2 SAMUEL CHAPTER 19
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2 Samuel 19:1 It was told Joab, “Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.”
2 Samuel 19:2 So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people, for the people heard that day, “The king is grieving for his son.”
2 Samuel 19:3 And the people stole into the city that day as people steal in who are ashamed when they flee in battle.
2 Samuel 19:4 The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!”
2 Samuel 19:5 Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, “You have today covered with shame the faces of all your servants, who have this day saved your life and the lives of your sons and your daughters and the lives of your wives and your concubines,
2 Samuel 19:6 because you love those who hate you and hate those who love you. For you have made it clear today that commanders and servants are nothing to you, for today I know that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then you would be pleased.
2 Samuel 19:7 Now therefore arise, go out and speak kindly to your servants, for I swear by the LORD, if you do not go, not a man will stay with you this night, and this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.”
2 Samuel 19:8 Then the king arose and took his seat in the gate. And the people were all told, “Behold, the king is sitting in the gate.” And all the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled every man to his own home.
2 Samuel 19:9 And all the people were arguing throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies and saved us from the hand of the Philistines, and now he has fled out of the land from Absalom.
2 Samuel 19:10 But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?”
2 Samuel 19:11 And King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar the priests: “Say to the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his house, when the word of all Israel has come to the king?
2 Samuel 19:12 You are my brothers; you are my bone and my flesh. Why then should you be the last to bring back the king?’
2 Samuel 19:13 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 my army from now on in place of Joab.’”
2 Samuel 19:14 And he swayed the heart of all the men of Judah as one man, so that they sent word to the king, “Return, both you and all your servants.”
2 Samuel 19:15 So the king came back to the Jordan, and Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king and to bring the king over the Jordan.
2 Samuel 19:16 And Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, from Bahurim, hurried to come down with the men of Judah to meet King David.
2 Samuel 19:17 And with him were a thousand men from Benjamin. And Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, with his fifteen sons and his twenty servants, rushed down to the Jordan before the king,
2 Samuel 19:18 and they crossed the ford to bring over the king’s household and to do his pleasure. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was about to cross the Jordan,
2 Samuel 19:19 and said to the king, “Let not my lord hold me guilty or remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. Do not let the king take it to heart.
2 Samuel 19:20 For your servant knows that I have sinned. Therefore, behold, I have come this day, the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.”
2 Samuel 19:21 Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, “Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD’s anointed?”
2 Samuel 19:22 But David said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day be as an adversary to me? Shall anyone be put to death in Israel this day? For do I not know that I am this day king over Israel?”
2 Samuel 19:23 And the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king gave him his oath.