2 Samuel 16

1 And when David was a little past the top, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, 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.

Now when David was a little past the top, look, Ziba the servant of Mippibaal met him with a couple of donkeys saddled, and on them two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred bunches of raisins, a hundred of summer fruits, and a container of wine.

2 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 summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as are faint in the wilderness may drink.'

And the king said to Ziba, "Why did you bring these things?" And Ziba replied, "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 is for those who get exhausted in the desert."

3 And the king said: 'And where is thy master's son?' And Ziba said unto the king: 'Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem; for he said: To-day will the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.'

Then the king said, "Where is your master's son?" Ziba said to the king, "Look, he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, 'Today the children of Israel will restore to me the kingdom of my father.'"

4 Then said the king to Ziba: 'Behold, thine is all that pertaineth unto Mephibosheth.' And Ziba said: 'I prostrate myself; let me find favour in thy sight, my lord, O king.'

Then the king said to Ziba, "Look, all that pertains to Mippibaal is yours." Ziba said, "I humbly bow. May I find favor in the sight of my lord the king."

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

And when king David reached Bahurim, now look, a man of the family of the house of Saul came out, whose name was Shimei the son of Gera. He came out and cursed continuously as he approached.

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.

And he threw stones at David and at all his servants, and all the people and all the soldiers at his right hand and at his left.

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

And Shimei said as he cursed, "Get out, get out, you man of blood, and worthless man.

8 the LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son; and, behold, thou art taken in thine own mischief, because thou art a man of blood.'

YHWH has returned on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and YHWH has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. And look, your evil is upon you, because you are a man of bloodshed."

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

Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please let me go over and take off his head."

10 And the king said: 'What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? So let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him: Curse David; who then shall say: Wherefore hast thou done so?'

The king said, "What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Because he curses, and because YHWH has said to him, 'Curse David;' who then shall say, 'Why have you done so?'"

11 And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants: 'Behold, my son, who came forth of my body, seeketh my life; how much more this Benjamite now? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him.

Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, "Look, my son who came from my body seeks my life. So also now this Benjamite. Leave him alone and let him curse, for YHWH has told him to.

12 It may be that the LORD will look on mine eye, and that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing of me this day.'

Perhaps YHWH will look on my affliction and return good to me for his cursing today."

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

So David and his men went by the way; and Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him, and cursed as he went, threw stones at his flank, and threw dirt.

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

Now the king and all his people arrived weary at the Jordan, and he refreshed himself there.

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

Now Absalom and all the men of Israel arrived in Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him.

16 And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom: 'Long live the king, long live the king.'

And it came about when David's friend Hushai the Archite came to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom, "Long live the king. Long live the king."

17 And Absalom said to Hushai: 'Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend?'

So Absalom said to Hushai, "Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?"

18 And Hushai said unto Absalom: 'Nay; but whom the LORD, and this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, his will I be, and with him will I abide.

Then Hushai said to Absalom, "No, but whom YHWH and this people and all the men of Israel have chosen, his will I belong, and with him I will stay.

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

Again, whom should I serve? Shouldn't I serve in the presence of his son? As I have served in your father's presence, so will I be in your presence."

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

Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, "Give your counsel. What should we do?"

21 And Ahithophel said unto Absalom: 'Go in unto thy father's concubines, that he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel will hear that thou art abhorred of thy father; then will the hands of all that are with thee be strong.'

Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Go in to your father's secondary wives, that he has left to care for the palace. Then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself a stench to your father. Then those on your side will be motivated to support you."

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

So they set up a tent for Absalom on the roof, and Absalom went in to his father's secondary wives in the sight of all Israel.

23 Now the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man inquired of the word of God; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.

Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave was as if one inquired of the word of God. So was all the counsel of Ahithophel both to David and to Absalom.