2 Samuel 16

1 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.

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 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.”

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 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.”

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 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.”

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 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;

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 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.

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 said Shimei in his reviling: “Go out, go out, O man of blood, and man of worthlessness!

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

8 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.”

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 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.”

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 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?”

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 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;

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

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

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

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

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

16 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!”

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

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

18 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;

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

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

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

21 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.”

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 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.

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 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.

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.