Targum Jonathan on II Samuel Chapter 19
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וּרְגַז מַלְכָּא וּסְלִיק עַל עֲלִיַת תַּרְעָא וּבְכָא וּכְדֵין אֲמַר בְּמֵיזְלֵיהּ בְּרִי אַבְשָׁלוֹם בְּרִי בְרִי אַבְשָׁלוֹם לְוַי דְמֵתִית אֲנָא חִלוּפָךְ וְאַתְּ קַיָם יוֹמָא דֵין אַבְשָׁלוֹם בְּרִי בְרִי:
And the king was deeply shocked, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept. And thus he said, while he went, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you and you were alive today! O Absalom, my son, my son!”
וְאִתְחָוָאָה לְיוֹאָב הָא מַלְכָּא בָכֵי וּמִתְאַבֵּל עַל אַבְשָׁלוֹם:
It was told Joab, “Behold, the king is weeping and mourning over Absalom.”
וַהֲוַת תְּשׁוּעֲתָא בְּיוֹמָא הַהוּא לְאֶבְלָא לְכָל עַמָא אֲרֵי שְׁמַע עַמָא בְּיוֹמָא הַהוּא לְמֵימַר אִתְנְסֵיס מַלְכָּא עַל בְּרֵיהּ:
So the salvation on that day was turned into mourning for all the people, for the people heard that day, saying, “The king is grieving for his son.”
וּמִתְגַנְבִין עַמָא בְּיוֹמָא הַהוּא לְמֵיעַל לְקַרְתָּא כְּמָא דְמִתְגַנְבִין עַמָא דְמִתְכַּלְמִין בְּמִפַּכְהוֹן בִּקְרָבָא:
And the people stole into the city that day as people steal in who are ashamed when they retreat in battle.
וּמַלְכָּא כְּרִיךְ יַת אַפּוֹהִי וּצְוַח מַלְכָּא בְּקַל רַב בְּרִי אַבְשָׁלוֹם אַבְשָׁלוֹם בְּרִי בְּרִי:
And the king had covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!”
וַאֲתָא יוֹאָב לְוַת מַלְכָּא לְבֵיתָא וַאֲמַר אַבְהֵיתְתָא יוֹמָא דֵין יַת אַפֵּי כָּל עַבְדָיִךְ דְשֵׁיזִיבוּ יַת נַפְשָׁךְ יוֹמָא דֵין וְיַת נְפַשׁ בְּנָךְ וּבְנָתָךְ וּנְפַשׁ נְשָׁךְ וּנְפַשׁ לְחֵינָתָךְ:
Then Joab came indoors to the king, and said, “You have today ashamed the faces of all your servants, who have saved your life today, and the lives of your sons and daughters, and the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines,
לְמִרְחַם יַת סַנְאָיִךְ וּלְמִסְנֵי יַת רַחֲמָיִךְ אֲרֵי חַוֵיתָא יוֹמָא דֵין אֲרֵי לֵית לָךְ רַבְרְבִין וְעַבְדִין אֲרֵי אֲנָא יְדַעְנָא יוֹמָא דֵין אֲרֵי אִלוּ אַבְשָׁלוֹם קַיָם וְכוּלָנָא יוֹמָא דֵין מִתְקַטְלִין אֲרֵי בְכֵן כָּשַׁר בְּעֵינָךְ:
by loving those who hate you and hating those who love you. For you have made it clear today that commanders and servants do not exist for you, for today I perceive that it would be precious to you, if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today.
וּכְעַן קוּם פּוּק וּמַלֵיל עַל לִבָּא דְעַבְדָךְ אֲרֵי בְּמֵימְרָא דַייָ קַיֵמִית אֲרֵי לֵיתָךְ נָפִיק אִם יְבִית גְבַר עִמָךְ בְּלֵילְיָא וּתְהֵי בִישָׁא לָךְ דָא מִכָּל בִּישְׁתָא דְאָתַת עֲלָךְ מִזְעוּרָךְ עַד כְּעַן:
And now, arise, go out and speak to your servants. For I swear by the speech of the LORD, if you do not go out, not a man will spend the night with you, and this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.”
