^{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.