³⁰ But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping^(A) as he went; his head^(B) was covered and he was barefoot. All the people with him covered their heads too and were weeping as they went up. ³¹ Now David had been told, “Ahithophel^(C) is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David prayed, “Lord, turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness.”

³² When David arrived at the summit, where people used to worship God, Hushai^(D) the Arkite^(E) was there to meet him, his robe torn and dust^(F) on his head. ³³ David said to him, “If you go with me, you will be a burden^(G) to me. ³⁴ But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘Your Majesty, I will be your servant; I was your father’s servant in the past, but now I will be your servant,’^(H) then you can help me by frustrating^(I) Ahithophel’s advice. ³⁵ Won’t the priests Zadok and Abiathar be there with you? Tell them anything you hear in the king’s palace.^{(J) 36} Their two sons, Ahimaaz^(K) son of Zadok and Jonathan^(L) son of Abiathar, are there with them. Send them to me with anything you hear.”

³⁷ So Hushai,^(M) David’s confidant, arrived at Jerusalem as Absalom^(N) was entering the city.

David and Ziba

16 When David had gone a short distance beyond the summit, there was Ziba,^(O) 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.^(P)

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^(Q) those who become exhausted in the wilderness.”

³ The king then asked, “Where is your master’s grandson?”^(R)

Ziba^(S) said to him, “He is staying in Jerusalem, because he thinks, ‘Today the Israelites will restore to me my grandfather’s kingdom.’”

⁴ Then the king said to Ziba, “All that belonged to Mephibosheth^(T) is now yours.”

“I humbly bow,” Ziba said. “May I find favor in your eyes, my lord the king.”

Shimei Curses David

⁵ As King David approached Bahurim,^(U) a man from the same clan as Saul’s family came out from there. His name was Shimei^(V) son of Gera, and he cursed^(W) as he came out. 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. ⁷ As he cursed, Shimei said, “Get out, get out, you murderer, you scoundrel! ⁸ The Lord has repaid you for all the blood you shed in the household of Saul, in whose place you have reigned.^(X) The Lord has given the kingdom into the hands of your son Absalom. You have come to ruin because you are a murderer!”^(Y)

⁹ Then Abishai^(Z) son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog^(AA) curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head.”^(AB)

¹⁰ But the king said, “What does this have to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah?^(AC) If he is cursing because the Lord said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who can ask, ‘Why do you do this?’”^(AD)

¹¹ David then said to Abishai and all his officials, “My son,^(AE) my own flesh and blood, is trying to kill me. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone; let him curse, for the Lord has told him to.^{(AF) 12} It may be that the Lord will look upon my misery^(AG) and restore to me his covenant blessing^(AH) instead of his curse today.^(AI)”

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. ¹⁴ The king and all the people with him arrived at their destination exhausted.^(AJ) And there he refreshed himself.

The Advice of Ahithophel and Hushai

¹⁵ Meanwhile, Absalom^(AK) and all the men of Israel came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel^(AL) was with him. ¹⁶ Then Hushai^(AM) the Arkite, David’s confidant, went to Absalom and said to him, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”

¹⁷ Absalom said to Hushai, “So this is the love you show your friend? If he’s your friend, why didn’t you go with him?”^(AN)

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. ¹⁹ Furthermore, whom should I serve? Should I not serve the son? Just as I served your father, so I will serve you.”^(AO)

²⁰ Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give us your advice. What should we do?”

²¹ Ahithophel answered, “Sleep with your father’s concubines whom he left to take care of the palace. Then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself obnoxious to your father, and the hands of everyone with you will be more resolute.” ²² So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.^(AP)

²³ Now in those days the advice^(AQ) Ahithophel gave was like that of one who inquires of God. That was how both David^(AR) and Absalom regarded all of Ahithophel’s advice.

17 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “I would^[a] choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David. ² I would attack him while he is weary and weak.^(AS) I would strike him with terror, and then all the people with him will flee. I would strike down only the king^{(AT) 3} and bring all the people back to you. The death of the man you seek will mean the return of all; all the people will be unharmed.” ⁴ This plan seemed good to Absalom and to all the elders of Israel.