| Christian Standard Bible | King James Bible |
| 1It was reported to Joab, "The king is weeping. He's mourning over Absalom." | 1And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weepeth and mourneth for Absalom. |
| 2That day's victory was turned into mourning for all the troops because on that day the troops heard, "The king is grieving over his son." | 2And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people: for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his son. |
| 3So they returned to the city quietly that day like troops come in when they are humiliated after fleeing in battle. | 3And the people gat them by stealth that day into the city, as people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle. |
| 4But the king covered his face and cried loudly, "My son Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!" | 4But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son! |
| 5Then Joab went into the house to the king and said, "Today you have shamed all your soldiers--those who saved your life as well as your sons, your wives, and your concubines-- | 5And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines; |
| 6by loving your enemies and hating those who love you! Today you have made it clear that the commanders and soldiers mean nothing to you. In fact, today I know that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead, it would be fine with you! | 6In that thou lovest thine enemies, and hatest thy friends. For thou hast declared this day, that thou regardest neither princes nor servants: for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well. |
| 7"Now get up! Go out and encourage your soldiers, for I swear by the LORD that if you don't go out, not a man will remain with you tonight. This will be worse for you than all the trouble that has come to you from your youth until now!" | 7Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably unto thy servants: for I swear by the LORD, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one with thee this night: and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that befell thee from thy youth until now. |
| 8So the king got up and sat in the city gate, and all the people were told: "Look, the king is sitting in the city gate." Then they all came into the king's presence. Meanwhile, each Israelite had fled to his tent. | 8Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king doth sit in the gate. And all the people came before the king: for Israel had fled every man to his tent. |
| 9People throughout all the tribes of Israel were arguing among themselves, saying, "The king rescued us from the grasp of our enemies, and he saved us from the grasp of the Philistines, but now he has fled from the land because of Absalom. | 9And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king saved us out of the hand of our enemies, and he delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled out of the land for Absalom. |
| 10But Absalom, the man we anointed over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about restoring the king?" | 10And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back? |
| 11King David sent word to the priests Zadok and Abiathar: "Say to the elders of Judah, 'Why should you be the last to restore the king to his palace? The talk of all Israel has reached the king at his house. | 11And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, even to his house. |
| 12You are my brothers, my flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to restore the king?' | 12Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones and my flesh: wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the king? |
| 13And tell Amasa, 'Aren't you my flesh and blood? May God punish me and do so severely if you don't become commander of my army from now on instead of Joab!'" | 13And say ye to Amasa, Art thou not of my bone, and of my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab. |
| 14So he won over all the men of Judah, and they unanimously sent word to the king: "Come back, you and all your servants." | 14And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man; so that they sent this word unto the king, Return thou, and all thy servants. |
| 15Then the king returned. When he arrived at the Jordan, Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king and escort him across the Jordan. | 15So the king returned, and came to Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan. |
| 16Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David. | 16And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David. |
| 17There were a thousand men from Benjamin with him. Ziba, an attendant from the house of Saul, with his fifteen sons and twenty servants also rushed down to the Jordan ahead of the king. | 17And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went over Jordan before the king. |
| 18They forded the Jordan to bring the king's household across and do whatever the king desired. When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell facedown before the king | 18And there went over a ferry boat to carry over the king's household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was come over Jordan; |
| 19and said to him, "My lord, don't hold me guilty, and don't remember your servant's wrongdoing on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. May the king not take it to heart. | 19And said unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart. |
| 20For your servant knows that I have sinned. But look! Today I am the first one of the entire house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king." | 20For thy servant doth know that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king. |
| 21Abishai son of Zeruiah asked, "Shouldn't Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD's anointed?" | 21But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD'S anointed? |
| 22David answered, "Sons of Zeruiah, do we agree on anything? Have you become my adversary today? Should any man be killed in Israel today? Am I not aware that today I'm king over Israel?" | 22And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel? |
| 23So the king said to Shimei, "You will not die." Then the king gave him his oath. | 23Therefore the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him. |
