2 Samuel 19:9-19

9 All the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Yisra'el, saying, The king delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, and he saved us out of the hand of the Pelishtim; and now he is fled out of the land from Avshalom.

10 Avshalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why don't you speak a word of bringing the king back?

11 King David sent to Tzadok and to Avyatar the Kohanim, saying, Speak to the Zakenim of Yehudah, saying, Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Yisra'el is come to the king, [to bring him] to his house.

12 You are my brothers, you are my bone and my flesh: why then are you the last to bring back the king?

13 Say you to `Amasa, Aren't you my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you aren't captain of the host before me continually in the room of Yo'av.

14 He bowed the heart of all the men of Yehudah, even as [the heart of] one man; so that they sent to the king, [saying], Return you, and all your servants.

15 So the king returned, and came to the Yarden. Yehudah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to bring the king over the Yarden.

16 Shim`i the son of Gera, the Binyamini, who was of Bachurim, hurried and came down with the men of Yehudah to meet king David.

17 There were a thousand men of Binyamin with him, and Tziva the servant of the house of Sha'ul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went through the Yarden in the presence of the king.

18 There went over a ferry-boat to bring over the king's household, and to do what he thought good. Shim`i the son of Gera fell down before the king, when he was come over the Yarden.

19 He said to the king, Don't let my lord impute iniquity to me, neither do you remember that which your servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Yerushalayim, that the king should take it to his heart.

2 Samuel 19:9-19 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.