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b'2 Samuel 19:8-43 (ESV)
\\n8\\xa0Then the king arose and took his seat in the gate. And the people were all told, \\u201cBehold, the king is sitting in the gate.\\u201d And all the people came before the king.
\\nNow Israel had fled every man to his own home. 9\\xa0And all the people were arguing throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, \\u201cThe king delivered us from the hand of our enemies and saved us from the hand of the Philistines, and now he has fled out of the land from Absalom. 10\\xa0But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?\\u201d
\\n11\\xa0And King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar the priests: \\u201cSay to the elders of Judah, \\u2018Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his house, when the word of all Israel has come to the king? 12\\xa0You are my brothers; you are my bone and my flesh. Why then should you be the last to bring back the king?\\u2019 13\\xa0And say to Amasa, \\u2018Are you not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me and more also, if you are not commander of my army from now on in place of Joab.\\u2019\\xa0\\u201d 14\\xa0And he swayed the heart of all the men of Judah as one man, so that they sent word to the king, \\u201cReturn, both you and all your servants.\\u201d 15\\xa0So the king came back to the Jordan, and Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king and to bring the king over the Jordan.
\\n16\\xa0And Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, from Bahurim, hurried to come down with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17\\xa0And with him were a thousand men from Benjamin. And Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, with his fifteen sons and his twenty servants, rushed down to the Jordan before the king, 18\\xa0and they crossed the ford to bring over the king\\u2019s household and to do his pleasure. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was about to cross the Jordan, 19\\xa0and said to the king, \\u201cLet not my lord hold me guilty or remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. Do not let the king take it to heart. 20\\xa0For your servant knows that I have sinned. Therefore, behold, I have come this day, the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.\\u201d 21\\xa0Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, \\u201cShall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord\\u2019s anointed?\\u201d 22\\xa0But David said, \\u201cWhat have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day be as an adversary to me? Shall anyone be put to death in Israel this day? For do I not know that I am this day king over Israel?\\u201d 23\\xa0And the king said to Shimei, \\u201cYou shall not die.\\u201d And the king gave him his oath.
\\n24\\xa0And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king. He had neither taken care of his feet nor trimmed his beard nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came back in safety. 25\\xa0And when he came to Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, \\u201cWhy did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?\\u201d 26\\xa0He answered, \\u201cMy lord, O king, my servant deceived me, for your servant said to him, \\u2018I will saddle a donkey for myself, that I may ride on it and go with the king.\\u2019 For your servant is lame. 27\\xa0He has slandered your servant to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like the angel of God; do therefore what seems good to you. 28\\xa0For all my father\\u2019s house were but men doomed to death before my lord the king, but you set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right have I, then, to cry to the king?\\u201d 29\\xa0And the king said to him, \\u201cWhy speak any more of your affairs? I have decided: you and Ziba shall divide the land.\\u201d 30\\xa0And Mephibosheth said to the king, \\u201cOh, let him take it all, since my lord the king has come safely home.\\u201d
\\n31\\xa0Now Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim, and he went on with the king to the Jordan, to escort him over the Jordan.'