| 24Mephibosheth, Saul's grandson, also went down to meet the king. He had not taken care of his feet, trimmed his mustache, or washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he returned safely. | 24And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace. |
| 25When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, "Mephibosheth, why didn't you come with me?" | 25And it came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore wentest not thou with me, Mephibosheth? |
| 26"My lord the king," he replied, "my servant Ziba betrayed me. Actually your servant said: 'I'll saddle the donkey for myself so that I may ride it and go with the king'--for your servant is lame. | 26And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me: for thy servant said, I will saddle me an ass, that I may ride thereon, and go to the king; because thy servant is lame. |
| 27Ziba slandered your servant to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like the angel of God, so do whatever you think best. | 27And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore what is good in thine eyes. |
| 28For my grandfather's entire family deserves death from my lord the king, but you set your servant among those who eat at your table. So what further right do I have to keep on making appeals to the king?" | 28For all of my father's house were but dead men before my lord the king: yet didst thou set thy servant among them that did eat at thine own table. What right therefore have I yet to cry any more unto the king? |
| 29The king said to him, "Why keep on speaking about these matters of yours? I hereby declare: you and Ziba are to divide the land." | 29And the king said unto him, Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba divide the land. |
| 30Mephibosheth said to the king, "Instead, since my lord the king has come to his palace safely, let Ziba take it all!" | 30And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house. |
| 31Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim and accompanied the king to the Jordan River to see him off at the Jordan. | 31And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim, and went over Jordan with the king, to conduct him over Jordan. |
| 32Barzillai was a very old man--eighty years old--and since he was a very wealthy man, he had provided for the needs of the king while he stayed in Mahanaim. | 32Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourscore years old: and he had provided the king of sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man. |
| 33The king said to Barzillai, "Cross over with me, and I'll provide for you at my side in Jerusalem." | 33And the king said unto Barzillai, Come thou over with me, and I will feed thee with me in Jerusalem. |
| 34Barzillai replied to the king, "How many years of my life are left that I should go up to Jerusalem with the king? | 34And Barzillai said unto the king, How long have I to live, that I should go up with the king unto Jerusalem? |
| 35I'm now eighty years old. Can I discern what is pleasant and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats or drinks? Can I still hear the voice of male and female singers? Why should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king? | 35I am this day fourscore years old: and can I discern between good and evil? can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king? |
| 36Since your servant is only going with the king a little way across the Jordan, why should the king repay me with such a reward? | 36Thy servant will go a little way over Jordan with the king: and why should the king recompense it me with such a reward? |
| 37Please let your servant return so that I may die in my own city near the tomb of my father and mother. But here is your servant Chimham: let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him what seems good to you." | 37Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own city, and be buried by the grave of my father and of my mother. But behold thy servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good unto thee. |
| 38The king replied, "Chimham will cross over with me, and I will do for him what seems good to you, and whatever you desire from me I will do for you." | 38And the king answered, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good unto thee: and whatsoever thou shalt require of me, that will I do for thee. |
| 39So all the people crossed the Jordan, and then the king crossed. The king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and Barzillai returned to his home. | 39And all the people went over Jordan. And when the king was come over, the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned unto his own place. |
| 40The king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went with him. All the troops of Judah and half of Israel's escorted the king. | 40Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him: and all the people of Judah conducted the king, and also half the people of Israel. |
| 41Suddenly, all the men of Israel came to the king. They asked him, "Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, take you away secretly and transport the king and his household across the Jordan, along with all of David's men?" | 41And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said unto the king, Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away, and have brought the king, and his household, and all David's men with him, over Jordan? |
| 42All the men of Judah responded to the men of Israel, "Because the king is our relative. Why does this make you angry? Have we ever eaten anything of the king's or been honored at all?" | 42And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to us: wherefore then be ye angry for this matter? have we eaten at all of the king's cost? or hath he given us any gift? |
| 43The men of Israel answered the men of Judah: "We have ten shares in the king, so we have a greater claim to David than you. Why then do you despise us? Weren't we the first to speak of restoring our king?" But the words of the men of Judah were harsher than those of the men of Israel. | 43And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than ye: why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel. |
| The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. | King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. |
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