2 Samuel 19 – NIVUK & CCB

New International Version – UK

2 Samuel 19:1-43

In Hebrew texts 19:1-43 is numbered 19:2-44. 1Joab was told, ‘The king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.’ 2And for the whole army the victory that day was turned into mourning, because on that day the troops heard it said, ‘The king is grieving for his son.’ 3The men stole into the city that day as men steal in who are ashamed when they flee from battle. 4The king covered his face and cried aloud, ‘O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!’

5Then Joab went into the house to the king and said, ‘Today you have humiliated all your men, who have just saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters and the lives of your wives and concubines. 6You love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have made it clear today that the commanders and their men mean nothing to you. I see that you would be pleased if Absalom were alive today and all of us were dead. 7Now go out and encourage your men. I swear by the Lord that if you don’t 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 on you from your youth till now.’

8So the king got up and took his seat in the gateway. When the men were told, ‘The king is sitting in the gateway,’ they all came before him.

Meanwhile, the Israelites had fled to their homes.

David returns to Jerusalem

9Throughout the tribes of Israel, all the people were arguing among themselves, saying, ‘The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies; he is the one who rescued us from the hand of the Philistines. But now he has fled the country to escape from Absalom; 10and Absalom, whom we anointed to rule over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?’

11King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests: ‘Ask the elders of Judah, “Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his palace, since what is being said throughout Israel has reached the king at his quarters? 12You are my relatives, my own flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to bring back the king?” 13And 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.” ’

14He won over the hearts of the men of Judah so that they were all of one mind. They sent word to the king, ‘Return, you and all your men.’ 15Then the king returned and went as far as the Jordan.

Now the men of Judah had come to Gilgal to go out and meet the king and bring him across the Jordan. 16Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17With 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, where the king was. 18They crossed at the ford to take the king’s household over and to do whatever he wished.

When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell prostrate before the king 19and said to him, ‘May my lord not hold me guilty. Do not remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. May the king put it out of his mind. 20For I your servant know that I have sinned, but today I have come here as the first from the tribes of Joseph to come down and meet my lord the king.’

21Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said, ‘Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this? He cursed the Lord’s anointed.’

22David replied, ‘What does this have to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? What right do you have to interfere? Should anyone be put to death in Israel today? Don’t I know that today I am king over Israel?’ 23So the king said to Shimei, ‘You shall not die.’ And the king promised him on oath.

24Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, also went down to meet the king. He had not taken care of his feet or trimmed his moustache or washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he returned safely. 25When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, ‘Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?’

26He said, ‘My lord the king, since I your servant am lame, I said, “I will have my donkey saddled and will ride on it, so that I can go with the king.” But Ziba my servant betrayed me. 27And he has slandered your servant to my lord the king. My lord the king is like an angel of God; so do whatever you wish. 28All my grandfather’s descendants deserved nothing but death from my lord the king, but you gave your servant a place among those who eat at your table. So what right do I have to make any more appeals to the king?’

29The king said to him, ‘Why say more? I order you and Ziba to divide the land.’

30Mephibosheth said to the king, ‘Let him take everything, now that my lord the king has returned home safely.’

31Barzillai the Gileadite also came down from Rogelim to cross the Jordan with the king and to send him on his way from there. 32Now 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. 33The king said to Barzillai, ‘Cross over with me and stay with me in Jerusalem, and I will provide for you.’

34But Barzillai answered the king, ‘How many more years shall I live, that I should go up to Jerusalem with the king? 35I am now eighty years old. Can I tell the difference between what is enjoyable and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats and 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? 36Your servant will cross over the Jordan with the king for a short distance, but why should the king reward me in this way? 37Let your servant return, that I may die in my own town near the tomb of my father and mother. But here is your servant Kimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him whatever you wish.’

38The king said, ‘Kimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him whatever you wish. And anything you desire from me I will do for you.’

39So all the people crossed the Jordan, and then the king crossed over. The king kissed Barzillai and bade him farewell, and Barzillai returned to his home.

40When the king crossed over to Gilgal, Kimham crossed with him. All the troops of Judah and half the troops of Israel had taken the king over.

41Soon all the men of Israel were coming to the king and saying to him, ‘Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, steal the king away and bring him and his household across the Jordan, together with all his men?’

42All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, ‘We did this because the king is closely related to us. Why are you angry about it? Have we eaten any of the king’s provisions? Have we taken anything for ourselves?’

43Then the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, ‘We have ten shares in the king; so we have a greater claim on David than you have. Why then do you treat us with contempt? Weren’t we the first to speak of bringing back our king?’

But the men of Judah pressed their claims even more forcefully than the men of Israel.

Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)

撒母耳记下 19:1-43

约押劝告大卫

1有人告诉约押,说:“王在为押沙龙哀伤痛哭。” 2士兵们听说王为押沙龙哀痛,胜利的欢腾顿时变为一片哀愁。 3那一天,众人都静悄悄地回城去,好像败兵一样羞愧万分。 4王仍掩面痛哭:“我儿押沙龙啊!押沙龙!我儿!我儿啊!” 5约押就进到屋里,对王说:“你的仆人们救了你和你妻妾儿女的性命,你今天却使他们感到羞愧。 6仇视你的人,你倒去爱他;那些爱你的人,你反憎恶他们。这表明我王的心中根本没有我们这些将领和部下。我想,要是死去的不是押沙龙而是我们,你就高兴了。 7你现在应该出去安抚士兵们。我凭耶和华起誓,如果你不这样做,今天晚上必无一人再追随你。那将是你一生所遭遇的最大灾难!” 8于是王出去坐在城门口,众人听说后,都来到他面前。这时,跟随押沙龙以色列人都各自逃回家去了。

大卫返回耶路撒冷

9以色列各支派的人都在纷纷议论:“王曾把我们从众仇敌和非利士人手中救出来。如今他为了躲避押沙龙而逃离本国。 10我们膏立为王的押沙龙已经死了,为什么无人说请王回来呢?”

11大卫王派人去对祭司撒督亚比亚他说:“你们去问犹大的长老,‘全以色列已经准备迎接王回宫,你们为什么迟迟没有反应? 12你们是王的弟兄,是王的骨肉,为什么迟迟没有迎接王回宫?’ 13你们也要对亚玛撒说,‘你是我的骨肉,要是我不立你为元帅取代约押,愿上帝重重地处罚我。’” 14王的这番话打动了所有犹大人的心,他们派人去请王和王的臣仆回来。

15王便启程回宫。他来到约旦河时,犹大人都到吉甲来迎接他,要护送他过河。 16来自巴户琳便雅悯基拉的儿子示每也急忙跟着犹大人赶来迎接大卫王, 17有一千便雅悯人跟示每一起去迎接大卫王。扫罗的仆人洗巴带着十五个儿子和二十个仆人也赶到约旦河。 18他们渡到河对面帮助王的家眷过河,为王效劳。王正要过河的时候,基拉的儿子示每就俯伏在他面前, 19说:“求我主饶恕仆人的罪过!仆人在我主我王离开耶路撒冷时所犯的罪,求我王不要记在心上。 20仆人自知有罪,所以今天我是整个约瑟家族中第一个迎接我主我王的人。” 21洗鲁雅的儿子亚比筛说:“示每曾经咒骂耶和华所膏立的君王,难道不应该处死他吗?” 22大卫说:“洗鲁雅的儿子,你为何这样说话?你今天是在跟我作对。今天在以色列怎么可以处死人呢?难道我不知道今天我是以色列的王吗?” 23于是大卫起誓不杀示每

24扫罗的孙子米非波设也来迎接王。从王离开那天,直到大卫平安回来之日,他没有修过脚,没有剃过胡子,也没有洗过衣服。 25他到耶路撒冷来迎接王,王问他:“米非波设,当时你为什么不跟我一起走呢?” 26米非波设答道:“我主我王,我是瘸腿的,我本想预备一头驴骑着与我王同去,是我的仆人洗巴欺骗了我。 27他在我主我王面前毁谤我。我主我王就像上帝的天使,请王定夺。 28我父全家在我主我王面前都是该死的,但王却让我与王同席吃饭,我还能向王要求什么呢?” 29王对他说:“不要再提这事了,我决定让你和洗巴平分土地。” 30米非波设说:“把土地都给他吧,我主我王平安地回来就好了。”

31基列巴西莱也从罗基琳下来护送王过约旦河,然后送王上路。 32那时,巴西莱已经是八十高龄了。王留在玛哈念的时候,他曾供应王食物,因为他非常富有。 33王对巴西莱说:“你跟我一同回耶路撒冷,我会照顾你。” 34巴西莱说:“我何必跟王一同去耶路撒冷呢?我还能活多久呢? 35我已经八十岁了,美丑难分,食不知味,乐不辨音,何必为我主我王添麻烦呢? 36仆人只不过是陪王过约旦河,王何必给我这么大的赏赐呢? 37请准我回去,我好死在故乡,葬在父母的墓旁。这里有王的仆人金罕,让他跟我主我王一起去。你看怎么好,就怎么对待他吧。” 38王说:“金罕可以跟我去,我会照你的心愿待他。无论你有什么要求,我都会答应你。” 39王和众人过了约旦河以后,就亲吻巴西莱,为他祝福。巴西莱返回了家乡。

40王过河后,来到吉甲金罕跟随着他。护送王的有犹大的士兵和半数的以色列士兵。 41后来,所有的以色列人来见大卫,说:“为什么我们的弟兄犹大人偷偷地送王、王的家眷和王的部下渡河?” 42犹大人答道:“我们这样做是因为王是我们的亲族。你们为什么生气呢?难道我们吃了王的供应,得了什么礼物吗?” 43以色列人说:“但我们以色列人十个支派和王有十份的情分,你们为什么轻视我们?难道不是我们首先提出要请王回来的吗?”

犹大人的态度比以色列人还要强硬。