19 Then Joab was told, “See, the king is crying. He is filled with sorrow for Absalom.” ² So the happiness of winning the battle that day was changed to sorrow for all the people. For they heard that day, “The king is filled with sorrow for his son.” ³ So the people were quiet as they went in secret into the city that day. They acted like people who are ashamed when they run away from a battle. ⁴ The king covered his face and cried out with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!” ⁵ Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, “Today you have covered the faces of all your servants with shame. Today they have saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters, your wives and the women who act as your wives. ⁶ But you love those who hate you, and hate those who love you. You have shown today that rulers and servants are nothing to you. For today I see that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead, you would be pleased. ⁷ So now get up and go out and speak in kindness to your servants. I swear by the Lord that if you do not, for sure not a man will stay with you this night. And this will be worse for you than all the bad things that have happened to you since you were young.” ⁸ So the king got up and sat in the gate. When they told all the people, “See, the king is sitting in the gate,” then all the people came to the king.

David Returns to Jerusalem

Now every man of Israel had run to his tent. ⁹ And all the people in all the family groups of Israel were arguing. They said, “The king saved us from those who hate us. He saved us from the Philistines. But now he has run from Absalom and away from the land. ¹⁰ We chose Absalom to rule over us and he has died in battle. So now why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?”

¹¹ Then King David sent word to Zadok and Abiathar the religious leaders, saying, “Speak to the leaders of Judah. Say to them, ‘Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house? I have heard from all Israel for me to return to my house. ¹² You are my brothers. You are my bone and my flesh. Why should you be the last to bring back the king?’ ¹³ And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? May God do so to me, and more also, if you will not be the captain of my army at all times instead of Joab.’” ¹⁴ He changed the hearts of all the men of Judah as if they were one man. So they sent word to the king, saying, “Return, you and all your servants.” ¹⁵ So the king returned and came as far as the Jordan. Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king and bring him over the Jordan.

¹⁶ Then Gera’s son Shimei, the Benjamite from Bahurim, came down in a hurry with the men of Judah to meet King David. ¹⁷ There were 1,000 men of Benjamin with him. And Ziba the servant of the family of Saul came with his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They rushed to the king at the Jordan. ¹⁸ They crossed the river to bring over those of the king’s house, and to do what pleased him. Gera’s son Shimei fell down in front of the king as he was about to cross the Jordan.

David Is Good to Shimei

¹⁹ He said to the king, “Let not my lord think I am guilty. Do not remember what your servant did wrong on the day when my lord the king left Jerusalem. Let not the king take it to heart. ²⁰ For your servant knows that I have sinned. So I have come today. I am the first of all the family of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.” ²¹ But Zeruiah’s son Abishai answered, “Should not Shimei be put to death for this? He spoke against the Lord’s chosen one.” ²² But David said, “What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah? Why should you be against me this day? Should any man be put to death in Israel today? For do I not know that this day I am king of Israel?” ²³ The king said to Shimei, “You will not die.” And the king gave him his promise.

David Is Good to Mephibosheth

²⁴ Then Saul’s grandson Mephibosheth came down to meet the king. He had not dressed his feet, trimmed the hair of his face, or washed his clothes, from the day the king left until the day he returned in peace. ²⁵ When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, David said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?” ²⁶ He answered, “O my lord the king, my servant lied to me. Your servant had said to him, ‘Get a donkey ready for me to travel on, so I may go with the king.’ Because your servant cannot walk. ²⁷ And he has spoken against me to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like the angel of God. So do what you think is best. ²⁸ For all those of my father’s house were nothing but dead men in front of my lord the king. But you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. What right do I have to complain any more to the king?” ²⁹ The king said to him, “Why speak any more of how things are with you? I have decided that you and Ziba should divide the land.” ³⁰ Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him take it all, since my lord the king has come home and is safe.”

