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Nach YomiII Samuel · שמואל ב׳Chapter 19

II Samuel 19

שמואל ב׳ ׀ךק י׮ט

Section: נביאים · נביאים ךאשונים | Book: II Samuel | Chapter: 19 of 24 | Day: 95 of 742

Date: May 17, 2026

קלאוד על הנ׮ך

Few chapters in Sefer Shmuel match II Samuel 19 for emotional and political density. It opens with one of the most piercing cries in all of Tanakh — “בני אבשלום בני בני אבשלום, מי יתן מותי אני תחתיך” — as Dovid ascends to the chamber over the gate and weeps for the son who tried to kill him. Radak observes that the eightfold repetition of “בני” corresponds to the eight stages of redemption Dovid wished he could have effected for Avshalom, including, by midrashic reading, rescue from the seven chambers of Gehinnom. Whatever the count signifies, the lament transforms a military triumph into a national mourning. The soldiers slip into the city as if defeated, the victory itself made shameful by the king’s grief, and into this paralyzed silence strides Yoav. His rebuke is one of the harshest speeches ever directed at a Davidic king by a subject: you have shamed the faces of all your servants, you love those who hate you and hate those who love you, “כי לוא אבשלום חי והיום כולנו מתים, כי אז ישך בעיניך.” Metzudat David softens the words slightly as zealous candor born of necessity, but the text itself does not soften them, and the chapter never resolves whether Yoav speaks as Israel’s most clear-eyed servant or as the man who has just defied his king’s explicit order to deal gently with the young man for his sake.

From this opening confrontation the chapter pivots sharply from private grief to public statecraft, and the seam shows. Dovid composes himself, sits in the gate, and the people pass before him; meanwhile the tribes north of Yehuda begin debating whether to bring the king back, recognizing with sober realism that the army that anointed Avshalom now has no king at all. What follows is one of the most calculated political moves of Dovid’s reign: rather than wait for Israel’s invitation, he sends through Tzadok and Evyatar to his own tribe of Yehuda, asking pointedly why his own flesh and bone has been the slowest to act, and offering the captaincy of the host to Amasa — Avshalom’s own general — in place of Yoav. Rashi reads this as Dovid simultaneously securing Yehuda’s loyalty and answering Yoav’s insubordination by demoting him without a confrontation. The political genius is real, but so is the cost: Yoav will not forget, and Amasa will not survive chapter 20.

The crossing at the Jordan becomes a procession of judgments, each one testing what restoration means. Shim’i ben Gera, who hurled stones and curses at the fleeing king in chapter 16, now hurries with a thousand men of Binyamin to throw himself before Dovid, and Avishai — true to character — demands his execution: “should not Shim’i be put to death because he cursed the LORD’s anointed?” Dovid’s reply is a constitutional declaration as much as a personal one: “מה לי ולכם בני ש׹ויה כי תהיו לי היום לשטן? היום יומת איש בישךאל? כי הלוא ידעתי כי היום אני מלך על ישךאל.” Today is not a day for blood; today the kingship is being restored, and an execution would convert a coronation into a purge. He swears Shim’i shall not die — though every reader of I Kings 2 knows that Dovid will hand the unfinished account to Shlomo on his deathbed, a deferred justice rather than a true pardon. Then Mefivoshet appears, unwashed and unshaven since the day the king fled, and offers his account: my servant Tziva slandered me, I commanded my donkey to be saddled, my lord the king is like a messenger of God. Dovid’s verdict — “you and Tziva shall divide the land” — is one of the most contested rulings in Tanakh. The Gemara in Shabbat 56b famously hears in it a heavenly echo: when Dovid divided the field, a bat kol declared that Rechav’am and Yarov’am would one day divide the kingdom. Some commentators read the split as Solomon-like compromise under epistemic uncertainty; others, with the Gemara, as a moment of failed discernment whose consequences the dynasty will pay for centuries later. Mefivoshet’s reply — let him take it all, for my lord the king has come safely to his house — only deepens the ambiguity about who was telling the truth.

The chapter’s most beautiful interlude breaks this run of fraught judgments. Barzilai HaGil’adi, who had provisioned Dovid in his exile at Machanayim (17:27-29), descends to the Jordan to escort the king across, and Dovid offers him the royal table in Jerusalem. Barzilai’s refusal is a small masterpiece of Hebrew prose on aging: “בן שמונים שנה אנכי היום, האדע בין טוב לךע? אם יטעם עבדך את אשך אכל ואת אשך אשתה, אם אשמע עוד בקול שךים ושךות?” Why should your servant be a burden? Let me return to die in my own city near the grave of my father and mother. Take Kimham, my son, in my place. Radak notes the dignity of the speech — Barzilai will not trade the contemplative end of life for a courtier’s noise — and Chazal cite the passage as a paradigm of how the elderly should reckon honestly with diminishing capacities while still bestowing what they can on the next generation. Dovid kisses him and blesses him, and Kimham crosses over; centuries later Yirmiyahu will mention “גךות כמהם” near Bet Lechem (Yirmiyahu 41:17), a small toponym that preserves this old man’s gift to his son.

The chapter ends, however, with the bitterness that will detonate the next one. The men of Israel arrive at Gilgal to find Yehuda has already escorted the king across without them, and the quarrel breaks out in the open: “מדוע גנבוך אחינו איש יהודה?” Yehuda answers from blood — “ק׹וב המלך אלי” — and Israel from numbers and merit: “עשך ידות לי במלך וגם בדוד אני ממך.” The narrator’s verdict in the closing verse is decisive and ominous: “ויקש דב׹ איש יהודה מדב׹ איש ישךאל.” Metzudat David explains that Yehuda’s words were harder, more cutting, more dismissive — and into that crack steps Sheva ben Bichri at the start of chapter 20 with the cry that will one day become Yarov’am’s slogan: “אין לנו חלק בדוד ולא נחלה לנו בבן ישי.” The chapter that began with a father weeping for his son ends with the kingdom of Israel beginning, almost imperceptibly, to tear along the seam between Yehuda and the northern tribes. Restoration, the chapter teaches, is not the undoing of a rebellion; it is the moment when all the wounds the rebellion opened must be bound up at once, and the king who binds them imperfectly leaves the next tear for his successors.

׀ךק י׮ט · Chapter 19

׀סוק א׳ · Verse 1

Hebrew:

וַי֌֎ךְג֌ַ֣ז הַמ֌ֶ֗לֶךְ וַי֌ַ֛עַל עַל֟עֲל֎י֌ַ֥ת הַשׁ֌ַ֖עַך וַי֌ֵ֑בְך֌ְ וְכֹ֣ה ׀ א֞מַ֣ך ב֌ְלֶכְת֌֗וֹ ב֌ְנ֎րי אַבְשׁ֞לוֹם֙ ב֌ְנ֎֣י בְנ֎֣י אַבְשׁ֞ל֔וֹם מ֎֜י֟י֎ת֌ֵրן מו֌ת֎י֙ אֲנ֎֣י תַחְת֌ֶ֔יך֞ אַבְשׁ֞ל֖וֹם ב֌ְנ֎֥י בְנ֎֜י׃

English:

aIn some versions, this verse is labeled as 18.33, and chapter 19 starts with the next verse. The king was shaken. He went up to the upper chamber of the gateway and wept, moaning these words as he went,bwent Some Septuagint mss. read “wept.” “My son Absalom! O my son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you! O Absalom, my son, my son!”

Dovid retreats to the upper chamber over the gate and pours out the most famous lament of parental grief in Tanakh, repeating 'beni' (my son) eight times and wishing he had died in Avshalom's place. Chazal in Sotah 10b read the eightfold cry as the prayer that drew Avshalom up through the seven levels of Gehinnom into Olam HaBa. Rashi notes the upper chamber over the gate as the place a king ascends to weep apart from his people.
ךש׎יRashi
בְ֌נ֎י בְנ֮י. שְׁמוֹנֶה ׀ְ֌ע֞מ֎ים, א֞מְךו֌ ךַב֌וֹתֵינו֌ (סוטה י ב): ש֎ׁבְע֞ה דְ֌אַסְקֵיה֌ מ֎ש֎֌ׁבְע֞ה מְדוֹךֵי גֵ֌יה֎נֹ֌ם, וְחַד דְ֌אַיְיתֵיה֌ לְע֞לְמ֞א דְ֌א֞תֵי:
My son, my son. Eight times.1Dovid said the word בְּנ֎י eight times, five times in this verse and another three times later in verse 5. Our Rabbis said,2Sotah 10b. Seven of those times to lift him out of the seven levels of Gehennom and one to to bring him into the World to Come.

