Kings II 16

1 And David passed on a little way from Ros; and, behold, Siba the servant of Memphibosthe [came] to meet him; and he had a couple of asses laden, and upon them two hundred loaves, and a hundred [bunches of] raisins, and a hundred [cakes of] dates, and bottle of wine.

Now, David, had passed on but a little from the summit, when lo! Ziba, servant of Mephibosheth, met him, —with a couple of asses saddled, and, upon them, two hundred cakes of bread, and one hundred cakes of raisins, and one hundred summer fruits, and a skin of wine.

2 And the king said to Siba, What meanest you by these? and Siba, said, The asses [are] for the household of the king to sit upon, and the loaves and the dates [are] for the young men to eat, and the wine [is] for them that are faint in the wilderness to drink.

And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou, by these? And Ziba said—The asses, are for the king’s household, to ride on, and, the bread and the summer fruits, are for the young men to eat, and, the wine, is for drink to such as are faint in the wilderness.

3 And the king said, And where [is] the son of your master? and Siba said to the king, Behold, he remains in Jerusalem; for he said, To-day shall the house of Israel restore to me the kingdom of my father.

Then said the king, And where is thy lord’s son? And Ziba said unto the king—Lo! abiding in Jerusalem, for he said, To-day, will the house of Israel, restore unto me, the kingdom of my father.

4 And the king said to Siba, Behold, all Memphibosthe's property [is] your. And Siba did obeisance and said, My lord, O king, let me find grace in your eyes.

Then said the king unto Ziba, Lo! thine, is all that pertained to Mephibosheth. And Ziba said—I have done homage, that I might find favour in thine eyes, my lord O king.

5 And king David came to Baurim; and, behold, there came out from thence a man of the family of the house of Saul, and his name [was] Semei the son of Gera. He came forth and cursed as he went,

And, when King David had come as far as Bahurim, lo! from thence a man coming out, of the family of the house of Saul, whose name, was Shimei son of Gera, coming out and cursing as he came.

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

And he pelted, with stones, David and all the servants of King David, —all the people, and all the mighty men, being on his right hand and on his left.

7 And thus Semei said when he cursed him, Go out, go out, you bloody man, and man of sin.

And, thus, said Shimei, when he cursed, —Out! Out! thou man of bloodshed, and man of the Abandoned One!

8 The Lord has returned upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, because you have reigned in his stead; and the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of Abessalom your son: and, behold, you [are taken] in your mischief, because you [are] a bloody man.

Yahweh, hath brought back upon thee, all the shed-blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned, and Yahweh hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absolom thy son, —and, here thou art, in thy ruin, for that, a man of bloodshed, thou art.

9 And Abessa the son of Saruia said to the king, Why does this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over now and take off his head.

Then said Abishai, son of Zeruiah, unto the king—Wherefore should this dead dog curse my lord the king? I pray thee, let me cross over and take off his head.

10 And the king said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Saruia? even let him alone, and so let him curse, for the Lord has told him to curse David: and who shall say, Why have you done thus?

But the king said, What have I in common with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? thus, he curseth, because, Yahweh, hath said unto him—Curse David. Who then can say, Why hast thou done thus?

11 And David said to Abessa and to all his servants, Behold, my son who came forth out of my bowels seeks my life; still more now may the son of Benjamin: let him curse, because the Lord has told him.

Then said David unto Abishai, and unto all his servants, Lo! my own son who sprang from my body, is seeking my life, —then how much more, now, a Benjamite? Let him alone, and let him curse, for, Yahweh, hath permitted him.

12 If by any means the Lord may look on my affliction, thus shall he return me good for his cursing this day.

It may be, that Yahweh will behold with his eye, —and that Yahweh will return me good, for his cursing this day.

13 And David and all the men with him went on the way: and Semei went by the side of the hill next to him, cursing as he went, and casting stones at him, and sprinkling him with dirt.

And, when David and his men went along in the way, Shimei, was going along on the side of the hill over against him, cursing as he went, pelting him with stones, and throwing dust.

14 And the king, and all the people with him, came away and refreshed themselves there.

And the king and all the people that were with him arrived, weary, —and they refreshed themselves there.

15 And Abessalom and all the men of Israel went into Jerusalem, and Achitophel with him.

And, Absolom and all the men of Israel, entered Jerusalem, —and Ahithophel with him.

16 And it came to pass when Chusi the chief friend of David came to Abessalom, that Chusi said to Abessalom, Let the king live.

And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, the friend of David, came in unto Absolom, that Hushai said unto Absolom: Long live the king! Long live the king!

17 And Abessalom said to Chusi, [Is] this your kindness to your friend? why went you not forth with your friend?

Then said Absolom unto Hushai, Is, this, thy lovingkindness unto thy friend? Wherefore wentest thou not with thy friend?

18 And Chusi said to Abessalom, Nay, but following whom the Lord, and this people, and all Israel have chosen, —his will I be, and with him I will dwell.

And Hushai said unto Absolom, Nay! but, whom Yahweh, and all this people, and the men of Israel have chosen, his, will I be, and, with him, will I dwell.

19 And again, whom shall I serve? should I not in the presence of his son? As I served in the sight of your father, so will I be in your presence.

And, again, whom, should, I serve? Should it not be in presence of his son? as I served in presence of thy father, so, will I continue thy presence.

20 And Abessalom said to Achitophel, Deliberate amongst yourselves concerning what we should do.

Then said Absolom unto Ahithophel, —Give ye your counsel, what we shall do.

21 And Achitophel said to Abessalom, Go in to your father's concubines, whom he left to keep his house; and all Israel shall hear that you have dishonoured your father; and the hands of all that are with you shall be strengthened.

And Ahithophel said unto Absolom, Go in unto thy father’s concubines, whom he hath left to keep the house, —so shall all Israel hear that thou hast made thyself odious unto thy father, and the hands of all that are with thee, shall be strengthened.

22 And they pitched a tent for Abessalom on the roof, and Abessalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.

And they stretched out for Absolom a tent, upon the house-top, —and Absolom went in unto his father’s concubines, in the sight of all Israel.

23 And the counsel of Achitophel, which he counselled in former days, [was] as if one should enquire of the word of God: so [was] all the counsel of Achitophel both to David and also to Abessalom.

Now, the counsel of Ahithophel which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God, —so, was all the counsel of Ahithophel, both to David, and also to Absolom.