2 Samuel 19:8-18

8 So the king got up and sat in the city gateway; and when all the people were told, "Now the king is sitting in the gate," they came before the king. Meanwhile, Isra'el had fled, each man to his tent;

9 and throughout all the tribes of Isra'el there was dissension among all the people. They were saying, "The king delivered us from the power of our enemies, and he saved us from the power of the P'lishtim; but now he has fled the land to escape Avshalom.

10 However, Avshalom, whom we anointed to rule us, is dead in battle. So now, why doesn't anyone suggest bringing the king back?"

11 King David sent this message to Tzadok and Evyatar the cohanim: "Ask the leaders of Y'hudah, 'Why are you the last to bring the king back to his palace? The king has already heard that all Isra'el wants to return him to his palace.

12 You are my kinsmen, my flesh and bone; so why are you the last to bring back the king?'

13 Also tell 'Amasa, 'You are my flesh and bone. May God bring terrible curses on me and worse ones yet if from now on you are not permanent commander of my army instead of Yo'av."

14 Thus he turned the hearts of all the men of Y'hudah around as if they were one man, so that they sent a message to the king, "Come back, you and all your servants!"

15 The king started back and arrived at the Yarden, while Y'hudah came to Gilgal in order to meet the king and bring the king over the Yarden.

16 Shim'i the son of Gera, the Binyamini from Bachurim, hurried and came down with the men of Y'hudah to meet King David.

17 There were a thousand men of Binyamin with him, also Tziva the servant of the house of Sha'ul with his fifteen sons and twenty servants; and they rushed into the Yarden ahead of the king

18 to ferry the king's household across and do whatever else the king wanted done. Shim'i the son of Gera fell down before the king when he was ready to cross the Yarden

2 Samuel 19:8-18 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 19

David indulging to too much grief for the death of his son, is rebuked by Joab, and threatened with a revolt of the people from him, if he did not change his conduct, which be accordingly did, 2Sa 19:1-8; upon which the men of Israel were the first that moved for the bringing him back to Jerusalem, and the men of Judah were solicited to join with them in it, which was effected, 2Sa 19:9-15; and at Jordan, Shimei, that had cursed him, met him, and asked his pardon, and was forgiven, 2Sa 19:16-23; and when come to Jerusalem, Mephibosheth excused so well his not going out with him, that he had half his land restored to him, which had been given to his servant, 2Sa 19:24-30; and Barzillai, who had very liberally supplied the king, was allowed to return to his own city, and Chimham his son was taken to court, 2Sa 19:31-40; and a contention arose between the men of Israel and of Judah about the restoration of the king, which issued in an insurrection, as the next chapter shows, 2Sa 19:41-43.