II Samuel 19

vayyirgaz hammelekh vayya'al al-aliyyat hasha'ar vayyevk vekhoh amar belekhto beni avshalom beni veni avshalom mi-yitten muti ani takhtekha avshalom beni veni

The king was shaken. He went up to the upper chamber of the gateway and wept, moaning these words as he went, “My son Absalom! O my son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you! O Absalom, my son, my son!”

vayyuggad leyo'av hinneh hammelekh bokheh vayyitabbel al-avshalom

Joab was told that the king was weeping and mourning over Absalom.

vattehi hatteshu'ah bayyom hahu le'evel lekhol-ha'am ki-shama ha'am bayyom hahu lemor ne'etsav hammelekh al-beno

And the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the troops, for that day the troops heard that the king was grieving over his son.

vayyitgannev ha'am bayyom hahu lavo ha'ir ka'asher yitgannev ha'am hannikhlamim benusam bammilkhamah

The troops stole into town that day like troops ashamed after running away in battle.

vehammelekh la'at et-panayw vayyizaq hammelekh qol gadol beni avshalom avshalom beni veni

The king covered his face and the king kept crying aloud, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!”

vayyavo yo'av el-hammelekh habbayit vayyomer hovashta hayyom et-pene khol-avadekha hamemalletim et-nafshekha hayyom ve'et nefesh banekha uvenotekha venefesh nashekha venefesh pilagshekha

Joab came to the king in his quarters and said, “Today you have humiliated all your followers, who this day saved your life, and the lives of your sons and daughters, and the lives of your wives and concubines,

le'ahavah et-sone'ekha velisno et-ohavekha ki higgadta hayyom ki en lekha sarim va'avadim ki yadati hayyom ki (l) [lu] avshalom khay vekhullanu hayyom metim ki-az yashar be'enekha

by showing love for those who hate you and hate for those who love you. For you have made clear today that the officers and servicemen mean nothing to you. I am sure that if Absalom were alive today and the rest of us dead, you would have preferred it.

ve'attah qum tse vedabber al-lev avadekha ki va-Adonai nishbati ki-enekha yotse im-yalin ish ittekha hallaylah vera'ah lekha zot mikkol-hara'ah asher-ba'ah alekha minne'urekha ad-attah

Now arise, come out and placate your followers! For I swear by GOD that if you do not come out, not a single man will remain with you overnight; and that would be a greater disaster for you than any disaster that has befallen you from your youth until now.”

vayyaqom hammelekh vayyeshev basha'ar ulekhol-ha'am higgidu lemor hinneh hammelekh yoshev basha'ar vayyavo khol-ha'am lifne hammelekh veyisra'el nas ish le'ohalayw

So the king arose and sat down in the gateway; and when all the troops were told that the king was sitting in the gateway, all the troops presented themselves to the king. Now the Israelites had fled to their homes.

vayehi khol-ha'am nadon bekhol-shivte yisra'el lemor hammelekh hitsilanu mikkaf oyevenu vehu milletanu mikkaf pelishtim ve'attah barakh min-ha'arets me'al avshalom

All the people throughout the tribes of Israel were arguing: Some said, “The king saved us from the hands of our enemies, and he delivered us from the hands of the Philistines; and just now he had to flee the country because of Absalom.

ve'avshalom asher mashakhnu alenu met bammilkhamah ve'attah lamah attem makharishim lehashiv et-hammelekh

But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle; why then do you sit idle instead of escorting the king back?”

vehammelekh david shalakh el-tsadoq ve'el-evyatar hakkohanim lemor dabberu el-ziqne yehudah lemor lammah tihyu akharonim lehashiv et-hammelekh el-beto udevar kol-yisra'el ba el-hammelekh el-beto

The talk of all Israel reached the king in his quarters. So King David sent this message to the priests Zadok and Abiathar: “Speak to the elders of Judah and say, ‘Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his palace?

akhay attem atsmi uvesari attem velammah tihyu akharonim lehashiv et-hammelekh

You are my kin, my own flesh and blood! Why should you be the last to escort the king back?’

vela'amasa tomeru halo atsmi uvesari attah koh ya'aseh-lli elohim vekhoh yosif im-lo sar-tsava tihyeh lefanay kol-hayyamim takhat yo'av

And to Amasa say this, ‘You are my own flesh and blood. May God do thus and more to me if you do not become my army commander permanently in place of Joab!’”