וְקָם מַלְכָּא וִיתֵיב בְּתַרְעָא וּלְכָל עַמָא חַוִיאוּ לְמֵימַר הָא מַלְכָּא יָתֵיב בְּתַרְעָא וַאֲתָא כָל עַמָא לָקֳדָם מַלְכָּא וְיִשְׂרָאֵל אַפִּיךְ גְבַר לְקִרְווֹהִי:
Then the king arose, and took his seat in the gate. And all the people were told, saying, “Behold, the king is sitting in the gate.” And all the people came before the king, but Israel had fled every man to his own town.
וַהֲווֹ כָל עַמָא מִתְוַכְּחִין בְּכָל שִׁבְטַיָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְמֵימַר מַלְכָּא שֵׁיזְבָנָא מִיַד בְּעֵיל דְבָבָנָא וְהוּא פָרְקָנָא מִידָא דִפְלִשְׁתָּאֵי וּכְעַן עֲרַק מִן אַרְעָא מִלְוַת אַבְשָׁלוֹם:
And all the people were were rebuking each other throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies, and he saved us from the hand of the Philistines. And now he has fled out of the land from Absalom.
וְאַבְשָׁלוֹם דִמְשַׁחְנָא עֲלָנָא מִית בִּקְרָבָא וּכְעַן לְמָה אַתּוּן שַׁתְקִין לַאֲתָבָא יַת מַלְכָּא:
But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. And now, why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?”
וּמַלְכָּא דָוִד שְׁלַח לְצָדוֹק וּלְאֶבְיָתָר כַּהֲנַיָא לְמֵימַר מַלִילוּ לְסָבֵי יְהוּדָה לְמֵימַר לְמָא תְהוֹן בַּתְרָאִין לַאֲתָבָא יַת מַלְכָּא לְבֵיתֵיהּ וּפִתְגַם כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲתָא לְוַת מַלְכָּא לְבֵיתֵיהּ:
And King David sent word to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, saying, “Speak with the elders of Judah, saying, ‘Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his house, when the word of all Israel has come to the king, to his house?
אֲחַי אַתּוּן קְרִיבַי וּבִסְרַי אַתּוּן וּלְמָא תְהוֹן בַּתְרָאִין לַאֲתָבָא יַת מַלְכָּא:
You are my brothers, you are my relatives and my flesh; why then should you be the last to bring back the king?’
וְלַעֲמָשָׂא תֵימְרוּן הֲלָא קְרִיבִי וּבִסְרִי אַתְּ כְּדֵין יַעְבֵּיד לִי יְיָ וּכְדֵין יוֹסִיף אִם לָא רַב חֵילָא תְּהֵי קֳדָמֵי כָּל יוֹמַיָא חֲלַף יוֹאָב:
And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my relative and my flesh? May the LORD do so to me, and more also, if you are not commander of the army before me all the days, in place of Joab.’”
וְאִתְפְּנֵי לִבָּא דְכָל אֱנַשׁ יְהוּדָה כְּגַבְרָא חָד וּשְׁלָחוּ לְמַלְכָּא תּוּב אַתְּ וְכָל עַבְדָיִךְ:
And the hearts of all the men of Judah swayed as one man, so that they sent word to the king, “Return, both you and all your servants.”
וְתָב מַלְכָּא וַאֲתָא עַד יַרְדְנָא וּדְבֵית יְהוּדָה אֲתוֹ לְגִלְגְלָא לְמֵיזַל לָקֳדָמוּת מַלְכָּא לְאַעְבָּרָא יַת מַלְכָּא יַת יַרְדְנָא:
So the king returned to the Jordan. And those of the House of Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king and to bring the king over the Jordan.
וְאוֹחִי שִׁמְעִי בַר גֵרָא בַּר שֵׁבֶט בִּנְיָמִן דִי מֵעַלְמַת וּנְחַת עִם אֱנַשׁ יְהוּדָה לִקֳדָמוּת מַלְכָּא דָוִד:
And Shimei the son of Gera, from the tribe of Benjamin, from Almath, made haste to come down with the men of Judah to meet King David,
וַאֲלַף גַבְרָא עִמֵיהּ מִשִׁבְטָא דְבִנְיָמִין וְצִיבָא עוּלֵימָא דְבֵית שָׁאוּל וְחַמְשַׁת עֲסַר בְּנוֹהִי וְעַשְׂרִין עַבְדוֹהִי עִמֵיהּ וְגָזוּ יַרְדְנָא קֳדָם מַלְכָּא:
and with him were a thousand men of the tribe of the House of Benjamin. But there was Ziba the young man of Saul, with his fifteen sons and his twenty servants, and they waded through the Jordan before the king.
