2 Samuel 19
BSA1 Then it was reported [told, announced] to Joab, “The king [royal person, monarch] is weeping [crying, shedding tears] and mourning [sorrowing, grieving] over [because of, for the loss of] Absalom [his son, the rebellious prince].” word study 2 And that day’s victory [triumph, salvation] was turned into mourning [lamentation, grief] for all the people, because on that day they were told, “The king [monarch, ruler] is grieving [weeping, sorrowing] over his son [Absalom, his child].” word study 3 So they returned [stole back, sneaked] to the city quietly [in secret, by stealth] that day, as people [a nation, a community] steal away [hide, flee] in humiliation [ashamed, confounded] after fleeing [running away, defeated] a battle [war, combat]. word study 4 But the king [with a heavy heart] covered his face [hiding his emotions] and cried out [with a loud, sorrowful voice] at the top of his voice, “O my son Absalom [my beloved child]! O Absalom, my son [my dear boy], my son [my child, my flesh and blood]!” word study 5 Then Joab went into the house and said to the king [ruler, sovereign], “Today you have disgraced [shamed, humiliated] all your servants [faithful attendants, loyal subjects] who have saved [preserved, protected] your life and the lives of your sons [descendants, children] and daughters, of your wives [female companions, spouses], and of your concubines [secondary wives, female companions]. word study 6 You love [show affection to] those who hate [are hostile towards] you and hate [have intense dislike for] those who love [are devoted to] you! For you have made it clear [declared openly, revealed] today [at this present time] that the commanders [princes, leaders] and soldiers [servants, warriors] mean [are considered] nothing [of no importance] to you. I know [perceive, am aware] today [in this moment] that if Absalom [your son, the rebel] were alive [still living, in existence] and all of us [your loyal subjects, friends] were dead [had perished, ceased to exist], it would have pleased [been desirable, satisfying] you! word study 7 Now therefore get up [arise, go forth]! Go out and speak comfort [comfortably, kindly, to the heart] to your servants [those who serve you, attendants], for I swear by the LORD [the covenant God, Yehovah] that if you do not go out [come out, speak to them], not a man [no one, none] will remain with you tonight [this night, by tomorrow morning]. This will be worse [more evil, a greater calamity] for you than all the adversity [evil, trouble] that has befallen you from your youth [early life, childhood] until now [this day, the present]!” word study 8 So the king [then, at that time] got up [rose, stood] and sat [took his seat, was seated] in the gate [public gathering place, city entrance], and all the people [every individual, the crowd] were told: “Behold, the king [the ruler, monarch] is sitting [seated, in residence] in the gate.” So they all came [gathered, assembled] before the king [to his presence, into his sight]. Meanwhile, the Israelites [the people of Israel, God’s chosen] had fled [run away, escaped], each man [every individual, person] to his home [tent, dwelling place]. word study 9 And all [the entire nation, every tribe] the people throughout the tribes of Israel were arguing [at strife, in disagreement], “The king [the ruler, monarch] rescued us from the hand [power, control] of our enemies [those who oppose us] and delivered us from the hand [dominion, rule] of the Philistines [a neighboring nation], but now he has fled [escaped, gone into exile] the land because of Absalom [his rebellious son]. word study 10 But Absalom [the man we chose to be our king], the man we anointed [set apart, consecrated] over us, has died [been killed, perished] in battle [war, combat]. So why do you say [speak, utter] nothing about restoring [bringing back, returning] the king [the ruler, the monarch]?” word study 11 Then King David [the ruler of Israel, a man after God’s heart] sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests [spiritual leaders, mediators between God and man]: “Say to the elders of Judah [respected leaders, wise men], ‘Why should you be the last [delaying, hesitant] to restore [return, bring back] the king to his palace [royal residence, throne], since the talk [speech, voice] of all Israel [the entire nation, God’s people] has reached the king at his quarters [residence, place of dwelling]? word study 12 You are my brothers [my relatives], my own flesh and blood [my bone and my flesh]. So why should you be the last [the final ones, the most delayed] to restore [to bring back, to return] the king [the monarch, the ruler]?’ word study 13 And say to Amasa, ‘Aren’t you my [bone and flesh, close relative] flesh and blood [my own kin]? May God [the Almighty, Elohim] punish me, and ever so severely [with great suffering], if from this time you are not the commander [captain, leader] of my army in place of Joab [as his replacement]!’” word study 14 So he swayed [won over, convinced] the hearts [minds, wills] of all the men of Judah [the tribe of Judah, as one united people] as though they were one man [united in purpose, of one mind], and they sent word [a message, a command] to the king: “Return [come back, turn back], you [as their ruler, their king] and all your servants [attendants, officials].” word study 15 So the king [the monarch, ruler] returned, and when he arrived at the Jordan [the river, a natural boundary], the men of Judah [the tribe, descendants of