2 Samuel 19:12

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
You are my brothers, my flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to restore the king?’

Hebrew Names Version
You are my brothers, you are my bone and my flesh: why then are you the last to bring back the king?

King James Version
Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones and my flesh: wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the king?

Lexham English Bible
My brothers, you are my bones and you are my flesh. Why should you be the last to bring back the king?'

English Standard Version
You are my brothers; you are my bone and my flesh. Why then should you be the last to bring back the king?'

New Century Version
You are my brothers, my own family. Why are you the last tribe to bring back the king?'

New English Translation
You are my brothers—my very own flesh and blood! Why should you delay any further in bringing the king back?'

Amplified Bible
'You are my brothers (relatives, relations); you are my bone and my flesh. Why then are you the last to bring back the king?'

New American Standard Bible
'You are my brothers; you are my bone and my flesh. Why then should you be the last to bring back the king?'

Geneva Bible (1587)
Ye are my brethren: my bones and my flesh are ye: wherefore then are ye the last that bring the King againe?

Legacy Standard Bible
You are my brothers; you are my bone and my flesh. Why then should you be the last to have the king return?'

Contemporary English Version
He is your brother, your own relative! Why haven't you done anything to bring him back?"

Complete Jewish Bible
King David sent this message to Tzadok and Evyatar the cohanim: "Ask the leaders of Y'hudah, ‘Why are you the last to bring the king back to his palace? The king has already heard that all Isra'el wants to return him to his palace.

Darby Translation
Ye are my brethren, ye are my bone and my flesh; and why will ye be the last to bring back the king?

Easy-to-Read Version
You are my brothers, my family, so why are you the last tribe to bring the king back?'

George Lamsa Translation
And the king said to them, You are my brethren and my flesh and my bones, why then are you the last to return to the king?

Good News Translation
You are my relatives, my own flesh and blood; why should you be the last to bring me back?"

Literal Translation
You are my brother; you are my bone and my flesh. And why are you the last to bring back the king?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
ye are my brethren, my bone, and my flesh. Wherfore wyl ye then be the last to brynge the kynge agayne?

American Standard Version
Ye are my brethren, ye are my bone and my flesh: wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the king?

Bible in Basic English
You are my brothers, my bone and my flesh; why are you the last to get the king back again?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Ye are my brethren, my bones, and my fleshe: Wherfore then are ye the last that bryng the king againe?

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying: 'Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying: Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house?--For the speech of all Israel was come to the king, to bring him to his house.--

King James Version (1611)
Yee are my brethren, Yee are my bones and my flesh: wherfore then are ye the last to bring backe the king?

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones and my flesh: why are ye the last to bring back the king to his house?

English Revised Version
Ye are my brethren, ye are my bone and my flesh: wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the king?

Berean Standard Bible
You are my brothers, my own flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to restore the king?'

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Ye ben my britheren, ye ben my boon and my fleisch; whi the laste bryngen ye ayens the kyng?

Young's Literal Translation
my brethren ye [are], my bone and my flesh ye [are], and why are ye last to bring back the king?

Update Bible Version
You are my brothers, you are my bone and my flesh: why then are you the last to bring back the king?

Webster's Bible Translation
Ye [are] my brethren, ye [are] my bones and my flesh: why then are ye the last to bring back the king?

World English Bible
You are my brothers, you are my bone and my flesh: why then are you the last to bring back the king?

New King James Version
You are my brethren, you are my bone and my flesh. Why then are you the last to bring back the king?'

New Living Translation
You are my relatives, my own tribe, my own flesh and blood! So why are you the last ones to welcome back the king?"

New Life Bible
You are my brothers. You are my bone and my flesh. Why should you be the last to bring back the king?'

New Revised Standard
You are my kin, you are my bone and my flesh; why then should you be the last to bring back the king?'

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Mine own brethren, are ye, my bone and my flesh, are ye, - wherefore then should ye be behindhand in bringing back the king?

Douay-Rheims Bible
You are my brethren, you are my bone, and my flesh, why are you the last to bring back the king?

Revised Standard Version
You are my kinsmen, you are my bone and my flesh; why then should you be the last to bring back the king?'

New American Standard Bible (1995)
'You are my brothers; you are my bone and my flesh. Why then should you be the last to bring back the king?'

