- 1
- And when David was a little past the summit, behold, Ziba, Mephibosheth's servant, met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred [loaves] of bread, and a hundred raisin-cakes, and a hundred cakes of summer fruits, and a flask of wine.
- 2
- And the king said to Ziba, What meanest thou by these?
And Ziba said, The asses are for the king's household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruits 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 thy master's son?
And Ziba said to the king, Behold, he abides at Jerusalem; for he said, To-day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.
- 4
- And the king said to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that pertained to Mephibosheth.
And Ziba said, I humbly bow myself: may I find favour in thy sight, my lord, O king.
- 5
- And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, there came out from thence a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed,
- 6
- and 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 as he cursed: Away, away, thou man of blood and man of Belial!
- 8
- Jehovah has returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned;
and Jehovah has given the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son; and behold, thou art [taken] in thine own evil, for thou art a man of blood.
- 9
- And Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king?
let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head.
- 10
- And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah?
so let him curse, for Jehovah has said to him, Curse David! Who shall then say, Why dost thou so?
- 11
- And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, who came forth of my bowels, seeks my life: how much more now a Benjaminite?
let him alone and let him curse; for Jehovah has bidden him.
- 12
- It may be that Jehovah will look on mine affliction, and that Jehovah will requite me good for my being cursed this day.
- 13
- And David and his men went by the way;
and 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, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves there.
- 15
- Now 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, came to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom, Long live the king!
Long live the king!
- 17
- And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend?
why didst thou not go with thy friend?
- 18
- And Hushai said to Absalom, No;
but whom Jehovah, and this people, and all the men of Israel choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide.
- 19
- And again, whom should I serve?
should it not be in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy presence.
- 20
- And Absalom said to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do.
- 21
- And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in to thy father's concubines, whom he has left to keep the house;
and all Israel shall hear that thou art become odious with thy father; and the hands of all that are with thee shall be strong.
- 22
- So they spread a tent for Absalom upon the roof;
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, was as if a man had inquired of the word of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.
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