1And the king trembled, and went up to the upper chamber of the gate, and wept; and thus he said as he went, "My son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Who would give my death, I instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!"
2And it was told to Joab, "Behold, the king is weeping and mourning over Absalom."
3And the deliverance that day became mourning for all the people; for the people heard that day, saying, "The king is grieved over his son."
4And the people stole away that day to come into the city, as the people who are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.
5And the king covered his face, and the king cried out with a great voice, "My son Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son!"
6And Joab came to the king, to the house, and said, "You have shamed today the faces of all your servants who today have delivered your soul (nephesh), and the soul (nephesh) of your sons and your daughters, and the soul (nephesh) of your wives (ishah), and the soul (nephesh) of your concubines,
7by loving those who hate you, and hating those who love you; for you have declared today that you have no captains and servants; for I know today that if Absalom were alive (chai) and all of us today dead, then it would be right in your eyes.
8And now arise, go forth, and speak to the heart of your servants; for I have sworn by YHWH that if you do not go forth, not a man (ish) will lodge with you this night; and that will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now."
9And the king arose and sat in the gate. And to all the people they told, saying, "Behold, the king is sitting in the gate." And all the people came before the king. And Israel had fled, each man (ish) to his tents.
10And all the people were contending throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, "The king delivered us from the palm of our enemies, and he saved us from the palm of the Philistines; and now he has fled from the land on account of Absalom.
11And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. And now, why are you silent about bringing back the king?"
12And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, "Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, 'Why are you the last to bring back the king to his house? for the word of all Israel had come to the king, to his house.
13You are my brothers, you are my bone and my flesh (basar); and why should you be the last to bring back the king?'
14And to Amasa you shall say, 'Are you not my bone and my flesh (basar)? So may God do to me, and so may he add, if you are not captain of the host before me all the days, instead of Joab.'"
15And he inclined the heart of every man (ish) of Judah as one man (ish); and they sent to the king, "Return, you and all your servants."
16And the king returned and came as far as the Jordan; and Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to bring the king over the Jordan.
17And Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite, who was of Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men (ish) of Judah to meet king David.
18And a thousand men (ish) with him from Benjamin, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they rushed through the Jordan before the king.
19And the ferry crossed over to bring over the king's household, and to do what was good in his eyes. And Shimei son of Gera fell down before the king as he was crossing over the Jordan.
20And he said to the king, "Let not my lord reckon iniquity to me, and do not remember that which your servant did perversely on the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.
21For your servant knows that I have sinned; and behold, I have come today, the first of all the house of Joseph, to go down to meet my lord the king."
22And Abishai son of Zeruiah answered and said, "Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the anointed of YHWH?"
23And David said, "What have I to do with you, sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day become an adversary to me? Shall a man (ish) be put to death this day in Israel? For do I not know that today I am king over Israel?"
24And the king said to Shimei, "You shall not die." And the king swore to him.
25And Mephibosheth son of Saul came down to meet the king; and he had not dressed his feet, nor trimmed his mustache, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king went away until the day he came in peace.
26And it came to pass, when he came to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, "Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?"
27And he said, "My lord the king, my servant deceived me; for your servant said, 'I will saddle for me the donkey, that I may ride on it and go with the king'; for your servant is lame.
28And he slandered your servant to my lord the king; but my lord the king is like the angel of God; and do what is good in your eyes.
29For all the house of my father were nothing but men (ish) of death to my lord the king; yet you set your servant among those who eat at your table. And what righteousness have I yet, to cry out anymore to the king?"
30And the king said to him, "Why do you speak anymore of your matters? I have said, You and Ziba shall divide the field."
31And Mephibosheth said to the king, "Let him even take all, since my lord the king has come in peace to his house."
32And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim; and he crossed the Jordan with the king, to send him off at the Jordan.
33And Barzillai was very old, a son of eighty years; and he had sustained the king while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very great man (ish).
34And the king said to Barzillai, "You cross over with me, and I will sustain you with me in Jerusalem."
35And Barzillai said to the king, "How many are the days of the years of my life (chai), that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?
36A son of eighty years am I today; do I know between good and bad? Does your servant taste what I eat and what I drink? Do I hear anymore the voice of singing men and singing women? And why should your servant be yet a burden to my lord the king?
37As but a little your servant would cross the Jordan with the king; and why should the king recompense me this recompense?
38Let your servant, please, return, and let me die in my own city, by the grave of my father and my mother. But behold, your servant Chimham; let him cross over with my lord the king, and do to him what is good in your eyes."
39And the king said, "Chimham shall cross over with me, and I will do to him what is good in your eyes; and all that you choose upon me I will do for you."
40And all the people crossed over the Jordan, and the king crossed over; and the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his place.
41And the king crossed over to Gilgal, and Chimham crossed over with him; and all the people of Judah brought the king over, and also half the people of Israel.
42And behold, all the men (ish) of Israel came to the king, and said to the king, "Why have our brothers, the men (ish) of Judah, stolen you away, and brought the king and his household over the Jordan, and all David's men (ish) with him?"
43And every man (ish) of Judah answered against the man (ish) of Israel, "Because the king is near to me; and why does this anger you over this matter? Have we eaten at all from the king, or has a gift been lifted to us?"
44And the man (ish) of Israel answered the man (ish) of Judah and said, "I have ten hands in the king, and also in David I am more than you; and why did you despise me, that my word was not first to me to bring back my king?" And the word of the man (ish) of Judah was harder than the word of the man (ish) of Israel.