And all the people throughout the tribes of Israel were arguing, “The king rescued us from the hand of our enemies and delivered us from the hand of the Philistines, but now he has fled the land because of Absalom.
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But Absalom, the man we anointed over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about restoring the king?”
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Then King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests: “Say to the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you be the last to restore the king to his palace, since the talk of all Israel has reached the king at his quarters?
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You are my brothers, my own flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to restore the king?’
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And say to Amasa, ‘Aren’t you my flesh and blood? May God punish me, and ever so severely, if from this time you are not the commander of my army in place of Joab!’”
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So he swayed the hearts of all the men of Judah as though they were one man, and they sent word to the king: “Return, you and all your servants.”
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So the king returned, and when he arrived at the Jordan, the men of Judah came to Gilgal to meet him and escort him across the Jordan.
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Then Shimei son of Gera, a Benjamite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David,
19:17
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along with a thousand men of Benjamin, as well as Ziba the steward of the house of Saul and his fifteen sons and twenty servants.
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and crossed at the ford to carry over the king’s household and to do what was good in his sight.
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and said, “My lord, do not hold me guilty, and do not remember your servant’s wrongdoing on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. May the king not take it to heart.
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For your servant knows that I have sinned, so here I am today as the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.”
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But Abishai son of Zeruiah said, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD’s anointed?”
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And David replied, “Sons of Zeruiah, what have I to do with you, that you should be my adversaries today? Should any man be put to death in Israel today? Am I not indeed aware that today I am king over Israel?”
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So the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king swore an oath to him.
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Then Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, went down to meet the king. He had not cared for his feet or trimmed his mustache or washed his clothes from the day the king had left until the day he returned safely.
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And he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, who asked him, “Mephibosheth, why did you not go with me?”
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“My lord the king,” he replied, “because I am lame, I said, ‘I will have my donkey saddled so that I may ride on it and go with the king.’ But my servant Ziba deceived me,
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and he has slandered your servant to my lord the king.
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For all the house of my grandfather deserves death from my lord the king, yet you have set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right, then, do I have to keep appealing to the king?”
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The king replied, “Why say any more? I hereby declare that you and Ziba are to divide the land.”
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And Mephibosheth said to the king, “Instead, since my lord the king has safely come to his own house, let Ziba take it all!”