8. Therefore, the king rose up, and he sat at the gate. And it was announced to all the people that the king was sitting at the gate. And the entire multitude went before the king. But Israel fled to their own tents.
9. And all the people were conflicted, in all the tribes of Israel, saying: "The king has freed us from the hand of our enemies. He himself saved us from the hand of the Philistines. But now he flees from the land for the sake of Absalom.
10. But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in the war. How long will you be silent, and not lead back the king?"
11. Then truly, king David sent to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, saying: "Speak to those greater by birth of Judah, saying: 'Why have you arrived last to lead back the king into his house? (For the talk in all of Israel had reached the king in his house.)
12. You are my brothers; you are my bone and my flesh. Why are you the last to lead back the king?'
13. And say to Amasa: 'Are you not my bone and my flesh? May God do these things, and may he add these other things, if you will not be the leader of the military in my sight, for all time, in the place of Joab.' "
14. And he inclined the heart of all the men of Judah, as if one man. And they sent to the king, saying, "Return, you and all your servants."
15. And the king returned. And he went as far as the Jordan, and all of Judah went as far as Gilgal, so as to meet the king, and to lead him across the Jordan.
16. And Shimei, the son of Gera, the son of Benjamin, from Bahurim, hurried and descended with the men of Judah to meet king David,
17. with one thousand men from Benjamin, and with Ziba, the servant from the house of Saul. And with him were his fifteen sons and twenty servants. And going into the Jordan,
18. they crossed the fords before the king, so that they might lead across the house of the king, and might act in accord with his order. Then, Shimei, the son of Gera, prostrating himself before the king after he had now gone across the Jordan,
19. said to him: "May you not impute to me, my lord, the iniquity, nor call to mind the injuries, of your servant in the day that you, my lord the king, departed from Jerusalem. And may you not store it up in your heart, O king.
20. For as your servant, I acknowledge my sin. And for this reason, today, I arrive as the first from all the house of Joseph, and I descend to meet my lord the king."
21. Yet truly, Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, responding, said, "Should not Shimei, because of these words, be killed, since he cursed the Christ of the Lord?"
22. And David said: "What is it to me and to all of you, O sons of Zeruiah? Why are you acting toward me this day like Satan? Why should any man be put to death on this day in Israel? Or do you not know that today I have been made king over Israel?"