1 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 upon 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 said unto Ziba, What meanest thou 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 said, And where is thy master's son? And Ziba said unto
the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, To day shall the house
of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.
4 Then
said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that pertained unto
Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I humbly beseech thee that I
may find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king.
5 And
when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence 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 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, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou
man of Belial:
8 The
LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead
thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of
Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a
bloody man.
9 Then
said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto 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, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say,
Wherefore hast thou done so?
11 And
David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came
forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD
hath bidden him.
12 It
may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the LORD will
requite me good for his cursing this day.
13 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, 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, came to Jerusalem, and
Ahithophel with him.
16 And
it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, was come unto
Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the king, God save the king.
17 And
Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why
wentest thou not with thy friend?
18 And
Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; 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
again, whom should I serve? should I not serve in the presence of his son? as I have
served in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy presence.
20 Then
said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do.
21 And
Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father's concubines, which he hath
left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy
father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong.
22 So
they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto
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 enquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both
with David and with Absalom.
