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1 And they brought Joab word, saying, Behold, the king weeps and mourns for Abessalom. 2 And the victory was turned that day into mourning to all the people, for the people heard say that day, The king grieves after his son. 3 And the people stole away that day to go into the city, as people steal away when they are ashamed as they flee in the battle. 4 And the king hid his face: and the king cried with a loud voice, My son Abessalom! Abessalom my son! 5 And Joab went in to the king, into the house, and said, You have this day shamed the faces of all your servants that have delivered you this day, and have saved the lives of your sons and of your daughters, and the lives of your wives, and of your concubines, 6 forasmuch as you love them that hate you, and hate them that love you; and you have this day declared, that your princes and your servants are nothing in your sight: for I know this day, that if Abessalom were alive, and all of us dead today, then it would have been right in your sight. 7 And now arise, and go forth, and speak comfortably to your servants; for I have sworn by the Lord, that unless you will go forth today, there shall not a man remain with you this night: and know for yourself, this thing will indeed be evil to you beyond all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now. 8 Then the king arose, and sat in the gate: and all the people reported, saying, Behold, the king sits in the gate. And all the people went in before the king to the gate; for Israel had fled every man to his * tent. 9 And all the people disputed amongst all the tribes of Israel, saying, King David delivered us from all our enemies, and he rescued us from the hand of the Philistines: and now he has fled from the land, and from his kingdom, and from Abessalom. 10 And Abessalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle: and now why are you⌃ silent about bringing back the king? And the word of all Israel came to the king. 11 And king David sent to Sadoc and Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak to the elders of Israel, saying, Why are you⌃ the last to bring back the king to his house? whereas the word of all Israel is come to the king to his house. 12 You⌃ are my brethren, you⌃ are my bones and my flesh: why are you⌃ the last to bring back the king to his house? 13 And you⌃ shall say to Amessai, Are you not my bone and my flesh? and now God do so to me, and more also, if you shall not be commander of the host before me continually in the room of Joab. 14 And he bowed the heart of all the men of Juda as that of one man; and they sent to the king, saying, Return you, and all your servants. 15 And the king returned, and came as far as Jordan. And the men of Juda came to Galgala on their way to meet the king, to cause the king to pass over Jordan. 16 And Semei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, of Baurim, hasted and went down with † the men of Juda to meet king David. 17 And a thousand men of Benjamin were with him, and Siba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons with him, and his twenty servants with him: and they went directly down to Jordan before the king, 18 and they performed the service of bringing the king over; and there went over a ferry-boat to remove the household of the king, and to do that which was right in his eyes. And Semei the son of Gera fell on his face before the king, as he went over Jordan; 19 and said to the king, Let not my lord now impute iniquity, and remember not all the iniquity of your servant in the day in which my lord went out from Jerusalem, so that the king should mind it. 20 For your servant knows that I have sinned: and, behold, I am come today before all Israel and the house of Joseph, to go down and meet my lord the king. 21 And Abessai the son of Saruia answered and said, Shall not Semei therefore be put to death, because he cursed the Lord's anointed? 22 And David said, What have I to do with you, you⌃ sons of Saruia, that you⌃ as it were lie in wait against me this day? today no man in Israel shall be put to death, for I know not if I this day reign over Israel. 23 And the king said to Semei, You shall not die: and the king swore to him. 24 And Memphibosthe the son of Saul's son went down to meet the king, and had not dressed his feet, nor pared his nails, nor shaved himself, neither had he washed his garments, from the day that the king departed, until the day when he arrived in peace. 25 And it came to pass when he went into Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, Why did you not go with me, Memphibosthe? 26 And Memphibosthe said to him, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me; for your servant said to him, Saddle me the ass, and I will ride upon it, and go with the king; for your servant is lame. 27 And he has dealt deceitfully with your servant to my lord the king: but my lord the king is as an angel of God, and do you that which is good in your eyes. 28 For all the house of my father were but as dead men before my lord the king; yet you have set your servant amongst them that eat at your table: and what right have I any longer even to cry to the king? 29 And the king said to him, Why ‡ speak you any longer of your matters? I have said, You and Siba shall divide the land. 30 And Memphibosthe said to the king, Yes, let him take all, since my lord the king has come in peace to his house. 31 And Berzelli the Galaadite came down from Rogellim, and crossed over Jordan with the king, that he might conduct the king over Jordan. 32 And Berzelli was a very old man, § eighty years old; and he had maintained the king when he lived in Manaim; for he was a very great man. 33 And the king said to Berzelli, You shall go over with me, and I will nourish your old age with me in Jerusalem. 34 And Berzelli said to the king, How many are the days of the years of my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35 I am this day eighty years old: can I then distinguish between good and evil? Can your servant taste any longer what I eat or drink? can I any longer hear the voice of singing men or singing women? and therefore shall your servant any longer be a burden to my lord the king? 36 Your servant will go ** a little way over Jordan with the king: and why does the king return me this recompense? 37 Let, I pray you, your servant remain, and I will die in my city, by the tomb of my father and of my mother. And, behold, your servant Chamaam shall go over with my lord the king; and do you to him as it seems good in your eyes. 38 And the king said, Let Chamaam go over with me, and I will do to him what is good in my sight; and whatever you shall choose at my hand, I will do for you. 39 And all the people went over Jordan, and the king went over; and the king kissed Berzelli, and blessed him; and he returned to his place. 40 And the king went over to Galgala, and Chamaam went over with him: and all the men of Juda went over with the king, and also half the people of Israel. 41 And behold, †† all the men of Israel came to the king, and said to the king, Why have our brethren the men of Juda stolen you away, and caused the king and all his house to pass over Jordan, and all the men of David with him? 42 And all the men of Juda answered the men of Israel, and said, Because the king is near of kin to us: and why were you thus angry concerning this matter? have we indeed eaten of the king's food? or has he given us a gift, or has he sent us a portion? 43 And the men of Israel answered the men of Juda, and said, We have ten ‡‡ parts in the king, and we are older than you, we have also an interest in David above you: and why have you⌃ thus insulted us, and why was not our advice taken before that of Juda, to bring back our king? And the speech of the men of Juda was sharper than the speech of the men of Israel.
* 19:8 Gr. tents. † 19:16 Gr. the man. ‡ 19:29 Gr. speak you your words any longer. § 19:32 Gr. a son of eighty years. ** 19:36 Gr. as it were a little. †† 19:41 Gr. every man. ‡‡ 19:43 Gr. and Heb. hands.