1It was told Joab, "Look, the king weeps and mourns for Absalom." 2The victory that day was turned into mourning to all the people; for the people heard it said that day, "The king grieves for his son." 3The people sneaked into the city that day, as people who are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle. 4The king covered his face, and he cried with a loud voice, "My son Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son." 5Joab came into the house to the king, and said, "You have shamed this day the faces of all your servants, who this day have saved your life, and the lives of your sons and of your daughters, and the lives of your wives, and the lives of your secondary wives; 6in that you love those who hate you, and hate those who love you. For you have declared this day, that leaders and servants are nothing to you. For today I perceive that if Absalom had lived, and all of us had died, then you would be pleased. 7Now therefore arise, go out, and speak to comfort your servants; for I swear by the LORD, if you do not go out, not a man will stay with you this night. That would be worse to you than all the evil that has happened to you from your youth until now."

8Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. They told to all the people, saying, "Look, the king is sitting in the gate." All the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled every man to his tent. 9All the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, "The king delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, and he saved us out of the hand of the Philistines, but now he has fled from the land and from being over his kingdom. 10Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why do you not speak a word of bringing the king back?" And the talk of all Israel came to the king.

11So king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, "Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, 'Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house? 12You are my brothers, you are my bone and my flesh. Why then are you the last to bring back the king?' 13Say to Amasa, 'Aren?t you my bone and my flesh? Now then, God do so to me, and more also, if you aren?t commander of the army before me continually in place of Joab.'" 14Thus he won over the heart of all the men of Judah, even as one man, so that they sent to the king, saying, "Return, you and all your servants." 15So the king returned and came to the Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, having come down to meet the king, to bring the king across the Jordan.

16And Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite who was from Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David. 17And there were a thousand men from Benjamin with him. But Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him, waded through the Jordan ahead of the king, 18and they crossed 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, when he had crossed over the Jordan. 19He said to the king, "Do not let my lord impute iniquity to me, nor remember that which your servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart. 20For your servant knows that I have sinned. Therefore look, I have come this day the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king." 21But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, "Shall Shimei not be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD's anointed?" 22David said, "What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day be adversaries to me? Shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? For do you not realize that I am this day king over Israel?" 23The king said to Shimei, "You shall not die." The king swore to him.

24Now Mippibaal son of Jonathan son of Saul came down to meet the king; and he had neither cared for his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home safely. 25It happened, when he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, "Why did you not go with me, Mippibaal?" 26He answered, "My lord, O king, my servant deceived me. For your servant said to him, 'Saddle a donkey for me so that I may ride on it and go with the king,' for your servant is lame. 27He has slandered your servant to my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God. Do therefore what is good in your eyes. 28For all my father's house were but dead men before my lord the king; yet you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. What right therefore have I yet that I should cry any more to the king?" 29The king said to him, "Why do you speak any more of your matters? I say, you and Ziba divide the land." 30Mippibaal said to the king, "Yes, let him take all, because my lord the king has come in peace to his own house."

31Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim; and he went over the Jordan with the king, to conduct him from the Jordan. 32Now Barzillai was a very old man, eighty years old; and he had provided for the king while he was staying at Mahanaim, for he was a very rich man. 33The king said to Barzillai, "Come over with me, and I will sustain you with me in Jerusalem." 34Barzillai 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? 35I am this day eighty years old. Can I discern between good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be yet a burden to my lord the king? 36Your servant would but just go over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king repay me with such a reward? 37Please let your servant turn back again, that I may die in my own city, by the grave of my father and my mother. But look, your servant Kimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good to you." 38The king answered, "Kimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good to you. Whatever you require of me, that I will do for you." 39All the people crossed over the Jordan, but the king remained. Then the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned to his own place.

40So the king went over to Gilgal, and Kimham went over with him. All the people of Judah brought the king over, and also half the people of Israel. 41Look, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said to the king, "Why have our brothers the men of Judah stolen you away, and brought the king, and his household, over the Jordan, and all David's men with him?" 42All 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 cost? Or has he given us any gifts?" 43The men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, "We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more claim to David than you. Why then did you despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king?" The words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.