׀סוק ב׳ · Verse 2

Hebrew:

וַי֌ֻג֌ַ֖ד לְיוֹא֑֞ב ה֎נ֌ֵ֚ה הַמ֌ֶ֧לֶךְ ב֌ֹכֶ֛ה וַי֌֎תְאַב֌ֵ֖ל עַל֟אַבְשׁ֞ל֜וֹם׃

English:

Joab was told that the king was weeping and mourning over Absalom.

׀סוק ג׳ · Verse 3

Hebrew:

וַת֌ְה֎֚י הַת֌ְשֻׁע֞֜ה ב֌ַי֌֥וֹם הַה֛ו֌א לְאֵ֖בֶל לְכׇל֟ה֞ע֑֞ם כ֌֎֜י֟שׁ֞מַ֣ע ה֞ע֞֗ם ב֌ַי֌րￜￜֹם הַהו֌א֙ לֵאמֹ֔ך נֶעֱ׊ַ֥ב הַמ֌ֶ֖לֶךְ עַל֟ב֌ְנ֜וֹ׃

English:

And the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the troops, for that day the troops heard that the king was grieving over his son.

The day's deliverance turns to communal mourning as the soldiers learn that the king is grieving over his son rather than celebrating their rescue. Radak emphasizes how unbearable it is for an army to triumph in battle and find that their king mourns the very enemy they slew at risk of their own lives.

׀סוק ד׳ · Verse 4

Hebrew:

וַי֌֎תְג֌ַנ֌ֵ֥ב ה֞ע֛֞ם ב֌ַי֌֥וֹם הַה֖ו֌א ל֞ב֣וֹא ה֞ע֎֑יך כ֌ַאֲשֶׁ֣ך י֎תְג֌ַנ֌ֵ֗ב ה֞ע֞ם֙ הַנ֌֎כְל֞מ֎֔ים ב֌ְנו֌ס֖֞ם ב֌ַמ֌֎לְח֞מ֞֜ה׃

English:

The troops stole into town that day like troops ashamed after running away in battle.

The troops slip into the city like a beaten force creeping home in disgrace, the inversion of victors moving with the posture of the routed. The image, as Metzudat David notes, captures how the king's grief has stripped his soldiers of every honor their valor earned.

׀סוק ה׳ · Verse 5

Hebrew:

וְהַמ֌ֶ֙לֶךְ֙ ל֞אַ֣ט אֶת֟׀֌֞נ֞֔יו וַי֌֎זְעַ֥ק הַמ֌ֶ֖לֶךְ ק֣וֹל ג֌֞ד֑וֹל ב֌ְנ֎י֙ אַבְשׁ֞ל֔וֹם אַבְשׁ֞ל֖וֹם ב֌ְנ֎֥י בְנ֎֜י׃ {ס}        

English:

The king covered his face and the king kept crying aloud, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!”

Dovid covers his face in the conventional posture of mourning and cries out again, the words 'beni Avshalom, Avshalom beni beni' repeating with the cadence of inconsolable grief. Metzudat David explains the covered face as the standard sign of the avel, and Rashi adds that he hid his face in shame before his people while still unable to stop weeping.
ךש׎יRashi
ל֞אַט אֶת ׀֞֌נ֞יו. (תךגום:) ׎כְ֌ך֎יךְ י֞ת ׊ַזְ׀֌וֹה֎י׎, כְ֌מ֎שְׁ׀֞֌ט ה֞אֲבֵל֎ים: ל֞אַט. כְ֌מוֹ ׎וַי֞֌לֶט ׀֞֌נ֞יו בְ֌אַדַ֌ךְת֌וֹ׎ (מלכים א יט:יג); ׎ה֎נֵ֌ה ה֮יא לו֌ט֞ה בַש֎֌ׂמְל֞ה׎ (שמואל א כא:י):
Covered his face. [Yononson translates:] "Covered his face" in the manner of mourners. Covered. As [we find]: "He wrapped his face with his coat",3Melochim I, 19:13. "It is wrapped up in a cloth".4Shmuel I, 21:10.

׀סוק ו׳ · Verse 6

Hebrew:

וַי֌֞בֹ֥א יוֹא֛֞ב אֶל֟הַמ֌ֶ֖לֶךְ הַב֌֑֞י֎ת וַי֌ֹ֩אמֶך֩ הֹבַ֚שְׁת֌֞ הַי֌֜וֹם אֶת֟׀֌ְנֵ֣י כׇל֟עֲב֞דֶ֗יך֞ הַ֜מְמַל֌ְט֎րים אֶ֜ת֟נַ׀ְשְׁך֞֙ הַי֌֔וֹם וְאֵ֚ת נֶր׀ֶשׁ ב֌֞נֶ֙יך֞֙ ו֌בְנֹתֶ֔יך֞ וְנֶ֣׀ֶשׁ נ֞שֶׁ֔יך֞ וְנֶ֖׀ֶשׁ ׀֌֎לַגְשֶׁ֜יך֞׃

English:

Joab came to the king in his quarters and said, “Today you have humiliated all your followers, who this day saved your life, and the lives of your sons and daughters, and the lives of your wives and concubines,

Yoav storms into the king's house with a fierce rebuke, accusing Dovid of having shamed today the faces of all the servants who saved his life and the lives of his sons, daughters, wives, and concubines. The deliberate catalogue of those Dovid still has, as Radak notes, is meant to wrench him out of single-minded grief for the one son he has lost.

׀סוק ז׳ · Verse 7

Hebrew:

לְאַ֜הֲב֞ה֙ אֶת֟שֹׂ֣נְאֶ֔יך֞ וְל֎שְׂנֹ֖א אֶת֟אֹהֲבֶ֑יך֞ כ֌֎֣י ׀ ה֎ג֌ַ֣דְת֌֞ הַי֌֗וֹם כ֌֎֣י אֵրין לְך־֙ שׂ֞ך֎֣ים וַעֲב֞ד֎֔ים כ֌֎֣י ׀ י֞דַ֣עְת֌֎י הַי֌֗וֹם כ֌֎֠י (לא) [ל֣ו֌] אַבְשׁ֞ל֥וֹם חַי֙ וְכֻל֌֞րנו֌ הַי֌וֹם֙ מֵת֎֔ים כ֌֎י֟א֖֞ז י֞שׁ֥֞ך ב֌ְעֵינֶ֜יך֞׃

English:

by showing love for those who hate you and hate for those who love you. For you have made clear today that the officers and servicemen mean nothing to you. I am sure that if Absalom were alive today and the rest of us dead, you would have preferred it.

Yoav charges that Dovid loves those who hate him and hates those who love him, and that if Avshalom were alive and all his men dead it would have pleased the king. No figure in Tanakh speaks so harshly to a reigning monarch and survives, a measure both of Yoav's standing and of the gravity of the moment.

׀סוק ח׳ · Verse 8

Hebrew:

וְעַת֌֞ה֙ ק֣ו֌ם ׊ֵ֔א וְדַב֌ֵ֖ך עַל֟לֵ֣ב עֲב֞דֶ֑יך֞ {ס}        כ֌֎י֩ בַיהֹו֚֞ה נ֎שְׁב֌ַ֜עְת֌֎י כ֌֎֜י֟אֵינְך֣֞ יוֹ׊ֵ֗א א֎ם֟י֞ל֎֚ין א֎րישׁ א֎ת֌ְך֞֙ הַל֌ַ֔יְל֞ה וְך֞ע֧֞ה לְך֣֞ זֹ֗את מ֎כ֌ׇל֟ה֞ך֞ע֞ה֙ אֲשֶׁך֟ב֌֣֞א֞ה ע֞לֶ֔יך֞ מ֎נ֌ְעֻךֶ֖יך֞ עַד֟ע֞֜ת֌֞ה׃ {ס}        

English:

Now arise, come out and placate your followers! For I swear by GOD that ifcif So Septuagint, 4QSamᵃ, and some other Heb. mss., and an ancient masoretic tradition; ordinary texts omit “if.” you do not come out, not a single man will remain with you overnight; and that would be a greater disaster for you than any disaster that has befallen you from your youth until now.”

Yoav demands that the king rise and speak to his servants' hearts, swearing by Hashem that not a man will remain with him by morning otherwise, a disaster worse than every evil from his youth until now. Radak reads this as a calibrated warning of mass desertion that would unravel the throne, language pitched to a king who knows the full arc of his own history.
ךש׎יRashi
כ֎֌י אֵינְך֞ יוֹ׊ֵא. א֎ם אֵינְך֞ יוֹ׊ֵא:
That [if] you do not go out [to the people]. If you do not go out.5Rashi is adding the word "if" to the verse.