David Is Good to Barzillai

³¹ Now Barzillai of Gilead had come down from Rogelim. He went on to the Jordan with the king, to lead him over the river. ³² Barzillai was eighty years old. He had given food to the king while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very rich man. ³³ The king said to Barzillai, “You cross over with me, and I will take care of you with me in Jerusalem.” ³⁴ But Barzillai said to the king, “How much longer have I to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? ³⁵ I am now eighty years old. Can I know the difference between good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear the voice of singing men and women any more? Why should your servant be an added problem to my lord the king? ³⁶ Your servant will only cross over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king reward me in this good way? ³⁷ Let your servant return, that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and mother. But here is your servant Chimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king. And do for him what is good in your eyes.” ³⁸ The king answered, “Chimham will cross over with me. And I will do for him what is pleasing to you. I will do for you whatever you ask.” ³⁹ All the people crossed over the Jordan, and the king also. Then the king kissed Barzillai and prayed that good would come to him. And Barzillai returned to his own home.

Judah and Israel Argue over the King

⁴⁰ The king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went with him. And all the people of Judah and half the people of Israel went with the king.

⁴¹ Then all the men of Israel came to the king and said to him, “Why have our brothers the men of Judah stolen you away? Why have they brought the king and those of his family over the Jordan, and all David’s men with him?” ⁴² All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because the king is a close brother to us. Why are you angry about this? Has the king paid for our food? Has he given us any gift?” ⁴³ But the men of Israel said to the men of Judah, “We have ten shares in the king. So we have more right to David than you. Why then did you hate us? Were we not the first to speak of bringing back our king?” But the words of the men of Judah had more anger than the words of the men of Israel.

David’s Men Follow Sheba

20 A man of no worth happened to be there whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite. He sounded the horn and said, “We have no share in David! We have no share in the son of Jesse! Every man to his tents, O Israel!” ² So all the men of Israel stopped following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah were not moved from following their king, from the Jordan to Jerusalem.

³ Then David came to his house at Jerusalem. The king took his ten women whom he had left to take care of the house, and had a prison soldier watch them. David gave them food, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up until the day of their death, living as women whose husbands had died.

⁴ Then the king said to Amasa, “Call the men of Judah to come to me within three days, and you be here yourself.” ⁵ So Amasa went to call out the men of Judah. But he took longer than the time which had been given him. ⁶ David said to Abishai, “Now Bichri’s son Sheba will bring us more trouble than Absalom. Take your lord’s servants and go after him. Or he might find strong cities for himself, and get away from us.” ⁷ So Joab’s men went out after him. With them went the Cherethites, the Pelethites and all the strong men. They left Jerusalem to go after Sheba the son of Bichri. ⁸ Amasa came to meet them at the large stone in Gibeon. Now Joab was dressed in soldier’s clothing. Over his clothing was a belt with a sword in its holder tied at his side. As he walked, the sword fell out. ⁹ Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?” And he took Amasa by the hair of his face with his right hand to kiss him. ¹⁰ But Amasa did not see the sword which was in Joab’s hand. So Joab hit him in the stomach with it, and poured his inside parts out on the ground. He did not hit him again, and Amasa died.

Then Joab and his brother Abishai went after Sheba the son of Bichri. ¹¹ Now one of Joab’s young men stood by him and said, “Whoever favors Joab and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab.” ¹² But Amasa lay in his blood in the center of the road. When the man saw that all the people stood still, he took Amasa out of the road and into the field. And he threw a covering over him. ¹³ After he was taken out of the road, all the men went on and followed Joab to go after Sheba the son of Bichri.

¹⁴ Sheba passed through all the families of Israel to Abel Bethmaacah. Then all the Berites gathered together and followed him into the city. ¹⁵ And all the men who were with Joab came and gathered their armies around him in Abel Bethmaacah. They built up a hill of dirt against the wall of the city. And they were trying their best to make the wall fall down. ¹⁶ Then a wise woman called from the city, “Listen! I beg you, tell Joab to come here that I may speak with him.” ¹⁷ So he came to her, and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” He answered, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Listen to the words of your woman servant.” And he answered, “I am listening.” ¹⁸ Then she said, “In the past they used to say, ‘Let them ask for words of wisdom at Abel.’ And so they would stop fighting. ¹⁹ I am one of peace and faith in Israel. You want to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up the gift of the Lord?” ²⁰ Joab answered, “Far be it from me! Far be it that I should swallow up or destroy! ²¹ That is not true. But a man from the hill country of Ephraim has turned against King David. His name is Sheba the son of Bichri. Give up only him, and I will leave the city.” And the woman said to Joab, “See, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.” ²² Then the woman went to all the people with her plan. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. So he sounded the horn and they left the city, every man going to his home. Joab returned to the king at Jerusalem.

