Joab Reprimands David

¹Joab was told that King David was weeping and mourning for Absalom.

²And so the joy of victory was turned into sadness for all of David's troops that day, because they heard that the king was mourning for his son.

³They went back into the city quietly, like soldiers who are ashamed because they are running away from battle.

⁴The king covered his face and cried loudly, “O my son! My son Absalom! Absalom, my son!”

⁵Joab went to the king's house and said to him, “Today you have humiliated your men—the men who saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters and of your wives and concubines.

⁶You oppose those who love you and support those who hate you! You have made it clear that your officers and men mean nothing to you. I can see that you would be quite happy if Absalom were alive today and all of us were dead.

⁷Now go and reassure your men. I swear by the Lord's name that if you don't, not one of them will be with you by tomorrow morning. That would be the worst disaster you have suffered in all your life.”

David Starts Back to Jerusalem

⁸Then the king got up, and went and sat near the city gate. His men heard that he was there, and they all gathered around him. Meanwhile all the Israelites had fled to their own hometowns.

⁹All over the country they started quarreling among themselves. “King David saved us from our enemies,” they said to one another. “He rescued us from the Philistines, but now he has fled from Absalom and left the country.

¹⁰We anointed Absalom as our king, but he has been killed in battle. So why doesn't somebody try to bring King David back?”

¹¹The news of what the Israelites were saying reached King David. So he sent the priests Zadok and Abiathar to ask the leaders of Judah, “Why should you be the last to help bring the king back to his palace?

¹²You are my relatives, my own flesh and blood; why should you be the last to bring me back?”

¹³David also told them to say to Amasa, “You are my relative. From now on I am putting you in charge of the army in place of Joab. May God strike me dead if I don't!”

¹⁴David's words won the complete loyalty of all the men of Judah, and they sent him word to return with all his officials.

¹⁵On his way back the king was met at the Jordan River by the men of Judah, who had come to Gilgal to escort him across the river.

¹⁶At the same time the Benjaminite Shimei son of Gera from Bahurim hurried to the Jordan to meet King David.

¹⁷He had with him a thousand men from the tribe of Benjamin. And Ziba, the servant of Saul's family, also came with his fifteen sons and twenty servants, and they arrived at the Jordan before the king.

David Shows Kindness to Shimei

¹⁸They crossed the river to escort the royal party across and to do whatever the king wanted. As the king was getting ready to cross, Shimei threw himself down in front of him

¹⁹and said, “Your Majesty, please forget the wrong I did that day you left Jerusalem. Don't hold it against me or think about it any more.

²⁰I know, sir, that I have sinned, and this is why I am the first one from the northern tribes to come and meet Your Majesty today.”

²¹Abishai son of Zeruiah spoke up: “Shimei should be put to death because he cursed the one whom the Lord chose as king.”

²²But David said to Abishai and his brother Joab, “Who asked your opinion? Are you going to give me trouble? I am the one who is king of Israel now, and no Israelite will be put to death today.”

²³And he said to Shimei, “I give you my word that you will not be put to death.”

David Shows Kindness to Mephibosheth

²⁴Then Mephibosheth, Saul's grandson, came down to meet the king. He had not washed his feet, trimmed his beard, or washed his clothes from the time the king left Jerusalem until he returned victorious.

²⁵When Mephibosheth arrived from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, “Mephibosheth, you didn't go with me. Why not?”

²⁶He answered, “As you know, Your Majesty, I am crippled. I told my servant to saddle my donkey so that I could ride along with you, but he betrayed me.

²⁷He lied about me to Your Majesty, but you are like God's angel, so do what seems right to you.

²⁸All of my father's family deserved to be put to death by Your Majesty, but you gave me the right to eat at your table. I have no right to ask for any more favors from Your Majesty.”

²⁹The king answered, “You don't have to say anything more. I have decided that you and Ziba will share Saul's property.”

³⁰“Let Ziba have it all,” Mephibosheth answered. “It's enough for me that Your Majesty has come home safely.”

David Shows Kindness to Barzillai

³¹Barzillai, from Gilead, had also come down from Rogelim to escort the king across the Jordan.

³²Barzillai was a very old man, eighty years old. He was very rich and had supplied the king with food while he was staying at Mahanaim.

³³The king said to him, “Come with me to Jerusalem, and I will take care of you.”

³⁴But Barzillai answered, “I don't have long to live; why should I go with Your Majesty to Jerusalem?

³⁵I am already eighty years old, and nothing gives me pleasure any more. I can't taste what I eat and drink, and I can't hear the voices of singers. I would only be a burden to Your Majesty.

³⁶I don't deserve such a great reward. So I will go just a little way with you beyond the Jordan.

³⁷Then let me go back home and die near my parents' grave. Here is my son Chimham, who will serve you; take him with you, Your Majesty, and do for him as you think best.”

³⁸The king answered, “I will take him with me and do for him whatever you want. And I will do for you anything you ask.”

³⁹Then David and all of his men crossed the Jordan. He kissed Barzillai and gave him his blessing, and Barzillai went back home.

