^{1 2} And it was·​·told Joab, Behold, the king is weeping and mourning over Absalom.

^{2 3} And the salvation on^◦ that^◦ day became a mourning for all the people; for the people heard say on^◦ that^◦ day, the king grieves over his son.

^{3 4} And the people stole away that^◦ day, to come·​·into the city, as^◦ people being humiliated steal away when they flee in battle.

^{4 5} And the king muffled his face, and the king cried with a great voice, My son Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!

^{5 6} And Joab came to^▵ the king to the house, and said, Thou hast shamed today the faces of all thy servants, who have caused· thy soul ·to·​·escape today, and the soul of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the soul of thy wives, and the soul of thy concubines,

^{6 7} to love those who hate thee, and to hate those who love thee. For thou hast told them today, that the princes and servants are nothing^◦ to thee; for I know today that if^◦ Absalom had lived, and all of us had died today, that it would then^▵ be upright in thine eyes.

^{7 8} And now arise, go·​·out, and speak to the heart of thy servants; for I promise by Jehovah, if^▫ thou^◦ go· not^◦ ·out, then not a man^◦ will lodge with^◦ thee tonight: and this will do· more ·evil to thee than all the evil that has come upon thee from thy youth until now.

^{8 9} And the king arose and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king is sitting in the gate. And all the people came before the king; and Israel had fled every man^◦ to his tent.

^{9 10} And all the people were contending in all the tribes^◦ of Israel, saying, The king rescued us from the palm of the hand of our enemies, and he^◦ caused us to escape from the palm of the hand of the Philistines; and now he has run·​·away from the land on·​·account·​·of Absalom.

^{10 11} And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is·​·dead in battle. And now, why are· you^◦ ·silent as to returning the king?

^{11 12} And king David sent unto^▵ Zadok and to^▵ Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak unto^▵ the elders of Judah, saying, Why are you the last to return the king to^▵ his house? and the word of all Israel is come to^▵ the king to^▵ his house.

^{12 13} You^◦ are my brothers, you^◦ are my bone and my flesh; and why are you the last to bring·​·back the king?

^{13 14} And say ye to Amasa, Art thou^◦ not my bone and my flesh? God do thus to me, and thus may He add, if thou be not commander^◦ of the army before me all the days instead of Joab.

^{14 15} And he inclined the heart of all the men^◦ of Judah as of one man^◦, and they sent unto^▵ the king, Return thou^◦ and all thy servants.

^{15 16} And the king returned and came to^◦ Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to cause the king to cross·​·over the Jordan.

^{16 17} And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjaminite who was from Baḥurim, hastened and came·​·down with the men^◦ of Judah to meet king David.

^{17 18} And there were a thousand men^◦ of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the lad^* of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with^◦ him; and he went·​·prosperously over Jordan before the king.

^{18 19} And the ferry^* crossed·​·over to bring·​·across the house of the king, and to do what was good in his eyes. And Shimei the son of Gera fell before the king, when he crossed·​·over on^◦ the Jordan;

^{19 20} and said unto^▵ the king, Let not my lord reckon iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that thy servant did commit·​·iniquity on the day when^▵ my lord the king went·​·out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to^▵ his heart.

^{20 21} For thy servant knows that I^◦ have sinned; and behold, I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go·​·down to meet my lord the king.

^{21 22} And Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put·​·to·​·death for this, for he reviled the anointed of Jehovah?

^{22 23} And David said, What is there to me and to you^*, ye sons of Zeruiah that you should this day be opponents unto me? Shall· there any man^◦ ·be·​·put·​·to·​·death this day in Israel? For do I not know that I^◦ am this day king over Israel?

^{23 24} And the king said unto^▵ Shimei, Thou shalt· not ·die. And the king promised unto him.

^{24 25} And Mephibosheth the son of Saul went·​·down to meet the king, and he had not tended to^* his feet, nor tended to^* his upper·​·lip, nor washed his garments from the day the king went until the day that he came in peace.

^{25 26} And it was, when^◦ he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, Why wentest^◦ thou not with me, Mephibosheth?

^{26 27} And he said, My lord the king, my servant deceived me; for thy servant said, I will·​·saddle me the donkey, and ride on it, and go with^◦ the king; because^◦ thy servant is lame.