²³ Now Joab was the captain of the whole army of Israel. Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was captain of the Cherethites and the Pelethites. ²⁴ Adoram was captain of those who were made to work. Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud wrote down the things that happened. ²⁵ Sheva was the teacher. Zadok and Abiathar were religious leaders. ²⁶ And Ira the Jairite was a religious leader to David also.

The Gibeonites Kill Seven of Saul’s Grandsons

21 While David was king there was a time without food for three years. David went to the Lord. The Lord said, “It is because of Saul and his house of blood, for he put the Gibeonites to death.” ² So the king called the Gibeonites. (Now the Gibeonites were not of the sons of Israel, but of the people who were left of the Amorites. The sons of Israel had made an agreement with them. But Saul had wanted to kill them because he thought so much of the sons of Israel and Judah.) ³ David said to the Gibeonites, “What should I do for you? How can I pay for the sin, so you may bring good to the land of the Lord?” ⁴ The Gibeonites said to him, “We will take no silver or gold from Saul or his family. And it is not for us to put any man to death in Israel.” David said, “I will do for you whatever you say.” ⁵ So they said to the king, “Saul destroyed us and planned to keep us from staying in any land of Israel. ⁶ Let seven men from his sons be given to us. We will hang them before the Lord at Gibeon on the Lord’s mountain.” And the king said, “I will give them.”

⁷ But the king kept alive Mephibosheth, the son of Saul’s son Jonathan, because David had made a promise to Saul’s son Jonathan before the Lord. ⁸ The king took the two sons of Aiah’s daughter Rizpah, Armoni and Mephibosheth, whom she had born to Saul. And he took the five sons of Saul’s daughter Merab, whom she had born to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite. ⁹ He gave them to the Gibeonites, and they hanged them on the mountain before the Lord. The seven of them died together. They were put to death in the first days of gathering time, when the barley was ready to gather.

¹⁰ Aiah’s daughter Rizpah spread cloth made from hair on the rock for herself to lie upon, from the beginning of gathering time until the rain fell from the sky upon the bodies. She would not let the birds of the sky rest on them during the day, or the animals of the field during the night. ¹¹ David was told what Aiah’s daughter Rizpah, Saul’s woman, had done. ¹² Then he went and took the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from the men of Jabesh-gilead. They had stolen them from the open space in the center of Bethshan. That was where the Philistines had hanged them on the day they killed Saul in Gilboa. ¹³ David brought the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan. They gathered the bones of those who had been hanged. ¹⁴ And they buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the country of Benjamin in Zela, in the grave of Kish his father. They did all that the king told them to do. After that, God heard and answered when they prayed for the land.

¹⁵ The Philistines were at war again with Israel. David went down with his servants and they fought the Philistines. And David became tired. ¹⁶ Then Ishbi-benob wanted to kill David. He was one of the sons of the very tall and strong people. His spear weighed as much as 300 pieces of brass, and he had a new sword. ¹⁷ But Zeruiah’s son Abishai helped David and killed the Philistine. Then David’s men promised him, “You will not go out again with us to battle. You might put out the lamp of Israel.”

¹⁸ After this there was war again with the Philistines at Gob. Then Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was one of the sons of the very tall and strong people. ¹⁹ There was war with the Philistines again at Gob. And Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite. Goliath’s spear was like the heavy piece of wood used by a cloth-maker. ²⁰ There was war at Gath again. There was a very tall man there who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number. He was one of the sons of the very tall and strong people also. ²¹ When he spoke against Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimei, David’s brother, killed him. ²² These four were sons of the very tall and strong people in Gath. They were killed by David and his servants.