2 Samuel 19:1-43 Bringing Back King David to Rule Again

Bringing Back King David to Rule Again

2 Samuel 19:1-43       The Book of 2 Samuel [in Smaller Chunks]

Joab was told, [Look,] the king [weeps & mourns] for Absalom. That [day’s] victory has turned into mourning [for] all the people, for [they] heard that day, how king [David] was grieved for his son.

The people [quietly snuck] into the city that day, [like] people [who] [are] ashamed [for] [fleeing from the] battle, [& sneak] away. But king [David] covered his face, & cried [loudly,] O my son, Absalom. O Absalom, my son, my son!

And Joab came into the [king’s] house & said to the king, [Today] you [have] shamed all your servants, [who] saved your life, & the lives of your sons, daughters, wives & [mistresses;] in that, you [love] your enemies, & [hate] your friends.

For this day you [have] declared that you [regard, a.k.a. favor,] neither princes, nor servants. I [think] this day, if Absalom had lived, & we had all died this day, then you [would’ve been more] pleased.

Now, therefore, arise, & go [out,] & speak [pleasantly] to your servants: for I swear by the Lord, if you [don’t] go [out,] not 1 [of these] with you, will [stay] with you [tonight.]

That will be worse [for] you than all the [harm done to] you from your [childhood] until now. Then, king [David] arose, & sat in the gate. And they told all the people, saying, [Look,] the king [sits] in the gate. And all the people came before the king: [since] every man [from] Israel had fled to his tent.

All the people throughout all the tribes of Israel were [upset,] saying, The king saved us out of the [hands] of our enemies, & he delivered us [from] the [hands] of the Philistines; & now he [has] fled out of the land, [because of] Absalom. And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle.

Now, [why aren’t] you [saying] [anything] [about] bringing the king back?  And king David sent to: Zadok & Abiathar, the priests, saying, Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house?

[Especially] [since] the [conversation] of all [of] Israel [has] come to the king, & even to his house, [a.k.a. family]. You’re my brethren, my flesh & bones. Then, [why,] are you the last to bring the king back? And you say to Amasa, [Aren’t] you of my flesh & bones?

God [should] do so to me, & more also, if you [aren’t the] captain of the [army] before me continually, in [place] of Joab. And [king David [touched] the [hearts] of all the men of Judah, [who became united,] even [like] [they had] the heart of one man.

So, they sent word to king [David,] You & all your servants [should] return. So, king [David] returned, & came to [the] Jordan [River.] And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet, [a.k.a. greet,] the king & to [escort] the king over [the] Jordan [River.]

And Shimei, [Gera’s] son, a Benjamite, [who] was [from] Bahurim, [hurried] & came down with the men of Judah, to meet king David. There were 1,000 men [from] Benjamin with him, & Ziba, the servant of the house of Saul, & his 15 sons, & his 20 servants with him.

They [all] went over [the] Jordan [River] before the king. A ferry boat went there to carry over the king's household, to do what he thought [was] good, [a.k.a. best.]

And Shimei, [Gera’s] son, fell & [bowed] down before the king, as he [came] over [the] Jordan [River,] & said to king [David,] [Don't] let my lord, [attribute sinfulness] to me, & [don’t] remember [the wickedness, that] [I,] your servant, did the day that my lord, the king, [left] out of Jerusalem, & [don't] take it to heart. For [I,] your servant, know that I have sinned.

[See, [that’s why] I [came] 1st of all the house of Joseph, to go down to meet [you,] my lord, the king. But Abishai, [Zeruiah’s] son, answered & said, [Shouldn’t] Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord’s anointed?

And David said, You sons of Zeruiah, what [do] I have to do with you, that you should be adversaries, [a.k.a. enemies,] to me this day? Shall any man there, in Israel, be put to death this day? For [don’t] I know this day, that I am king over Israel?

Therefore, the king said & [swore] to Shimei, You shall not die. And Mephibosheth, the [grandson] of Saul, [a.k.a. Jonathan's son,] came down to meet king [David,] & [hadn’t bandaged] his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day king [David] departed until he [returned] again in peace.

And it [happened,] when he [had] come to Jerusalem to meet king [David,] the king said, [Why didn’t] you [go] with me, Mephibosheth? And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me & said, I will saddle [a mule for] me, that I may ride [on,] & go to the king, because [I,] your servant [am] lame.

And he [has] slandered [me,] your servant, to my lord, the king [who] is [like] an angel of God. Therefore, do [whatever] is good in your eyes. For all my father’s house, [a.k.a. family,] were [only] dead men before my lord, the king, yet you [put] [me,] your servant, among [those who] eat at your own table. Therefore, what right [do] I have to cry [out] anymore to the king?

And king [David] said to him, Why [speak] anymore of your matters? I have said, You & Ziba divide the land. And Mephibosheth said to king [David,] [Yes,] let him take all [of it,] [since] my lord, the king [has] come again in peace to his own house.

And Barzillai, the Gileadite, came down from Rogelim, & went over Jordan with the king, to [escort] him over [the] Jordan [River.] Now, Barzillai was [an elderly] man, even 80 years old; & he had provided the king [with:] [food & supplies] while he lay [in] Mahanaim; for [Barzillai] was a very [honorable] man.

And the king said to Barzillai, You, come over with me, & I will feed you with me in Jerusalem. And Barzillai said to king [David,] this day, I am 80 years old, & how [much] [longer] [do] I have to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?

Can I [tell the difference] between good & evil, or [even] taste what I eat or drink? Can I hear the [voices] of singing men & women? Then, [why] should [I,] your servant [still] be a burden to [you,] my lord, the king?

[I,] your servant, will go a little way over Jordan with [you,] king. Why should [you,] king, [repay] me with such a reward? I pray [that] you, let [me,] your servant, turn back again, [so] that I may die in [my] own city, & be buried by the grave of my: father & mother.

[Look,] your servant, Chimham; let him go over with [you,] my lord, the king; & do to him what shall [seems] good to you. And King [David] answered, Chimham shall go over with me, & I will do to him [what seems] good to you.

And [whatever] you [shall request from] me, I will do for you. And all the people went over [the] Jordan [River.] When the king [crossed] over, the king kissed Barzillai, & blessed him; & [Barzillai] returned to his own place.

Then, king [David] went on to Gilgal, & Chimham went with him. And all the people of Judah, & also 1/2 of the people of Israel [escorted] the king. [Look,] all all the men of Israel came to the king, & said, Why have our brethren, [a.k.a. relatives,] the men of Judah, [taken] you away [secretly,] & have brought the king, & his household & all David’s men with him, over [the] Jordan?

And all the men of Judah answered [them,] Because the king is our [close relative, why] then, are you angry [over] this matter? Have we eaten at the king’s [expense,] or [has] he given us any gift?

And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, & said, We have 10 [times as much right to] king David, than you [do.] Why then, did you despise us, [so] our advice [isn’t the] first [considered about] bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.