׀סוק ט׳ · Verse 9

Hebrew:

וַי֌֥֞קׇם הַמ֌ֶ֖לֶךְ וַי֌ֵ֣שֶׁב ב֌ַשׁ֌֑֞עַך ו֌֜לְכׇל֟ה֞ע֞֞ם ה֎ג֌֎֣ידו֌ לֵאמֹ֗ך ה֎נ֌ֵրה הַמ֌ֶ֙לֶךְ֙ יוֹשֵׁ֣ב ב֌ַשׁ֌ַ֔עַך וַי֌֞בֹրא כׇל֟ה֞ע֞ם֙ ל֎׀ְנֵ֣י הַמ֌ֶ֔לֶךְ וְי֎֚שְׂך֞אֵ֔ל נ֖֞ס א֎֥ישׁ לְאֹה֞ל֞֜יוￜￜ {ס}        

English:

So the king arose and sat down in the gateway; and when all the troops were told that the king was sitting in the gateway, all the troops presented themselves to the king.Now the Israelites had fled to their homes.

Dovid yields, takes his place in the gate, and the army gathers before him to perform restored kingship in public, while the rebel forces of 'Israel' scatter home. Metzudat David notes that sitting in the gate is the formal posture of a reigning king, the deliberate sign that he has resumed his throne.
ךש׎יRashi
וְי֎שְׂך֞אֵל נ֞ס. אוֹת֞ם שֶׁה֞יו֌ ע֎ם אַבְשׁ֞לוֹם:
[As the people of] Yisroel fled. Those people that were with Avsholom.

׀סוק י׮ · Verse 10

Hebrew:

וַיְה֎րי כׇל֟ה֞ע֞ם֙ נ֞ד֔וֹן ב֌ְכׇל֟שׁ֎בְטֵ֥י י֎שְׂך֞אֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ך הַמ֌ֶ֜לֶךְ ה֎׊֌֎יל֣֞נו֌ ׀ מ֎כ֌ַ֣ף אֹיְבֵ֗ינו֌ וְהրו֌א מ֎ל֌ְט֞֙נו֌֙ מ֎כ֌ַ֣ף ׀֌ְל֎שְׁת֌֎֔ים וְעַת֌֛֞ה ב֌֞ךַ֥ח מ֎ן֟ה֞א֖֞ךֶץ מֵעַ֥ל אַבְשׁ֞ל֜וֹם׃

English:

All the people throughout the tribes of Israel were arguing: Some said, “The king saved us from the hands of our enemies, and he delivered us from the hands of the Philistines; and just now he had to flee the country because of Absalom.

All the tribes of Israel begin debating among themselves: the king saved us from our enemies and from the Plishtim, yet now he has fled the land because of Avshalom. Radak observes how recognition of Dovid's achievements quietly turns popular opinion back toward him once the rebellion has collapsed.
ךש׎יRashi
כ֞֌ל ה֞ע֞ם נ֞דוֹן. מ֎תְוַכְ֌ח֎ים זֶה ע֎ם זֶה:
The people were reproaching each other. Reproaching each other.

׀סוק י׮א · Verse 11

Hebrew:

וְאַבְשׁ֞לוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ך מ֞שַׁ֣חְנו֌ ע֞לֵ֔ינו֌ מֵ֖ת ב֌ַמ֌֎לְח֞מ֑֞ה וְעַת֌֞֗ה ל֞מ֥֞ה אַת֌ֶ֛ם מַחֲך֎שׁ֎֖ים לְה֞שׁ֎֥יב אֶת֟הַמ֌ֶ֜לֶךְ׃ {ס}        

English:

But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle; why then do you sit idle instead of escorting the king back?”

The text exposes the brevity and shallowness of Avshalom's coronation by having the people themselves ask why they remain silent about bringing back the king now that the one they anointed has died in battle. Metzudat David notes that the rhetorical question is a sign of collective regret, the tribes embarrassed by how quickly they had abandoned Dovid.

׀סוק י׮ב · Verse 12

Hebrew:

וְהַמ֌ֶ֣לֶךְ ד֌֞ו֎֗ד שׁ֞֠לַ֠ח אֶל֟׊֞ד֚וֹק וְאֶל֟אֶבְי֞ת֥֞ך הַכ֌ֹהֲנ֎ים֮ לֵאמֹך֒ ד֌ַב֌ְך֞ו֌ אֶל֟ז֎קְנֵրי יְהו֌ד֞ה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ך ל֞րמ֌֞ה ת֎֜הְיו֌֙ אַחֲךֹנ֎֔ים לְה֞שׁ֎֥יב אֶת֟הַמ֌ֶ֖לֶךְ אֶל֟ב֌ֵית֑וֹ ו֌דְבַך֙ כ֌ׇל֟י֎שְׂך֞אֵ֔ל ב֌֥֞א אֶל֟הַמ֌ֶ֖לֶךְ אֶל֟ב֌ֵית֜וֹ׃

English:

The talk of all Israel reached the king in his quarters. So King David sent this message to the priests Zadok and Abiathar: “Speak to the elders of Judah and say, ‘Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his palace?

Dovid deploys his intelligence assets, the kohanim Tzadok and Evyatar, to lobby the elders of Yehuda with a pointed question: why be the LAST to bring back the king when all Israel is already moving. Metzudat David explains that Dovid feared Yehuda's embarrassment at being slow would harden into resistance, so he intervened before the gap widened.
ךש׎יRashi
ו֌דְבַך כ֞֌ל י֎שְׂך֞אֵל ב֞֌א אֶל הַמֶ֌לֶךְ. כ֞֌ל זֶה מ֎ד֎֌בְךֵי שְׁל֎יחו֌תוֹ:
While the messages of all Yisroel are coming to the king. All this was part of the message he was charged to bring [to the elders].

׀סוק י׮ג · Verse 13

Hebrew:

אַחַ֣י אַת֌ֶ֔ם עַ׊ְמ֎֥י ו֌בְשׂ֞ך֎֖י אַת֌ֶ֑ם וְל֧֞מ֌֞ה ת֎֜הְי֛ו֌ אַחֲךֹנ֎֖ים לְה֞שׁ֎֥יב אֶת֟הַמ֌ֶ֜לֶךְ׃

English:

You are my kin, my own flesh and blood! Why should you be the last to escort the king back?‘

Dovid presses his appeal on the ground of kinship rather than politics, calling Yehuda 'my brothers, my bone and my flesh' and asking why they should be last to bring back the king. Radak notes that as a Yehudi himself, Dovid had standing to invoke tribal solidarity that no other appeal could match.

׀סוק י׮ד · Verse 14

Hebrew:

וְלַ֜עֲמ֞שׂ֞א֙ ת֌ֹ֜מְך֔ו֌ הֲל֛וֹא עַ׊ְמ֎֥י ו֌בְשׂ֞ך֎֖י א֑֞ת֌֞ה כ֌ֹ֣ה יַעֲשֶׂה֟ל֌֎րי אֱלֹה֎ים֙ וְכֹ֣ה יוֹס֎֔יף א֎ם֟לֹ֠א שַׂך֟׊֞ב֞֞א ת֌֎הְיֶ֧ה לְ׀֞נַ֛י כ֌ׇל֟הַי֌֞מ֎֖ים ת֌ַ֥חַת יוֹא֞֜ב׃

English:

And to Amasa say this, ‘You are my own flesh and blood. May God do thus and more to me if you do not become my army commander permanently in place of Joab!’”

To Amasa, Avshalom's defeated general and Dovid's own nephew, the king swears a stunning oath that Amasa shall be commander of the army before him forever in place of Yoav. Rashi and Radak both read this as Dovid simultaneously buying Yehuda's allegiance through their kinsman and punishing Yoav for killing Avshalom against orders.
ךש׎יRashi
וְלַעֲמ֞שׂ֞א. שֶׁהו֌א שַׂך ש־ב־א, תֹ֌אמְךו֌; הֲלֹא בֶ֌ן אֲחוֹת֎י אַת֞֌ה:
To Amosoh. Who is [Avsholom's] commanding officer you should say, 'You are my own sister's son.'6The son of Avigail. See 17:25.

׀סוק ט׮ו · Verse 15

Hebrew:

וַי֌ַ֛ט אֶת֟לְבַ֥ב כ֌ׇל֟א֎ישׁ֟יְהו֌ד֖֞ה כ֌ְא֎֣ישׁ אֶח֑֞ד וַ֜י֌֎שְׁלְחו֌֙ אֶל֟הַמ֌ֶ֔לֶךְ שׁ֥ו֌ב אַת֌֖֞ה וְכׇל֟עֲב֞דֶ֜יך֞׃

English:

So [Amasa] swayed the hearts of Judah’s entire contingent without opposition; and they sent a message to the king: “Come back with all your followers.”

