1 ¶ Joab was told, The king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.

2 And today’s victory has been turned into mourning for all the people: because the people have heard how grieved the king is for his son.

3 And that day the people slipped quietly into the city, as people who are ashamed come in after they have fled in battle.

4 But the king covered his face, and cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!

5 Then Joab went to the king in the palace, and said, Today you have shamed all of your servants, who saved your life, and the lives of your sons and of your daughters, and the lives of your wives, and your concubines;

6 For you love your enemies, and hate your friends. For you have made it clear this day, that you have no regard for princes or servants: for today I can see, that if Absalom had lived, and we had all died, you would be pleased.

7 So now arise, go out, and encourage your soldiers: for I swear by the LORD, if you do not go out, not one will remain with you tonight: and that will be worse for you than all the evil that has befallen you from your youth until now.

8 Then the king got up, and sat in the gateway. And all the troops were told, Look, the king is sitting in the gate. And all the troops came before the king: for every Israelite who supported Absalom had fled to his home.

9 ¶ And throughout the tribes of Israel all the people were arguing, saying, The king saved us from the hand of our enemies, and he delivered us from the hand of the Philistines; but now he has fled the country because of Absalom.

10 And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. So now why do you not say anything about bringing the king back?

11 And king David sent word to the priests Zadok and Abiathar, saying, Ask the elders of Judah, Why should you be the last to restore the king to his palace? when the word of all Israel has reached the king, at his house.

12 You are my brethren, you are my flesh and bone: why then are you the last to bring the king back?

13 And ask Amasa, Are you not my flesh and bone? May God punish me, and severely, if you are not the commander of the army for me from now on in place of Joab.

14 And he swayed the hearts of all the men of Judah, as if they had been one man; so they sent word to him, Return, you and all your servants.

15 So the king returned, and came to the Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to meet the king, and escort him over the Jordan.

16 ¶ 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.

17 And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, with his fifteen sons and twenty servants; rushed down to the Jordan ahead of the king.

18 And they forded the Jordan to bring the king’s household across, and to do his pleasure. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he came to the Jordan;

19 And said to the king, My lord do not hold me guilty, or remember what your servant did wrong on the day that my lord the king left Jerusalem, may the king not take it to heart.

20 For your servant knows that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am today first of all of the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.

21 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD’S anointed?

22 And David said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should be in opposition to me today? should anyone be put to death in Israel today? for am I not confident that I am now king over Israel?

23 Therefore the king said to Shimei, You will not die. And the king gave him his oath.

24 ¶ Then Mephibosheth the grandson of Saul came down to meet the king, and had not dressed his feet, trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace.

25 And when he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king, David said to him, Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?

26 And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me: for I said to him, saddle a donkey for me, so that I may ride on it, and go to the king; because your servant is lame.

27 And he 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.

28 For all of 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 do I have to cry any more to the king?

29 Then the king said to him, Why speak any more of your affairs? I have decided, You and Ziba shall divide the land.

30 And Mephibosheth said to the king, Oh, let him take it all, since my lord the king has returned in peace to his own house.

31 ¶ Now Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim, and went on with the king to the Jordan, to escort him over the Jordan.

32 But Barzillai was a very old man, eighty years old: and since he was a very wealthy man, he had provided for the king’s needs while he stayed in Mahanaim.

33 And the king said to Barzillai, Come over with me, and I will provide for you at my side in Jerusalem.

34 But Barzillai said to the king, How long do I have to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?

35 I am now eighty years old: can I discern what is pleasant and not? can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear the voice of men and women singing any longer? why then should your servant be a burden to my lord the king?

36 Your servant will only go a little way over Jordan with the king: why should the king repay me with such a reward?

37 Please let your servant turn back, so that I may die in my own city, and be buried in the grave of my father and mother. But here is your servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what seems good to you.

38 And the king answered, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do for him whatever seems good to you: and whatever you ask of me, I will do for you.

39 And all the people crossed over the Jordan. And when the king had crossed over, the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned to his own home.

40 ¶ Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him: and all the people of Judah, and half the people of Israel escorted the king.

41 And all of the men of Israel came to the king, and said to the king, Why have our kinsmen the men of Judah stolen you away, and taken the king, and his household, along with all of his men, over the Jordan?

42 But all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to us: why then are you angry over this? have we eaten anything at the king’s expense? or has he given us any gift?

43 Then the men of Israel replied to the men of Judah, saying, We have ten shares in the king, so we have a greater claim to David than you: why then do you despise us? were we not the first to speak of bringing back our king? But the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.