וַעֲבָרוּ מְגִזָתָא לְאַעְבָּרָא יַת בֵּית מַלְכָּא וּלְמֶעְבַּד דְתַקִין בְּעֵינוֹהִי וְשִׁמְעִי בַר גֵרָא נְפַל קֳדָם מַלְכָּא בְּמֶעְבְּרֵיהּ בְּיַרְדְנָא:
And fords allowed them to cross in order to bring over the king’s house, and to do what was right in his sight. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, while he was crossing the Jordan.
וַאֲמַר לְמַלְכָּא לָא יַחְשׁוֹב עֲלַי דִלִי רִבּוֹנִי חוֹבָא וְלָא תִדְכַּר יַת דִי סְרַח עַבְדָךְ בְּיוֹמָא דִי גְלָא רִבּוֹנִי מַלְכָּא מִירוּשְׁלֵם לְשַׁוָאָה מַלְכָּא עַל לִבֵּיהּ:
And he said to the king, “Do not make plans against me. Mine is the guilt, my lord. And do not remember that your servant was doing wrong on the day my lord the king went into exile from Jerusalem; let not the king bear it in mind.
אֲרֵי יְדַע עַבְדָךְ אֲרֵי אֲנָא חָבִית וְהָא אָתִית יוֹמָא דֵין קַדְמָאִי לְכָל בֵּית יוֹסֵף לְמֵחַת לִקָדָמוּת רִבּוֹנִי מַלְכָּא:
For your servant knows that I am guilty. And behold, I have come this day, the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.”
וַאֲתֵיב אֲבִישַׁי בַּר צְרוּיָה וַאֲמַר הַחֲלַף דָא לָא יִתְקְטֵל שִׁמְעִי אֲרֵי לַט יַת מְשִׁיחָא דַיָי:
Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, “Should not Shimei be killed for this, because he cursed the LORD’s anointed?”
וַאֲמַר דָוִד מַה לִי וּלְכוֹן בְּנֵי צְרוּיָה אֲרֵי תֶהֱווֹן לִי יוֹמָא דֵין לִסְטַן יוֹמָא דֵין יִתְקְטֵיל גַבְרָא בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אֲרֵי הֲלָא יְדַעְנָא אֲרֵי יוֹמָא דֵין אֲנָא מַלְכָּא עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל:
But David said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day be an adversary to me? Shall any one be killed in Israel this day? For do I not know that I am this day king over Israel?”
וַאֲמַר מַלְכָּא לְשִׁמְעִי לָא תְמוּת וְקַיָם לֵיהּ מַלְכָּא:
And the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king gave him his oath.
וּמְפִיבֹשֶׁת בַּר שָׁאוּל נְחַת לִקֳדָמוּת מַלְכָּא וְלָא שְׁטַף רַגְלוֹהִי וְלָא סַפֵּר סִפְמֵיהּ וְיַת לְבוּשׁוֹהִי לָא חַוַר לְמִן יוֹמָא דִי גְלָא מַלְכָּא עַד יוֹמָא דַאֲתָא בִשְׁלָם:
And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king. He had neither bathed his feet, nor shaved his upper lip, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king went into exile until the day he came back in peace.
וַהֲוָה כַּד אָתָא לִירוּשְׁלֵם לָקֳדָמוּת מַלְכָּא וַאֲמַר לֵיהּ מַלְכָּא לְמָא לָא אָזַלְתָּא עִמִי מְפִיבֹשֶׁת:
And when he came to Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?”
