18. Then the ferry boat went over to carry over the king’s household and to do what he desired. Then Shimei, the son of Gera, fell down before the king, as he was passing the Jordan,
19. And said unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither retain the memory of the wickedness that thy slave did the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should guard it in his heart.
20. For I, thy slave, know that I have sinned; therefore, behold, I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.
21. But Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this because he cursed the Lord’s anointed?
22. Then David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? Shall anyone be put to death today in Israel? Do I not know that I am this day king over Israel?
23. And the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king swore unto him.
24. Mephibosheth, the son of Saul, also came down to meet the king and had neither washed his feet nor trimmed his beard nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace.
25. And after he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said unto him, Why didst thou not go with me, Mephibosheth?
26. And he answered, My lord, O king, my slave deceived me, for thy slave said, I will saddle me an ass, that I may ride upon it and go to the king because thy slave is lame.
27. And he has slandered thy slave unto my lord the king, but my lord the king is as an angel of God; do therefore what is good in thine eyes.
28. For all of my father’s house were worthy of death before my lord the king; yet thou didst set thy slave among those that eat at thy own table. What righteousness, therefore, have I yet to cry any more unto the king?
29. And the king said unto him, Why speakest thou any more words? I have determined, Thou and Ziba divide the land.
30. And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Let him even take it all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house.
31. Barzillai, the Gileadite, also came down from Rogelim and went over the Jordan with the king to conduct him over the Jordan.
32. Now Barzillai was a very aged man, of eighty years, who had provided the king with sustenance while he was at Mahanaim, for he was a very great man.