The strategy succeeds: Yehuda's heart turns 'as one man' and they send word for the king to return with all his servants. The unanimity Radak highlights is striking precisely because it follows the divisions of the rebellion, and Metzudat David notes how the appeal through kinship and through Amasa together produced what political pressure alone could not.

׀סוק ט׮ז · Verse 16

Hebrew:

וַי֌֣֞שׇׁב הַמ֌ֶ֔לֶךְ וַי֌֞בֹ֖א עַד֟הַי֌ַךְד֌ֵ֑ן ו֎יהו֌ד֞֞ה ב֌֣֞א הַג֌֎לְג֌֞֗ל֞ה ל֞לֶ֙כֶת֙ ל֎קְךַ֣את הַמ֌ֶ֔לֶךְ לְהַעֲב֎֥יך אֶת֟הַמ֌ֶ֖לֶךְ אֶת֟הַי֌ַךְד֌ֵ֜ן׃

English:

The king started back and arrived at the Jordan; and the Judahites went to Gilgal to meet the king and to conduct the king across the Jordan.

The king's return reaches the Jordan, and Yehuda gathers at Gilgal to escort him across -- deliberately restaging Yehoshua's original entry into the Land at the very same threshold. Metzudat David notes that Gilgal was chosen as the symbolic gateway of restored kingship, transforming the crossing into a renewal of covenantal entry.

׀סוק י׮ז · Verse 17

Hebrew:

וַיְמַהֵ֗ך שׁ֎מְע֎րי בֶן֟ג֌ֵך֞א֙ ב֌ֶן֟הַיְמ֎ינ֎֔י אֲשֶׁ֖ך מ֎ב֌ַחו֌ך֎֑ים וַי֌ֵ֙ךֶד֙ ע֎ם֟א֎֣ישׁ יְהו֌ד֞֔ה ל֎קְךַ֖את הַמ֌ֶ֥לֶךְ ד֌֞ו֎֜ד׃

English:

Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, hurried down with Judah’s contingent to meet King David,

Shim'i ben Gera, the same Binyamini who had cursed Dovid in chapter 16, hurries down with the men of Yehuda to meet the king. Radak emphasizes the urgency conveyed by 'vayemaher' -- Shim'i understands that his life depends on reaching Dovid before any official accounting can be taken.

׀סוק י׮ח · Verse 18

Hebrew:

וְאֶ֚לֶף א֎֣ישׁ ע֎מ֌וֹ֮ ￜￜ֎ב֌֎נְי֞מ֎ן֒ וְש֮יב־֗א נַ֚עַך ב֌ֵ֣ית שׁ֞א֔ו֌ל וַחֲמֵ֚שֶׁת ע֞שׂ֥֞ך ב֌֞נ֛֞יו וְעֶשְׂך֎֥ים עֲב֞ד֖֞יו א֎ת֌֑וֹ וְ׊֞לְח֥ו֌ הַי֌ַךְד֌ֵ֖ן ל֎׀ְנֵ֥י הַמ֌ֶ֜לֶךְ׃

English:

accompanied by a thousand Benjaminites. dMeaning of parts of the rest of vv. 18 and 19 uncertain. And Ziba, the servant of the House of Saul, together with his fifteen sons and twenty slaves, rushed down to the Jordan ahead of the king

Shim'i arrives with a thousand men of Binyamin, joined by Tziva (Sha'ul's former servant) with his fifteen sons and twenty servants, all crossing the Jordan before the king. The crowd is staged for political effect: Shim'i has assembled a tribal delegation to demonstrate Binyamin's reconciliation and dilute his personal guilt within a collective gesture.
ךש׎יRashi
וְ׊֞לְחו֌ הַיַ֌ךְדֵ֌ן. (תךגום:) ׎בְ֌ק֞עו֌הו֌ ב֎֌תְך֎יסֵיהוֹן׎:
They crossed the Yardein. They crossed it with their rafts.

׀סוק י׮ט · Verse 19

Hebrew:

וְע֞בְך֣֞ה ה֞עֲב֞ך֞֗ה לַ֜עֲב֎יך֙ אֶת֟ב֌ֵ֣ית הַמ֌ֶ֔לֶךְ וְלַעֲשׂ֥וֹת הַט֌֖וֹב ב֌ְעֵינ֑֞ו וְשׁ֎מְע֎֣י בֶן֟ג֌ֵך֞֗א נ֞׀ַל֙ ל֎׀ְנֵ֣י הַמ֌ֶ֔לֶךְ ב֌ְעׇבְך֖וֹ ב֌ַי֌ַךְד֌ֵ֜ן׃

English:

while the crossing was being made, to escort the king’s family over, and to do whatever he wished. Shimei son of Gera flung himself before the king as he was about to cross the Jordan.

A ferry crosses to bring the king's household over, and Shim'i throws himself down before Dovid at the very moment of the crossing. Metzudat David observes that the timing is calculated -- appealing at the threshold itself, when the king's mood of restoration is at its peak.
ךש׎יRashi
וְע֞בְך֞ה ה֞עֲב֞ך֞ה. סְ׀֎ינַת הַמַ֌עְב֞֌ך֞ה שֶׁעוֹבְך֎ים ב֞֌ה֌ אֶת עֵבֶך ךֹחַב הַנַ֌חַל:
The ferry crossed over. The ferry boat that was used to cross over to the other side of the river's width.

׀סוק כ׳ · Verse 20

Hebrew:

וַי֌ֹ֣אמֶך אֶל֟הַמ֌ֶ֗לֶךְ אַל֟יַחֲשׁ֞ב֟ל֎֣י אֲדֹנ֎י֮ ע֞וֺן֒ וְאַל֟ת֌֎זְכ֌ֹ֗ך אֵ֚ת אֲשֶׁ֣ך הֶעֱו֣֞ה עַבְד֌ְך֞֔ ב֌ַי֌֕וֹם אֲשֶׁך֟י֞ׄ׊֥֞אׄ אֲדֹנ֎֜י֟הַמ֌ֶ֖לֶךְ מ֎יךו֌שׁ֞ל֑֞͏֎ם ל֞שׂ֥ו֌ם הַמ֌ֶ֖לֶךְ אֶל֟ל֎ב֌֜וֹ׃

English:

He said to the king, “Let not my lord hold me guilty, and do not remember the wrong your servant committed on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem; let Your Majesty give it no thought.

Shim'i pleads that the king not impute iniquity to him nor remember what his servant did on the day Dovid went out from Jerusalem. Metzudat David notes that Shim'i specifies 'the day' precisely to acknowledge full guilt rather than minimize it -- a sign of complete confession rather than evasion.

׀סוק כ׮א · Verse 21

Hebrew:

כ֌֎֚י י֞דַ֣ע עַבְד֌ְך֞֔ כ֌֎֖י אֲנ֎֣י ח֞ט֑֞את֎י וְה֎נ֌ֵה֟ב֣֞את֎י הַי֌֗וֹם ך֎אשׁוֹן֙ לְכׇל֟ב֌ֵ֣ית יוֹסֵ֔ף ל֞ךֶ֕דֶת ל֎קְךַ֖את אֲדֹנ֎֥י הַמ֌ֶ֜לֶךְ׃ {ס}        

English:

For your servant knows that he has sinned; so here I have come down today, the first of all the House of Joseph, to meet my lord the king.”

'Your servant knows that I have sinned, and behold, I have come today first of all the house of Yosef to come down toward my lord the king.' Rashi explains that 'house of Yosef' here represents the northern tribes generally; Shim'i positions himself as leading the tribal reconciliation, hoping his speed will count as a form of atonement.
ךש׎יRashi
ך֎אשׁוֹן לְכ־ל בֵ֌ית יוֹסֵף. כ֞֌ל י֎שְׂך֞אֵל ח֞טְאו֌ לְך־, וַאֲנ֎י יוֹתֵך מ֎כ֌ֻל֞֌ם, וְה֮נְנ֮י ב֞֌את֎י לְבַקֵ֌שׁ מְח֮יל־ה, א֎ם תְ֌קַבְ֌לֵנ֎י, בְ֌טו֌ח֎ים כ֞֌ל י֎שְׂך֞אֵל שֶׁתְ֌קַבְ֌לֵם, וְא֮ם ל־או, י֎הְיו֌ יְךֵא֎ים ל֞שׁו֌ב אֵלֶיך֞ עוֹד:
First from among all the House of Yoseif. All of Yisroel wronged you, I more then everyone. I have come to ask you forgiveness, if you accept me then all of Yisroel will be confident that you will accept them but if you do not [accept me] they will be afraid to return to you.

