| International Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1 Someone informed Joab, "The king is weeping bitterly, mourning for Absalom." | 1Joab was told, "The king is weeping and mourning over Absalom." |
| 2The victory had become an occasion for the army to mourn, because on that very day the troops heard the announcement, "The king is grieving for his son!" | 2So the victory of that day was turned to mourning as far as all the people were concerned. For the people heard on that day, "The king is grieved over his son." |
| 3So men snuck into the city that day like men do who are ashamed after they've run away from a battle. | 3That day the people stole away to go to the city the way people who are embarrassed steal away in fleeing from battle. |
| 4Meanwhile, the king veiled his face and kept on crying loudly, "My son Absalom! Absalom my son, my son!" | 4The king covered his face and cried out loudly, "My son, Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!" |
| 5Joab went up to the palace and rebuked the king: "Today you've humiliated your entire army who just saved your life, the lives of your sons and daughters, and the lives of your wives and mistresses! | 5So Joab visited the king at his home. He said, "Today you have embarrassed all your servants who have saved your life this day, as well as the lives of your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your concubines. |
| 6You love those who hate you and hate those who love you! You've made it abundantly clear today that your officers and the men under them mean nothing to you! I've learned today that you would rather have Absalom alive today and all the rest of us dead! | 6You seem to love your enemies and hate your friends! For you have as much as declared today that leaders and servants don't matter to you. I realize now that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, it would be all right with you. |
| 7Now get up and restore the morale of your army. I swear by the LORD that if you don't get out there, you won't have a single man left in your army by nightfall! You'll be in more trouble today than all the disasters you've been through from your boyhood until now!" | 7So get up now and go out and give some encouragement to your servants. For I swear by the LORD that if you don't go out there, not a single man will stay here with you tonight! This disaster will be worse for you than any disaster that has overtaken you from your youth right to the present time!" |
| 8So the king got up and took his seat in the gateway. When the army was informed, "The king is sitting in the gateway!" they all gathered together in his presence. Meanwhile, the Israelis had run away back to their own homes. | 8So the king got up and sat at the city gate. When all the people were informed that the king was sitting at the city gate, they all came before him. David Goes Back to Jerusalem But the Israelite soldiers had all fled to their own homes. |
| 9Throughout the tribes of Israel, everyone was quarreling with one another: "The king delivered us from the domination of our enemies…." "He's the one who rescued us from Philistine control…." "Now he's fleeing the country because of Absalom…!" | 9All the people throughout all the tribes of Israel were arguing among themselves saying, "The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies. He rescued us from the hand of the Philistines, but now he has fled from the land because of Absalom. |
| 10"The very same Absalom we anointed to rule just died in battle…!" "Now then, why remain silent about bringing the king back…?" | 10But Absalom, whom we anointed as our king, has died in battle. So now why do you hesitate to bring the king back?" |
| 11So King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests: "Ask the elders of Judah, 'Why are you the last to bring the king back to his palace, considering that what's being reported throughout all of Israel has come to the king at his palace? | 11Then King David sent a message to Zadok and Abiathar the priests saying, "Tell the elders of Judah, 'Why should you delay any further in bringing the king back to his palace, when everything Israel is saying has come to the king's attention. |
| 12You're my relatives! You're my own flesh and blood! So why are you the last to bring back the king?' | 12You are my brothers--my very own flesh and blood! Why should you delay any further in bringing the king back?' |
| 13Then ask Amasa, 'Aren't you my own flesh and blood? So may God deal with me, no matter how severely, if from this day forward you don't take Joab's place as commander of my army.' | 13Say to Amasa, 'Are you not my flesh and blood? God will punish me severely, if from this time on you are not the commander of my army in place of Joab!'" |
| 14By doing things like this, he persuaded all the men of Judah to unite in support of him. They sent the king this message: "Come on back, you and all of your army!" | 14He won over the hearts of all the men of Judah as though they were one man. Then they sent word to the king saying, "Return, you and all your servants as well." |