^{27 28} And he lied^* against^◦ thy servant to^▵ my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God, and do what is good in thine eyes.

^{28 29} For there were not any of the house of my father but^◦ men^◦ of death to my lord the king; and thou didst put thy servant among^◦ those who eat at thine own table, and what justice is·​·there still to me that I should still cry to the king?

^{29 30} And the king said unto him, Why speakest thou yet thy words? I have said, Thou^◦ and Ziba part the field.

^{30 31} And Mephibosheth said unto^▵ the king, Let him take even all, after my lord the king is come in peace unto^▵ his house.

^{31 32} And Barzillai the Gileadite went·​·down from Rogelim, and crossed·​·over the Jordan with^◦ the king, to conduct^* him through the Jordan.

^{32 33} And Barzillai was· very ·old, a son of eighty years, and he^◦ had sustained the king while he dwelt in Mahanaim; for he^◦ was a very great man^◦.

^{33 34} And the king said to^▵ Barzillai, Cross· thou^◦ ·over with^◦ me and I will sustain thee with me in Jerusalem.

^{34 35} And Barzillai said to^▵ the king, As what are the days of the years of my life, that I should go·​·up with^◦ the king to Jerusalem.

^{35 36} A son of eighty years I^▵ am today. Can I know between good and evil? can thy servant taste what I eat and what I drink? can I still hear the voice of men singing and woman singing? and why should thy servant be yet a burden to^▵ my lord the king?

^{36 37} Thy servant shall cross· a·​·little ·over Jordan with^◦ the king; and why should the king recompense me this recompense?

^{37 38} Let thy servant turn·​·back, I pray^◦ thee, and die in my own city, by the grave of my father and of my mother. But behold thy servant Chimham; let him cross·​·over with my lord the king; and do thou to him what is good in thine eyes.

^{38 39} And the king said, Chimham shall cross·​·over with^◦ me, and I^◦ will do unto him that which is good in thine eyes; and all that thou shalt choose from me, I will do for thee.

^{39 40} And all the people crossed·​·over Jordan. And the king crossed·​·over, and the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him; and he returned unto his place.

^{40 41} And the king crossed·​·over to Gilgal, and Chimham crossed·​·over with him; and all the people of Judah; and they brought·​·over the king, and also half the people of Israel.

^{41 42} And, behold, all the men^◦ of Israel came to the king, and said unto^▵ the king, Why have our brothers the men^◦ of Judah stolen thee away, and have brought· the king and his house and all David’s men^◦ with him, ·over Jordan?

^{42 43} And all the men^◦ of Judah answered the men^◦ of Israel, Because^◦ the king is near to^▵ me; and why then be· you ·incensed over this matter? Eating, have we eaten of the king’s, or accepted a present for ourselves?

^{43 44} And the man^◦ of Israel answered the man^◦ of Judah, and said, I have^◦ ten shares^* in the king and also in David, I^◦ more than thou; and wherefore didst thou revile me, and was not my word the first for me to return my king? and the word of the man^◦ of Judah was more hardened than the word of the man^◦ of Israel.

¹ And the war was long between the house of Saul and the house of David; but David went^◦ on and became·​·firm, and the house of Saul went^◦ on and became poor.

² And unto David were· sons ·born in Hebron, and his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;

³ and his second Chileab, of Abigail, the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third Absalom, the son of Maachah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;

⁴ and the fourth Adonijah, the son of Haggith, and the fifth Shephatiah, the son of Abital;

⁵ and the sixth Ithream, of Eglah, the wife of David. These were·​·born to David in Hebron.

⁶ And it was, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made· himself ·firm in the house of Saul.

⁷ And Saul had^◦ a concubine, and her name was Rizpah, the daughter of Ajah; and he^* said to^▵ Abner, Wherefore hast thou come to^▵ my father’s concubine?

⁸ And Abner was· very ·incensed on·​·account·​·of the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I^▵ a dog’s head who belongs to Judah? This day I am doing mercy with^▵ the house of Saul, thy father, to^▵ his brothers, and to^▵ his companions, and have not presented^▵ thee into the hand of David; and dost thou visit on me today iniquity concerning the woman?

⁹ So may God do to Abner, and so may He add unto him, if^▫ as^◦ Jehovah has promised to David, I do not even so to him,

¹⁰ to cause the kingdom to cross·​·over from the house of Saul, and to raise·​·up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan and even·​·to Beer-sheba.

