19:1 The king then became agitated. He went up to the upper room over the gate and wept. As he went along he said, “My son, Absalom! My son, my son,¹ Absalom! If only I could have died in your place! Absalom, my son, my son!²

19:2 Then Joab was told, “The king is weeping and mourning over Absalom.” 19:3 And the victory on that day was turned to mourning as far as all the people were concerned. For the people heard on that day, “The king is grieved over his son.” 19:4 On that day the people stole away to go to the city the way people who are embarrassed steal away in fleeing from battle. 19:5 The king covered his face and cried out loudly,³ “My son, Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!”

19:6 So Joab visited⁴ the king at his home. He said, “Today you have embarrassed all your servants who have saved not only your life today but the lives of your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your concubines as well. 19:7 You seem to love your enemies and hate your friends! For you have as much as declared today that leaders and servants don’t matter to you. I realize now⁵ that if⁶ Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today,⁷ it would be all right with you. 19:8 So get up now and give some encouragement to your servants. For I swear by the LORD that if you don’t go forth, not a single man will spend the night with you tonight. This disaster will be worse for you than any disaster that has come on you from your youth to the present time.”

19:9 So the king got up and was seated at the gate. When all the people were informed that the king was sitting at the gate, they⁸ all came before him.

But the men of Israel had fled each to his home. 19:10 All the people throughout all the tribes of Israel were arguing among themselves saying, “It is the king who delivered us from the hand of our enemies. It is he who rescued us from the hand of the Philistines. But now he has fled from the land because of Absalom. 19:11 And Absalom whom we anointed over us has died in battle. Why then do you hesitate to bring the king back?”⁹

19:12 Then king David sent to Zadok and Abiathar the priests saying, “Speak to the elders of Israel saying, ‘Why should you cause any further delay in bringing the king back to his palace,¹⁰ when what all Israel is saying has came to the king’s attention—to his very home. 19:13 You are my brothers—my very bone and flesh! Why should you cause any further delay in bringing the king back? 19:14 Say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? May God do this to me and even more, if from this time on you are not the leader of the army in place of Joab.’”

19:15 He turned the hearts of all the men of Judah to him as though they were one man. Then they sent word to the king saying, “Return, you and all of your servants as well.” 19:16 So the king returned and came to the Jordan.

Now the people of Judah had come to Gilgal in order to meet the king and to help him¹¹ cross the Jordan. 19:17 Shimei the son of Gera the Benjamite who was from Bahurim quickly came down with the men of Judah in order to meet king David. 19:18 There were a thousand men with him from Benjamin, along with Ziba a servant¹² of Saul’s house, and with him his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They crossed¹³ the Jordan within sight of the king. 19:19 They crossed at the ford in order to help the king’s household cross and to do whatever he thought appropriate.

Now after he had crossed the Jordan, Shimei the son of Gera fell before the king. 19:20 He said to the king, “Don’t think badly of me, my lord, and don’t call to mind the iniquity of your servant on that day that you, my lord the king, went forth¹⁴ from Jerusalem. Please don’t call it to mind. 19:21 For your servant knows that I sinned, and I have come today as the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.”

19:22 Abishai the son of Zeruiah replied, “For this should not Shimei be put to death? After all, he cursed the LORD’s anointed!” 19:23 But David said, “What do we have in common,¹⁵ you sons of Zeruiah? You are like an adversary to me today. Should any man be put to death in Israel today? Don’t you realize that today I am king over Israel?” 19:24 The king said to Shimei, “You won’t die.” And the king swore to him concerning this.

19:25 Now Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king. From the day that the king had left until the day that he safely¹⁶ returned Mephibosheth¹⁷ had not cut his toenails¹⁸ nor trimmed¹⁹ his mustache nor washed his garments.

19:26 When he came to Jerusalem to meet the king, the king inquired of him, “Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?” 19:27 He replied, “My lord the king, my servant deceived me. For your servant said, ‘Let me get my donkey saddled so that I can ride on it and go with the king,’ for your servant is lame. 19:28 He has slandered your servant to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like an angel of God. Do whatever seems appropriate to you. 19:29 After all, there was no one in the house of my father who did not deserve death from my lord the king. But you instead set your servant with those who eat at your own table. What further claim do I have to petition the king for anything?”

19:30 Then the king replied to him, “Why should you continue speaking like this? You and Ziba will together inherit the field.” 19:31 Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him have²⁰ the whole thing! My lord the king has safely returned to his house!”

19:32 Now when Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim, he crossed the Jordan with the king so as to send him from the Jordan.²¹ 19:33 But Barzillai was very old—eighty years old, in fact—and he had taken care of the king when he stayed in Mahanaim, for he was a very rich²² man. 19:34 So the king said to Barzillai, “Cross over with me, and I will take care of you while you are with me in Jerusalem.”

19:35 Barzillai replied to the king, “How many days do I have left to my life, that I should go up with the king to Jersualem? 19:36 I am presently eighty years old. Am I able to discern good and bad? Can your servant taste what he eats and what he²³ drinks? Am I still able to hear the voice of male and female singers? Why should your servant continue to be a burden to my lord the king? 19:37 For only a little ways will your servant cross the Jordan with the king. Why should the king reward me in this way? 19:38 Let your servant return so that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother. But look, here is your servant Kimham. Let him cross with my lord the king. Do with him whatever seems appropriate to you.”

19:39 The king replied, “Kimham will cross over with me, and I will do with him whatever I deem appropriate. And whatever you choose, I will do for you.”

19:40 So all the people crossed the Jordan, as did the king. And after the king had kissed him and blessed him, Barzillai returned to his home.²⁴ 19:41 When the king crossed over to Gilgal, Kimham²⁵ crossed over with him. Now all the soldiers²⁶ of Judah along with half of the soldiers of Israel had helped the king cross over.²⁷

19:42 Then all the men of Israel began coming to the king. They asked the king, “Why did our brothren the men of Judah steal the king away and help the king and his household cross the Jordan—and not only him but all of David’s men as well?”

19:43 All the men of Judah replied to the men of Judah, “Because the king is a close relative of us. Why are you so upset about this? Have we eaten at the king’s expense?²⁸ Or have we misappropriated anything for our own use?” 19:44 The men of Israel replied to the men of Judah, “We have ten portions with the king, and we have a greater claim on David than you do. Why do you want²⁹ to curse us? Weren’t we the first to speak up about returning our king?” But the comments of the men of Judah were more severe than those of the men of Israel.