2 Samuel 19:18 - Printer Friendly

ESV: and they crossed the ford to bring over the king 's 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,

NIV: They crossed at the ford to take the king’s household over and to do whatever he wished. When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell prostrate before the king

NASB: Then they crossed the shallow places repeatedly to bring over the king’s household, and to do what was good in his sight. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king as he was about to cross the Jordan.

CSB: They forded the Jordan to bring the king’s household across and do whatever the king desired. When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell facedown before the king

NLT: They crossed the shallows of the Jordan to bring the king’s household across the river, helping him in every way they could. As the king was about to cross the river, Shimei fell down before him.

KJV: And there went over a ferry boat to carry over the king's household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was come over Jordan;

NKJV: Then a ferryboat went across to carry over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good. Now Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king when he had crossed the Jordan.

Second Samuel 19:16–23 begins David's work of personal reconciliation. When David fled Jerusalem, the Benjaminite Shimei cursed him and threw stones (2 Samuel 16:5–8). Now, he arrives with a thousand men to help David's people cross the Jordan and return home. David forgives him. Ziba, Mephibosheth's property manager, also comes. Soon, Mephibosheth will tell David Ziba betrayed him, and David will restore half his land (2 Samuel 19:24–30). When Solomon is king, he'll have reason to execute Shimei (1 Kings 2:36–46).

David comes home after a tragic and costly rebellion. His son Absalom is dead, and rebel fighters have fled back home (2 Samuel 18). David falls into self-indulgent grief until Joab reminds him of his soldiers' honor. On the journey back to the Jordan, David reconciles with Shimei, Mephibosheth, and the elders of Judah, and blesses Barzillai. The elders of the northern tribes arrive and argue with Judah over who loves the king more—the king they tried to kill. The first chance they get, the men from Israel leave and try to start another rebellion (2 Samuel 20:1–2).

David's son, Absalom, manipulated the elders of the tribes, convincing them that he would make a better king than David (2 Samuel 15—17). During the one-day civil war, Joab killed Absalom, against David's orders (2 Samuel 18). David falls into a very public expression of mourning until Joab tells him to honor his living servants, not his dead, traitorous son. On the way to Jerusalem, David tries to forgive his enemies. The elders of Israel claim to welcome him back. But after squabbling with the elders from Judah, they join a new rebellion (2 Samuel 10:1–2).

Second Samuel continues the story of David, who will become king over Judah. The other tribes of Israel are resistant, eventually sparking a civil war. David wins and makes Jerusalem his capital. Early success is followed by moral failure and controversy in David's house. The book of 1 Kings will begin by detailing David's decline and death.