16:1 When David had gone a short distance beyond the summit, there was Ziba, the steward of Mephibosheth, waiting to meet him. He had a string of donkeys saddled and loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred cakes of raisins, a hundred cakes of figs and a skin of wine.
16:2 The king asked Ziba, “Why have you brought these?” Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on, the bread and fruit are for the men to eat, and the wine is to refresh those who become exhausted in the desert.”
16:3 The king then asked, “Where is your master’s grandson?” Ziba said to him, “He is staying in Jerusalem, because he thinks, ‘Today the house of Israel will give me back my grandfather’s kingdom.’”
16:4 Then the king said to Ziba, “All that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours.” “I humbly bow,” Ziba said. “May I find favor in your eyes, my lord the king.”
16:5 As King David approached Bahurim, a man from the same clan as Saul’s family came out from there. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and he cursed as he came out.
16:6 He pelted David and all the king’s officials with stones, though all the troops and the special guard were on David’s right and left.
16:7 As he cursed, Shimei said, “Get out, get out, you man of blood, you scoundrel!
16:8 The LORD has repaid you for all the blood you shed in the household of Saul, in whose place you have reigned. The LORD has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. You have come to ruin because you are a man of blood!”
16:9 Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head.”
16:10 But the king said, “What do you and I have in common, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the LORD said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who can ask, ‘Why do you do this?’”
16:11 David then said to Abishai and all his officials, “My son, who is of my own flesh, is trying to take my life. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone; let him curse, for the LORD has told him to.
16:12 It may be that the LORD will see my distress and repay me with good for the cursing I am receiving today.”
16:13 So David and his men continued along the road while Shimei was going along the hillside opposite him, cursing as he went and throwing stones at him and showering him with dirt.
16:14 The king and all the people with him arrived at their destination exhausted. And there he refreshed himself.
16:15 Meanwhile, Absalom and all the men of Israel came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him.
16:16 Then Hushai the Arkite, David’s friend, went to Absalom and said to him, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”
16:17 Absalom asked Hushai, “Is this the love you show your friend? Why didn’t you go with your friend?”
16:18 Hushai said to Absalom, “No, the one chosen by the LORD, by these people, and by all the men of Israel–his I will be, and I will remain with him.
16:19 Furthermore, whom should I serve? Should I not serve the son? Just as I served your father, so I will serve you.”
16:20 Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give us your advice. What should we do?”
16:21 Ahithophel answered, “Lie with your father’s concubines whom he left to take care of the palace. Then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself a stench in your father’s nostrils, and the hands of everyone with you will be strengthened.”
16:22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he lay with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.
16:23 Now in those days the advice Ahithophel gave was like that of one who inquires of God. That was how both David and Absalom regarded all of Ahithophel’s advice.
16:1 And when David was a little past the summit, Ziba, Mephibosheth’s attendant, came to meet him with a pair of saddled asses and upon them two hundred loaves of bread and a hundred clusters of raisins and a hundred summer fruit and a skin of wine.
16:2 And the king said to Ziba, Why do you have these? And Ziba said, The asses are for the king’s household to ride on, and the bread and the summer fruit are for the young men to eat, and the wine is for those who faint in the wilderness to drink.
16:3 And the king said, And where is your master’s son? And Ziba said to the king, He is now dwelling in Jerusalem, for he said, Today the house of Israel will restore to me the kingdom of my father.
16:4 And the king said to Ziba, Now all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours. And Ziba said, I bow myself to you. May I find favor in your sight, O my lord the king.
16:5 And when King David came to Bahurim, a man of the family of the house of Saul came forth from there, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera; he came forth, cursing as he came forth.
16:6 And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David, and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right and on his left.
16:7 And Shimei spoke thus in his cursing, Go away, go away, you man of bloodshed and worthless fellow.
16:8 Jehovah has returned upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and Jehovah has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son; and now you have been taken in your own mischief, for you are a man of bloodshed.
16:9 Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head.
16:10 But the king said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he curses, and if Jehovah has told him to curse David, who then can say, Why have you done so?
16:11 And David said to Abishai and all his servants, Now my son, who came forth from my body, seeks my life; how much more then this Benjaminite will do so. Leave him alone and let him curse, for Jehovah has told him to do so.
16:12 It may be that Jehovah will look on the wrong done to me and that Jehovah will repay me with good for his cursing on this day.
16:13 And David and his men went on their way. And Shimei went along the hillside opposite him, cursing as he went; and he threw stones at him and cast dust upon him.
16:14 And the king and all the people who were with him arrived weary, and he refreshed himself there.
16:15 Meanwhile Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem; and Ahithophel was with him.
16:16 And when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, Long live the king! Long live the king!
16:17 And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this your kindness to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?
16:18 And Hushai said to Absalom, No; but the one whom Jehovah and this people and all the men of Israel choose, his will I be, and with him will I dwell.
16:19 Furthermore, whom should I serve? Should it not be in the presence of his son? As I served in the presence of your father, so will I be in your presence.
16:20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, Give your counsel as to what we should do.
16:21 And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in unto your father’s concubines whom he left to keep the house, and all Israel will hear that you have made yourself abhorrent to your father; then the hands of all those who are with you will be strong.
16:22 So they spread a tent for Absalom upon the roof, and Absalom went in unto his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.
16:23 Now the counsel of Ahithophel that he gave in those days was as if one inquired of the oracle of God; all the counsel of Ahithophel was thus, both with David and with Absalom.