Judah] came to Gilgal [a place of assembly, sacred gathering] to meet him and escort [to conduct, bring across] him across the Jordan [the river, a point of transition]. word study 16 Then Shimei [the son of Gera, a Benjamite] son of Gera, a Benjamite [from the tribe of Benjamin] from Bahurim, hurried down [hasted and came down] with the men of Judah [the tribe descended from Judah] to meet King [the royal ruler, monarch] David, word study 17 along with a thousand men [one thousand, a large group] of Benjamin [the tribe of Benjamin, descendants of Benjamin], as well as Ziba [servant] the steward of the house of Saul [the royal household, Saul’s family] and his fifteen sons [his fifteen male children] and twenty servants [his twenty attendants, workers]. They rushed down [hurried, hastened] to the Jordan [the river Jordan, a major waterway] before the king [in the presence of the king, King David] word study 18 and crossed [at the ferry, over the river] at the ford [a shallow place, crossing point] to carry over the king’s [royal, sovereign] household [family, servants] and to do [accomplish, perform] what was good [pleasant, beneficial] in his sight [presence, opinion]. When Shimei [a Benjamite] son of Gera [a descendant of Benjamin] crossed [passed over, went across] the Jordan [a major river, boundary], he fell down [prostrated himself, bowed] before the king [the ruler, sovereign] word study 19 and said, “My lord [Your Majesty, the King], do not hold me guilty [impute iniquity to me], and do not remember [keep in mind, recall] your servant’s wrongdoing [iniquity, perversely] on the day my lord the king [the monarch, ruler] left Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital]. May the king [the ruler, sovereign] not take it to heart [be grieved, troubled]. word study 20 For your servant [acknowledging my guilt, conscious of my sin] knows that I have sinned [committed iniquity, done wrong], so here I am today [at this present time, in this moment] as the first [the initial, the foremost] of all the house of Joseph [the tribe of Joseph, the family of Israel] to come down [to go down, to descend] to meet my lord [my master, my ruler] the king [the sovereign, the monarch].” word study 21 But Abishai [a military leader] son of Zeruiah said, “Shouldn’t Shimei [the one who cursed David] be put to death [executed, sentenced to death] for this, because he cursed [reviled, spoke evil against] the LORD’s [Yehovah’s, the one true God] anointed [appointed king, chosen leader]?” word study 22 And David replied [answered, responded], “Sons of Zeruiah [descendants of Zeruiah, balsam tree], what have I to do with you [what is my relationship to you], that you should be my adversaries [enemies, opponents] today [at this time, in this situation]? Should any man be put to death [executed, killed] in Israel today [in this nation, at this moment]? Am I not indeed aware [do I not know, am I not conscious] that today [at this time, now] I am king [ruler, leader] over Israel [God’s chosen people, this nation]?” word study 23 So the king [David, the ruler of Israel] said to Shimei, “You shall not [under any circumstances] die [perish, come to an end].” And the king [the monarch, ruler] swore [made a solemn promise, vowed] an oath [a solemn promise, a vow] to him [Shimei, the one who had cursed David]. word study 24 Then Mephibosheth [Saul’s grandson, the son of Jonathan], Saul’s grandson, went down [to greet] to meet the king [the monarch, the ruler]. He had not [refused to, neglected to] cared for his feet [dressed his feet, groomed his feet] or trimmed his mustache [his beard, his upper lip] or washed his clothes [his garments, his attire] from the day the king had left [departed, gone away] until the day he returned [came back, came home] safely [in peace, peacefully]. word study 25 And he came from Jerusalem to meet the king [a royal person], who asked him, “Mephibosheth [exterminating the idol, grandson of King Saul], why did you not [lacking the action, without] go [to walk, to move] with me [in my presence, accompanying me]?” word study 26 “My lord [O king, sovereign ruler] the king,” he replied, “because I am lame [physically crippled, unable to walk], I said, ‘I will have my donkey [my beast of burden] saddled so that I may ride on it and go with [accompany, follow] the king.’ But my servant [attendant, helper] Ziba deceived [betrayed, misled] me, word study 27 and he has slandered [utterly misrepresented, given a false account of] your servant [devoted follower, one who serves] to my lord [master, sovereign] the king [monarch, ruler]. Yet my lord [sovereign, ruler] the king [monarch, ruler] is like the angel [messenger] of God [the Almighty, Divine One], so do what is good [righteous, pleasing] in your eyes [judgment, discretion]. word study 28 For all the house of my grandfather deserves [deserved to die, were but dead men] death from my lord [master, supreme ruler] the king, yet you have set your servant [one who serves, a slave] among those who eat at your table [in a place of intimacy and fellowship]. What further right [just claim, privilege], then, do I have to keep appealing [cry out, make petition] to the king?” word study 29 The king [ruler, sovereign] replied, “Why say [speak, utter] any more [further, additional words]? I hereby declare [command, decree] that you and Ziba [as co-owners, shared responsibility] are to divide [share, distribute] the land [property, inheritance].” word study 30 And Mephibosheth said to the king, “Instead, since