9. And it came to be, that all the people were contending throughout all the tribes of Yisra’ĕl, saying, “The sovereign delivered us from the hand of the enemies, he rescued us from the hand of the Philistines, and now he has fled from the land because of Aḇshalom,
10. and Aḇshalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. And now, why are you silent about bringing back the sovereign?”
11. And Sovereign Dawiḏ sent to Tsaḏoq and Eḇyathar the priests, saying, “Speak to the elders of Yehuḏah, saying, ‘Why are you the last to bring the sovereign back to his house, since the words of all Yisra’ĕl have come to the sovereign, to his house?
12. ‘You are my brothers, you are my bone and my flesh. Why then are you the last to bring back the sovereign?’
13. “And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? Elohim do so to me, and more also, if you are not commander of the army before me all the days in place of Yo’aḇ.’ ”
14. Thus he swayed the hearts of all the men of Yehuḏah as one man, so that they sent to the sovereign, saying “Return, you and all your servants!”
15. So the sovereign returned and came to the Yardĕn. And Yehuḏah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the sovereign, to bring the sovereign over the Yardĕn.
16. And Shim‛i son of Gĕra, a Binyamite, who was from Baḥurim, hastened and came down with the men of Yehuḏah to meet Sovereign Dawiḏ.
17. And with him were a thousand men of Binyamin, and Tsiḇa the servant of the house of Sha’ul, and his fifteen sons, and his twenty servants with him. And they rushed over the Yardĕn before the sovereign.
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.