1And it was reported to Yo’aḇ, “See, the sovereign is weeping and mourning for Aḇshalom.”

2So the deliverance that day was turned into mourning for all the people. For the people heard on that day, saying, “The sovereign has been grieved for his son.”

3And the people stole back into the city that day, as people who are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.

4And the sovereign covered his face, and the sovereign cried out with a loud voice, “O my son Aḇshalom! O Aḇshalom, my son, my son!”

5And Yo’aḇ came into the house to the sovereign, and said, “Today you have put to shame all your servants who today have saved your life, and the lives of your sons and daughters, and the lives of your wives and the lives of your concubines,

6by loving those who hate you, and by hating those who love you. For you have made it clear today that you have neither commanders nor servants, for today I know that if Aḇshalom had lived and all of us had died today, then it would be right in your eyes.

7“And now, arise, go out and speak to the heart of your servants. For I swear by יהוה, if you do not go out, not one passes the night with you. And that is worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.”

8So the sovereign rose up and sat in the gate. And they told all the people, saying, “Look, the sovereign is sitting in the gate.” And all the people came before the sovereign. As for Yisra’ĕl, they had fled, each one to his tent.

9And it came to be, that all the people were contending throughout all the tribes of Yisra’ĕl, saying, “The sovereign delivered us from the hand of the enemies, he rescued us from the hand of the Philistines, and now he has fled from the land because of Aḇshalom,

10and Aḇshalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. And now, why are you silent about bringing back the sovereign?”

11And Sovereign Dawiḏ sent to Tsaḏoq and Eḇyathar the priests, saying, “Speak to the elders of Yehuḏah, saying, ‘Why are you the last to bring the sovereign back to his house, since the words of all Yisra’ĕl have come to the sovereign, to his house?

12‘You are my brothers, you are my bone and my flesh. Why then are you the last to bring back the sovereign?’

13“And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? Elohim do so to me, and more also, if you are not commander of the army before me all the days in place of Yo’aḇ.’ ”

14Thus he swayed the hearts of all the men of Yehuḏah as one man, so that they sent to the sovereign, saying “Return, you and all your servants!”

15So the sovereign returned and came to the Yardĕn. And Yehuḏah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the sovereign, to bring the sovereign over the Yardĕn.

16And Shim‛i son of Gĕra, a Binyamite, who was from Baḥurim, hastened and came down with the men of Yehuḏah to meet Sovereign Dawiḏ.

17And with him were a thousand men of Binyamin, and Tsiḇa the servant of the house of Sha’ul, and his fifteen sons, and his twenty servants with him. And they rushed over the Yardĕn before the sovereign.

18And they passed over the ford to bring over the sovereign’s household, and to do what was good in his eyes. And Shim‛i son of Gĕra fell down before the sovereign when he had passed over the Yardĕn,

19and said to the sovereign, “Do not let my master reckon crookedness to me, neither remember what wrong your servant did on the day that my master the sovereign left Yerushalayim, that the sovereign should take it to heart.

20“For I, your servant, know that I have sinned. And see, I have come today, first of all the house of Yosĕph, to go down to meet my master the sovereign.”

21But Aḇishai son of Tseruyah answered and said, “Should Shim‛i not be put to death for this, because he cursed the anointed of יהוה?”

22And Dawiḏ said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Tseruyah, that you are to be adversaries to me today? Should any man be put to death in Yisra’ĕl today? For do I not know that I am sovereign over Yisra’ĕl today?”

23So the sovereign said to Shim‛i, “You do not die.” And the sovereign swore to him.

24And Mephiḇosheth son of Sha’ul came down to meet the sovereign. And he had not attended to his feet, nor trimmed his moustache, nor washed his garments, from the day the sovereign went away until the day he came back in peace.

25And it came to be, when he had come to Yerushalayim to meet the sovereign, that the sovereign said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephiḇosheth?”

26And he answered, “My master, O sovereign, my servant deceived me. For your servant said, ‘I am saddling a donkey for myself to ride on it and go to the sovereign,’ because your servant is lame.

27“And he spoke slander against your servant to my master the sovereign, but my master the sovereign is as a messenger of Elohim. Therefore do what is good in your eyes.

28“For all of my father’s house were but dead men before my master the sovereign. Yet you set your servant among those who eat at your own table. Therefore what right have I still to cry out any more to the sovereign?”

29Then the sovereign said to him, “Why do you speak any more of your matters? I have said, ‘You and Tsiḇa share the land.’ ”

30And Mephiḇosheth said to the sovereign, “Rather, let him take it all, since my master the sovereign has come back in peace to his own house.”

31And Barzillai the Gil‛aḏite came down from Rog̅elim and passed over the Yardĕn with the sovereign, to send him on his way over the Yardĕn.

32And Barzillai was a very aged man, eighty years old. And he had sustained the sovereign while he was dwelling at Maḥanayim, for he was a very rich man.

33And the sovereign said to Barzillai, “Pass over with me, and I shall provide for you with me in Yerushalayim.”

34But Barzillai said to the sovereign, “How many are the days of my life, that I should go up with the sovereign to Yerushalayim?

35“I am now eighty years old. Do I discern between the good and evil? Does your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Do I still hear the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be a further burden to my master the sovereign?

36“Your servant would only pass over the Yardĕn with the sovereign for a short distance. And why should the sovereign repay me with such a reward?

37“Please let your servant turn back again to die in my own city, near the burying-place of my father and mother. But here is your servant Kimham, let him pass over with my master the sovereign, and do for him what is good in your eyes.”

38And the sovereign answered, “Kimham is passing over with me, and let me do for him what is good in your eyes. Now whatever you choose of me, I do for you.”

39Then all the people went over the Yardĕn. And when the sovereign had passed over, the sovereign kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his own place.

40And the sovereign passed over to Gilgal, and Kimham passed over with him. And all the people of Yehuḏah brought the sovereign over, and also half the people of Yisra’ĕl.

41And see, all the men of Yisra’ĕl were coming to the sovereign! And they said to the sovereign, “Why have our brothers, the men of Yehuḏah, stolen you away and brought the sovereign, and his household, and all Dawiḏ’s men with him over the Yardĕn?”

42And all the men of Yehuḏah answered the men of Yisra’ĕl, “Because the sovereign is our relative. And why are you displeased over this matter? Have we at all eaten at the sovereign’s cost? Or has he given us any gift?”

43And the men of Yisra’ĕl answered the men of Yehuḏah, and said, “We have ten parts in the sovereign, and in Dawiḏ too, we have more than you. Why then did you despise us? Was it not our advice first to bring back our sovereign?” But the words of the men of Yehuḏah were harsher than the words of the men of Yisra’ĕl.