Proverbs 19:6

¹⁶A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.

²⁶Many seek the ruler’s favor, but a man’s justice comes from the LORD.

⁸A bribe is a precious stone in the eyes of him who gives it; wherever he turns, he prospers.

⁶Joseph was the governor over the land. It was he who sold to all the people of the land. Joseph’s brothers came, and bowed themselves down to him with their faces to the earth.

²³For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

¹⁴A gift in secret pacifies anger, and a bribe in the cloak, strong wrath.

¹²The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.

¹⁹He said to the king, “Don’t let my lord impute iniquity to me, or remember that which your servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart. ²⁰For your servant knows that I have sinned. Therefore behold, I have come today as the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.”

²¹But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD’s anointed?”

²²David said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should be adversaries to me today? Shall any man be put to death today in Israel? For don’t I know that I am king over Israel today?” ²³The king said to Shimei, “You will not die.” The king swore to him.

²⁴Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king; and he had neither groomed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace. ²⁵When he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, “Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?”

²⁶He answered, “My lord, O king, my servant deceived me. For your servant said, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself, that I may ride on it and go with the king,’ because your servant is lame. ²⁷He has slandered your servant to my lord the king, but my lord the king is as an angel of God. Therefore do what is good in your eyes. ²⁸For all my father’s house were but dead men before my lord the king; yet you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. What right therefore have I yet that I should appeal any more to the king?”

²⁹The king said to him, “Why do you speak any more of your matters? I say, you and Ziba divide the land.”

³⁰Mephibosheth said to the king, “Yes, let him take all, because my lord the king has come in peace to his own house.”

³¹Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim; and he went over the Jordan with the king to conduct him over the Jordan. ³²Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even eighty years old. He had provided the king with sustenance while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very great man. ³³The king said to Barzillai, “Come over with me, and I will sustain you with me in Jerusalem.”

³⁴Barzillai said to the king, “How many are the days of the years of my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? ³⁵I am eighty years old, today. Can I discern between good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear the voice of singing men and singing women any more? Why then should your servant be a burden to my lord the king? ³⁶Your servant will just go over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king repay me with such a reward? ³⁷Please let your servant turn back again, that I may die in my own city, by the grave of my father and my mother. But behold, your servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good to you.”

³⁸The king answered, “Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good to you. Whatever you request of me, that I will do for you.”

³⁹All 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 place.

²⁴I smiled on them when they had no confidence. They didn’t reject the light of my face. ²⁵I chose out their way, and sat as chief. I lived as a king in the army, as one who comforts the mourners.

¹⁵The men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and got up, went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.