my lord [master, sovereign] the king has safely [in peace, without harm] come to his own house, let Ziba [his servant, the steward] take it all [everything, the whole inheritance]!” word study 31 Now Barzillai [from the region of Gilead] the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim [his hometown] to cross the Jordan [to conduct him over, to help him cross] with the king [the royal person, King David] and send him on his way [to conduct him, to escort him] from there [across the river, onwards]. word study 32 Barzillai [a very aged man, eighty years old] was quite old, eighty years of age, and since he was a very wealthy [great] man, he had provided [sustenance, food] for the king [the ruler, King David] while he stayed [lay, abode] in Mahanaim. word study 33 The king [ruler, sovereign] said to Barzillai [my iron, a Gileadite leader], “Cross over [come with me, pass the Jordan] with me, and I will provide for [sustain, support, feed] you at my side [with me, in my presence] in Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital].” word study 34 But Barzillai [my iron, a Gileadite leader] replied, “How many years [days of my life, time remaining] of my life remain [are left to me], that I should go up [ascend, travel] to Jerusalem [the city of peace, capital of Palestine] with the king [the royal ruler, sovereign]? word study 35 I am now eighty [fourscore] years old [in my advanced age]. Can I discern [distinguish, know the difference] what is good [beneficial, pleasant] and what is not [evil, unpleasant]? Can your servant taste [enjoy, savor] what he eats or drinks [consume, partake of]? Can I still hear [perceive, listen to] the voice [sound, melody] of singing men and women [musicians, vocalists]? Why should your servant be an added burden [weight, responsibility] to my lord the king [the ruler, sovereign]? word study 36 Your [faithful] servant [one who serves, a slave] could go with the king [ruler, monarch] only a short distance [a little way] past the Jordan [the river, a boundary]; why should the king [lord, master] repay me with such a [great, significant] reward [gift, recompense]? word study 37 Please let your servant [faithful attendant, one who serves] return, that I may die [pass away, cease to exist] in my own city [the place of my ancestors] near the tomb [burial site, grave] of my father and mother [my earthly parents, those who gave me life]. But here is your servant [loyal subject, one who is devoted] Chimham. Let him cross over [pass over, transition] with my lord the king [the ruler, the one in authority], and do for him what is good [what seems right, what is pleasing] in your sight [your judgment, your perspective].” word study 38 The king [lord, ruler] replied, “Chimham [their longing, a follower of Barzillai] will cross over [pass, transition] with me, and I will do for him what seems [appears, is considered] good [pleasant, beneficial] in your sight [eye, perception], and I will do for you whatever [all that, everything] you desire [request, require] of me [from me, as your lord].” word study 39 So all the people [every individual, the entire nation] crossed the Jordan [passed over, transitioned], and then the king [the monarch, King David] crossed over [went across, transitioned]. The king [the ruler, the sovereign] kissed Barzillai [as a sign of respect, with affection] and blessed him [spoke well of him, wished him well], and Barzillai [the one who was blessed] returned home [to his own place, his residence]. word study 40 Then the king [the ruler, monarch] went on to Gilgal, and Chimham crossed over [passed over, transitioned] with him. All [the entire, whole] the troops [army, people] of Judah and half [a portion, part] the troops [forces, warriors] of Israel escorted [accompanied, conducted] the king [the monarch, ruler]. word study 41 Soon all the men of Israel [referring to his descendants] came to the king [a royal person, like King David or King Saul] and asked, “Why did our brothers [fellow countrymen], the men of Judah [the tribe descended from Judah, the son of Jacob], take you away [stolen thee away] secretly and bring the king [the royal person] and his household [all his family] across the Jordan [to pass, transition from one thing to another], together with [together] all of David’s men [all his people, followers]?” word study 42 And all [every single one] the men of Judah replied to the men of Israel, “We did this because the king [our relative, a near kinsman] is our relative [a brother, a close family member]. Why [for what reason, on what account] does this anger you? Have we ever eaten [partaken, consumed food] at the king’s expense [at the king’s cost, with the king’s provision] or received [taken, acquired] anything [any gift, any benefit] for ourselves?” word study 43 “We have ten shares [a greater portion, ten parts] in the king [the monarch, King David],” answered the men of Israel, “so we have more claim [a stronger right, greater authority] to David [the king of Israel, the anointed one] than you [the men of Judah]. Why then do you despise [treat with contempt, show disrespect] us? Were we not [did we not, were we the first] the first to speak [to propose, to suggest] of restoring [bringing back, reinstating] our king [the ruler, the leader]?” But the men of Judah [the tribe of Judah, the people of Judah] pressed [insisted, urged strongly] even harder [more forcefully, with greater intensity] than the men of Israel [the other tribes of Israel, the Israelites]. word study