2 Samuel 16

1 And when David had passed a little beyond the top of the mountain, Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, appeared to meet him, with two donkeys, which were burdened with two hundred loaves, and one hundred bunches of dried grapes, and one hundred masses of dried figs, 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 the king said to Ziba, “What do you intend to do with these things?” And Ziba responded: “The donkeys are for the household of the king, so that they may sit. And the loaves and dried figs are for your servants to eat. But the wine is for anyone to drink who may be faint in the desert.”

“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, “Where is the son of your lord?” And Ziba answered the king: “He remained in Jerusalem, saying, ‘Today, the house of Israel will restore the kingdom of my father to me.’”

“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 And the king said to Ziba, “All the things which were for Mephibosheth are now yours.” And Ziba said, “I beg you that I may find grace before you, my lord the 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 Then king David went as far as Bahurim. And behold, a man from the kindred of the house of Saul, named Shimei, the son of Gera, went out from there. And going out, he continued on, and he was cursing,

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 throwing stones against David and against all the servants of king David. And all the people and all the warriors were traveling to the right and to the left sides of the king.

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 so, as he was cursing the king, Shimei said: “Go away, go away, you man of blood, and you man of Belial!

And as he yelled curses, Shimei said, “Get out, get out, you worthless man of bloodshed!

8 The Lord has repaid you for all the blood of the house of Saul. For you have usurped the kingdom in place of him. And so, the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of Absalom, your son. And behold, your evils press close upon you, 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: “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go and cut 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 is it to me and to all of you, O sons of Zeruiah? Permit him, so that he may curse. For the Lord has commanded him to curse David. And who is the one who would dare to say, ‘Why has he 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 the king said to Abishai and to all his servants: “Behold, my son, who went forth from my loins, is seeking my life. How much more does a son of Benjamin do so now? Permit him, so that he may curse, in accord with the command of the Lord.

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 Perhaps the Lord may look with favor upon my affliction, and the Lord may repay me good, in place of the cursing of this day.”

Perhaps the LORD will see my affliction and repay me with good for the cursing I receive today.”

13 And so, David continued walking along the way, and his associates with him. But Shimei was advancing along the ridge of the mountain on the side opposite him, cursing and throwing stones at him, and scattering dirt.

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 the entire people with him, being weary, went and refreshed themselves there.

Finally, the king and all the people with him arrived, exhausted. And there he refreshed himself.

15 But Absalom and all his people entered into Jerusalem. Moreover, Ahithophel was with him.

Then Absalom and all the men of Israel came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him.

16 And when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, had gone to Absalom, he said to him: “May you be well, O king! May you be well, O 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 to him: “Is this your kindness to 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 responded to Absalom: “By no means! For I will be his, whom the Lord has chosen. And I, and all this people, and all of Israel, will remain 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 But then too, I declare this: whom should I serve? Is it not the son of the king? Just as I have been subject to your father, so will I be subject to you also.”

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, “Present a counsel as to what we ought to do.”

Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give me counsel. What should we do?”

21 And Ahithophel said to Absalom: “Enter to the concubines of your father, whom he left behind in order to care for the house. Thus, when all of Israel will hear that you disgraced your father, their hands may be strengthened with you.”

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 Therefore, they spread a tent for Absalom on the rooftop. And he entered to the concubines of his father in the sight 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 Now the counsel of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was treated as if one were consulting God. So was every counsel of Ahithophel, both when he was with David, and when he was with 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.