2 Samuel 19
Reading 2 Samuel chapter 19 in the World English Bible, public-domain text from 2000.
Verses 1–10
1 Joab was told, “Behold, the king weeps and mourns for Absalom.”
2 The victory that day was turned into mourning amongst all the people, for the people heard it said that day, “The king grieves for his son.”
3 The people sneaked into the city that day, as people who are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.
4 The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, “My son Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son!”
5 Joab came into the house to the king, and said, “Today you have shamed the faces of all your servants who today have saved your life, and the lives of your sons and of your daughters, and the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines;
6 in that you love those who hate you and hate those who love you. For you have declared today that princes and servants are nothing to you. For today I perceive that if Absalom had lived and we had all died today, then it would have pleased you well.
7 Now therefore arise, go out and speak to comfort your servants; for I swear by the LORD, if you don’t go out, not a man will stay with you this night. That would be worse to you than all the evil that has happened to you from your youth until now.”
8 Then the king arose and sat in the gate. The people were all told, “Behold, the king is sitting in the gate.” All the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled every man to his tent.
9 All the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, and he saved us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he has fled out of the land from Absalom.
10 Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why don’t you speak a word of bringing the king back?”
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The World English Bible (2000) is one of seven public-domain translations available in the OCC Bible Explorer. Use the full app to compare translations side by side, search across all translations, and explore Strong's Hebrew and Greek concordance entries linked to every word.