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.
After David had gone a little way past the top of the mountain, there was Ziba, Mephibosheth's servant, waiting to meet him. He had two donkeys already saddled with him carrying two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred raisin cakes, a hundred summer fruits, and a skin 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.
“What did you bring these for?” David asked Ziba. Ziba replied, “The donkeys are for the king's family to ride on, the bread and summer fruit are for the men to eat, and the wine is for those to drink who get worn out in the wilderness.”
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.
“Where is your master's grandson?” the king asked. Ziba answered, “He decided to stay in Jerusalem. He's saying, ‘Today the people of Israel will give me back my grandfather's kingdom.’”
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.
The king told Ziba, “I give you everything that belongs to Mephibosheth!” “I bow before you,” Ziba replied. “May you approve of me, Your Majesty.”
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.
As King David arrived at the town of Bahurim, a man from Saul's family was just leaving. His name was Shimei, son of Gera, and he was shouting out curses as he came.
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.
He threw stones at David and all the king's officers, even though the king's men and all his bodyguards surrounded David.
7 And, thus, said Shimei, when he cursed, —Out! Out! thou man of bloodshed, and man of the Abandoned One!
“Get out of here, just get out, you murderer, you wicked man!” Shimei said as he cursed.
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 has paid you back for all of Saul's family that you killed, and for stealing Saul's throne. The Lord has given the kingdom to your son Absalom. Look how you've ended up in disaster because you're a murderer!”
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.
Abishai, son of Zeruiah, asked the king, “Why should this dead dog curse Your Majesty? Let me 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?
“What's that got to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah?” the king replied. “If he's cursing me because the Lord told him to, then who can question what he's doing?”
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.
David said to Abishai and to all his officers, “Look, if my very own son is trying to kill me, why shouldn't this Benjamite want to even more! Leave him alone; let him curse me, for the Lord told him to.
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 will see how I'm suffering and will pay me back with good for his curses today.”
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.
David and his men continued down the road, with Shimei keeping up with them on the hillside opposite. He went on cursing as he went along, throwing stones and dirt at David.
14 And the king and all the people that were with him arrived, weary, —and they refreshed themselves there.
The king and everyone with him were tired out when they arrived at the Jordan. David rested there.
15 And, Absolom and all the men of Israel, entered Jerusalem, —and Ahithophel with him.
In the meantime Absalom and all the Israelites with him arrived in Jerusalem, along with Ahithophel.
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!
Hushai the Arkite, David's friend, went to see Absalom and declared, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”
17 Then said Absolom unto Hushai, Is, this, thy lovingkindness unto thy friend? Wherefore wentest thou not with thy friend?
“Is this how you show loyalty to your friend?” Absalom asked. “Why didn't you leave with your 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.
“Certainly not!” Hushai replied. “I'm on the side of the one chosen by the Lord, by the army, and by all the people of Israel. I will remain loyal to him.
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.
In any case, why shouldn't I serve his son? In the same way I served your father I will serve you.”
20 Then said Absolom unto Ahithophel, —Give ye your counsel, what we shall do.
Then Absalom asked Ahithophel, “Give me your advice. What shall we 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.
Ahithophel told him, “Go and sleep with your father's concubines—the ones he left here to look after the palace. Then everyone in Israel will realize that you have so offended your father there's no turning back, which will encourage all your supporters.”
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 put up a tent on the palace roof and Absalom went in and had sex with his father's concubines in the full view of everyone.
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.
At that time Ahithophel's advice was like receiving messages from God himself. This was how both David and Absalom viewed Ahithophel's advice.
