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.

And David has passed on a little from the top, and behold, Ziba, servant of Mephibosheth, [is there] to meet him, and a couple of donkeys [are] saddled, and on them [are] two hundred loaves, and one hundred bunches of raisins, and one hundred of summer-fruit, and a bottle 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.”

And the king says to Ziba, “What [are] these to you?” And Ziba says, “The donkeys for the household of the king to ride on, and the bread and the summer-fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for the wearied to drink 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.’”

And the king says, “And where [is] the son of your lord?” And Ziba says to the king, “Behold, he is abiding in Jerusalem, for he said, Today the house of Israel gives back the kingdom of my father to me.”

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.”

And the king says to Ziba, “Behold, all that Mephibosheth has [is] for you”; and Ziba says, “I have bowed myself—I find grace in your eyes, my lord, O 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,

And King David has come to Bahurim, and behold, a man there is coming out, of the family of the house of Saul, and his name [is] Shimei, son of Gera, he comes out, coming out and reviling;

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.

and he stones David with stones, and all the servants of King David, and all the people, and all the mighty men on his right and on his 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 thus said Shimei in his reviling: “Go out, go out, O man of blood, and man of worthlessness!

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.”

YHWH has turned back on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead you have reigned, and YHWH gives the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom; and behold, you [are] in your evil, for you [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 and cut off his head.”

And Abishai son of Zeruiah says to the king, “Why does this dead dog revile my lord the king? Please let me pass over and I turn aside 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?’”

And the king says, “And what do I [have to do] with you, O sons of Zeruiah? For let him revile; even because YHWH has said to him, Revile David; and who says, Why have You done so?”

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.

And David says to Abishai, and to all his servants, “Behold, my son who came out of my bowels is seeking my life, and also surely now the Benjamite; leave him alone, and let him revile, for YHWH has commanded [so] to him;

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.”

it may be YHWH looks on my affliction, and YHWH has turned back good to me for his reviling this day.”

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.

And David goes with his men in the way, and Shimei is going at the side of the hill opposite him, going on, and he reviles, and stones with stones close by him, and has dusted with dust.

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

And the king comes in, and all the people who [are] with him, wearied, and they are refreshed there.

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

And Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, have come to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel 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 it comes to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, has come to Absalom, that Hushai says to Absalom, “Let the king live! Let the king live!”

17 And Absalom said to him: “Is this your kindness to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?”

And Absalom says to Hushai, “[Is] this your kindness with your friend? Why have you not gone 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.

And Hushai says to Absalom, “No, for he whom YHWH has chosen, and this people, even all the men of Israel, I am his, and I abide with him;

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.”

and secondly, for whom do I labor? Is it not before his son? As I served before your father, so I am before you.”

20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Present a counsel as to what we ought to do.”

And Absalom says to Ahithophel, “Give counsel for yourself [for] what 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.”

And Ahithophel says to Absalom, “Go in to the concubines of your father, whom he left to keep the house, and all Israel has heard that you have been abhorred by your father, and the hands of all who [are] with you have been strong.”

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.

And they spread out the tent for Absalom on the roof, and Absalom goes in to the concubines of his father before the eyes 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.

And the counsel of Ahithophel which he counseled in those days [is] as [when] one inquires at the word of God; so [is] all the counsel of Ahithophel both to David and to Absalom.