| 1. And the king trembled, and he went up to the upper chamber of the gate, and wept; and thus he said, as he went, "O' my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would I have died in your stead, O' Absalom my son, my son!" |
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א. |
| 2. And it was told to Joab, "Behold the king is weeping and mourning over Absalom." |
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ב. |
| 3. And the victory that day [turned] into mourning for all the people; for the people heard on that day, saying: "The king is saddened over his son." |
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ג. |
| 4. And the people sneaked that day into the city, as people that are ashamed sneak away when they flee in battle. |
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ד. |
| 5. And the king covered his face, and the king cried with loud voice: 'O' my son Absalom, O' Absalom, my son, my son!" |
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ה. |
| 6. And Joab came to the king, into the house; and he said, "Today you have embarrassed all your servants, who have today saved your life, the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines. |
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ו. |
| 7. By loving those that hate you, and hating those that love you; for on this day you have declared that you regard neither princes nor servants, since I perceive today that if Absalom had lived and we all had died today, then it would have been proper in your eyes. |
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ז. |
| 8. And now arise, go out, and speak to the heart of your servants, for I swear by the Lord, that [if] you do not go forth, not one man will remain with you tonight. Now this will be worse for you than all the misfortune that has befallen you from your youth until now." |
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ח. |
| 9. And the king arose, and sat in the gate. And all the people were notified saying, "Behold the king is sitting in the gate." And all the people came before the king, but Israel fled every man to his tents. |
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ט. |
| 10. And all the people argued with one another throughout all of Israel by saying: 'The king delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, and he saved us out of the hands of the Philistines; and now he [was forced to] flee out of the land from before Absalom. |
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י. |
| 11. And Absalom whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now, therefore, why do you [all] remain silent about returning the king?" |
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יא. |
| 12. And King David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, "Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, 'Why should you be the last to return the king to his house? ' -while the talk of all Israel has come to the king [to return him] to his house? |
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יב. |
| 13. You are my brethren; you are my own bone and flesh; why then should you be the last to return the king? |
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יג. |
| 14. And to Amasa you shall say, 'Are you not my bone and my flesh? So shall God do to me, and even more, if you shall not be [appointed] captain of the host before me continually in Joab's stead'." |
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יד. |
| 15. And he swayed the heart of all the men of Judah, as [the heart of] one man; And they sent to the king, "Return you, with all your servants." |
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טו. |
| 16. And the king returned, and he came to the Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal to go towards the king and to lead the king across the Jordan. |
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טז. |
| 17. And Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite who was from Bahurim hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David. |
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יז. |
| 18. And a thousand men of Benjamin were with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and twenty servants [were also] with him, and they split the Jordan before the king. |
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יח. |
| 19. And the barge crossed over to bring the king's household across, and to do what would be pleasing in his eyes. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king when he was crossing the Jordan. |
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יט. |
| 20. And he said to the king, "Let not my lord impute iniquity to me, nor remember that which your servant sinned on the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, [to the degree] that the king should take it to his heart. |
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כ. |
| 21. For your servant knows that I have sinned and I have therefore come this day [as] the first of all the House of Joseph to go down towards my lord the king." |
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כא. |
| 22. And Abishai the son of Zeruiah responded and said, "In exchange for this shall Shimei not be put to death for having cursed the Lord's anointed?" |
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כב. |
| 23. And David said, "What is it between me and you, sons of Zeruiah, that you should become a hindrance to me today? Shall any man be put to death today in Israel? For do I not know that today I am king over Israel?" |
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כג. |
| 24. And the king said to Shimei, "You shall not die." And the king swore to him. |
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כד. |
| 25. And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down towards the king; and he had not washed his feet, nor did he trim his mustache, and his clothes he did not wash, from the day of the king's departure until the day that he came [back] in peace. |
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כה. |
| 26. And it came to pass, when he came to Jerusalem towards the king, that the king said to him, "Why had you not gone with me, Mephibosheth?" |
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כו. |
| 27. And he said, "My lord the king, my servant deceived me; for your servant said, "I will saddle me an ass so that I may ride on it and accompany the king," since your servant is lame. |
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כז. |
| 28. And he slandered your servant to my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore what is good in your eyes. |
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כח. |
| 29. For all of my father's house were nothing more than deserving of death [at the hands] of my lord the king; yet you placed your servant among them that eat at your table. What more right have I to appeal further to the king?" |
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כט. |
| 30. And the king said to him, "Why do you speak further concerning this matter? I say; You and Ziba divide the land." |
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ל. |
| 31. And Mephibosheth said to the king, "Let him take all, now that my lord the king has arrived safely to his house." |
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לא. |
| 32. And Barzilai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim; and he crossed the Jordan with the king, [in order] to escort him across the Jordan. |
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לב. |
| 33. Now Barzilai was a very old man, eighty years old, and he had sustained the king when he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very great man. |
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לג. |
| 34. And the king said to Barzilai, "You come over with me, and I will sustain you with me in Jerusalem." |
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לד. |
| 35. And Barzilai said to the king, "How many are the days of my life that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? |
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לה. |
| 36. I am eighty years old this day, can I [still] discern between good and bad? or can your servant taste what I eat and drink? or can I still listen to the voice of singers and songstresses? Why then, should your servant be yet a burden to my lord the king?" |
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לו. |
| 37. A short way shall your servant go past the Jordan with the king; but why should the king recompense me with such reward? |
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לז. |
| 38. Allow your servant, please, to turn back, so that I may die in my own city by the grave of my father and mother. Here, however, is your servant Chimham, let him go over with my lord the king and do to him what is good in your eyes." |
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לח. |
| 39. And the king said, "Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him what seems good in your eyes. Now, anything that you shall request of me I shall do for you." |
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לט. |
| 40. And all the people went over the Jordan and the king went over; and the king kissed Barzilai and he blessed him: and he returned to his place. |
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מ. |
| 41. And the king went over to Gilgal, and Chimhan went over with him: and all the people of Judah brought the king over, and also half the people of Israel. |
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מא. |
| 42. And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and they said to the king, "Why did our brothers the men of Judah, steal you away; by having brought the king and his household over the Jordan, and all of David's men with him?" |
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מב. |
| 43. And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, "Because the king is near to me; [Furthermore] why are you so angered over this matter? Have we eaten of the king or has any present been gifted us?" |
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מג. |
| 44. And the men of Israel answered the man of Judah and he said, "I have ten parts in the king and am therefore [closer] to David than to you. Why then did you slight me? Now was not my word the very first to return my king?" And the words of the men of Judah were harsher than the words of the men of Israel. |
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מד. |
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