2 Samuel 16

1 And when David was a little past the top of the ascent, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him with a couple of saddled donkeys, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and a hundred clusters of raisins, and a hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.

2 And the king said to Ziba, What do thou mean by these? And Ziba said, The donkeys are for the king's household to ride on, and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine, that such as are faint in the wilderness may drink.

3 And the king said, And where is thy master's son? And Ziba said to the king, Behold, he abides at Jerusalem, for he said, Today the house of Israel will restore for me the kingdom of my father.

4 Then the king said to Ziba, Behold, all that pertains to Mephibosheth is thine. And Ziba said, I do obeisance. Let me find favor in thy sight, my lord, O king.

5 And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, there came out from there a man of the family of the house of Saul whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera. He came out, cursing as he came.

6 And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David, and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left.

7 And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Begone, begone, thou man of blood, and base fellow.

8 Jehovah has returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul in whose stead thou have reigned. And Jehovah has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son, and, behold, thou are taken in thine own mischief because thou are a man of blood.

9 Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head.

10 And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? Because he curses, and because Jehovah has said to him, Curse David, who then shall say, Why have thou done so?

11 And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, who came forth from my bowels, seeks my life. How much more this Benjamite? Let him alone, and let him curse, for Jehovah has bidden him.

12 It may be that Jehovah will look on the wrong done to me, and that Jehovah will reward me good for his cursing of me this day.

13 So David and his men went by the way, and Shimei went along on the hill-side opposite him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust.

14 And the king, and all the people who were with him, came weary, and he refreshed himself there.

15 And Absalom, and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.

16 And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, came to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom, Live, O king. Live, O king.

17 And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? Why did thou not go with thy friend?

18 And Hushai said to Absalom, No, but whom Jehovah, and this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, his will I be, and with him I will abide.

19 And again, whom should I serve? Is it not in the presence of his son? As I have served in thy father's presence, so I will be in thy presence.

20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, Give your counsel what we shall do.

21 And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in to thy father's concubines that he has left to keep the house, and all Israel will hear that thou are abhorred by thy father. Then the hands of all who are with thee will be strong.

22 So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.

23 And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if a man inquired at the oracle of God; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.