| New Living Translation | New International Version |
| 1 Word soon reached Joab that the king was weeping and mourning for Absalom. | 1Joab was told, "The king is weeping and mourning for Absalom." |
| 2As all the people heard of the king’s deep grief for his son, the joy of that day’s victory was turned into deep sadness. | 2And for the whole army the victory that day was turned into mourning, because on that day the troops heard it said, "The king is grieving for his son." |
| 3They crept back into the town that day as though they were ashamed and had deserted in battle. | 3The men stole into the city that day as men steal in who are ashamed when they flee from battle. |
| 4The king covered his face with his hands and kept on crying, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!” | 4The king covered his face and cried aloud, "O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!" |
| 5Then Joab went to the king’s room and said to him, “We saved your life today and the lives of your sons, your daughters, and your wives and concubines. Yet you act like this, making us feel ashamed of ourselves. | 5Then Joab went into the house to the king and said, "Today you have humiliated all your men, who have just saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters and the lives of your wives and concubines. |
| 6You seem to love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have made it clear today that your commanders and troops mean nothing to you. It seems that if Absalom had lived and all of us had died, you would be pleased. | 6You love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have made it clear today that the commanders and their men mean nothing to you. I see that you would be pleased if Absalom were alive today and all of us were dead. |
| 7Now go out there and congratulate your troops, for I swear by the LORD that if you don’t go out, not a single one of them will remain here tonight. Then you will be worse off than ever before.” | 7Now go out and encourage your men. I swear by the LORD that if you don't go out, not a man will be left with you by nightfall. This will be worse for you than all the calamities that have come on you from your youth till now." |
| 8So the king went out and took his seat at the town gate, and as the news spread throughout the town that he was there, everyone went to him. Meanwhile, the Israelites who had supported Absalom fled to their homes. | 8So the king got up and took his seat in the gateway. When the men were told, "The king is sitting in the gateway," they all came before him. Meanwhile, the Israelites had fled to their homes. |
| 9And throughout all the tribes of Israel there was much discussion and argument going on. The people were saying, “The king rescued us from our enemies and saved us from the Philistines, but Absalom chased him out of the country. | 9Throughout the tribes of Israel, all the people were arguing among themselves, saying, "The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies; he is the one who rescued us from the hand of the Philistines. But now he has fled the country to escape from Absalom; |
| 10Now Absalom, whom we anointed to rule over us, is dead. Why not ask David to come back and be our king again?” | 10and Absalom, whom we anointed to rule over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?" |
| 11Then King David sent Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, to say to the elders of Judah, “Why are you the last ones to welcome back the king into his palace? For I have heard that all Israel is ready. | 11King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests: "Ask the elders of Judah, 'Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his palace, since what is being said throughout Israel has reached the king at his quarters? |
| 12You are my relatives, my own tribe, my own flesh and blood! So why are you the last ones to welcome back the king?” | 12You are my relatives, my own flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to bring back the king?' |
| 13And David told them to tell Amasa, “Since you are my own flesh and blood, like Joab, may God strike me and even kill me if I do not appoint you as commander of my army in his place.” | 13And say to Amasa, 'Are you not my own flesh and blood? May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if you are not the commander of my army for life in place of Joab.'" |
| 14Then Amasa convinced all the men of Judah, and they responded unanimously. They sent word to the king, “Return to us, and bring back all who are with you.” David’s Return to Jerusalem | 14He won over the hearts of the men of Judah so that they were all of one mind. They sent word to the king, "Return, you and all your men." |
| 15So the king started back to Jerusalem. And when he arrived at the Jordan River, the people of Judah came to Gilgal to meet him and escort him across the river. | 15Then the king returned and went as far as the Jordan. Now the men of Judah had come to Gilgal to go out and meet the king and bring him across the Jordan. |
| 16Shimei son of Gera, the man from Bahurim in Benjamin, hurried across with the men of Judah to welcome King David. | 16Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David. |
| 17A thousand other men from the tribe of Benjamin were with him, including Ziba, the chief servant of the house of Saul, and Ziba’s fifteen sons and twenty servants. They rushed down to the Jordan to meet the king. | 17With him were a thousand Benjamites, along with Ziba, the steward of Saul's household, and his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They rushed to the Jordan, where the king was. |
| 18They crossed the shallows of the Jordan to bring the king’s household across the river, helping him in every way they could. David’s Mercy to Shimei As the king was about to cross the river, Shimei fell down before him. | 18They crossed at the ford to take the king's household over and to do whatever he wished. When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell prostrate before the king |
| 19“My lord the king, please forgive me,” he pleaded. “Forget the terrible thing your servant did when you left Jerusalem. May the king put it out of his mind. | 19and said to him, "May my lord not hold me guilty. Do not remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. May the king put it out of his mind. |
| 20I know how much I sinned. That is why I have come here today, the very first person in all Israel to greet my lord the king.” | 20For I your servant know that I have sinned, but today I have come here as the first from the tribes of Joseph to come down and meet my lord the king." |
| 21Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said, “Shimei should die, for he cursed the LORD’s anointed king!” | 21Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said, "Shouldn't Shimei be put to death for this? He cursed the LORD's anointed." |
