And the king trembled, and he went up to the upper room of the gate, and he wept. And as he went, he said, 'My son Avshalom, my son, my son Avshalom! Who will grant me that I might die instead of you, Avshalom, my son, my son!'

And it was told to Yo'av, 'Look, the king is weeping and mourning for Avshalom.'

And the victory became on that day for mourning to all the people, because the people heard on that day, saying, 'The king is grieved over his son.'

And the people stole into the city on that day, as people who are ashamed steal into the city when they flee in battle.

And the king covered his face, and the king cried out with a loud voice, 'My son Avshalom, Avshalom, my son, my son!'

And Yo'av came into the house to the king, and he said, 'You have shamed yourself today, the faces of all your servants who saved your life today, and the lives of your sons and your daughters, and the lives of your wives and the lives of your concubines.'

'To love your enemies and to hate your lovers, because you have made it clear today that you have no commanders and no servants. For I know today that if Avshalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then it would be right in your eyes.'

'And now, arise, go out, and speak to the heart of your servants, for by יהוה I have sworn, that if you do not go out, no man will stay with you tonight. And this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.'

And the king arose and sat in the gate. And it was told to all the people, saying, 'Look, the king is sitting in the gate.' And all the people came before the king. And Yisra'el fled, each man to his tents.

And all the people were disputing throughout all the tribes of Yisra'el, saying, 'The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies, and he saved us from the hand of the Pelishtim. And now he has fled from the land because of Avshalom.'

'And Avshalom, whom we anointed over us, died in battle. And now, why are you silent about bringing the king back?'

And King David sent to Tsadoq and to Evyatar, the priests, saying, 'Speak to the elders of Yehudah, saying, 'Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house? And the word of all Yisra'el has come to the king, to his house.'

'You are my brothers, my bone and my flesh. Why then are you the last to bring back the king?'

'And to Amasa you shall say, 'Are you not my bone and my flesh? May Elohim do so to me and so add to me, if you are not the commander of the army before me all the days, instead of Yo'av.'

And he turned the heart of all the men of Yehudah, as one man. And they sent to the king, saying, 'Return, you and all your servants.'

And the king returned, and he came to the Yarden. And Yehudah came to Gilgal to go to meet the king, to escort the king across the Yarden.

And Shim'i, son of Gera, son of the Yemini, who was from Bahurim, hurried and went down with the men of Yehudah to meet King David.

And a thousand men with him from Binyamin, and Tsiva, the servant of the house of Sha'ul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him. And they crossed the Yarden before the king.

And the ferry went to ferry the king's household and to do what was good in his eyes. And Shim'i, son of Gera, fell before the king as he crossed the Yarden.

And he said to the king, 'May my Adonai not count iniquity against me, and do not remember what your servant did wrong on the day my Adonai the king went out from Yerushalayim, that the king should lay it on his heart.'

'For your servant knows that I have sinned. And behold, today I have come first of all the house of Yosef to go down to meet my Adonai the king.'

And Avishai, son of Tseruyah, answered and said, 'Should Shim'i not be put to death for this, because he cursed the anointed of יהוה?'

And David said, 'What have I to do with you, sons of Tseruyah, that you should be adversaries to me today? Shall a man be put to death in Yisra'el today? For do I not know that today I am king over Yisra'el?'

And the king said to Shim'i, 'You shall not die.' And the king swore to him.

And Mefibosheth, son of Sha'ul, came down to meet the king. And he had not cared for his feet, nor cared for his mustache, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king went out until the day he came in peace.

And it happened when he came to Yerushalayim to meet the king, the king said to him, 'Why did you not go with me, Mefibosheth?'

And he said, 'My Adonai the king, my servant deceived me, for your servant said, 'I will saddle a donkey for myself, and I will ride on it and go with the king, because your servant is lame.'

'And he slandered your servant to my Adonai the king. But my Adonai the king is like an angel of Elohim. Do what is good in your eyes.'

'For there was not all the house of my father but men of death for my Adonai the king. And you set your servant among those who eat at your table. And what more right do I have, and what more reason to cry out to the king?'

And the king said to him, 'Why do you still speak your words? I have decreed, you and Tsiva shall divide the field.'

And Mefibosheth said to the king, 'Let him take all of it, after my Adonai the king has come in peace to his house.'

And Barzillai the Gil'adi came down from Rogelim, and he crossed the Yarden with the king, to escort him across the Yarden.

And Barzillai was very old, eighty years old. And he sustained the king when he stayed in Mahana'im, for he was a very great man.

And the king said to Barzillai, 'You come with me, and I will sustain you with me in Yerushalayim.'

And Barzillai said to the king, 'How many are the days of the years of my life, that I should go up with the king to Yerushalayim?'

'I am eighty years old today. Can I discern between good and evil? Can your servant taste what I eat and what I drink? Can I hear the voice of singers and singers anymore? And why should your servant still be a burden to my Adonai the king?'

'Your servant will cross the Yarden with the king, and why should the king repay me this reward?'

'Let your servant, please, return, and I will die in my city, near the grave of my father and my mother. And behold, your servant Kimham will cross with my Adonai the king, and do for him what is good in your eyes.'

And the king said, 'Kimham will cross with me, and I will do for him what is good in your eyes. And whatever you ask of me, I will do for you.'

And all the people crossed the Yarden. And the king crossed. And the king kissed Barzillai, and he blessed him, and he returned to his place.

And the king crossed to Gilgal, and Kimham crossed with him. And all the men of Yehudah escorted the king, and also half the men of Yisra'el.

And look, all the men of Yisra'el came to the king and said to the king, 'Why did our brothers, the men of Yehudah, steal you away and escort the king and his household and all David's men across the Yarden?'

And all the men of Yehudah answered the men of Yisra'el, 'Because the king is close to me. And why are you angry about this matter? Have we eaten anything from the king? Or have we received any gift from him?'

And the men of Yisra'el answered the men of Yehudah and said, 'I have ten parts in the king, and I am also more than you in David. And why did you slight me? And was my word not the first to bring back my king?' And the word of the men of Yehudah was sharper than the word of the men of Yisra'el.