׀סוק כ׮ב · Verse 22

Hebrew:

וַי֌ַ֚עַן אֲב֎ישַׁրי ב֌ֶן֟׊ְךו֌י֞ה֙ וַי֌ֹ֔אמֶך הֲתַ֣חַת זֹ֔את לֹ֥א יו֌מַ֖ת שׁ֎מְע֎֑י כ֌֎֥י ק֎ל֌ֵ֖ל אֶת֟מְשׁ֎֥יחַ יְהֹו֞֜ה׃ {ס}        

English:

Thereupon Abishai son of Zeruiah spoke up, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for that—insulting GOD’s anointed?”

Avishai ben Tzeruyah, true to character, demands execution: 'shall not Shim'i be put to death for this, because he cursed the anointed of the LORD?' Avishai had wanted to kill Shim'i back in 16:9, and his position has not softened -- Radak notes that for Avishai the curse against the king's anointed is a capital matter regardless of subsequent repentance.

׀סוק כ׮ג · Verse 23

Hebrew:

וַי֌ֹ֣אמֶך ד֌֞ו֎֗ד מַה֟ל֌֎րי וְל֞כֶם֙ ב֌ְנֵ֣י ׊ְךו֌י֞֔ה כ֌֎֜י֟ת֎֜הְיו֌֟ל֎֥י הַי֌֖וֹם לְשׂ֞ט֑֞ן הַי֌֗וֹם יրו֌מַת א֎ישׁ֙ ב֌ְי֎שְׂך֞אֵ֔ל כ֌֎֚י הֲל֣וֹא י֞דַ֔עְת֌֎י כ֌֎֥י הַי֌֖וֹם אֲנ֎י֟מֶ֥לֶךְ עַל֟י֎שְׂך֞אֵ֜ל׃

English:

But David said, “What has this to do with you,eWhat has this to do with you See note at 16.10. you sons of Zeruiah, that you should cross me today? Should even a single Israelite be put to death today? Don’t IfI Some Septuagint mss. read “you.” know that today I am again king over Israel?”

Dovid sharply rebukes the sons of Tzeruyah for becoming a 'satan' (adversary) to him on this day, declaring that no man shall be put to death in Israel today, for 'do I not know that today I am king over Israel?' The day of national restoration is no day for executions; Metzudat David explains that mercy now serves political consolidation more than vengeance ever could.
ךש׎יRashi
הַי֌וֹם יו֌מַת א֎ישׁ. ב֎֌תְמ֎יה֞, כ֎֌י הַי֌וֹם אֲנ֎י מֶלֶךְ, עַד עַכְשׁ֞יו ה֞י֎ית֎י ס֞בו֌ך, לֹא ז֎לְזֵל ב֎֌י א־ד־ם ג֞֌דוֹל כ֞֌זֶה אֶל֞֌א א֎ם כֵ֌ן נ֎׀ְסְק֞ה מַלְכו֌ת֎י מֵאֵת הַמ֞֌קוֹם וְהו֌א א֞מַך לוֹ קַלֵ֌ל אֶת ד֞֌ו֎ד, אֲב֞ל עַכְשׁ֞יו שֶׁהו֌א מ֎תְח֞ךֵט, י֞דַעְת֎֌י כ֎֌י מֶלֶךְ אֲנ֎י:
Should a man die today? This is a question. Because today I am [truly] king. Until now I thought A great man as this [Shimi] would not have shamed me unless God had decreed to end my kingdom, and He had told him, 'Curse Dovid.' But now that he regrets it I know that I am [truly] king.

׀סוק כ׮ד · Verse 24

Hebrew:

וַי֌ֹ֧אמֶך הַמ֌ֶ֛לֶךְ אֶל֟שׁ֎מְע֎֖י לֹ֣א ת֞מ֑ו֌ת וַי֌֎שׁ֌֥֞בַ֜ע ל֖וֹ הַמ֌ֶ֜לֶךְ׃ {ס}        

English:

Then the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die”; and the king gave him his oath.

'You shall not die,' the king tells Shim'i, sealing the pardon with an oath. Yet Chazal observe that the oath bound only Dovid himself -- on his deathbed in I Kings 2 he will charge Shlomo to find a way to settle the account that he himself could not.

׀סוק כ׮ה · Verse 25

Hebrew:

ו֌מְ׀֎בֹ֙שֶׁת֙ ב֌ֶן֟שׁ֞א֔ו֌ל י֞ךַ֖ד ל֎קְךַ֣את הַמ֌ֶ֑לֶךְ וְלֹא֟ע֞שׂ֚֞ה ךַגְל֞֜יו וְלֹא֟ע֞שׂ֣֞ה שְׂ׀֞מ֗וֹ וְאֶת֟ב֌ְג֞ד֞יו֙ לֹ֣א כ֎ב֌ֵ֔ס לְמ֎ן֟הַי֌וֹם֙ לֶ֣כֶת הַמ֌ֶ֔לֶךְ עַד֟הַי֌֖וֹם אֲשֶׁך֟ב֌֥֞א בְשׁ֞ל֜וֹם׃

English:

Mephibosheth, the grandson of Saul, also came down to meet the king. He had not pared his toenails, or trimmed his mustache, or washed his clothes from the day that the king left until the day he returned safe.

Mefivoshet, Yehonatan's son, comes down to meet the king bearing every visible sign of mourning: he had not tended his feet (Rashi: not trimmed his nails), not trimmed his mustache, and not washed his clothes from the day Dovid left until his return. The picture flatly contradicts Tziva's earlier slander in 16:1-4 -- a man who mourned this completely could not have been celebrating Dovid's downfall.
ךש׎יRashi
וְלֹא ע֞שׂ֞ה ךַגְל֞יו. לְשׁוֹן ת֎֌ק֌ו֌ן הו֌א, הַעֲב֞ךַת שֵׂע֞ך שֶׁבֵ֌ין ה֞ךַגְלַי֎ם: שְׂ׀֞מוֹ. ג׹נו׮ן בלע׎ז:
He had not tended to the hair [between] his legs. Denoting fixing up, the removing of the hair between his legs. His moustache. Grenon in O.F.

׀סוק כ׮ו · Verse 26

Hebrew:

וַיְה֎֛י כ֌֎י֟ב֥֞א יְךו֌שׁ֞לַ֖͏֎ם ל֎קְךַ֣את הַמ֌ֶ֑לֶךְ וַי֌ֹրאמֶך לוֹ֙ הַמ֌ֶ֔לֶךְ ל֛֞מ֌֞ה לֹא֟ה֞לַ֥כְת֌֞ ע֎מ֌֎֖י מְ׀֎יבֹ֜שֶׁת׃

English:

When he came [from]gcame [from] So Septuagint. Heb. “entered.” Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, “Why didn’t you come with me, Mephibosheth?”

As Mefivoshet arrives, Dovid asks bluntly, 'why did you not come with me, Mefivoshet?' Radak notes that the very form of the question shows Dovid still gives some credence to Tziva's accusation -- he is putting Mefivoshet on the defensive rather than greeting him as an injured loyalist.
ךש׎יRashi
ל֞מ֞֌ה לֹא ה֞לַכְת֞֌ ע֎מ֎֌י. ל֞׊ֵאת מ֎יךו֌שׁ֞לַי֎ם כְ֌שֶׁי֞֌׊֞את֎י:
Why did you not you go with me? To leave Yerusholoyim when I left.

׀סוק כ׮ז · Verse 27

Hebrew:

וַי֌ֹאמַ֕ך אֲדֹנ֎֥י הַמ֌ֶ֖לֶךְ עַבְד֌֎֣י ך֎מ֌֑֞נ֎י כ֌֎י֟א֞מַ֚ך עַבְד֌ְך֞֜ אֶחְב֌ְשׁ֞ה֟ל֌֎י֩ הַחֲמ֚וֹך וְאֶךְכ֌ַրב ע֞לֶ֙יה֞֙ וְאֵלֵ֣ךְ אֶת֟הַמ֌ֶ֔לֶךְ כ֌֎֥י ׀֎ס֌ֵ֖חַ עַבְד֌ֶ֜ך֞׃

English:

He replied, “My lord the king, my own servanthmy own servant I.e., Ziba (cf. v. 30 and 9.2ff.). deceived me. Your servant planned to saddle his donkey and rideiYour servant planned to saddle his donkey and ride Ancient versions read “Your servant said to him, ‘Saddle my donkey, that I may ride
’” on it and go with Your Majesty—for your servant is lame.