vayyat et-levav kol-ish-yehudah ke'ish ekhad vayyishlekhu el-hammelekh shuv attah vekhol-avadekha

So [Amasa] swayed the hearts of Judah’s entire contingent without opposition; and they sent a message to the king: “Come back with all your followers.”

vayyashov hammelekh vayyavo ad-hayyarden vihudah ba haggilgalah lalekhet liqrat hammelekh leha'avir et-hammelekh et-hayyarden

The king started back and arrived at the Jordan; and the Judahites went to Gilgal to meet the king and to conduct the king across the Jordan.

vayemaher shimi ven-gera ben-hayemini asher mibbakhurim vayyered im-ish yehudah liqrat hammelekh david

Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, hurried down with Judah’s contingent to meet King David,

ve'elef ish immo mibbinyamin vetsiva na'ar bet sha'ul vakhameshet asar banayw ve'esrim avadayw itto vetsalekhu hayyarden lifne hammelekh

accompanied by a thousand Benjaminites. And Ziba, the servant of the House of Saul, together with his fifteen sons and twenty slaves, rushed down to the Jordan ahead of the king

ve'averah ha'avarah la'avir et-bet hammelekh vela'asot hattov be'enav veshimi ven-gera nafal lifne hammelekh be'ovro bayyarden

while the crossing was being made, to escort the king’s family over, and to do whatever he wished. Shimei son of Gera flung himself before the king as he was about to cross the Jordan.

vayyomer el-hammelekh al-yakhashav-li adoni avon ve'al-tizkor et asher he'evah avdekha bayyom asher-yaׄtsaׄ adoni-hammelekh mirushalai͏m lasum hammelekh el-libbo

He said to the king, “Let not my lord hold me guilty, and do not remember the wrong your servant committed on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem; let Your Majesty give it no thought.

ki yada avdekha ki ani khatati vehinneh-vati hayyom rishon lekhol-bet yosef laredet liqrat adoni hammelekh

For your servant knows that he has sinned; so here I have come down today, the first of all the House of Joseph, to meet my lord the king.”

vayya'an avishay ben-tseruyah vayyomer hatakhat zot lo yumat shimi ki qillel et-meshiakh Adonai

Thereupon Abishai son of Zeruiah spoke up, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for that—insulting GOD’s anointed?”

vayyomer david mah-lli velakhem bene tseruyah ki-tihyu-li hayyom lesatan hayyom yumat ish beyisra'el ki halo yadati ki hayyom ani-melekh al-yisra'el

But David said, “What has this to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should cross me today? Should even a single Israelite be put to death today? Don’t I know that today I am again king over Israel?”

vayyomer hammelekh el-shimi lo tamut vayyishava lo hammelekh

Then the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die”; and the king gave him his oath.

umefivoshet ben-sha'ul yarad liqrat hammelekh velo-asah raglayw velo-asah sefamo ve'et-begadayw lo khibbes lemin-hayyom lekhet hammelekh ad-hayyom asher-ba veshalom

Mephibosheth, the grandson of Saul, also came down to meet the king. He had not pared his toenails, or trimmed his mustache, or washed his clothes from the day that the king left until the day he returned safe.

vayehi ki-va yerushalai͏m liqrat hammelekh vayyomer lo hammelekh lammah lo-halakhta immi mefivoshet

When he came [from] Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, “Why didn’t you come with me, Mephibosheth?”

vayyomar adoni hammelekh avdi rimmani ki-amar avdekha ekhbeshah-lli hakhamor ve'erkav aleha ve'elekh et-hammelekh ki fisseakh avdekha

He replied, “My lord the king, my own servant deceived me. Your servant planned to saddle his donkey and ride on it and go with Your Majesty—for your servant is lame.

vayeraggel be'avdekha el-adoni hammelekh vadoni hammelekh kemalakh ha'elohim va'aseh hattov be'enekha

[Ziba] has slandered your servant to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like an angel of GOD; do as you see fit.

ki lo hayah kol-bet avi ki im-anshe-mavet ladoni hammelekh vattashet et-avdekha be'okhele shulkhanekha umah-yyesh-li od tsedaqah velizoq od el-hammelekh

For all the members of my father’s family deserved only death from my lord the king; yet you set your servant among those who ate at your table. What right have I to appeal further to Your Majesty?”

vayyomer lo hammelekh lammah tedabber od devarekha amarti attah vetsiva takhlequ et-hassadeh