וַאֲמַר רִבּוֹנִי מַלְכָּא עַבְדִי שְׁקַר כִּי אֲרֵי אֲמַר עַבְדָךְ אֶחֱשׁוֹק לִי חֲמָרָא וְאֶרְכּוּב עֲלָהּ וְאֵיהַךְ עִם מַלְכָּא אֲרֵי חַגִיר עַבְדָךְ:
He said, “My lord, O king, my servant deceived me, for your servant said to him, ‘I will saddle an ass for myself, that I may ride upon it and go with the king.’ For your servant is lame.
וַאֲמַר עַל עַבְדָךְ מִילִין דְלָא כַשְׁרָן קֳדָם רִבּוֹנִי מַלְכָּא וְרִבּוֹנִי מַלְכָּא חַכִּים כְּמַלְאָכָא דַייָ וַעֲבֵיד דְתַקֵין בְּעֵינָךְ:
But he has said words against your servants which are unsuitable before my lord the king. But my lord the king is as wise as the angel of the LORD and must do what seems right in your sight.
אֲרֵי לָא הֲוָה כָּל בֵּית אַבָּא אֱלָהֵין גַבְרֵי חַיָבֵי קְטוֹל לְרִבּוֹנִי מַלְכָּא וְשַׁוֵיתָא יַת עַבְדָךְ בְּאָכְלֵי פְתוֹרָךְ וּמָה אִית לִי עוֹד זְכוּ וּלְמִקְבַּל עוֹד קֳדָם מַלְכָּא:
For all my father’s house were but men deserving to die for my lord the king, but you set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right of complaint have I before the king?
וַאֲמַר לֵיהּ מַלְכָּא לְמָא תְמַלֵיל עוֹד פִּתְגָמָךְ אֲמָרִית אַתְּ וְצִיבָא תִּפְלְגוּן יַת אַחְסַנְתָּא:
And the king said to him, “Why do you go on speaking your words? I say, you and Ziba shall divide the inheritance.”
וַאֲמַר מְפִיבֹשֶׁת לְמַלְכָּא אַף יַת כּוּלָא יִסַב בָּתַר דְאָתָא רִבּוֹנִי מַלְכָּא בִּשְׁלָמָא לְבֵיתֵיהּ:
And Mephibosheth said to the king, “Oh, let him take it all, now that my lord the king has come home in peace.”
וּבַרְזִלֵי גִלְעֲדָאָה נְחַת מֵרוֹגְלִים וַעֲבַר יַת מַלְכָּא יַת יַרְדְנָא לְאַלְוָיוּתֵיהּ יַת יַרְדְנָא:
Now Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim. He crossed the Jordan with the king, to escort him over the Jordan.
וּבַרְזִלַי סִיב לַחֲדָא בַּר תַּמְנָן שְׁנִין וְהוּא סוֹבַר יַת מַלְכָּא בְּמִיתְבֵיהּ בְמַחֲנַיִם אֲרֵי גְבַר רַב הוּא לַחֲדָא:
Barzillai was a very aged man, eighty years old, and he had provided for the king during his dwelling in Mahanaim, for he was a very rich man.
וַאֲמַר מַלְכָּא לְבַרְזִלַי אַתְּ עֲבַר עִמִי וַאֲסוֹבַר יָתָךְ עִמִי בִּירוּשְׁלֵם:
And the king said to Barzillai, “Come over with me, and I will provide for you with me in Jerusalem.”
וַאֲמַר בַּרְזִלַי לְמַלְכָּא כַּמָה יוֹמֵי שְׁנֵי חַיַי אָרֵי אָסַק עִם מַלְכָּא לִירוּשְׁלֵם:
But Barzillai said to the king, “How many years have I still to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?
בַּר תַּמְנָן שְׁנִין אֲנָא יוֹמָא דֵין הַאִידַע בֵּין טַב לְבִישׁ אִם יִטְעַם עַבְדָךְ יַת מָה דְאֵיכוּל וְיַת מָה דְאֶשְׁתֵּי אִם אֶשְׁמַע עוֹד בְּקַל כִּנְרִין וְתוּשְׁבָּחָן וּלְמָה יְהֵי עַבְדָךְ עוֹד לְמַטוּל עַל רִבּוֹנִי מַלְכָּא:
I am eighty years old. Can I discern between good and bad? Or can your servant taste what he eats or what he drinks? Or can I still listen to the sound of lutes and praise songs? Why then should your servant become another burden to my lord the king?
