2 Samuel 19

And the king was troubled, and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept; and thus he said as he went, My son Abessalom, my son, my son Abessalom! Who would grant me my death instead of you, I instead of you, Abessalom my son, my son!

And it was reported to Joab, saying, Behold, the king weeps and mourns over Abessalom.

And the salvation on that day was turned into mourning for all the people, for the people heard on that day that it was said, The king grieves over his son.

And the people stole away on that day to enter into the city, as people steal away who are ashamed when they flee in battle.

And the king hid his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, saying, My son Abessalom! Abessalom my son!

And Joab came in to the king into the house and said, You have shamed today the faces of all your servants who deliver you today, and the lives of your sons and of your daughters, and the lives of your wives and of your concubines,

in loving those who hate you and hating those who love you. And you have declared today that your rulers and servants are nothing to you; for I know today that if Abessalom were alive, all of us today were dead, for then it would have been right in your eyes.

And now arise, go out and speak to the heart of your servants; for I have sworn by the Lord that if you do not go out today, not a man will lodge with you this night; and know for yourself that this evil to you is worse than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.

And 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 came before the king. And Israel had fled, each man to his tents.

And all the people were at strife throughout 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, from Abessalom.

And Abessalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in the battle. And now, why are you silent about bringing back the king? And the word of all Israel came to the king.

And King David sent to Sadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, Why are you the last to bring back the king to his house? And the word of all Israel has come to the king.

You are my brothers, you are my bones and my flesh; and why are you the last to bring back the king to his house?

And to Amessai you shall say, Are you not my bone and my flesh? And now, so may God do to me and so may he add, if you shall not be commander of the army before me all the days, in place of Joab.

And he inclined the heart of every man of Judah as of one man; and they sent to the king, saying, Return, you and all your servants.

And the king returned and came as far as the Jordan; and the men of Judah came to Galgala to go to meet the king, to bring the king over the Jordan.

And Semei son of Gera, son of the Iemeni, from Baourim, hurried and went down with the men of Judah to meet King David.

And a thousand men with him from Benjamin, and Siba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons with him, and his twenty slaves with him; and they went straight to the Jordan before the king.

And they performed the service of bringing the king over; and the ferry crossed over to bring over the household of the king, and to do what was right in his eyes. And Semei son of Gera fell on his face before the king as he was crossing the Jordan,

and said to the king, Let not my lord reckon iniquity, and do not remember all that your servant did wrong on the day that my lord the king went out from Jerusalem, that the king should lay it to his heart.

For your slave knows that I have sinned; and behold, I have come today first of all the house of Joseph, to go down to meet my lord the king.

And Abessa son of Sarouia answered and said, Shall not Semei be put to death for this, because he cursed the anointed of the Lord?

And David said, What have I to do with you, sons of Sarouia, that you should become a plotter against me today? Today not one man shall be put to death out of Israel; for do I not know that today I am king over Israel?

And the king said to Semei, You shall not die. And the king swore to him.

And Memphibosthe son of Jonathan son of Saul came down to meet the king; and he had not cared for his feet, nor trimmed his nails, nor dressed his moustache, nor washed his garments, from the day the king departed until the day he himself came in peace.

And it came to pass when he came to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, Why did you not go with me, Memphibosthe?

And Memphibosthe said to him, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me; for your servant said to him, Saddle the donkey for me, and I will ride upon it and go with the king, for your servant is lame.

And he dealt craftily with your servant before my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God; so do what is good in your eyes.

For my father's whole house were nothing but men deserving death before my lord the king; yet you set your servant among those who eat at your table. What right have I still, that I should cry out any more to the king?

And the king said to him: Why do you still speak your words? I have said: you and Siba shall divide the field.

And Memphibosthe said to the king: Let him even take it all, now that my lord the king has come to his house in peace.

And Berzelli the Galaadite came down from Rogellim and crossed the Jordan with the king, to send him on across the Jordan.

Now Berzelli was a very aged man, eighty years old; and it was he who sustained the king while he was dwelling in Manaim, for he is a very great man.

And the king said to Berzelli: You shall cross over with me, and I will sustain your old age with me in Jerusalem.

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?

I am eighty years old today. Shall I still discern between good and evil? Or shall your servant still taste what I eat or drink? Or shall I still hear the voice of men singing and women singing? Why then should your servant still be a burden upon my lord the king?

Your servant will cross the Jordan with the king only a little way; and why does the king repay me with this recompense?

Let your servant remain, and let me die in my own city, by the tomb of my father and my mother. But behold, your servant Chamaam shall cross over with my lord the king; do for him what is good in your eyes.

And the king said: Let Chamaam cross over with me, and I will do for him what is good in your eyes; and all that you choose of me I will do for you.

And all the people crossed the Jordan, and the king crossed over. And the king kissed Berzelli and blessed him, and he returned to his own place.

And the king crossed over to Galgala, and Chamaam crossed over with him; and all the people of Judah were crossing over with the king, and also half the people of Israel.

And behold, all the men of Israel came to the king and said to the king: Why is it that our brothers, the men of Judah, have stolen you away and brought the king and his household across the Jordan, and all David's men with him?

And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel and said: Because the king is near of kin to me. And why are you so angry over this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king's cost? Or has he given a gift, or lifted up any levy for us?

And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah and said: I have ten shares in the king, and I am the firstborn rather than you; indeed in David also I am more than you. Why then have you insulted me in this, and my word was not reckoned as first with me, to bring back the king to me? And the word of the men of Judah was harsher than the word of the men of Israel.