2 Samuel 19:9-43

9And all the people were arguing throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, ^a“The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies and ^bsaved us from the hand of the Philistines, and now ^che has fled out of the land from Absalom. 10But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?”

11And King David sent this message to ^dZadok and Abiathar the priests: “Say to the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his house, when the word of all Israel has come to the king? ▼

▼Septuagint; Hebrew  to the king, to his house

12You are my brothers; ^fyou are my bone and my flesh. Why then should you be the last to bring back the king?’ 13And say to Amasa, ^g‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? ^hGod do so to me and more also, if you are not ⁱcommander of my army from now on in place of Joab.’” 14And he swayed the heart of all the men of Judah ^jas one man, so that they sent word to the king, “Return, both you and all your servants.” 15So the king came back to the Jordan, and Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king and to bring the king over the Jordan.

David Pardons His Enemies

16And ^kShimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, from Bahurim, hurried to come down with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17And with him were a thousand men from Benjamin. And ^lZiba the servant of the house of Saul, with his fifteen sons and his twenty servants, rushed down to the Jordan before the king, 18and they crossed the ford to bring over the king’s household and to do his pleasure. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was about to cross the Jordan, 19and said to the king, ^m“Let not my lord hold me guilty or remember how your servant ⁿdid wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. Do not let the king take it to heart. 20For your servant knows that I have sinned. Therefore, behold, I have come this day, the first ^oof all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.” 21Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, “Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because ^phe cursed the Lord’s anointed?” 22But David said, ^q“What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day be as an adversary to me? ^rShall anyone be put to death in Israel this day? For do I not know that I am this day king over Israel?” 23 ^sAnd the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king gave him his oath.

24And ^tMephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king. He had neither taken care of his feet nor trimmed his beard nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came back in safety. 25And when he came to Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, ^u“Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?” 26He answered, “My lord, O king, my servant deceived me, for your servant said to him, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself, ▼

▼Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate Saddle a donkey for me

that I may ride on it and go with the king.’ For ^wyour servant is lame. 27 ^xHe has slandered your servant to my lord the king. But my lord the king is ^ylike the angel of God; do therefore what seems good to you. 28For all my father’s house were but men doomed to death before my lord the king, but ^zyou set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right have I, then, to cry to the king?” 29And the king said to him, “Why speak any more of your affairs? I have decided: you and Ziba shall divide the land.” 30And Mephibosheth said to the king, “Oh, let him take it all, since my lord the king has come safely home.”

31Now ^aaBarzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim, and he went on with the king to the Jordan, to escort him over the Jordan. 32Barzillai was a very aged man, eighty years old. ^abHe had provided the king with food while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very wealthy man. 33And the king said to Barzillai, “Come over with me, and I will provide for you with me in Jerusalem.” 34But Barzillai said to the king, ^ac“How many years have I still to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35I am this day ^adeighty years old. Can I discern what is pleasant and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats or what he drinks? Can I still listen to the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be ^aean added burden to my lord the king? 36Your servant will go a little way over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king repay me with such a reward? 37Please let your servant return, that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother. But here is your servant ^afChimham. Let him go over with my lord the king, and do for him whatever seems good to you.” 38And the king answered, “Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do for him whatever seems good to you, and all that you desire of me I will do for you.” 39Then all the people went over the Jordan, and the king went over. And ^agthe king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his own home. 40The king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him. All the people of Judah, and also half the people of Israel, brought the king on his way.

41Then all the men of Israel came to the king and said to the king, “Why have our brothers the men of Judah stolen you away and ^ahbrought the king and his household over the Jordan, and all David’s men with him?” 42All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because the king is ^aiour close relative. Why then are you angry over this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king’s expense? Or has he given us any gift?” 43And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, “We have ^ajten shares in the king, and in David also we have more than you. Why then did you despise us? Were we not the first to speak of bringing back our king?” ^akBut the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.