| 15So the king returned to Israel as far as the Jordan River. The men of Judah went out as far as Gilgal to greet the king and escort him across the Jordan River | 15So the king returned and came to the Jordan River. Now the people of Judah had come to Gilgal to meet the king and to help him cross the Jordan. |
| 16while Gera's son Shimei, a descendant of Benjamin from Bahurim, accompanied them to meet King David. | 16Shimei son of Gera the Benjaminite from Bahurim came down quickly with the men of Judah to meet King David. |
| 17Ziba, the steward in charge of Saul's household, and 1,000 descendants of Benjamin accompanied him, along with Ziba's fifteen sons and 20 servants. They rushed toward the Jordan River ahead of the king | 17There were a thousand men from Benjamin with him, along with Ziba the servant of Saul's household, and with him his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They hurriedly crossed the Jordan within sight of the king. |
| 18and forded it to assist the king at the crossing so he could do whatever he wished. Just as the king was about to ford the Jordan River, Gera's son Shimei fell down in front of the king | 18They crossed at the ford in order to help the king's household cross and to do whatever he thought appropriate. Now after he had crossed the Jordan, Shimei son of Gera threw himself down before the king. |
| 19and addressed him, "May your majesty not hold me guilty. Don't remember how your servant did wrong the day your majesty the king left Jerusalem. May the king not let it burden his heart, | 19He said to the king, "Don't think badly of me, my lord, and don't recall the sin of your servant on the day when you, my lord the king, left Jerusalem! Please don't call it to mind! |
| 20because your servant knows that I have sinned, but today I have come here as the first one from the entire house of Joseph to meet your majesty the king." | 20For I, your servant, know that I sinned, and I have come today as the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king." |
| 21But Zeruiah's son Abishai asked, "Why shouldn't Shimei be put to death for this? After all, he cursed the LORD's anointed!" | 21Abishai son of Zeruiah replied, "For this should not Shimei be put to death? After all, he cursed the LORD's anointed!" |
| 22David replied, "What do you sons of Zeruiah have in common with me? You've become my enemies today! Should anyone be executed in Israel today? Don't you know that I've been reinstated as king over Israel today?" | 22But David said, "What do we have in common, you sons of Zeruiah? You are like my enemy today! Should anyone be put to death in Israel today? Don't you realize that today I am king over Israel?" |
| 23Then the king addressed Shimei, "You won't die!" affirming his promise with an oath. | 23The king said to Shimei, "You won't die." The king vowed an oath concerning this. |
| 24Meanwhile, Saul's grandson Mephibosheth also went out to greet 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. | 24Now Mephibosheth, Saul's grandson, came down to meet the king. From the day the king had left until the day he safely returned, Mephibosheth had not cared for his feet nor trimmed his mustache nor washed his clothes. |
| 25When he arrived from Jerusalem to greet the king, the king asked him, "So why didn't you come with me, Mephibosheth?" | 25When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, "Why didn't you go with me, Mephibosheth?" |
| 26He replied, "Well, your majesty, since your servant is lame, I told myself, 'I'll have my donkey saddled and I'll ride on it so I can leave with the king.' But my servant Ziba deceived me | 26He replied, "My lord the king, my servant deceived me! I said, 'Let me get my donkey saddled so that I can ride on it and go with the king,' for I am lame. |
| 27by slandering your servant to your majesty. But your majesty the king is like an angel from God: so do what you think is best. | 27But my servant has slandered me to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like an angel of God. Do whatever seems appropriate to you. |
| 28Everyone from my grandfather's household deserved nothing but death from your majesty the king, but you provided a place for your servant among those who have been eating from your table. So what right do I have to ask for anything more from the king?" | 28After all, there was no one in the entire house of my grandfather who did not deserve death from my lord the king. But instead you allowed me to eat at your own table! What further claim do I have to ask the king for anything?" |
| 29In response, the king told him, "What's the point of us talking anymore? My decision is that you and Ziba divide the fields." | 29Then the king replied to him, "Why should you continue speaking like this? You and Ziba will inherit the field together." |