Contextual Overview

⁹Meanwhile, the whole populace was now complaining to its leaders, "Wasn't it the king who saved us time and again from our enemies, and rescued us from the Philistines? And now he has had to flee the country on account of Absalom. And now this Absalom whom we made king is dead in battle. So what are you waiting for? Why don't you bring the king back?" ¹¹When David heard what was being said, he sent word to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, "Ask the elders of Judah, ‘Why are you so laggard in bringing the king back home? You're my brothers! You're my own flesh and blood! So why are you the last ones to bring the king back home?' And tell Amasa, ‘You, too, are my flesh and blood. As God is my witness, I'm making you the permanent commander of the army in place of Joab.'" ¹⁴ He captured the hearts of everyone in Judah. They were unanimous in sending for the king: "Come back, you and all your servants." ¹⁵So the king returned. He arrived at the Jordan just as Judah reached Gilgal on their way to welcome the king and escort him across the Jordan. Even Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, hurried down to join the men of Judah so he could welcome the king, a thousand Benjaminites with him. And Ziba, Saul's steward, with his fifteen sons and twenty servants, waded across the Jordan to meet the king and brought his entourage across, doing whatever they could to make the king comfortable. Shimei son of Gera bowed deeply in homage to the king as soon as he was across the Jordan and said, "Don't think badly of me, my master! Overlook my irresponsible outburst on the day my master the king left Jerusalem—don't hold it against me! I know I sinned, but look at me now—the first of all the tribe of Joseph to come down and welcome back my master the king!" Abishai son of Zeruiah interrupted, "Enough of this! Shouldn't we kill him outright? Why, he cursed God 's anointed!" But David said, "What is it with you sons of Zeruiah? Why do you insist on being so contentious? Nobody is going to be killed today. I am again king over Israel!" Then the king turned to Shimei, "You're not going to die." And the king gave him his word. Next Mephibosheth grandson of Saul arrived from Jerusalem to welcome the king. He hadn't combed his hair or trimmed his beard or washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he returned safe and sound. The king said, "And why didn't you come with me, Mephibosheth?" "My master the king," he said, "my servant betrayed me. I told him to saddle my donkey so I could ride it and go with the king, for, as you know, I am lame. And then he lied to you about me. But my master the king has been like one of God's angels: he knew what was right and did it. Wasn't everyone in my father's house doomed? But you took me in and gave me a place at your table. What more could I ever expect or ask?" "That's enough," said the king. "Say no more. Here's my decision: You and Ziba divide the property between you." Mephibosheth said, "Oh, let him have it all! All I care about is that my master the king is home safe and sound!" Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim. He crossed the Jordan with the king to give him a good send-off. Barzillai was a very old man—eighty years old! He had supplied the king's needs all the while he was in Mahanaim since he was very wealthy. "Join me in Jerusalem," the king said to Barzillai. "Let me take care of you." But Barzillai declined the offer, "How long do you think I'd live if I went with the king to Jerusalem? I'm eighty years old and not much good anymore to anyone. Can't taste food; can't hear music. So why add to the burdens of my master the king? I'll just go a little way across the Jordan with the king. But why would the king need to make a great thing of that? Let me go back and die in my hometown and be buried with my father and mother. But my servant Kimham here; let him go with you in my place. But treat him well!" The king said, "That's settled; Kimham goes with me. And I will treat him well! If you think of anything else, I'll do that for you, too." The army crossed the Jordan but the king stayed. The king kissed and blessed Barzillai, who then returned home. Then the king, Kimham with him, crossed over at Gilgal. The whole army of Judah and half the army of Israel processed with the king. The men of Israel came to the king and said, "Why have our brothers, the men of Judah, taken over as if they owned the king, escorting the king and his family and close associates across the Jordan?" The men of Judah retorted, "Because the king is related to us, that's why! But why make a scene? You don't see us getting treated special because of it, do you?" The men of Israel shot back, "We have ten shares in the king to your one. Besides we're the firstborn—so why are we having to play second fiddle? It was our idea to bring him back." But the men of Judah took a harder line than the men of Israel.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

my bones: 2 Samuel 5:1, Genesis 2:23, Judges 9:2, Ephesians 5:30

Reciprocal: Genesis 29:14 - art my 2 Samuel 19:42 - Because 1 Chronicles 11:1 - Behold

Cross-References

Genesis 7:1
Next God said to Noah, "Now board the ship, you and all your family—out of everyone in this generation, you're the righteous one.

Genesis 19:14
Lot went out and warned the fiancés of his daughters, "Evacuate this place; God is about to destroy this city!" But his daughters' would-be husbands treated it as a joke.

Genesis 19:23
The sun was high in the sky when Lot arrived at Zoar.

2 Peter 2:9
So God knows how to rescue the godly from evil trials. And he knows how to hold the feet of the wicked to the fire until Judgment Day.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Ye [are] my brethren, ye [are] my bones and my flesh,.... Being of the same tribe, and therefore he should deal gently with them, as if they were parts of his body; and not be severe upon them, for the hand they had in the conspiracy, as they might fear:

and wherefore then are ye the last to bring the king back? since they were so nearly related to him, and he so ready to forgive them.