2Sam 16
1
And when David was a little past the top [of the ascent], behold, Ziba the servant
of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred
loaves of bread, and a hundred clusters of raisins, and a hundred of summer fruits,
and a bottle of wine.
2
And the king said to Ziba, What mean you by these? And Ziba said, The asses are 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 are faint in the wilderness may drink.
3
And the king said, And where is your master`s son? And Ziba said to the king, Behold,
he abides at Jerusalem; for he said, To-day will the house of Israel restore me the
kingdom of my father.
4
Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, your is all that pertains to Mephibosheth. And
Ziba said, I do obeisance; let me find favor in your sight, my lord, O king.
5
And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, there came out thence a man of the family
of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera; he came out, and cursed
still as he came.
6
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 when he cursed, Begone, begone, you man of blood, and base fellow:
8
YHWH has returned upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead you
have reigned; and YHWH has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son;
and, behold, you are [taken] in your own mischief, because you are a man of blood.
9
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 said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Because he curses,
and because YHWH has said to him, Curse David; who then shall say, Wherefore have
you done so?
11
And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, who came forth
from my bowels, seeks my life: how much more [may] this Benjamite now [do it]? let
him alone, and let him curse; for YHWH has bidden him.
12
It may be that YHWH will look on the wrong done to me, and that YHWH will requite
me good for [his] cursing of me this day.
13
So David and his men went by the way; and Shimei went along on the hill-side over
against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust.
14
And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary; and he refreshed
himself there.
15
And Absalom, and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel
with him.
16
And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David`s friend, was come to Absalom,
that Hushai said to Absalom, [Long] live the king, [Long] live the king.
17
And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this your kindness to your friend? why went you not
with your friend?
18
And Hushai said to Absalom, Nay; but whom YHWH, and this people, and all the men of
Israel have chosen, his will I be, and with him will I abide.
19
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
Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give your counsel what we shall do.
21
And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in to your father`s concubines, that he has left
to keep the house; and all Israel will hear that you are abhorred of your father:
then will the hands of all that are with you be strong.
22
So they spread Absalom a tent upon 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 gave in those days, was as if a man inquired
at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with
Absalom.