Judah and Israel Argue over the King

⁴⁰When the king had crossed, escorted by all the people of Judah and half the people of Israel, he went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went with him.

⁴¹Then all the Israelites went to the king and said to him, “Your Majesty, why did our brothers, the men of Judah, think they had the right to take you away and escort you, your family, and your men across the Jordan?”

⁴²The men of Judah answered, “We did it because the king is one of us. So why should this make you angry? He hasn't paid for our food nor has he given us anything.”

⁴³The Israelites replied, “We have ten times as many claims on King David as you have, even if he is one of you. Why do you look down on us? Don't forget that we were the first to talk about bringing the king back!” But the men of Judah were more violent in making their claims than the men of Israel.

The Work Assigned to the Priests

¹These are the groups to which the descendants of Aaron belong. Aaron had four sons: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

²Nadab and Abihu died before their father did, and left no descendants, so their brothers Eleazar and Ithamar became priests.

³King David organized the descendants of Aaron into groups according to their duties. He was assisted in this by Zadok, a descendant of Eleazar, and by Ahimelech, a descendant of Ithamar.

⁴The descendants of Eleazar were organized into sixteen groups, while the descendants of Ithamar were organized into eight; this was done because there were more male heads of families among the descendants of Eleazar.

⁵Since there were Temple officials and spiritual leaders among the descendants of both Eleazar and Ithamar, assignments were made by drawing lots.

⁶The descendants of Eleazar and of Ithamar took turns drawing lots. Then they were registered by Shemaiah son of Nethanel, a Levite secretary. The king, his officials, the priest Zadok, Ahimelech son of Abiathar, and the heads of the priestly families and of the Levite families, were all witnesses.

^7-18This is the order in which the twenty-four family groups were given their assignments: 1) Jehoiarib; 2) Jedaiah; 3) Harim; 4) Seorim; 5) Malchijah; 6) Mijamin; 7) Hakkoz; 8) Abijah; 9) Jeshua; 10) Shecaniah; 11) Eliashib; 12) Jakim; 13) Huppah; 14) Jeshebeab; 15) Bilgah; 16) Immer; 17) Hezir; 18) Happizzez; 19) Pethahiah; 20) Jehezkel; 21) Jachin; 22) Gamul; 23) Delaiah; 24) Maaziah.

¹⁹These men were registered according to their assignments for going to the Temple and performing the duties established by their ancestor Aaron in obedience to the commands of the Lord God of Israel.

The List of the Levites

²⁰These are other heads of families descended from Levi: Jehdeiah, a descendant of Amram through Shebuel;

²¹Isshiah, a descendant of Rehabiah;

²²Jahath, a descendant of Izhar through Shelomith;

²³Jeriah, Amariah, Jehaziel, and Jekameam, sons of Hebron, in order of age;

²⁴Shamir, a descendant of Uzziel through Micah;

²⁵Zechariah, a descendant of Uzziel through Isshiah, Micah's brother;

²⁶Mahli, Mushi, and Jaaziah, descendants of Merari.

²⁷Jaaziah had three sons: Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri.

^28-29Mahli had two sons, Eleazar and Kish. Eleazar had no sons, but Kish had one son, Jerahmeel.

³⁰Mushi had three sons: Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth. These are the families of the Levites.

³¹The head of each family and one of his younger brothers drew lots for their assignments, just as their relatives, the priests descended from Aaron, had done. King David, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of families of the priests and of the Levites were witnesses.

The Prayer of a Sufferer

¹O Lord, don't punish me in your anger!

²You have wounded me with your arrows; you have struck me down.

³Because of your anger, I am in great pain; my whole body is diseased because of my sins.

⁴I am drowning in the flood of my sins; they are a burden too heavy to bear.

⁵Because I have been foolish, my sores stink and rot.

⁶I am bent over, I am crushed; I mourn all day long.

⁷I am burning with fever and I am near death.

⁸I am worn out and utterly crushed; my heart is troubled, and I groan with pain.

⁹O Lord, you know what I long for; you hear all my groans.

¹⁰My heart is pounding, my strength is gone, and my eyes have lost their brightness.

¹¹My friends and neighbors will not come near me, because of my sores; even my family keeps away from me.

¹²Those who want to kill me lay traps for me, and those who want to hurt me threaten to ruin me; they never stop plotting against me.

¹³I am like the deaf and cannot hear, like the dumb and cannot speak.

¹⁴I am like those who do not answer, because they cannot hear.

¹⁵But I trust in you, O Lord; and you, O Lord my God, will answer me.

¹⁶Don't let my enemies gloat over my distress; don't let them boast about my downfall!

¹⁷I am about to fall and am in constant pain.

¹⁸I confess my sins; they fill me with anxiety.

¹⁹My enemies are healthy and strong; there are many who hate me for no reason.

²⁰Those who pay back evil for good are against me because I try to do right.

²¹Do not abandon me, O Lord; do not stay away, my God!

²²Help me now, O Lord my savior!