| New International Version | NET Bible |
| 1Joab was told, "The king is weeping and mourning for Absalom." | 1Joab was told, "The king is weeping and mourning over Absalom." |
| 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." | 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." |
| 3The men stole into the city that day as men steal in who are ashamed when they flee from battle. | 3That day the people stole away to go to the city the way people who are embarrassed steal away in fleeing from battle. |
| 4The king covered his face and cried aloud, "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 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. | 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. 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. | 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 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." | 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 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. | 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. |
| 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; | 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. |
| 10and Absalom, whom we anointed to rule over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?" | 10But Absalom, whom we anointed as our king, has died in battle. So now why do you hesitate to bring the king back?" |
| 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? | 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 relatives, my own flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to bring back 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, '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.'" | 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!'" |
| 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." | 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." |
| 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. | 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. |
| 16Shimei son of Gera, the 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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 | 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 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. | 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 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." | 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." |
| 21Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said, "Shouldn't Shimei be put to death for this? 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!" |
| 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?" | 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 promised him on oath. | 23The king said to Shimei, "You won't die." The king vowed an oath concerning this. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 25When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, "Why didn't you go with me, Mephibosheth?" | 25When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, "Why didn't you go with me, Mephibosheth?" |
| 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. | 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. My lord the king is like an angel of God; so do whatever you wish. | 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. |
| 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?" | 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 said to him, "Why say more? I order you and Ziba 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." |
| 30Mephibosheth said to the king, "Let him take everything, now that my lord the king has returned home safely." | 30Mephibosheth said to the king, "Let him have the whole thing! My lord the king has returned safely to his house!" |
| 31Barzillai the Gileadite also came down from Rogelim to cross the Jordan with the king and to 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. |
| 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. | 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 stay with me in Jerusalem, and I will provide for you." | 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 answered the king, "How many more years will I live, 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 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? | 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 will cross over the Jordan with the king for a short distance, but why should the king reward me in this way? | 36I will cross the Jordan with the king and go a short distance. Why should the king reward me in this way? |
| 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." | 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 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." | 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 bid him farewell, and Barzillai returned to his 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. |
| 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. | 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 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?" | 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?" |
| 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?" | 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?" |
| 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. | 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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