The king said to him, “You need not speak further. I decree that you and Ziba shall divide the property.”

vayyomer mefivoshet el-hammelekh gam et-hakkol yiqqakh akhare asher-ba adoni hammelekh beshalom el-beto

And Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him take it all, as long as my lord the king has come home safe.”

uvarzillay haggiladi yarad merogelim vayya'avor et-hammelekh hayyarden leshallekho et-[hayyarden] (vyrdn)

Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim and passed on to the Jordan with the king, to see him off at the Jordan.

uvarzillay zaqen me'od ben-shemonim shanah vehu-khilkal et-hammelekh beshivato vemakhanayim ki-ish gadol hu me'od

Barzillai was very old, eighty years of age; and he had provided the king with food during his stay at Mahanaim, for he was a very wealthy man.

vayyomer hammelekh el-barzillay attah avor itti vekhilkalti otekha immadi birushalai͏m

The king said to Barzillai, “Cross over with me, and I will provide for you in Jerusalem at my side.”

vayyomer barzillay el-hammelekh kammah yeme shene khayyay ki-e'eleh et-hammelekh yerushalai͏m

But Barzillai said to the king, “How many years are left to me that I should go up with Your Majesty to Jerusalem?

ben-shemonim shanah anokhi hayyom ha'eda ben-tov lera im-yitam avdekha et-asher okhal ve'et-asher eshteh im-eshma od beqol sharim vesharot velammah yihyeh avdekha od lemassa el-adoni hammelekh

I am now eighty years old. Can I tell the difference between good and bad? Can your servant taste what he eats and drinks? Can I still listen to the singing of men and women? Why then should your servant continue to be a burden to my lord the king?

kimat ya'avor avdekha et-hayyarden et-hammelekh velammah yigmeleni hammelekh haggemulah hazzot

Your servant could barely cross the Jordan with Your Majesty! Why should Your Majesty reward me so generously?

yashov-na avdekha ve'amut be'iri im qever avi ve'immi vehinneh avdekha khimham ya'avor im-adoni hammelekh va'aseh-lo et asher-tov be'enekha

Let your servant go back, and let me die in my own town, near the graves of my father and mother. But here is your servant Chimham; let him cross with my lord the king, and do for him as you see fit.”

vayyomer hammelekh itti ya'avor kimham va'ani e'eseh-llo et-hattov be'enekha vekhol asher-tivkhar alay e'eseh-llakh

And the king said, “Chimham shall cross with me, and I will do for him as you see fit; and anything you want me to do, I will do for you.”

vayya'avor kol-ha'am et-hayyarden vehammelekh avar vayyishaq hammelekh levarzillay vayevarekhehu vayyashov limqomo

All the troops crossed the Jordan; and when the king was ready to cross, the king kissed Barzillai and bade him farewell; and [Barzillai] returned to his home.

vayya'avor hammelekh haggilgalah vekhimhan avar immo vekhol-am yehudah (vyvrv) [he'eviru] et-hammelekh vegam khatsi am yisra'el

The king passed on to Gilgal, with Chimham accompanying him; and all the Judahite soldiers and part of the Israelite army escorted the king across.

vehinneh kol-ish yisra'el ba'im el-hammelekh vayyomeru el-hammelekh maddua genavukha akhenu ish yehudah vayya'aviru et-hammelekh ve'et-beto et-hayyarden vekhol-anshe david immo

Then Israel’s entire contingent came to the king—and said to the king, “Why did our kindred, Judah’s contingent, steal you away and escort the king and his family across the Jordan, along with all David’s men?”

vayya'an kol-ish yehudah al-ish yisra'el ki-qarov hammelekh elay velammah zeh kharah lekha al-haddavar hazzeh he'akhol akhalnu min-hammelekh im-nisset nissa lanu

Judah’s side replied to Israel’s side, “Because the king is our relative! Why should this upset you? Have we consumed anything that belongs to the king? Has he given us any gifts?”

vayya'an ish-yisra'el et-ish yehudah vayyomer eser-yadot li vammelekh vegam-bedavid ani mimmekha umaddua heqillotani velo-hayah devari rishon li lehashiv et-malki vayyiqesh devar-ish yehudah middevar ish yisra'el

But Israel’s side answered Judah’s side, “We have ten shares in the king, and in David, too, we have more than you. Why then have you slighted us? Were we not the first to propose that our king be brought back?” However, Judah’s side prevailed over Israel’s side.