The king was deeply moved and went up to the upper room over the gate and wept. As he went, he said, "My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died in your place, Absalom, my son, my son!"

And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weepeth and mourneth for Absalom.

Joab was told, "The king is weeping and mourning over Absalom."

And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people: for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his son.

So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people, because they heard it said that the king was grieving for his son.

And the people gat them by stealth that day into the city, as people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.

The people stole away into the city that day, as men who are ashamed steal away when they flee from battle.

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

The king covered his face and cried out in a loud voice, "My son Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!"

And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines;

Joab came into the house to the king and said, "Today you have humiliated all your servants who have saved your life today, and the lives of your sons and daughters, your wives, and your concubines.

In that thou lovest thine enemies, and hatest thy friends. For thou hast declared this day, that thou regardest neither princes nor servants: for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well.

You love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have made it clear today that commanders and servants mean nothing to you. I can see that if Absalom were alive today and all of us were dead, it would have pleased you.

Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably unto thy servants: for I swear by the LORD, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one with thee this night: and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that befell thee from thy youth until now.

Now go out and encourage your men. I swear by the LORD that if you do not go out, not a man will be left with you by nightfall. This will be worse for you than all the calamities that have come upon you from your youth until now."

Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king doth sit in the gate. And all the people came before the king: for Israel had fled every man to his tent.

So the king got up and sat in the gateway. When the people were told, "The king is sitting in the gateway," they all came before him. Meanwhile, the Israelites fled to their homes.

And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king saved us out of the hand of our enemies, and he delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled out of the land for Absalom.

All the people throughout the tribes of Israel were arguing among themselves, saying, "The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies, he saved us from the hand of the Philistines, but now he has fled the land because of Absalom.

And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back?

And Absalom, whom we anointed to rule over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?"

And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, even to his house.

Then 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 talk of all Israel has reached the king at his house?'

Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones and my flesh: wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the king?

You are my brothers, my own flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to bring the king back?'

And say ye to Amasa, Art thou not of my bone, and of my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab.

And say to Amasa, 'Are you not my own flesh and blood? May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if you are not the commander of my army for life in place of Joab.'

And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man; so that they sent this word unto the king, Return thou, and all thy servants.

He won over the hearts of all the men of Judah as though they were one person. They sent word to the king, 'Return, you and all your men.'

So the king returned, and came to Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan.

So the king came back and reached the Jordan River. The men of Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king and to bring him across the Jordan.

And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.

Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David.

And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went over Jordan before the king.

With him were a thousand Benjaminites, along with Ziba, the steward of Saul's household, and his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They rushed to the Jordan, ahead of the king,

And there went over a ferry boat to carry over the king's household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was come over Jordan;

and crossed at the ford to bring the king's household over and to do whatever pleased him. When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell down before the king.

And said unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.

He said to the king, 'May my lord not hold me guilty. Do not remember the wrong your servant did on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. May the king not take it to heart.'

For thy servant doth know that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.

'For I, your servant, know that I have sinned. But today I have come here as the first of the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.'

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

But Abishai son of Zeruiah said, 'Shouldn't Shimei be put to death for this? He cursed the LORD's anointed!'

And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel?

But David said, 'What do you and I have in common, you sons of Zeruiah? Should anyone be put to death in Israel today? Don’t I know that today I am king over Israel?'

Therefore the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him.

The king said to Shimei, 'You shall not die.' And the king gave him his oath.

And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace.

Mephibosheth, the son of Saul, also went down to meet the king. He had neither cared for his feet, nor trimmed his mustache, nor washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he returned safely.

And it came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore wentest not thou with me, Mephibosheth?

When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, 'Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?'

And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me: for thy servant said, I will saddle me an ass, that I may ride thereon, and go to the king; because thy servant is lame.

He said, 'My lord the king, my servant deceived me. I said, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself and ride on it, so I may go with the king,’ because your servant is lame.

And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore what is good in thine eyes.

'Moreover, he has slandered your servant to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like an angel of God, so do what seems good to you.'

For all of my father's house were but dead men before my lord the king: yet didst thou set thy servant among them that did eat at thine own table. What right therefore have I yet to cry any more unto the king?

All my grandfather's descendants deserved nothing but death from my lord the king. But you placed your servant among those who eat at your table. So what right do I have to make any more appeals to the king?

And the king said unto him, Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba divide the land.

The king said to him, 'Why say more? I hereby declare that you and Ziba shall divide the land.'

And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house.

Mephibosheth said to the king, 'Let him take everything, now that my lord the king has returned home safely.'

And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim, and went over Jordan with the king, to conduct him over Jordan.

Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim to cross the Jordan with the king and send him on his way.

Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourscore years old: and he had provided the king of sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man.

Now Barzillai was very old, eighty years of age. He had provided for the king during his stay in Mahanaim, for he was a very wealthy man.

And the king said unto Barzillai, Come thou over with me, and I will feed thee with me in Jerusalem.

The king said to Barzillai, "Cross over with me, and I will provide for you in Jerusalem."

And Barzillai said unto the king, How long have I to live, that I should go up with the king unto Jerusalem?

But Barzillai said to the king, "How many more years do I have to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?

I am this day fourscore years old: and can I discern between good and evil? can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king?

I am now eighty years old. Can I tell the difference between what is good and bad? Can your servant taste what he eats or drinks? Can I still hear the voices of male and female singers? Why should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king?

Thy servant will go a little way over Jordan with the king: and why should the king recompense it me with such a reward?

Your servant will merely cross the Jordan with the king for a short distance. Why should the king reward me with such a benefit?

Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own city, and be buried by the grave of my father and of my mother. But behold thy servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good unto thee.

Let your servant dwell here and die in my own town near the graves of my father and mother. But here is your servant Chimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king, and do for him whatever seems good to you."

And the king answered, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good unto thee: and whatsoever thou shalt require of me, that will I do for thee.

The king said, "Chimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him whatever you desire. And anything you request of me, I will do for you."

And all the people went over Jordan. And when the king was come over, the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned unto his own place.

So all the people crossed the Jordan, and the king crossed too. The king kissed Barzillai and blessed him. Then Barzillai returned to his own home.

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

The king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went with him. All the people of Judah and half the people of Israel escorted the king.

And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said unto the king, Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away, and have brought the king, and his household, and all David's men with him, over Jordan?

Soon, all the men of Israel came to the king and asked, "Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, steal you away and bring the king and his household across the Jordan, along with all your men?"

And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to us: wherefore then be ye angry for this matter? have we eaten at all of the king's cost? or hath he given us any gift?

The men of Judah responded to the men of Israel, "The king is closely related to us. Why are you angry about this matter? Have we eaten any of the king’s provisions, or have we taken anything for ourselves?"

And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than ye: why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

Then the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, "We have ten shares in the king, and in David too we have more claim than you. So why did you treat us with contempt? Were we not the first to speak of bringing the king back?" But the words of the men of Judah were harsher than those of the men of Israel.