| 22“Who asked your opinion, you sons of Zeruiah!” David exclaimed. “Why have you become my adversary today? This is not a day for execution, for today I am once again the king of Israel!” | 22David replied, "What does this have to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? What right do you have to interfere? Should anyone be put to death in Israel today? Don't I know that today I am king over Israel?" |
| 23Then, turning to Shimei, David vowed, “Your life will be spared.” David’s Kindness to Mephibosheth | 23So the king said to Shimei, "You shall not die." And the king promised him on oath. |
| 24Now Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, came down from Jerusalem to meet the king. He had not cared for his feet, trimmed his beard, or washed his clothes since the day the king left Jerusalem. | 24Mephibosheth, Saul's grandson, also went down to meet the king. He had not taken care of his feet or trimmed his mustache or washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he returned safely. |
| 25“Why didn’t you come with me, Mephibosheth?” the king asked him. | 25When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, "Why didn't you go with me, Mephibosheth?" |
| 26Mephibosheth replied, “My lord the king, my servant Ziba deceived me. I told him, ‘Saddle my donkey so I can go with the king.’ For as you know I am crippled. | 26He said, "My lord the king, since I your servant am lame, I said, 'I will have my donkey saddled and will ride on it, so I can go with the king.' But Ziba my servant betrayed me. |
| 27Ziba has slandered me by saying that I refused to come. But I know that my lord the king is like an angel of God, so do what you think is best. | 27And he has slandered your servant to my lord the king. My lord the king is like an angel of God; so do whatever you wish. |
| 28All my relatives and I could expect only death from you, my lord, but instead you have honored me by allowing me to eat at your own table! What more can I ask?” | 28All my grandfather's descendants deserved nothing but death from my lord the king, but you gave your servant a place among those who eat at your table. So what right do I have to make any more appeals to the king?" |
| 29“You’ve said enough,” David replied. “I’ve decided that you and Ziba will divide your land equally between you.” | 29The king said to him, "Why say more? I order you and Ziba to divide the land." |
| 30“Give him all of it,” Mephibosheth said. “I am content just to have you safely back again, my lord the king!” David’s Kindness to Barzillai | 30Mephibosheth said to the king, "Let him take everything, now that my lord the king has returned home safely." |
| 31Barzillai of Gilead had come down from Rogelim to escort the king across the Jordan. | 31Barzillai the Gileadite also came down from Rogelim to cross the Jordan with the king and to send him on his way from there. |
| 32He was very old—eighty years of age—and very wealthy. He was the one who had provided food for the king during his stay in Mahanaim. | 32Now Barzillai was very old, eighty years of age. He had provided for the king during his stay in Mahanaim, for he was a very wealthy man. |
| 33“Come across with me and live in Jerusalem,” the king said to Barzillai. “I will take care of you there.” | 33The king said to Barzillai, "Cross over with me and stay with me in Jerusalem, and I will provide for you." |
| 34“No,” he replied, “I am far too old to go with the king to Jerusalem. | 34But Barzillai answered the king, "How many more years will I live, that I should go up to Jerusalem with the king? |
| 35I am eighty years old today, and I can no longer enjoy anything. Food and wine are no longer tasty, and I cannot hear the singers as they sing. I would only be a burden to my lord the king. | 35I am now eighty years old. Can I tell the difference between what is enjoyable and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats and drinks? Can I still hear the voices of male and female singers? Why should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king? |
| 36Just to go across the Jordan River with the king is all the honor I need! | 36Your servant will cross over the Jordan with the king for a short distance, but why should the king reward me in this way? |
| 37Then let me return again to die in my own town, where my father and mother are buried. But here is your servant, my son Kimham. Let him go with my lord the king and receive whatever you want to give him.” | 37Let your servant return, that I may die in my own town near the tomb of my father and mother. But here is your servant Kimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him whatever you wish." |
| 38“Good,” the king agreed. “Kimham will go with me, and I will help him in any way you would like. And I will do for you anything you want.” | 38The king said, "Kimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him whatever you wish. And anything you desire from me I will do for you." |
| 39So all the people crossed the Jordan with the king. After David had blessed Barzillai and kissed him, Barzillai returned to his own home. | 39So all the people crossed the Jordan, and then the king crossed over. The king kissed Barzillai and bid him farewell, and Barzillai returned to his home. |
| 40The king then crossed over to Gilgal, taking Kimham with him. All the troops of Judah and half the troops of Israel escorted the king on his way. An Argument over the King | 40When the king crossed over to Gilgal, Kimham crossed with him. All the troops of Judah and half the troops of Israel had taken the king over. |
| 41But all the men of Israel complained to the king, “The men of Judah stole the king and didn’t give us the honor of helping take you, your household, and all your men across the Jordan.” | 41Soon all the men of Israel were coming to the king and saying to him, "Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, steal the king away and bring him and his household across the Jordan, together with all his men?" |
| 42The men of Judah replied, “The king is one of our own kinsmen. Why should this make you angry? We haven’t eaten any of the king’s food or received any special favors!” | 42All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, "We did this because the king is closely related to us. Why are you angry about it? Have we eaten any of the king's provisions? Have we taken anything for ourselves?" |
| 43“But there are ten tribes in Israel,” the others replied. “So we have ten times as much right to the king as you do. What right do you have to treat us with such contempt? Weren’t we the first to speak of bringing him back to be our king again?” The argument continued back and forth, and the men of Judah spoke even more harshly than the men of Israel. | 43Then the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, "We have ten shares in the king; so we have a greater claim on David than you have. Why then do you treat us with contempt? Weren't we the first to speak of bringing back our king?" But the men of Judah pressed their claims even more forcefully than the men of Israel. |
| Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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