Mefivoshet's defense: 'my servant deceived me. I said, saddle the donkey for me that I may ride and go with the king -- for your servant is lame.' Metzudat David explains that Mefivoshet's lameness, going back to 4:4 when his nurse dropped him, made him entirely dependent on Tziva to prepare a mount; without that help he physically could not have followed the king.
ךש׎יRashi
כ֎֌י ׀֎סֵ֌חַ עַבְדֶ֌ך֞. וְאֵינ֎י י֞כוֹל לֵילֵךְ בְ֌ךַגְל֎י:
Because your servant is lame. And I can not walk on foot.

׀סוק כ׮ח · Verse 28

Hebrew:

וַיְךַג֌ֵ֣ל ב֌ְעַבְד֌ְך֞֔ אֶל֟אֲדֹנ֎֖י הַמ֌ֶ֑לֶךְ וַ֜אדֹנ֎րי הַמ֌ֶ֙לֶךְ֙ כ֌ְמַלְאַ֣ךְ ה֞אֱלֹה֎֔ים וַעֲשֵׂ֥ה הַט֌֖וֹב ב֌ְעֵינֶ֜יך֞׃

English:

[Ziba] has slandered your servant to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like an angel of GOD; do as you see fit.

'He slandered your servant to my lord the king, but my lord the king is like an angel of God -- do what is good in your eyes.' The phrase 'like an angel of God' had been used by the woman of Tekoa in 14:17 and 14:20; Mefivoshet's deferential surrender of judgment to Dovid is total, refusing even to press his obvious case.

׀סוק כ׮ט · Verse 29

Hebrew:

כ֌֎י֩ לֹ֚א ה־י־֜ה כ֌ׇל֟ב֌ֵ֣ית א־ב֮֗י כ֌֎րי א֎ם֟אַנְשֵׁ֜י֟מ֞֙וֶת֙ לַאדֹנ֎֣י הַמ֌ֶ֔לֶךְ וַת֌֞֙שֶׁת֙ אֶ֜ת֟עַבְד֌ְך֞֔ ב֌ְאֹכְלֵ֖י שֻׁלְח֞נֶ֑ך֞ ו֌מַה֟י֌ֶשׁ֟ל֎֥י עוֹד֙ שְד־ק־֔ה וְל֎זְעֹ֥ק ע֖וֹד אֶל֟הַמ֌ֶ֜לֶךְ׃ {×€}

English:

For all the members of my father’s family deserved only death from my lord the king; yet you set your servant among those who ate at your table. What right have I to appeal further to Your Majesty?”

Mefivoshet acknowledges that all his father's house could rightfully have been condemned to death before the king, yet Dovid had placed him among those who eat at his table -- 'what right have I left to cry out to the king?' Radak notes that this is a remarkable renunciation: Mefivoshet refuses to claim any standing beyond the chesed Dovid had already shown him.

׀סוק ל׳ · Verse 30

Hebrew:

וַי֌ֹրאמֶך לוֹ֙ הַￜￜ֌ֶ֔לֶךְ ל֛֞מ֌֞ה ת֌ְדַב֌ֵ֥ך ע֖וֹד ד֌ְב֞ךֶ֑יך֞ א֞מַ֕ךְת֌֎י אַת֌֣֞ה וְש֮יב־֔א ת֌ַחְלְק֖ו֌ אֶת֟הַשׂ֌֞דֶ֜ה׃

English:

The king said to him, “You need not speak further. I decree that you and Ziba shall divide the property.”

Dovid's famously ambiguous ruling: 'why speak more -- I have said, you and Tziva shall divide the field.' Chazal in Shabbat 56b faulted Dovid sharply for this judgment, with a heavenly Bat Kol declaring that because Dovid divided Mefivoshet's field, his own kingdom would one day be divided between Yarov'am and Rechav'am.

׀סוק ל׮א · Verse 31

Hebrew:

וַי֌ֹրאמֶך מְ׀֎יבֹ֙שֶׁת֙ אֶל֟הַמ֌ֶ֔לֶךְ ג֌ַ֥ם אֶת֟הַכ֌ֹ֖ל י֎ק֌֑֞ח אַ֠חֲךֵי אֲשֶׁך֟ב֌֞֞א אֲדֹנ֎֥י הַמ֌ֶ֛לֶךְ ב֌ְשׁ֞ל֖וֹם אֶל֟ב֌ֵית֜וֹ׃ {ס}        

English:

And Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him take it all, as long as my lord the king has come home safe.”

Mefivoshet's reply is one of the most generous lines in Tanakh: 'let him take it all, since my lord the king has come safely to his house.' He places Dovid's safe return above his own property and his own vindication, and Radak notes that this very response convinces Dovid of his sincerity. The contrast with Tziva's calculation could not be more total.

׀סוק ל׮ב · Verse 32

Hebrew:

ו֌בַךְז֎ל֌ַי֙ הַג֌֎לְע֞ד֎֔י י֞ךַ֖ד מֵךֹ֜גְל֎֑ים וַי֌ַעֲבֹրך אֶת֟הַמ֌ֶ֙לֶךְ֙ הַי֌ַךְד֌ֵ֔ן לְשַׁל֌ְח֖וֹ אֶת֟[הַי֌ַךְד֌ֵ֜ן] (בי׹דן)׃

English:

Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim and passed on to the Jordan with the king, to see him off atjpassed on 
 to see him off at Meaning of Heb. uncertain. the Jordan.

Barzilai HaGil'adi, the wealthy old man who provisioned Dovid at Machanayim during the flight from Avshalom, now comes down from Rogelim to escort the king across the Jordan. The verb 'l'shalcho' carries the weight of deferential honor, the kind of escort one gives a king departing from one's territory.
ךש׎יRashi
לְשַׁלְ֌חוֹ. לְלַו֌וֹתוֹ:
Accompanying him. To accompany him.

׀סוק ל׮ג · Verse 33

Hebrew:

ו֌בַךְז֎ל֌ַי֙ ז֞קֵ֣ן מְאֹ֔ד ב֌ֶן֟שְׁמֹנ֎֖ים שׁ֞נ֑֞ה וְה֜ו֌א֟כ֎לְכ֌ַրל אֶת֟הַמ֌ֶ֙לֶךְ֙ ב֌ְשׁ֎יב֞ת֣וֹ בְמַחֲנַ֔י֎ם כ֌֎י֟א֎֛ישׁ ג֌֞ד֥וֹל ה֖ו֌א מְאֹ֜ד׃

English:

Barzillai was very old, eighty years of age; and he had provided the king with food during his stay at Mahanaim, for he was a very wealthy man.

The text emphasizes Barzilai's age (eighty) and his sustenance of the king during the stay at Machanayim, explaining that he could afford this because he was 'a very great man.' Radak clarifies that 'gadol' here means rich rather than powerful, the kind of wealth that could feed a king's household and army.
ךש׎יRashi
כ֎֌י א֎ישׁ ג֞֌דוֹל הו֌א. בְ֌עֹשֶׁך:
Because he was a very great man. In terms of wealth.

׀סוק ל׮ד · Verse 34

Hebrew:

וַי֌ֹ֥אמֶך הַמ֌ֶ֖לֶךְ אֶל֟ב֌ַךְז֎ל֌֑֞י אַת֌֞ה֙ עֲבֹ֣ך א֎ת֌֎֔י וְכ֎לְכ֌ַלְת֌֎֥י אֹתְך֛֞ ע֎מ֌֞ד֎֖י ב֌֎יךו֌שׁ֞ל֞֜͏֎ם׃

English:

The king said to Barzillai, “Cross over with me, and I will provide for you in Jerusalem at my side.”

׀סוק ל׮ה · Verse 35

Hebrew:

וַי֌ֹ֥אמֶך ב֌ַךְז֎ל֌ַ֖י אֶל֟הַמ֌ֶ֑לֶךְ כ֌ַמ֌֞֗ה יְמֵי֙ שְׁנֵ֣י חַי֌ַ֔י כ֌֎י֟אֶעֱלֶ֥ה אֶת֟הַמ֌ֶ֖לֶךְ יְךו֌שׁ֞ל֞֜͏֎ם׃

English:

But Barzillai said to the king, “How many years are left to me that I should go up with Your Majesty to Jerusalem?

