Ziba Meets David

16 Now David had passed ^(A)a little beyond the summit, and behold, ^(B)Ziba the young man of Mephibosheth met him ^(C)with a couple of saddled donkeys, and on them were two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred clusters of raisins, one hundred summer fruits, and a jug of wine. ² And the king said to Ziba, “Why do you have these?” And Ziba said, “^(D)The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride, and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine, ^(E)for whoever is faint in the wilderness to drink.” ³ Then the king said, “And where is ^(F)your master’s son?” And ^(G)Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will return the kingdom of my father to me.’” ⁴ So the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours.” And Ziba said, “I prostrate myself; let me find favor in your sight, O my lord, the king!”

Shimei Curses David

⁵ And King David came to ^(H)Bahurim, and behold, there came out from there a man of the family of the house of Saul ^(I)whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera; he came out ^(J)cursing continually as he came. ⁶ He also threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David; and all the people and all the mighty men were at his right hand and at his left. ⁷ And thus Shimei said when he cursed, “Get out, get out, ^(K)you man of bloodshed, and vile fellow! ^8 (L)Yahweh has returned upon you all ^(M)the bloodshed of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and Yahweh has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. And behold, you are taken in your own evil, for you are a man of bloodshed!”

⁹ Then ^(N)Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should ^(O)this dead dog ^(P)curse my lord the king? Let me pass over now and remove his head.” ¹⁰ But the king said, “^(Q)What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah? ^(R)If he curses, and if Yahweh has told him, ‘Curse David,’ ^(S)then who shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’” ¹¹ Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, ^(T)my son who came forth from my body seeks my life; how much more now this Benjamite? Let him alone and let him curse, ^(U)for Yahweh has told him. ¹² Perhaps Yahweh will look on my affliction and ^[a](V)return good to me instead of his cursing this day.” ¹³ So David and his men went on the way; and Shimei went along on the hillside parallel with him and as he went he cursed and cast stones and threw dust at him. ¹⁴ Then the king and all the people who were with him arrived weary and he refreshed himself there.

Absalom Enters Jerusalem

^15 (W)Now Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, had entered Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. ¹⁶ And it happened that when ^(X)Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came to Absalom, that ^(Y)Hushai said to Absalom, “^(Z)Long live the king! Long live the king!” ¹⁷ And Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your lovingkindness to your friend? ^(AA)Why did you not go with your friend?” ¹⁸ Then Hushai said to Absalom, “No! For whom Yahweh, this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, his I will be, and with him I will remain. ¹⁹ Besides, ^(AB)whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son? As I have served in your father’s presence, so I will be in your presence.”

²⁰ Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give your advice. What shall we do?” ²¹ And Ahithophel said to Absalom, “^(AC)Go in to your father’s concubines, whom he has left to keep the house; then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself odious to your father. The hands of all who are with you will also be strengthened.” ²² So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, ^(AD)and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines ^(AE)in the sight of all Israel. ^23 (AF)Now the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counseled in those days, was as if one asked of the word of God; ^(AG)so was all the counsel of Ahithophel regarded by both David and Absalom.