39b And the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his own home. 40 The king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him. All the people of Judah, and also half the people of Israel, brought the king on his way.
41 Then all the men of Israel came to the king and said to the king, “Why have our brothers the men of Judah stolen you away and brought the king and his household over the Jordan, and all David’s men with him?” 42 All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because the king is our close relative. Why then are you angry over this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king’s expense? Or has he given us any gift?” 43 And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, “We have ten shares in the king, and in David also we have more than you. Why then did you despise us? Were we not the first to speak of bringing back our king?” But the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.
Comment: Petty arguments are a waste of time. But not only that, arguments leave memories and a nasty taste behind them. It reads like a stupid quarrel when what they needed as a nation was a unified shout of thanksgiving that the mess had been sorted out. David was back on the throne as King of them all!
Prayer: Help me to not to be sidelined from the real issues which face my walking in Your Way. O God.
As I read it! 