2 Samuel 16

1 And David hath passed on a little from the top, and lo, Ziba, servant of Mephibosheth — to meet him, and a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves, and a hundred bunches of raisins, and a hundred [of] summer-fruit, and a bottle of wine.

And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and on them two hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.

2 And the king saith unto Ziba, 'What — these to thee?' and Ziba saith, 'The asses 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 to Ziba, What mean you by these? And Ziba said, The asses be 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 be faint in the wilderness may drink.

3 And the king saith, 'And where [is] the son of thy lord?' and Ziba saith unto the king, 'Lo, he is abiding in Jerusalem, for he said, To-day do the house of Israel give back to me the kingdom of my father.'

And the king said, And where is your master’s son? And Ziba said to the king, Behold, he stays at Jerusalem: for he said, To day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.

4 And the king saith to Ziba, 'Lo, thine [are] all that Mephibosheth hath;' and Ziba saith, 'I have bowed myself — I find grace in thine eyes, my lord, O king.'

Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, your are all that pertained to Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I humbly beseech you that I may find grace in your sight, my lord, O king.

5 And king David hath come in unto Bahurim, and lo, thence a man is coming out, of the family of the house of Saul, and his name [is] Shimei, son of Gera, he cometh out, coming out and reviling;

And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, there came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he came.

6 and he stoneth 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 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.

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, Come out, come out, you bloody man, and you man of Belial:

8 Jehovah hath turned back on thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned, and Jehovah doth give the kingdom in to the hand of Absalom thy son; and lo, thou [art] in thine evil, for a man of blood thou [art].'

The LORD has returned on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead you have reigned; and the LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son: and, behold, you are taken in your mischief, because you are a bloody man.

9 And Abishai son of Zeruiah saith unto the king, 'Why doth this dead dog revile my lord the king? let me pass over, I pray thee, and I turn aside his head.'

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

10 And the king saith, 'What — to me and to you, O sons of Zeruiah? for — let him revile; even because Jehovah hath said to him, Revile David; and who saith, Wherefore hast Thou done so?'

And the king said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD has said to him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Why have you done so?

11 And David saith unto Abishai, and unto all his servants, 'Lo, 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 Jehovah hath said [so] to him;

And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeks my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD has bidden him.

12 it may be Jehovah doth look on mine affliction, and Jehovah hath turned back to me good for his reviling this day.'

It may be that the LORD will look on my affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day.

13 And David goeth with his men in the way, and Shimei is going at the side of the hill over-against him, going on, and he revileth, and stoneth with stones over-against him, and hath dusted with dust.

And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill’s side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust.

14 And the king cometh 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, came weary, and refreshed themselves there.

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

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

16 and it cometh to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, hath come unto Absalom, that Hushai saith unto Absalom, 'Let the king live! let the king live!'

And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, was come to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom, God save the king, God save the king.

17 And Absalom saith unto Hushai, 'This thy kindness with thy friend! why hast thou not gone with thy friend?'

And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this your kindness to your friend? why went you not with your friend?

18 And Hushai saith unto Absalom, 'Nay, for he whom Jehovah hath chosen, and this people, even all the men of Israel, his I am, and with him I abide;

And Hushai said to Absalom, No; but whom the LORD, and this people, and all the men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide.

19 and secondly, for whom do I labour? is it not before his son? as I served before thy father so am I before thee.'

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

20 And Absalom saith unto Ahithophel, 'Give for you counsel what we do.'

Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do.

21 And Ahithophel saith unto Absalom, 'Go in unto the concubines of thy father, whom he left to keep the house, and all Israel hath heard that thou hast been abhorred by thy father, and the hands of all who [are] with thee have been strong.'

And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in to your father’s concubines, which he has left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that you are abhorred of your father: then shall the hands of all that are with you be strong.

22 And they spread out for Absalom the tent on the roof, and Absalom goeth in unto the concubines of his father before the eyes of all Israel.

So they spread Absalom a tent on the top of the house; and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

23 And the counsel of Ahithophel which he counselled in those days [is] as [when] one inquireth at the word of God; so [is] all the counsel of Ahithophel both to David and to Absalom.

And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counceled in those days, was as if a man had inquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.