Barzilai's response opens one of the most beautiful old-age speeches in Tanakh: 'how many are the days of my years that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?' The elderly man begins by asking what time he has left to enjoy the journey at all.
ךש׎יRashi
כַ֌מ֞֌ה יְמֵי שְׁנֵי חַיַ֌י. אֲשֶׁך יֵשׁ ל֮י ל֎חְיוֹת: כ֎֌י אֶעֱלֶה וגו׳. הֲלֹא מְעַט הֵם, ו֌מ֞ה ×”Ö²× Öž×™Öž×” יֵשׁ ל֮י בְ֌כ֎לְכ֌ו֌לְך֞:
How many more years of life [do I have]. That I have to live. That I should go up. There are only a few left, [therefore] what pleasure will I have from your providing for me.

׀סוק ל׮ו · Verse 36

Hebrew:

ב֌ֶן֟שְׁמֹנ֎֣ים שׁ֞נ֞ה֩ א֞נֹכ֎֚י הַי֌֜וֹם הַאֵדַ֣ע ׀ ב֌ֵ֜ין֟ט֣וֹב לְך֞֗ע א֎ם֟י֎טְעַրם עַבְד֌ְך֞֙ אֶת֟אֲשֶׁրך אֹכַל֙ וְאֶת֟אֲשֶׁ֣ך אֶשְׁת֌ֶ֔ה א֎ם֟אֶשְׁמַ֣ע ע֔וֹד ב֌ְק֖וֹל שׁ֞ך֎֣ים וְשׁ֞ך֑וֹת וְל֞֩מ֌֞ה֩ י֎֜הְיֶ֚ה עַבְד֌ְך֥֞ עוֹד֙ לְמַשׂ֌֞֔א אֶל֟אֲדֹנ֎֖י הַמ֌ֶ֜לֶךְ׃

English:

I am now eighty years old. Can I tell the difference between good and bad? Can your servant taste what he eats and drinks? Can I still listen to the singing of men and women? Why then should your servant continue to be a burden to my lord the king?

Barzilai catalogues the diminished pleasures of advanced age: he can no longer distinguish flavors, hear the voices of singers, or fully savor what he eats and drinks, so why be a burden to the king? Rashi and Radak both read 'know between good and evil' as dulled sensory discrimination rather than moral confusion, the palate and ear of an eighty-year-old failing him.
ךש׎יRashi
הַאֵדַע בֵ֌ין טוֹב לְך֞ע. בֵ֌ין מַאֲכ֞ל טוֹב לְמַאֲכ֞ל ךַע, וְא֞מְךו֌ ךַב֌וֹתֵינו֌ ז׮ל (שבת קנב א): שׁ֞טו֌ף בְ֌ז֎מ֞֌ה ה־י־ה, לְ׀֎יכ֞ךְ ק֞׀ְ׊֞ה ע֞ל֞יו ז֮קְנ־ה:
Between something good or bad? Between good food and bad food. Our Rabbis of blessed memory said, He overindulged in sexual relations causing old age to overtake him.7Shabbos 152a. Otherwise even an eighty year old man would not have deteriorated to that extent.

׀סוק ל׮ז · Verse 37

Hebrew:

כ֌֎מְעַ֞ט יַעֲבֹ֧ך עַבְד֌ְך֛֞ אֶת֟הַי֌ַךְד֌ֵ֖ן אֶת֟הַמ֌ֶ֑לֶךְ וְל֞֙מ֌֞ה֙ י֎גְמְלֵ֣נ֎י הַמ֌ֶ֔לֶךְ הַג֌ְמו֌ל֖֞ה הַז֌ֹ֜את׃

English:

Your servant could barely cross the JordankYour servant could barely cross the Jordan Meaning of Heb. uncertain. with Your Majesty! Why should Your Majesty reward me so generously?

'Your servant will go just a little way across the Jordan with the king, so why should the king reward me with such a recompense?' Barzilai will accompany Dovid only the short distance across the river and then turn home, refusing the disproportionate honor of Jerusalem.
ךש׎יRashi
כ֎֌מְעַט יַעֲבֹך עַבְדֶ֌ך֞. הַלְ֌ו֞י֞ה מו֌עֶטֶת יַעֲבֹך עַבְדְ֌ך֞ לְלַו֌וֹתְך֞, אַחַך שֶׁתַ֌עֲבֹך אֶת הַיַ֌ךְדֵ֌ן: הַגְ֌מו֌ל֞ה הַזֹ֌את. שֶׁאֵינ֞ה֌ טוֹב֞ה ל֮י:
Your servant will just cross over. You servant will accompany you a little further after you cross the Yardein. This type of reward. That is not good for me.

׀סוק ל׮ח · Verse 38

Hebrew:

י֞שׇׁב֟נ֞րא עַבְד֌ְך֞֙ וְא֞מֻ֣ת ב֌ְע֎יך֎֔י ע֎֛ם קֶ֥בֶך א־ב֖֮י וְא֎מ֌֎֑י וְה֎נ֌ֵ֣ה ׀ עַבְד֌ְך֣֞ כ֮מְה־֗ם יַ֜עֲבֹך֙ ע֎ם֟אֲדֹנ֎֣י הַמ֌ֶ֔לֶךְ וַעֲשֵׂה֟ל֕וֹ אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁך֟ט֖וֹב ב֌ְעֵינֶ֜יך֞׃ {ס}        

English:

Let your servant go back, and let me die in my own town, near the graves of my father and mother. But here is your servant Chimham; let him cross with my lord the king, and do for him as you see fit.”

Barzilai asks to die in his own city beside the grave of his father and mother, but offers a substitute: 'here is your servant Kimham, let him cross with my lord the king.' Some traditions identify Kimham as Barzilai's son, and centuries later Yirmiyahu 41:17 mentions 'Geruth Kimham' near Bet Lechem, suggesting that Dovid gave Kimham land from his ancestral patrimony, a gift that left a lasting mark on the map.
ךש׎יRashi
עַבְדְ֌ך֞ כ֎֌מְה֞ם. בְ֌נוֹ ה־י־ה:
Your servant Kimhom. It was his son.

׀סוק ל׮ט · Verse 39

Hebrew:

וַי֌ֹ֣אמֶך הַמ֌ֶ֗לֶךְ א֎ת֌֎י֙ יַעֲבֹ֣ך כ֌֎מְה֞֔ם וַאֲנ֎י֙ אֶ֜עֱשֶׂה֟ל֌֔וֹ אֶת֟הַט֌֖וֹב ב֌ְעֵינֶ֑יך֞ וְכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁך֟ת֌֎בְחַ֥ך ע֞לַ֖י אֶעֱשֶׂה֟ל֌֞֜ךְ׃

English:

And the king said, “Chimham shall cross with me, and I will do for him as you see fit; and anything you want me to do, I will do for you.”

Dovid agrees graciously: 'Kimham shall cross with me, and I will do for him what is good in your eyes, and whatever you choose I will do for you.' The king accepts the substitute and offers Barzilai a blank check in return for the kindness shown at Machanayim.

׀סוק מ׳ · Verse 40

Hebrew:

וַי֌ַעֲבֹ֧ך כ֌ׇל֟ה֞ע֛֞ם אֶת֟הַי֌ַךְד֌ֵ֖ן וְהַמ֌ֶ֣לֶךְ ע֞ב֑֞ך וַי֌֎שׁ֌ַ֚ק הַמ֌ֶրלֶךְ לְבַךְז֎ל֌ַי֙ וַיְב֣֞ךְכֵ֔הו֌ וַי֌֖֞שׇׁב ל֎מְקֹמ֜וֹ׃ {ס}        

English:

lMeaning of parts of vv. 40–44 uncertain. All the troops crossed the Jordan; and when the king was ready to cross, the king kissed Barzillai and bade him farewell; and [Barzillai] returned to his home.

׀סוק מ׮א · Verse 41

Hebrew:

וַי֌ַעֲבֹրך הַמ֌ֶ֙לֶךְ֙ הַג֌֎לְג֌֞֔ל֞ה וְכ֮מְה־֖ן ע֞בַ֣ך ע֎מ֌֑וֹ וְכׇל֟עַրם יְהו֌ד֞ה֙ (ויעבךו) [הֶעֱב֎֣יךו֌] אֶת֟הַמ֌ֶ֔לֶךְ וְגַ֕ם חֲ׊֎֖י עַ֥ם י֎שְׂך֞אֵ֜ל׃

English:

The king passed on to Gilgal, with ChimhammChimham Heb. Chimhan. accompanying him; and all the Judahite soldiers and part of the Israelite army escorted the king across.

