13
And say to Ama'sa, 'Are you not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you are not commander of my army henceforth in place of Jo'ab.'"
14
And he swayed the heart of all the men of Judah as one man; so that they sent word to the king, "Return, both you and all your servants."
15
So the king came back to the Jordan; and Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king and to bring the king over the Jordan.
16
And Shim'e-i the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, from Bahu'rim, made haste to come down with the men of Judah to meet King David;
17
and with him were a thousand men from Benjamin. And Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, with his fifteen sons and his twenty servants, rushed down to the Jordan before the king,
18
and they crossed the ford to bring over the king's household, and to do his pleasure. And Shim'e-i the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was about to cross the Jordan,
19
and said to the king, "Let not my lord hold me guilty or remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem; let not the king bear it in mind.
20
For your servant knows that I have sinned; therefore, behold, I have come this day, the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king."
21
Abi'shai the son of Zeru'iah answered, "Shall not Shim'e-i be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD'S anointed?"
22
But David said, "What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeru'iah, that you should this day be as an adversary to me? Shall any one be put to death in Israel this day? For do I not know that I am this day king over Israel?"
23
And the king said to Shim'e-i, "You shall not die." And the king gave him his oath.
24
And Mephib'osheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king; he had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came back in safety.
25
And when he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, "Why did you not go with me, Mephib'osheth?"
26
He answered, "My lord, O king, my servant deceived me; for your servant said to him, 'Saddle an ass for me, that I may ride upon it and go with the king.' For your servant is lame.
27
He has slandered your servant to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like the angel of God; do therefore what seems good to you.
28
For all my father's house were but men doomed to death before my lord the king; but you set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right have I, then, to cry to the king?"
29
And the king said to him, "Why speak any more of your affairs? I have decided: you and Ziba shall divide the land."
30
And Mephib'osheth said to the king, "Oh, let him take it all, since my lord the king has come safely home."
31
Now Barzil'lai the Gileadite had come down from Ro'gelim; and he went on with the king to the Jordan, to escort him over the Jordan.
32
Barzil'lai was a very aged man, eighty years old; and he had provided the king with food while he stayed at Mahana'im; for he was a very wealthy man.
33
And the king said to Barzil'lai, "Come over with me, and I will provide for you with me in Jerusalem."