2Samuel:19

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* And Joab was told , "Behold , the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom ." * So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people . For the people heard it said that day , "The king is grieved for his son ." * And the people stole back into the city that day , as people who are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle . * But the king covered his face , and the king cried out with a loud voice , "O my son Absalom ! O Absalom , my son , my son !" * Then Joab came into the house to the king , and said , "Today you have disgraced all your servants who today have saved your life , the lives of your sons and daughters , the lives of your wives and the lives of your concubines , * in that you love your enemies and hate your friends . For you have declared today that you regard neither princes nor servants ; for today I perceive that if Absalom had lived and all of us had died today , then it would have pleased you well . * Now therefore , arise , go out and speak comfort to your servants . For I swear by the LORD , if you do not go out , not one will stay with you this night . And that will be worse for you than all the evil that has befallen you from your youth until now ." * Then the king arose and sat in the gate . And they told all the people , saying , "There is the king , sitting in the gate ." So all the people came before the king . For everyone of Israel had fled to his tent . * Now all the people were in a dispute throughout all the tribes of Israel , saying , "The king saved us from the hand of our enemies , he delivered us from the hand of the Philistines , and now he has fled from the land because of Absalom . * But Absalom , whom we anointed over us , has died in battle . Now therefore , why do you say nothing about bringing back the king ?" * So 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 words of all Israel have come to the king , to his very house ? * You are my brethren , you are my bone and my flesh . Why then are you the last to bring back the king ?' * And say to Amasa , "Are you not my bone and my flesh ? God do so to me , and more also , if you are not commander of the army before me continually in place of Joab ."' * So he swayed the hearts of all the men of Judah , just as the heart of one man , so that they sent this word to the king : "Return , you and all your servants !" * Then the king returned and came to the Jordan . And Judah came to Gilgal , to go to meet the king , to escort the king across the Jordan . * And Shimei the son of Gera , a Benjamite , who was from Bahurim , hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David . * There were a thousand men of Benjamin with him , and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul , and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him ; and they went over the Jordan before the king . * Then a ferryboat went across to carry over the king 's household , and to do what he thought good . Now Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king when he had crossed the Jordan . * Then he said to the king , "Do not let my lord impute iniquity to me , or remember what wrong your servant did on the day that my lord the king left Jerusalem , that the king should take it to heart . * For I , your servant , know that I have sinned . Therefore here I am , the first to come today of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king ." * But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said , "Shall not Shimei be put to death for this , because he cursed the LORD 's anointed ?" * And David said , "What have I to do with you , you sons of Zeruiah , that you should be adversaries to me today ? Shall any man be put to death today in Israel ? For do I not know that today I am king over Israel ?" * Therefore the king said to Shimei , "You shall not die ." And the king swore to him . * Now Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king . And he had not cared for his feet , nor trimmed his mustache , nor washed his clothes , from the day the king departed until the day he returned in peace . * So it was , when he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king , that the king said to him , "Why did you not go with me , Mephibosheth ?" * And he answered , "My lord , O king , my servant deceived me . For your servant said , "I will saddle a donkey for myself , that I may ride on it and go to the king ,' because your servant is lame . * And 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 eyes . * For all my father 's house were but dead men before my lord the king . Yet you set your servant among those who eat at your own table . Therefore what right have I still to cry out anymore to the king ?" * So the king said to him , "Why do you speak anymore of your matters ? I have said , "You and Ziba divide the land ."' * Then Mephibosheth said to the king , "Rather , let him take it all , inasmuch as my lord the king has come back in peace to his own house ." * And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim and went across the Jordan with the king , to escort him across the Jordan . * Now Barzillai was a very aged man , eighty years old . And he had provided the king with supplies while he stayed at Mahanaim , for he was a very rich man . * And the king said to Barzillai , "Come across with me , and I will provide for you while you are with me in Jerusalem ." * But Barzillai said to the king , "How long have I to live , that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem ? * I am today eighty years old . Can I discern between the good and bad ? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink ? Can I hear any longer the voice of singing men and singing women ? Why then should your servant be a further burden to my lord the king ? * Your servant will go a little way across the Jordan with the king . And why should the king repay me with such a reward ? * Please let your servant turn back again , that I may die in my own city , near the grave 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 seems good to you ." * And the king answered , "Chimham shall cross over with me , and I will do for him what seems good to you . Now whatever you request of me , I will do for you ." * Then all the people went over the Jordan . And when the king had crossed over , the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him , and he returned to his own place . * Now the king went on to Gilgal , and Chimham went on with him . And all the people of Judah escorted the king , and also half the people of Israel . * Just then all the men of Israel came to the king , and said to the king , "Why have our brethren , the men of Judah , stolen you away and brought the king , his household , and all David 's men with him across the Jordan ?" * So all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel , "Because the king is a close relative of ours . Why then are you angry over this matter ? Have we ever eaten at the king 's expense ? Or has he given us any gift ?" * And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah , and said , "We have ten shares in the king ; therefore we also have more right to David than you . Why then do you despise us--were we not the first to advise bringing back our king ?" Yet the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel .

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