The king crosses to Gilgal, the same Gilgal where Yehoshua first led Israel into the Land, accompanied by Kimham, all the men of Yehuda, and only half of the men of Israel. The asymmetry already signals the brewing tribal tension that will erupt in the next two verses.

׀סוק מ׮ב · Verse 42

Hebrew:

וְה֎נ֌ֵ֛ה כ֌ׇל֟א֎֥ישׁ י֎שְׂך֞אֵ֖ל ב֌֞א֎֣ים אֶל֟הַמ֌ֶ֑לֶךְ וַי֌ֹאמְך֣ו֌ אֶל֟הַמ֌ֶ֡לֶךְ מַד֌֩ו֌עַ֩ ג֌ְנ֞ב֚ו֌ך֞ אַחֵ֜ינו֌ א֎֣ישׁ יְהו֌ד֞֗ה וַי֌ַעֲב֎֚ךו֌ אֶת֟הַמ֌ֶրלֶךְ וְאֶת֟ב֌ֵיתוֹ֙ אֶת֟הַי֌ַךְד֌ֵ֔ן וְכׇל֟אַנְשֵׁ֥י ד־ו֖֮ד ע֎מ֌֜וֹ׃ {ס}        

English:

Then Israel’s entire contingent came to the king—and said to the king, “Why did our kindred, Judah’s contingent, steal you away and escort the king and his family across the Jordan, along with all David’s men?”

All the men of Israel come and protest: 'why have our brothers the men of Yehuda stolen you, bringing the king and his household across the Jordan?' The verb 'gnav' is loaded with grievance, and Radak reads it as the bitterness of a tribe that feels excluded from the king's restoration after carrying the weight of the rebellion's defeat.

׀סוק מ׮ג · Verse 43

Hebrew:

וַי֌ַ֩עַן֩ כ֌ׇל֟א֎֚ישׁ יְהו֌ד֞֜ה עַל֟א֎֣ישׁ י֎שְׂך֞אֵ֗ל כ֌֎֜י֟ק֞ךրוֹב הַמ֌ֶ֙לֶךְ֙ אֵלַ֔י וְל֞րמ֌֞ה ז֌ֶה֙ ח֞ך֣֞ה לְך־֔ עַל֟הַד֌֞ב֖֞ך הַז֌ֶ֑ה הֶא֞כրוֹל א֞כַ֙לְנו֌֙ מ֎ן֟הַמ֌ֶ֔לֶךְ א֎ם֟נ֎שׂ֌ֵ֥את נ֎שׂ֌֖֞א ל֞֜נו֌׃ {ס}        

English:

Judah’s side replied to Israel’s side, “Because the king is our relative! Why should this upset you? Have we consumed anything that belongs to the king? Has he given us any gifts?”

Yehuda answers that the king is their close kinsman, so why be angry, and besides, did we eat any of the king's food or receive any gift? The claim of kinship without spoils is partly disingenuous, since Yehuda's position had clearly improved with Amasa now installed as commander-in-chief over Yoav.
ךש׎יRashi
כ֎֌י ק֞ךוֹב הַמֶ֌לֶךְ אֵלַי. מ֎ש֎֌ׁבְט֎י הו֌א: א֎ם נ֎שֵ֌ׂאת. כְ֌מוֹ ׎מַשְׂאֵת׎ (בךאשית מג:לד), ׀ְ֌ך֞ס מ֎בֵ֌ית הַמֶ֌לֶךְ:
Because the king is close to us. He is from our tribe. Have any presents. As we find, "A present".8Bereishis 43:34. A present from the king's palace.

׀סוק מ׮ד · Verse 44

Hebrew:

וַי֌ַ֣עַן א֎֜ישׁ֟י֎שְׂך֞אֵל֩ אֶת֟א֎֚ישׁ יְהו֌ד֞֜ה וַי֌ֹ֗אמֶך עֶשֶׂך֟י֞ד֚וֹת ל֎֣י בַמ֌ֶ֘לֶךְ֮ וְגַם֟ב֌ְד֞ו֎ד֮ אֲנ֎֣י מ֎מ֌ְך֞֒ ו֌מַד֌֙ו֌עַ֙ הֱק֎ל֌ֹתַ֔נ֎י וְלֹא֟ה֞י֚֞ה דְב֞ך֎֥י ך֎אשׁ֛וֹן ל֖֮י לְה֞שׁ֎֣יב אֶת֟מַלְכ֌֎֑י וַי֌֎֙קֶשׁ֙ ד֌ְבַך֟א֎֣ישׁ יְהו֌ד֞֔ה מ֎ד֌ְבַ֖ך א֎֥ישׁ י֎שְׂך֞אֵ֜ל׃ {ס}        

English:

But Israel’s side answered Judah’s side, “We have ten shares in the king, and in David, too, we have more than you.nin David, too, we have more than you Septuagint reads “we are the first-born, rather than you.” Why then have you slighted us? Were we not the first to propose that our king be brought back?” However, Judah’s side prevailed over Israel’s side.

Israel retorts, 'I have ten parts in the king, and even in Dovid I have more than you,' counting the ten tribes against Yehuda's one and protesting that their voice was first to bring back the king. The narrator closes with the ominous observation that the words of Yehuda were harsher than the words of Israel, and this bitter exchange is the immediate seed of Sheva ben Bichri's rebellion in chapter 20 and, more distantly, of the kingdom's split under Rechav'am.
ךש׎יRashi
עֶשֶׂך י֞דוֹת ל֮י בַ֌מֶ֌לֶךְ. שֶׁא֞נו֌ עֲשׂ֞ך֞ה שְׁב֞ט֎ים: וְגַם בְ֌ד֞ו֎ד. אַף עַל ׀֎֌י שֶׁהו֌א ק֞ךוֹב ל֞כֶם, אֲנ֎י מ֞שׁו֌ךְ ב֌וֹ יוֹתֵך מ֎מְ֌ך֞, שֶׁאֲנ֎י עֶשֶׂך י֞דוֹת: ו֌מַד֌ו֌עַ הֱק֎לֹ֌תַנ֎י. ל֎הְיוֹת אַת֞֌ה קוֹדֵם, וְכ֮י לֹא ה־י־ה דְב־׹֮י ך֎אשׁוֹן לְה֞ש֎ׁיב אֶת מַלְכ֎֌י, וְקֹדֶם ל֞כֵן ב֞֌א דְ֌ב֞ךֵינו֌ אֵל֞יו לַהֲש֎ׁיבוֹ, כְ֌מוֹ שֶׁכ֞֌תו֌ב לְמַעְל֞ה (׀סוק יב): ׎ו֌דְבַך כ֞֌ל י֎שְׂך֞אֵל ב֞֌א אֶל הַמֶ֌לֶךְ׎: וַי֎֌קֶשׁ דְ֌בַך א֎ישׁ יְהו֌ד֞ה. לְשׁוֹן ׎ה֎תְקוֹשְׁשׁו֌׎ (׊׀ניה ב:א), נ֎ךְאֶה וְהֻשְׁו֞ה דְ֌בַך א֎ישׁ יְהו֌ד֞ה, שֶׁהֶךְא֞ם א֎גֶ֌ךֶת שֶׁש֞֌ׁלַח ל֞הֶם ד֞֌ו֎ד, ׎ל֞מ֞֌ה ת֎הְיו֌ אַחֲךוֹנ֎ים לְה֞ש֎ׁיב אֶת הַמֶ֌לֶךְ וְגוֹ׳׎ (לעיל ׀סוק יב), כ֞֌ךְ מְ׀ֹך֞שׁ ב֞֌אַג֞֌ד֞ה. וְיֵשׁ לְ׀֞ךֵשׁ, ׳וַי֎֌קֶשׁ׳, לְשׁוֹן ׳קֹש֎ׁי וְחֹזֶק׳, וְכֵן ת֎֌ךְגֵ֌ם יוֹנ֞ת֞ן: ׎וְתַק֎֌יף׎:
We have ten parts of the king. Because we are altogether ten tribes. And also more right in Dovid. Although he is a closer relative of yours nevertheless we have more ownership of him then you do because we have ten parts [of him]. Why have you made light of me? That you should be first, was I not the first to request to have my king return? Prior to this our request came to him to have him return as it is written earlier,9 "while the messages of all Yisroel are coming to the king." The words of men of Yehudah overpowered. Language similar to "Improve".10Tsaphania 2:1. The words of the men of Yehudah were more logical and they prevailed because they showed [as evidence] the letter Dovid had sent them [saying] "Why should you be the last to request" that the king return etc." This is what is explained in Agadah. Some explain וַי֎קֶשׁ to denote hard and strong and that is Yonoson's translation, "overpowered."

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