| New American Standard Bible 1995 | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Then it was told Joab, "Behold, the king is weeping and mourns for Absalom." | 1It was reported to Joab, "The king is weeping. He's mourning over Absalom." |
| 2The victory that day was turned to mourning for all the people, for the people heard it said that day, "The king is grieved for his son." | 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." |
| 3So the people went by stealth into the city that day, as people who are humiliated steal away when they flee in battle. | 3So they returned to the city quietly that day like people come in when they are humiliated after fleeing in battle. |
| 4The king covered his face and cried out with a loud voice, "O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!" | 4But the king hid his face and cried out at the top of his voice, "My son Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!" |
| 5Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, "Today you have covered with shame the faces of all your servants, who today have saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines, | 5Then Joab went into the house to the king and said, "Today you have shamed all your soldiers--those who rescued your life and the lives of your sons and daughters, your wives, and your concubines. |
| 6by loving those who hate you, and by hating those who love you. For you have shown today that princes and servants are nothing to you; for I know this day that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then you would be pleased. | 6You love your enemies and hate 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!" |
| 7"Now therefore arise, go out and speak kindly to your servants, for I swear by the LORD, if you do not go out, surely not a man will pass the night with you, and this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now." | 7Now 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!" |
| 8So the king arose and sat in the gate. When they told all the people, saying, "Behold, the king is sitting in the gate," then all the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled, each to his tent. | 8So the king got up and sat in the gate, and all the people were told: "Look, the king is sitting in the gate." Then they all came into the king's presence. Meanwhile, each Israelite had fled to his tent. |
| 9All the people were quarreling throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, "The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies and saved us from the hand of the Philistines, but now he has fled out of the land from Absalom. | 9All the people among all the tribes of Israel were arguing: "The king delivered us from the grasp of our enemies, and he rescued us from the grasp of the Philistines, but now he has fled from the land because of Absalom. |
| 10"However, Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. Now then, why are you silent about bringing the king back?" | 10But Absalom, the man we anointed over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about restoring the king?" |
| 11Then King David sent to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, saying, "Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, 'Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house, since the word of all Israel has come to the king, even to his house? | 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. |
| 12'You are my brothers; you are my bone and my flesh. Why then should you be the last to bring back the king?' | 12You are my brothers, my flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to restore the king?' |
| 13"Say to Amasa, 'Are you not my bone and my flesh? May God do so to me, and more also, if you will not be commander of the army before me continually in place of Joab.'" | 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 the army from now on instead of Joab!'" |
| 14Thus he turned the hearts of all the men of Judah as one man, so that they sent word to the king, saying, "Return, you and all your servants." | 14So he won over all the men of Judah, and they sent word to the king: "Come back, you and all your servants." |
| 15The king then returned and came as far as the Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal in order to go to meet the king, to bring the king across the Jordan. | 15Then the king returned. When he arrived at the Jordan, Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king and escort him across the Jordan. |
| 16Then Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite who was from Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David. | 16Shimei son of Gera, a Benjaminite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David. |
| 17There were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, with Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they rushed to the Jordan before the king. | 17There were 1,000 men from Benjamin with him. Ziba, an attendant from the house of Saul, with his 15 sons and 20 servants also rushed down to the Jordan ahead of the king. |
| 18Then they kept crossing the ford to bring over the king's household, and to do what was good in his sight. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king as he was about to cross the Jordan. | 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 down before the king |
| 19So he said to the king, "Let not my lord consider me guilty, nor remember what your servant did wrong on the day when my lord the king came out from Jerusalem, so that the king would take it to heart. | 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. |
| 20"For your servant knows that I have sinned; therefore behold, I have come today, the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king." | 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." |
| 21But Abishai the son of Zeruiah said, "Should not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD'S anointed?" | 21Abishai son of Zeruiah asked, "Shouldn't Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD's anointed?" |
| 22David then said, "What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day be an adversary to me? Should any man be put to death in Israel today? For do I not know that I am king over Israel today?" | 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?" |
| 23The king said to Shimei, "You shall not die." Thus the king swore to him. | 23So the king said to Shimei, "You will not die." Then the king gave him his oath. |
| 24Then Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king; and he had neither cared for his feet, nor trimmed his mustache, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace. | 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. |
| 25It was when he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, "Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?" | 25When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, "Mephibosheth, why didn't you come with me?"" |
| 26So he answered, "O my lord, the king, my servant deceived me; for your servant said, 'I will saddle a donkey for myself that I may ride on it and go with the king,' because your servant is lame. | 26My 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. |
| 27"Moreover, he has slandered your servant to my lord the king; but my lord the king is like the angel of God, therefore do what is good in your sight. | 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. |
| 28"For all my father's household was nothing but dead men before my lord the king; yet you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. What right do I have yet that I should complain anymore to the king?" | 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?" |
| 29So the king said to him, "Why do you still speak of your affairs? I have decided, 'You and Ziba shall divide the land.'" | 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." |
| 30Mephibosheth said to the king, "Let him even take it all, since my lord the king has come safely to his own house." | 30Mephibosheth said to the king, "Instead, since my lord the king has come to his palace safely, let Ziba take it all!" |
| 31Now Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim; and he went on to the Jordan with the king to escort him over the Jordan. | 31Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim and accompanied the king to the Jordan River to see him off at the Jordan. |
| 32Now Barzillai was very old, being eighty years old; and he had sustained the king while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very great man. | 32Barzillai was a very old man--80 years old--and since he was a very wealthy man, he had provided for the needs of the king while he stayed in Mahanaim. |
| 33The king said to Barzillai, "You cross over with me and I will sustain you in Jerusalem with me." | 33The king said to Barzillai, "Cross over with me, and I'll provide for you at my side in Jerusalem." |
| 34But Barzillai said to the king, "How long have I yet to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? | 34Barzillai replied to the king, "How many years of my life are left that I should go up to Jerusalem with the king? |
| 35"I am now eighty years old. Can I distinguish between good and bad? Or can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Or can I hear anymore the voice of singing men and women? Why then should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king? | 35I'm now 80 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? |
| 36"Your servant would merely cross over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king compensate me with this reward? | 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? |
| 37"Please let your servant return, that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother. However, here is your servant Chimham, let him cross over with my lord the king, and do for him what is good in your sight." | 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." |
| 38The king answered, "Chimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him what is good in your sight; and whatever you require of me, I will do for you." | 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." |
| 39All the people crossed over the Jordan and the king crossed too. The king then kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his place. | 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. |
| 40Now the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him; and all the people of Judah and also half the people of Israel accompanied the king. | 40The king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went with him. All the troops of Judah and half of Israel's escorted the king. |
| 41And behold, all the men of Israel came to the king and said to the king, "Why had our brothers the men of Judah stolen you away, and brought the king and his household and all David's men with him over the Jordan?" | 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?" |
| 42Then all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, "Because the king is a close relative to us. Why then are you angry about this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king's expense, or has anything been taken for us?" | 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?" |
| 43But the men of Israel answered the men of Judah and said, "We have ten parts in the king, therefore we also have more claim on David than you. Why then did you treat us with contempt? Was it not our advice first to bring back our king?" Yet the words of the men of Judah were harsher than the words of the men of Israel. | 43The men of Israel answered the men of Judah: "We have 10 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. |
| New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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