| Berean Study Bible | NET Bible |
| 1Then it was reported to Joab, “The king is weeping and mourning over Absalom.” | 1Joab was told, "The king is weeping and mourning over Absalom." |
| 2And that day’s victory was turned into mourning for all the people, because on that day they were told, “The king is grieving over 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 they returned to the city quietly that day, as people steal away in humiliation after fleeing 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. |
| 4But the king covered his face and cried out at the top of his voice, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!” | 4The king covered his face and cried out loudly, "My son, Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!" |
| 5Then Joab went into the house and said to the king, “Today you have disgraced all your servants who have saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters, of your wives, and of your concubines. | 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! For you have made it clear today that the commanders and soldiers mean nothing to you. I know today that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead, it would have pleased you! | 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 therefore get up! Go out and speak comfort to your servants, for I swear by the LORD that if you do not go out, not a man will remain with you tonight. This will be worse for you than all the adversity that has befallen you from your youth 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 sat in the gate, and all the people were told: “Behold, the king is sitting in the gate.” So they all came before the king. Meanwhile, the Israelites had fled, each man to his home. | 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. |
| 9And all the people throughout the tribes of Israel were arguing, “The king rescued us from the hand of our enemies and delivered us from the hand of the Philistines, but now he has fled the land 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. |
| 10But Absalom, the man we anointed over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about restoring the king?” | 10But Absalom, whom we anointed as our king, has died in battle. So now why do you hesitate to bring the king back?" |
| 11Then King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests: “Say to the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you be the last to restore the king to his palace, since the talk of all Israel has reached the king at his quarters? | 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 are my brothers, my own flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to restore the king?’ | 12You are my brothers--my very own flesh and blood! Why should you delay any further in bringing the king back?' |
| 13And say to Amasa, ‘Aren’t you my flesh and blood? May God punish me, and ever so severely, if from this time you are not the commander of my army in place of Joab!’ ” | 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!'" |
| 14So he swayed the hearts of all the men of Judah as though they were one man, and they sent word to the king: “Return, you and all your servants.” | 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, and when he arrived at the Jordan, the men of Judah came to Gilgal to meet him and escort him across the Jordan. | 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. |
| 16Then Shimei son of Gera, a Benjamite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David, | 16Shimei son of Gera the Benjaminite from Bahurim came down quickly with the men of Judah to meet King David. |
| 17along with a thousand men of Benjamin, as well as Ziba the steward of the house of Saul and his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They rushed down to the Jordan before 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 crossed at the ford to carry over the king’s household and to do what was good in his sight. When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell down before 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 said, “My lord, do not hold me guilty, and do not remember your servant’s wrongdoing on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. May the king not take it to 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! |
| 20For your servant knows that I have sinned, so here I am today as the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord 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 Abishai son of Zeruiah said, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this, because 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!" |
| 22And David replied, “Sons of Zeruiah, what have I to do with you, that you should be my adversaries today? Should any man be put to death in Israel today? Am I not indeed aware that today I am king over Israel?” | 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?" |
| 23So the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king swore an oath to him. | 23The king said to Shimei, "You won't die." The king vowed an oath concerning this. |
| 24Then Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, went down to meet the king. He had not cared for his feet or trimmed his mustache or washed his clothes from the day the king had 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. |
| 25And he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, who asked him, “Mephibosheth, why did you not go with me?” | 25When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, "Why didn't you go with me, Mephibosheth?" |
| 26“My lord the king,” he replied, “because I am lame, I said, ‘I will have my donkey saddled so that I may ride on it and go 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. |
| 27and he has slandered your servant to my lord the king. Yet my lord the king is like the angel of God, so do what is good in your eyes. | 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. |
| 28For all the house of my grandfather deserves death from my lord the king, yet you have set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right, then, do I have to keep appealing to 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?" |
| 29The king replied, “Why say any more? I hereby declare that you and Ziba are to divide the land.” | 29Then the king replied to him, "Why should you continue speaking like this? You and Ziba will inherit the field together." |
| 30And Mephibosheth said to the king, “Instead, since my lord the king has safely come to his own house, let Ziba take it all!” | 30Mephibosheth said to the king, "Let him have the whole thing! My lord the king has returned safely to his house!" |
| 31Now Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim to cross the Jordan with the king and send 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. |
| 32Barzillai was quite old, eighty years of age, and since he was a very wealthy man, he had provided for the king while he stayed 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. |
| 33The king said to Barzillai, “Cross over with me, and I will provide for you at my side in Jerusalem.” | 33So the king said to Barzillai, "Cross over with me, and I will take care of you while you are with me in Jerusalem." |
| 34But Barzillai replied, “How many years of my life remain, that I should go up 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 am now eighty years old. Can I discern what is good and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats or drinks? Can I still hear the voice of singing men and women? Why should your servant be an added burden to my lord 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 could go with the king only a short distance past the Jordan; why should the king repay me with such a 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, 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, and do for him what is good in your sight.” | 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." |
| 38The king replied, “Chimham will cross over with me, and I will do for him what seems good in your sight, and I will do for you whatever you desire of me.” | 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." |
| 39So all the people crossed the Jordan, and then the king crossed over. The king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and Barzillai returned 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. |
| 40Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham crossed over with him. All the troops of Judah and half the troops of Israel escorted the king. | 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. |
| 41Soon all the men of Israel came to the king and asked, “Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, take you away secretly and bring the king and his household across the Jordan, together with all of David’s men?” | 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?" |
| 42And all the men of Judah replied to the men of Israel, “We did this because the king is our relative. Why does this anger you? Have we ever eaten at the king’s expense or received 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?" |
| 43“We have ten shares in the king,” answered the men of Israel, “so we have more claim to David than you. Why then do you despise us? Were we not the first to speak of restoring our king?” But the men of Judah pressed even harder than the men of Israel. | 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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