כִּזְעֵיר יֶעְבַּר עַבְדָךְ יַת יַרְדְנָא עִם מַלְכָּא וּלְמָה יְשַׁלְמִנַנִי מַלְכָּא תַּשְׁלוּמָא הָדָא:
Your servant will go a little way over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king recompense me with such a reward?
יְתִיב כְּעַן עַבְדָךְ וְאֵמוּת בְּקַרְתִּי וְאִתְקְבַר בְּקִבְרָא דְאַבָּא וּדְאִמָא וְהָא עַבְדָךְ כִּמְהָם יֶעְבַּר עִם רִבּוֹנִי מַלְכָּא וֶעֱבֵיד לֵיהּ יַת דְתַקִין בְּעֵינָךְ:
Let your servant now return, that I may die in my own city and be buried in the grave of my father and my mother. Behold, your servant Chimham will go over with my lord the king. Do for him whatever seems right in your sight.”
וַאֲמַר מַלְכָּא עִמִי יֶעְבַּר כִּמְהָם וַאֲנָא אַעְבֵּיד לֵיהּ יַת דְתַקִין בְּעֵינָךְ וְכָל דְתִרְמֵי עָלַי אַעְבֵּיד לָךְ:
And the king said, “Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do for him whatever seems right in your sight. And all that you ask of me I will do for you.”
וַעֲבַר כָּל עַמָא יַת יַרְדְנָא וּמַלְכָּא עֲבַר וּנְשַׁק מַלְכָּא לְבַרְזִלַי וּבָרְכֵיהּ וְתַב לְאַתְרֵיהּ:
Then all the people went over the Jordan, and the king went over. Then the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his own home.
וַעֲבַר מַלְכָּא לְגִלְגְלָא וְכִמְהָן עֲבַר עִימֵיהּ וְכָל עַמָא דְבֵית יְהוּדָה אַעְבָּרוּ יַת מַלְכָּא וְאַף פַּלְגוּת עַמָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל:
The king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him. And all the people of the House of Judah, and also half the people of Israel, brought the king on his way.
וְהָא כָּל אֱנַשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲתָן לְוַת מַלְכָּא וַאֲמַרוּ לְמַלְכָּא מָא דֵין כַּסְיוּךְ מִנָנָא אֲחָנָא אֱנַשׁ יְהוּדָה וְאַעְבָּרוּ יַת מַלְכָּא וְיַת אֱנַשׁ בֵּיתֵיהּ יַת יַרְדְנָא וְכָל גַבְרֵי דָוִד עִמֵיהּ:
And behold, all the men of Israel came to the king and said to the king, “Why have our brethren the men of Judah held you away from us, and brought the king and the people of his house over the Jordan, and all David’s men with him?”
וַאֲתֵיב כָּל אֱנַשׁ יְהוּדָה עַל אֱנַשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲרֵי קָרִיב לִי מַלְכָּא מִדִילָךְ וּלְמָה דְנַן תְּקוֹף לָךְ עַל פִתְגָמָא הָדֵין הֲמֵיכַל אֲכִילְנָא מִנִכְסֵי מַלְכָּא אִם מַתְּנָא מַנֵי לָנָא:
All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because the king is more near of kin to me than to you. Why then are you angry over this matter? Have we eaten at all from the property of the king? Or has he portioned out any gift to us?”
וַאֲתֵיב אֱנַשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל יַת אֱנַשׁ יְהוּדָה וַאֲמַר עַסְרָא חוּלָקִין אִית לִי בְּמַלְכָּא וְאַף בְּדָוִד אֲנָא רָעֵינָא מִנָךְ וּמָא דֵין אַשְׁטְתַנִי וְלָא הֲוָה פִתְגָמִי קַדְמוּתָא לִי לַאֲתָבָא יַת מַלְכִּי וּתְקֵיף פִּתְגַם אֱנַשׁ יְהוּדָה מִפִּתְגַם אֱנַשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל:
And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, “I have ten shares in the king. And I have more pleasure in David than you. Why then did you despise me? And was not my word to bring back my king first?” But the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.