2 Samuel 16

1 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.

And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold Siba the servant of Miphiboseth came to meet him with two asses, laden with two hundred loaves of bread, and a hundred bunches of raisins, a hundred cakes of figs, and a vessel 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 the summer fruits, are for the young men to eat, and, the wine, is for drink to such as are faint in the wilderness.

And the king said to Siba: What mean these things? And Siba answered: The asses are for the king’s household to sit on: and the loaves and the figs for thy servants to eat, and the wine to drink if any man be faint in the desert.

3 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.

And the king said: Where is thy master’s son? And Siba answered the king: He remained in Jerusalem, saying: Today will the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.

4 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.

And the king said to Siba: I give thee all that belonged to Miphiboseth. And Siba said: I beseech thee let me find grace before thee, my lord, O king.

5 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.

And king David came as far as Bahurim: and behold there came out from thence a man of the kindred of the house of Saul named Semei, the son of Gera, and coming out he cursed as he went on,

6 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.

And he threw stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people, and all the warriors walked on the right, and on the left side of the king.

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

And thus said Semei when he cursed the king: Come out, come out, thou man of blood, and thou man of Belial.

8 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.

The Lord hath repaid thee for all the blood of the house of Saul: because thou hast usurped the kingdom in his stead, and the Lord hath given the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and behold thy evils press upon thee, because thou art a man of blood.

9 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.

And Abisai the son of Sarvia said to the king: Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? I will go, and cut off his head.

10 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?

And the king said: What have I to do with you, ye sons of Sarvia? Let him alone and let him curse: for the Lord hath bid him curse David: and who is he that shall dare say, why hath he done so?

11 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.

And the king said to Abisai, and to all his servants: Behold my son, who came forth from my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now a son of Jemini? let him alone that he may curse as the Lord hath bidden him.

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

Perhaps the Lord may look upon my affliction, and the Lord may render me good for the cursing of this day.

13 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.

And David and his men with him went by the way. And Semei by the hill’s side went over against him, cursing, and casting stones at him, and scattering earth.

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

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

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

But Absalom and all his people came into Jerusalem, and Achitophel was with him.

16 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!

And when Chusai the Arachite, David’s friend, was come to Absalom, he said to him: God save thee, O king, God save thee, O king.

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

And Absalom said to him: Is this thy kindness to thy friend? Why wentest thou not with thy friend?

18 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.

And Chusai answered Absalom: Nay: for I will be his, whom the Lord hath chosen, and all this people, and all Israel, and with him will I abide.

19 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.

Besides this, whom shall I serve? is it not the king’s son? as I have served thy father, so will I serve thee also.

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

And Absalom said to Achitophel: Consult what we are to do.

21 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.

And Achitophel said to Absalom: Go in to the concubines of thy father, whom he hath left to keep the house: that when all Israel shall hear that thou hast disgraced thy father, their hands may be strengthened with thee.

22 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.

So they spread a tent for Absalom on the top of the house, and he went in to his father’s concubines before all Israel.

23 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.

Now the counsel of Achitophel, which he gave in those days, was as if a man should consult God: so was all the counsel of Achitophel, both when he was with David, and when he was with Absalom.