2 Samuel

16 Now David had passed on but a little from the summit, when lo! Ziba, servant of Mephibosheth, met him,—with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred cakes of bread and one hundred cakes of raisins and one hundred summer fruits and a skin of wine.

2 And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said—The asses are for the king’s household to ride on, and the bread and the summer fruits are for the young men to eat, and the wine is for drink to such as are faint in the wilderness.

3 Then said the king, And where is thy lord’s son? And Ziba said unto the king—Lo! abiding in Jerusalem, for he said, To-day will the house of Israel restore unto me the kingdom of my father.

4 Then said the king unto Ziba, Lo! thine is all that pertained to Mephibosheth. And Ziba said—I have done homage, that I might find favour in thine eyes, my lord O king.

5 And when King David had come as far as Bahurim, lo! from thence a man coming out of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei son of Gera, coming out and cursing as he came.

6 And he pelted with stones David and all the servants of King David,—all the people and all the mighty men being on his right hand and on his left.

7 And thus said Shimei when he cursed,—Out! Out! thou man of bloodshed and man of the Abandoned One!

8 Yahweh hath brought back upon thee all the shed-blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned, and Yahweh hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absolom thy son,—and here thou art in thy ruin, for that a man of bloodshed thou art.

9 Then said Abishai, son of Zeruiah, unto the king—Wherefore should this dead dog curse my lord the king? I pray thee, let me cross over and take off his head.

10 But the king said, What have I in common with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? thus he curseth, because Yahweh hath said unto him—Curse David. Who then can say, Why hast thou done thus?

11 Then said David unto Abishai and unto all his servants, Lo! my own son who sprang from my body is seeking my life,—then how much more, now, a Benjamite? Let him alone and let him curse, for Yahweh hath permitted him.

12 It may be that Yahweh will behold with his eye,—and that Yahweh will return me good, for his cursing this day.

13 And when David and his men went along in the way, Shimei was going along on the side of the hill over against him, cursing as he went, pelting him with stones, and throwing dust.

14 And the king and all the people that were with him arrived weary,—and they refreshed themselves there.

15 And Absolom and all the men of Israel entered Jerusalem,—and Ahithophel with him.

16 And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, the friend of David, came in unto Absolom, that Hushai said unto Absolom: Long live the king! Long live the king!

17 Then said Absolom unto Hushai, Is this thy lovingkindness unto thy friend? Wherefore wentest thou not with thy friend?

18 And Hushai said unto Absolom, Nay! but whom Yahweh and all this people and the men of Israel have chosen, his will I be, and with him will I dwell.

19 And again, whom should I serve? Should it not be in presence of his son? as I served in presence of thy father, so will I continue in thy presence.

20 Then said Absolom unto Ahithophel,—Give ye your counsel, what we shall do.

21 And Ahithophel said unto Absolom, Go in unto thy father’s concubines, whom he hath left to keep the house,—so shall all Israel hear that thou hast made thyself odious unto thy father, and the hands of all that are with thee shall be strengthened.

22 And they stretched out for Absolom a tent upon the house-top,—and Absolom went in unto his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

23 Now 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 to David and also to Absolom.