18. And they passed over the ford to bring over the sovereign’s household, and to do what was good in his eyes. And Shim‛i son of Gĕra fell down before the sovereign when he had passed over the Yardĕn,
19. and said to the sovereign, “Do not let my master reckon crookedness to me, neither remember what wrong your servant did on the day that my master the sovereign left Yerushalayim, that the sovereign should take it to heart.
20. “For I, your servant, know that I have sinned. And see, I have come today, first of all the house of Yosĕph, to go down to meet my master the sovereign.”
21. But Aḇishai son of Tseruyah answered and said, “Should Shim‛i not be put to death for this, because he cursed the anointed of יהוה?”
22. And Dawiḏ said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Tseruyah, that you are to be adversaries to me today? Should any man be put to death in Yisra’ĕl today? For do I not know that I am sovereign over Yisra’ĕl today?”
23. So the sovereign said to Shim‛i, “You do not die.” And the sovereign swore to him.
24. And Mephiḇosheth son of Sha’ul came down to meet the sovereign. And he had not attended to his feet, nor trimmed his moustache, nor washed his garments, from the day the sovereign went away until the day he came back in peace.
25. And it came to be, when he had come to Yerushalayim to meet the sovereign, that the sovereign said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephiḇosheth?”
26. And he answered, “My master, O sovereign, my servant deceived me. For your servant said, ‘I am saddling a donkey for myself to ride on it and go to the sovereign,’ because your servant is lame.
27. “And he spoke slander against your servant to my master the sovereign, but my master the sovereign is as a messenger of Elohim. Therefore do what is good in your eyes.
28. “For all of my father’s house were but dead men before my master the sovereign. Yet you set your servant among those who eat at your own table. Therefore what right have I still to cry out any more to the sovereign?”
29. Then the sovereign said to him, “Why do you speak any more of your matters? I have said, ‘You and Tsiḇa share the land.’ ”