< 2 Samuel 16 >
1 And when David had gone a little way past the top of the slope, Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, came to him, with two asses on which were two hundred cakes of bread and a hundred stems of dry grapes and a hundred summer fruits and a skin of wine.
When David had gone a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth was there to meet him. He had a pair of saddled donkeys loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred clusters of raisins, a hundred summer fruits, and a skin of wine.
2 And David said to Ziba, What is your reason for this? And Ziba said, The asses are for the use of the king's people, and the bread and the fruit are food for the young men; and the wine is for drink for those who are overcome by weariness in the waste land.
“Why do you have these?” asked the king. Ziba replied, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride, the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat, and the wine is to refresh those who become exhausted in the wilderness.”
3 And the king said, And where is your master's son? And Ziba said, He is still at Jerusalem: for he said, Today Israel will give back to me the kingdom of my father.
“Where is your master’s grandson?” asked the king. And Ziba answered, “Indeed, he is staying in Jerusalem, for he has said, ‘Today, the house of Israel will restore to me the kingdom of my grandfather.’”
4 Then the king said to Ziba, Truly everything which was Mephibosheth's is yours. And Ziba said, I give honour to my lord, may I have grace in your eyes, my lord, O king!
So the king said to Ziba, “All that belongs to Mephibosheth is now yours!” “I humbly bow before you,” said Ziba. “May I find favor in your eyes, my lord the king!”
5 And when King David came to Bahurim, a man of Saul's family named Shimei, the son of Gera, came out from there, calling curses after him.
As King David approached Bahurim, a man from the family of the house of Saul was just coming out. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and as he approached, he kept yelling out curses.
6 And he sent stones at David and at all the king's servants and at all the people and at all the men of war by his side, on the right hand and on the left.
He threw stones at David and at all the servants of the king, though the troops and all the mighty men were on David’s right and left.
7 And Shimei said, with curses, Be gone, be gone, you man of blood, you good-for-nothing:
And as he yelled curses, Shimei said, “Get out, get out, you worthless man of bloodshed!
8 The Lord has sent punishment on you for all the blood of the family of Saul, whose kingdom you have taken; and the Lord has given the kingdom to Absalom, your son: now you yourself are taken in your evil, because you are a man of blood.
The LORD has paid you back for all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, you have come to ruin because you are a man of bloodshed!”
9 Then Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, said to the king, Is this dead dog to go on cursing my lord the king? let me go over and take off his head.
Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head!”
10 And the king said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Let him go on cursing, for the Lord has said, Put a curse on David, and who then may say, Why have you done so?
But the king replied, “What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah? If he curses me because the LORD told him, ‘Curse David,’ who can ask, ‘Why did you do this?’”
11 And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, You see how my son, the offspring of my body, has made designs against my life: how much more then may this Benjamite do so? Let him be, and let him go on cursing; for the Lord has given him orders.
Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my own son, my own flesh and blood, seeks my life. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone and let him curse me, for the LORD has told him so.
12 It may be that the Lord will take note of my wrongs, and give me back good in answer to his cursing of me today.
Perhaps the LORD will see my affliction and repay me with good for the cursing I receive today.”
13 So David and his men went on their way: and Shimei went by the hillside parallel with them, cursing and sending stones and dust at him.
So David and his men proceeded along the road as Shimei went along the ridge of the hill opposite him. As Shimei went, he yelled curses, threw stones, and flung dust at David.
14 And the king and his people came tired to Jordan, and took their rest there.
Finally, the king and all the people with him arrived, exhausted. And there he refreshed himself.
15 And Absalom and the men of Israel came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him.
Then Absalom and all the men of Israel came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him.
16 Then Hushai the Archite, David's friend, came to Absalom and said, Long life to the king, long life to the king!
And David’s friend Hushai the Archite went to Absalom and said to him, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”
17 And Absalom said, Is this your love for your friend? why did you not go with your friend?
“Is this the loyalty you show your friend?” Absalom replied. “Why did you not go with your friend?”
18 And Hushai said to Absalom, Not so; I am for that man whom the Lord and this people and all the men of Israel have taken as king, and I will take my place with him.
“Not at all,” Hushai answered. “For the one chosen by the LORD, by the people, and by all the men of Israel—his I will be, and with him I will remain.
19 And more than this! where is my place as a servant? is it not before his son? as I have been your father's servant, so will I be yours.
Furthermore, whom should I serve if not the son? As I served in your father’s presence, so also I will serve in yours.”
20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, Give your opinion now, what are we to do?
Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give me counsel. What should we do?”
21 And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in to your father's women who are here looking after his house; then all Israel will have the news that you are hated by your father, and the hands of your supporters will be strong.
Ahithophel replied, “Sleep with your father’s concubines, whom he has left to keep the palace. When all Israel hears that you have become a stench to your father, then the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.”
22 So they put up the tent for Absalom on the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his father's women before the eyes of all Israel.
So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.
23 In those days the opinions of Ahithophel were valued as highly as if through him a man might get direction from God; so were they valued by David as much as by Absalom.
Now in those days the advice of Ahithophel was like the consultation of the word of God. Such was the regard that both David and Absalom had for Ahithophel’s advice.