can I be useful to advise you to discern between good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat or drink? Can I still hear ^bthe voices of singing men and women? ^cWhy then should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king? 36 Your servant would merely cross over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king compensate me with this reward? 37 Please let your servant return, so that I may die in my own city and be buried by the grave of my father and mother. But here is your servant ^aChimham my son; let him cross over with my lord the king, and do for him what seems good to you.” 1+@Kin 2:7 38 The king answered, “Chimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him what seems good to you; and whatever you ask of me, I will do for you.” 39 So all the people crossed over the Jordan. When the king had crossed over, he ^akissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his place.

40 Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him; and all the people of Judah and also ^ahalf the people of Israel accompanied the king. 41 And all the men of Israel came to the king and said to him, “^aWhy have our brothers (relatives) , ^bthe men from the tribe of Judah, stolen you away and brought the king and his household and all David’s men with him over the Jordan instead of waiting for us to arrive?” 42 Then all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because ^athe king is a close relative to us. So why then are you angry about this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king’s expense? Or has anything been taken for us?” 43 Then the men of ¹Israel answered the men of Judah, “^aWe have ten tribes’ shares in the king, and we have more claim on David than you. Why then did you treat us with contempt and ignore us by rushing ahead? Were we not the first to speak of bringing back our king?” ²But the words of the men of Judah were harsher than those of the men of Israel.

Then it was told Joab, “Behold, ^athe king is weeping and mourns for Absalom.” 2 The ¹victory that day was turned to mourning for all the people, for the people heard it said that day, “The king is grieved for his son.” 3 So the people went by stealth into the city that day, as people who are humiliated steal away when they flee in battle. 4 The king ^acovered his face and ¹cried out with a loud voice, “^bO my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!” 5 Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, “Today you have covered with shame the faces of all your servants, who today have saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines, 6 by loving those who hate you, and by hating those who love you. For you have shown today that ¹princes and servants are nothing to you; for I know this day that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then ²you would be pleased. 7 Now therefore arise, go out and speak ¹kindly to your servants, for I swear by the LORD, if you do not go out, surely ^anot a man will pass the night with you, and this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.”

8 So the king arose and sat in the gate. When they told all the people, saying, “Behold, the king is ^asitting in the gate,” then all the people came before the king.

Now ^bIsrael had fled, each to his tent. 9 All the people were quarreling throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “^aThe king delivered us from the ¹hand of our enemies and ^bsaved us from the ²hand of the Philistines, but now ^che has fled out of the land from Absalom. 10 However, Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. Now then, why are you silent about bringing the king back?”

11 Then King David sent to ^aZadok 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 word of all Israel has come to the king, even to his house? 12 You are my brothers; ^ayou are my bone and my flesh. Why then should you be the last to bring back the king?’ 13 Say to ^aAmasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? ^bMay God do so to me, and more also, if you will not be ^ccommander of the army before me continually ^din place of Joab.’” 14 Thus he turned the hearts of all the men of Judah ^aas one man, so that they sent word to the king, saying, “Return, you and all your servants.” 15 The king then returned and came as far as the Jordan. And Judah came to ^aGilgal in order to go to meet the king, to bring the king across the Jordan.

16 Then ^aShimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite who was from Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17 There were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, with ^aZiba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they rushed to the Jordan before the king. 18 Then they kept crossing the ford to bring over the king’s household, and to do what was good in his sight. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king as he was about to cross the Jordan. 19 So he said to the king, “^aLet not my lord consider me guilty, nor remember what your servant did wrong on the day when my lord the king came out from Jerusalem, so that the king would ¹take it to heart. 20 For your servant knows that I have sinned; therefore behold, I have come today, ^athe first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.” 21 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah said, “^aShould not Shimei be put to death for this, ^bbecause he cursed the LORD’S anointed?” 22 David then said, “^aWhat have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day be an adversary to me? ^bShould any man be put to death in Israel today? For do I not know that I am king over Israel today?” 23 The king said to Shimei, “^aYou shall not die.” Thus the king swore to him.

24 Then ^aMephibosheth the ¹son of Saul came down to meet the king; and ^bhe had neither ²cared for his feet, nor ³trimmed his mustache, nor ^cwashed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace. 25 It was when he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, “^aWhy did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?” 26 So he answered, “O my lord, the king, my servant deceived me; for your servant said, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself that I may ride on it and go with the king,’ ^abecause your servant is lame. 27 Moreover, ^ahe has slandered your servant to my lord the king; but my lord the king is ^blike the angel of God, therefore do what is good in your sight. 28 For ^aall my father’s household was nothing but dead men before my lord the king; ^byet you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. What right do I have yet that I should ¹complain anymore to the king?” 29 So the king said to him, “Why do you still speak of your affairs? I have ¹decided, ‘You and Ziba shall divide the land.’” 30 Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him even take it all, since my lord the king has come safely to his own house.”

31 Now ^aBarzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim; and he went on to the Jordan with the king to ¹escort him over the Jordan. 32 Now Barzillai was very old, being eighty years old; and he had ^1asustained the king while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very great man. 33 The king said to Barzillai, “You cross over with me and I will ¹sustain you in Jerusalem with me.” 34 But Barzillai said to the king, “^aHow long ¹have I yet to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35 I am ¹now ^aeighty years old. Can I distinguish between good and bad? Or can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Or can I hear anymore ^bthe voice of singing men and women? ^cWhy then should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king? 36 Your servant would merely cross over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king compensate me with this reward? 37 Please let your servant return, that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother. However, here is your servant ^aChimham, let him cross over with my lord the king, and do for him what is good in your sight.” 38 The king answered, “Chimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him what is good in your sight; and whatever you ¹require of me, I will do for you.” 39 All the people crossed over the Jordan and the king crossed too. The king then ^akissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his place.

40 Now the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him; and all the people of Judah and also ^ahalf the people of Israel ¹accompanied the king. 41 And behold, all the men of Israel came to the king and said to the king, “^aWhy had our brothers ^bthe men of Judah stolen you away, and brought the king and his household and all David’s men with him over the Jordan?” 42 Then all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because ^athe king is a close relative to ¹us. Why then ²are you angry about this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king’s expense, or has ³anything been taken for us?” 43 But the men of Israel answered the men of Judah and said, “^1aWe have ten parts in the king, therefore ²we also have more claim on David than you. Why then did you treat us with contempt? Was it not ³our advice first to bring back ⁴our king?” Yet the words of the men of Judah were harsher than the words of the men of Israel.