¹¹ And he was· not ·able to return a word any more unto Abner, because he feared him.

¹² And Abner sent messengers to^▵ David, on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? Saying, Cut thy covenant with^◦ me, and behold, my hand shall be with thee, to turn·​·around all Israel unto^▵ thee.

¹³ And he said, Good; I^◦ will cut a covenant with^◦ thee; only^▵ one word I^▵ ask from thee, saying, Thou shalt not see my face, unless^◦ before this thou bringest·​·in Michal the daughter of Saul, when thou comest to see my face.

¹⁴ And David sent messengers to^▵ Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, saying, Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.

¹⁵ And Ish-bosheth sent and took her from^▵ the man^◦, from^▵ Paltiel the son of Laish.

¹⁶ And her husband^◦ went^◦ with^◦ her, going and weeping behind her even·​·to Baḥurim. And Abner said to^▵ him, Go, return. And he returned.

¹⁷ And the word of Abner was with the elders of Israel, saying, You sought David, both^◦ yesterday and^◦ the day·​·before^*, for a king over you;

¹⁸ and now do it; for Jehovah has said concerning David, saying, By the hand of David My servant I will save My people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.

¹⁹ And Abner also spoke in the ears of Benjamin; and Abner also went to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that was good in the eyes of Israel, and in the eyes of all the house of Benjamin.

²⁰ And Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men^◦ with him; and David made for Abner and for the men^◦ that were with him, a feast.

²¹ And Abner said unto^▵ David, I will arise and go, and will bring·​·together all Israel unto^▵ my lord the king, and I will cut a covenant with^◦ thee and thou shalt reign over all that thy soul longs for. And David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.

²² And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from the troop, and they brought much spoil with them; and Abner was not^◦ with David in Hebron; for he had sent· him ·away, and he was gone in peace.

²³ And Joab and all the army that was with^◦ him had come, and they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to^▵ the king, and he has sent· him ·away, and he has gone in peace.

²⁴ And Joab came to^▵ the king and said, What hast thou done? Behold, Abner came unto^▵ thee. Why hast thou sent him away and going^◦, he is gone?

²⁵ Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to entice thee, and to know thy going·​·out and thy coming·​·in, and to know all that thou^◦ doest.

²⁶ And Joab went·​·out from David, and sent messengers after Abner, and brought· him ·back from the pit of Sirah; but David knew it not.

²⁷ And Abner returned to Hebron, and Joab took· him ·aside to^▵ the midst of the gate to speak with^◦ him as if with tranquility, and he smote him there at the fifth^*, and he died for the blood of Asahel his brother.

²⁸ And David heard it afterwards and said, I^▵ and my kingdom are innocent with Jehovah even·​·to eternity from the blood of Abner the son of Ner.

²⁹ Let it travail on the head of Joab and to^▵ all the house of his father, and let there not be cut·​·off from the house of Joab one who has·​·a·​·flow, and a leper, and one who holds·​·firm on^◦ the crutch, and who falls with the sword, and who is in·​·want of bread.

³⁰ And Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had made· Asahel their brother ·to·​·die, in Gibeon in the battle.

³¹ And David said to^▵ Joab, and to^▵ all the people that were with^◦ him, Rend your garments and gird you with sackcloth, and wail before Abner. And king David walked after the bier^*.

³² And they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted·​·up his voice, and wept at^▵ the grave of Abner, and all the people wept.

³³ And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Did Abner die as a fool dies?

³⁴ Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet presented in bronze fetters. As one falls before the sons of perversity, thou didst fall. And all the people continued to weep over him.

³⁵ And all the people came to nourish David with bread when it was still day, and David promised, saying, So do God unto me and so again if I taste bread or anything before the sun go·​·in.

³⁶ And all the people acknowledged it, and it was·​·good in their eyes, as^◦ all the king did was good in the eyes of all the people.

³⁷ And all the people and all Israel knew in that^◦ day, that it was not of the king to put· Abner the son of Ner ·to·​·death.

³⁸ And the king said unto^▵ his servants, Do you not know that there is a commander^◦ and a great one fallen this day in Israel?

³⁹ And I^▵ am this day soft, though anointed king; and these men^◦ the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me; Jehovah shall repay the doer of evil according to his evil.