2 Samuel 16

1 When David [and the others] had gone a little way past the top of the hill, Mephibosheth’s servant Ziba met him. He had with him two donkeys that were carrying 200 loaves of bread, 100 bunches/clusters of raisins, 100 bunches of fresh fruit, and a leather bag full 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 The king said to Ziba, “What are these for?” Ziba replied, “The donkeys are for your family to ride on, the bread and the fruit are for your soldiers to eat, and the wine is for them to drink when they become exhausted in the desert.”

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 The king said, “Where is Mephibosheth, the grandson of your [former] master [Saul]?” Ziba [deceived David by] saying, “He stayed in Jerusalem, because he thinks that now the Israeli people will allow him to rule the kingdom that his grandfather Saul ruled.”

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 The king said to Ziba, “Okay, everything that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours.” Ziba replied, “Your Majesty, I will humbly serve you; and I desire/hope that you will always be pleased with me.”

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 When King David [and those with him] arrived at Bahurim [town], a man named Shimei met him. Shimei, whose father was Gera, was one of Saul’s relatives. Shimei was cursing David as he approached.

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 Then he threw stones at David and his officials, even though the officials and David’s bodyguards surrounded David.

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 Shimei cursed David and said to him, “Get out of here, you murderer, you scoundrel!

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

8 Yahweh is (getting revenge on/punishing) you all for murdering [MTY] many people in Saul’s family. And now he is giving Saul’s kingdom to your son Absalom. You murderer, you are being paid back for the many people that you have killed/murdered [MTY]!”

Jehovah has returned on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and Jehovah 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 Abishai said to the king, “Your Majesty, this man is [as worthless as] [MET] a dead dog! (Why should he be allowed to curse you?/He should not be allowed to curse you.) [RHQ] Allow me to go over there and cut 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 But the king replied, “You two sons of Zeruiah, (do not tell me what to do/this does not concern you) [RHQ]. If he is cursing me because Yahweh told him to do that, certainly no one should say ‘(Why are you doing that?/You should not be doing that.) [RHQ]’”

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

11 Then David said to Abishai and to all his officials, “You know that my own son is trying to kill me. So [it is not surprising that] this man from the tribe of Benjamin is also trying to kill me. So ignore him, and allow him to curse me, because [perhaps he thinks that] Yahweh told him to do that.

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 Jehovah has told him to.

12 Perhaps Yahweh will see that I am having all this trouble, and [some day he will repay me by] (blessing/doing good things for) me in return for this man cursing me today.”

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

13 Then David and those who were with him walked along the road, and Shimei continued walking along the hillside near him. While he walked along, he cursed David and threw stones and dirt at him.

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 When David and those who were with him arrived at the Jordan [River], they were very tired. So they rested there.

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

15 While that was happening, Absalom and all the Israeli people who were with him had arrived in Jerusalem. Ahithophel had also arrived there.

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

16 When David’s friend Hushai came to Absalom, he said to Absalom, “I desire/hope that the king will live a long time! May you live for many years!”

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 Absalom said to Hushai, “You have been loyal [RHQ] to your friend [David for a long time]. So why did you not go with him [instead of coming to me]?”

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

18 Hushai replied, “I will serve the one whom Yahweh and these people and all the other people of Israel have chosen [to be their king]. So I will stay with you.

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

19 You are my master [King David’s] son; if I do not serve you, what other man should I serve [RHQ]? I will serve you as I served your father.”

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 Absalom said to Ahithophel, “What do you advise that we should do?”

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

21 Ahithophel replied, “Your father left some of his slave wives in the palace to take care of it. Have sex [EUP] with them. When everyone in Israel hears that you have done that, they will realize that you are acting very contemptuously toward your father. Then all those who are with you will be very encouraged.”

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 set up a tent for Absalom on the roof [of the palace]. And Absalom went into the tent and had sex [EUP] with his father’s slave wives, [one by one, ] and everyone [HYP] could see [him going into the tent].

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 In those days, people accepted what Ahithophel recommended as though he were speaking the words of God. So just as David had always accepted what Ahithophel said, now Absalom did also.

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.