| 30But Mephibosheth told the king, "Let him take all of it, now that your majesty the king has returned safely to his palace." | 30Mephibosheth said to the king, "Let him have the whole thing! My lord the king has returned safely to his house!" |
| 31Barzillai the Gileadite also had come down from Rogelim to cross the Jordan River with the king and to see him on his way from there. | 31Now when Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim, he crossed the Jordan with the king so he could send him on his way from there. |
| 32Now Barzillai was a very old man at the age of 80 years. A very wealthy man, Barzillai had provided for king David during his sojourn in Mahanaim. | 32But Barzillai was very old--eighty years old, in fact--and he had taken care of the king when he stayed in Mahanaim, for he was a very rich man. |
| 33So the king invited Barzillai, "Cross the Jordan River with me, live with me in Jerusalem, and I'll provide for you there." | 33So the king said to Barzillai, "Cross over with me, and I will take care of you while you are with me in Jerusalem." |
| 34"How many more years do I have to live," Barzillai replied to the king, "that I should move to Jerusalem with the king? | 34Barzillai replied to the king, "How many days do I have left to my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? |
| 35I'm now 80 years old! I can hardly tell the difference between what tastes good or bad! I can't tell what I eat or drink! I can't hear the voice of men and women when they sing! So why should your servant be an added burden to your majesty the king? | 35I am presently eighty years old. Am I able to discern good and bad? Can I taste what I eat and drink? Am I still able to hear the voices of male and female singers? Why should I continue to be a burden to my lord the king? |
| 36Your servant will cross the Jordan River with the king for a short distance, but why should the king offer me this reward? | 36I will cross the Jordan with the king and go a short distance. Why should the king reward me in this way? |
| 37Please let your servant return so I can die in my own home town near the grave of my father and mother. Meanwhile, here is your servant Chimham! Let him accompany your majesty the king. Please do for him whatever seems best to you." | 37Let me return so that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother. But look, here is your servant Kimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him whatever seems appropriate to you." |
| 38So the king answered, "Chimham will accompany me, and I'll do for him whatever seems best to you! I'll do anything for you that you want!" | 38The king replied, "Kimham will cross over with me, and I will do for him whatever I deem appropriate. And whatever you choose, I will do for you." |
| 39Then all the people crossed the Jordan River, followed by the king. The king embraced Barzillai, blessed him, and then Barzillai returned to his home. | 39So all the people crossed the Jordan, as did the king. After the king had kissed him and blessed him, Barzillai returned to his home. |
| 40As the king crossed over the Jordan River to Gilgal, Chimham accompanied him, as did all the troops of Judah and half the troops of Israel. | 40When the king crossed over to Gilgal, Kimham crossed over with him. Now all the soldiers of Judah along with half of the soldiers of Israel had helped the king cross over. |
| 41Not long afterward, all the men of Israel started coming to the king, complaining to him, "Why did our relatives in Judah's army sneak you away, taking the king and his household over the Jordan River, along with David's army?" | 41Then all the men of Israel began coming to the king. They asked the king, "Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, sneak the king away and help the king and his household cross the Jordan--and not only him but all of David's men as well?" |
| 42Everybody from Judah shouted to the men from Israel, "We did this because the king is closely related to us. So why are you angry about this? Have we lived off the king's expense? Have we appropriated anything for ourselves?" | 42All the men of Judah replied to the men of Israel, "Because the king is our close relative! Why are you so upset about this? Have we eaten at the king's expense? Or have we misappropriated anything for our own use?" |
| 43But the men from Israel answered the men from Judah: "We represent ten of the tribes of Israel! So we have more right to David than you do! Why haven't you taken us seriously? Weren't we the first to talk about bringing back our king?" But what the people of Judah had to say was harsher than what the people of Israel were saying. | 43The men of Israel replied to the men of Judah, "We have ten shares in the king, and we have a greater claim on David than you do! Why do you want to curse us? Weren't we the first to suggest bringing back our king?" But the comments of the men of Judah were more severe than those of the men of Israel. |
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