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2 Samuel 16
New English Translation

David Receives Gifts from Ziba

16 When David had gone a short way beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth was there to meet him. He had a couple of donkeys that were saddled, and on them were 200 loaves of bread, 100 raisin cakes, 100 baskets of summer fruit,[a] and a container of wine.

2 The king asked Ziba, “Why did you bring these things?”[b] Ziba replied, “The donkeys are for the king’s family to ride on, the loaves of bread[c] and the summer fruit are for the attendants to eat, and the wine is for those who get exhausted in the desert.”[d] 3 The king asked, “Where is your master’s grandson?”[e] Ziba replied to the king, “He remains in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will give back to me my grandfather’s[f] kingdom.’” 4 The king said to Ziba, “Everything that was Mephibosheth’s now belongs to you.” Ziba replied, “I bow before you. May I find favor in your sight, my lord the king.”

Shimei Curses David and His Men

5 Then King David reached[g] Bahurim. There a man from Saul’s extended family named Shimei son of Gera came out, yelling curses as he approached.[h] 6 He threw stones at David and all of King David’s servants, as well as all the people and the soldiers who were on his right and on his left. 7 As he yelled curses, Shimei said, “Leave! Leave! You man of bloodshed, you wicked man![i] 8 The Lord has punished you for[j] all the spilled blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you rule. Now the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. Disaster has overtaken you, for you are a man of bloodshed!”

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!” 10 But the king said, “What do we have in common,[k] you sons of Zeruiah? If he curses because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David!,’ who can say to him, ‘Why have you done this?’” 11 Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “My own son, my very own flesh and blood,[l] is trying to take my life. So also now this Benjaminite! Leave him alone so that he can curse, for the Lord has spoken to him. 12 Perhaps the Lord will notice my affliction[m] and this day grant me good in place of his curse.”[n]

13 So David and his men went on their way. But Shimei kept going along the side of the hill opposite him, yelling curses as he threw stones and dirt at them.[o] 14 The king and all the people who were with him arrived exhausted at their destination, where David[p] refreshed himself.

The Advice of Ahithophel

15 Now when Absalom and all the men[q] of Israel arrived in Jerusalem, Ahithophel was with him. 16 When David’s friend Hushai the Arkite came to Absalom, Hushai said to him,[r] “Long live the king! Long live the king!”

17 Absalom said to Hushai, “Do you call this loyalty to your friend? Why didn’t you go with your friend?” 18 Hushai replied to Absalom, “No, I will be loyal to the one whom the Lord, these people, and all the men of Israel have chosen.[s] 19 Moreover, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? Just as I served your father, so I will serve you.”[t]

20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give us your advice. What should we do?” 21 Ahithophel replied to Absalom, “Sleep with[u] your father’s concubines whom he left to care for the palace. All Israel will hear that you have made yourself repulsive to your father. Then your followers will be motivated to support you.”[v] 22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof,[w] and Absalom slept with[x] his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

23 In those days Ahithophel’s advice was considered as valuable as a prophetic revelation.[y] Both David and Absalom highly regarded the advice of Ahithophel.[z]

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 16:1 tn Heb “a hundred summer fruit.”
  2. 2 Samuel 16:2 tn Heb “What are these to you?”
  3. 2 Samuel 16:2 tc The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew mss in reading וְהַלֶּחֶם (vehallekhem, “and the bread”) rather than וּלְהַלֶּחֶם (ulehallekhem, “and to the bread”) of the Kethib. The syntax of the MT is confused here by the needless repetition of the preposition, probably taken from the preceding word.
  4. 2 Samuel 16:2 tn The Hebrew text adds “to drink.”
  5. 2 Samuel 16:3 tn Heb “son.”
  6. 2 Samuel 16:3 tn Heb “my father’s.”
  7. 2 Samuel 16:5 tn Heb “came to.” The form of the verb in the MT is odd. Some prefer to read וַיַּבֹא (vayyavoʾ, preterite with vav consecutive) rather than וּבָא (uvaʾ, apparently perfect with vav), but this is probably an instance where the narrative offline veqatal construction introduces a new scene.
  8. 2 Samuel 16:5 tn Heb “And look, from there a man was coming out from the clan of the house of Saul and his name was Shimei son of Gera, continually going out and cursing.”
  9. 2 Samuel 16:7 tn Heb “man of worthlessness.”
  10. 2 Samuel 16:8 tn Heb “has brought back upon you.”
  11. 2 Samuel 16:10 tn Heb “What to me and to you?”
  12. 2 Samuel 16:11 tn Heb “who came out from my entrails.” David’s point is that is his own son, his child whom he himself had fathered, was now wanting to kill him.
  13. 2 Samuel 16:12 tc The Hebrew text is difficult here. It is probably preferable to read with the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate בְּעוֹנִי (beʿonyi, “on my affliction”) rather than the Kethib of the MT בָּעַוֹנִי (baʿavoni, “on my wrongdoing”). While this Kethib reading is understandable as an objective genitive (i.e., “the wrong perpetrated upon me”), it does not conform to normal Hebrew idiom for this idea. The Qere of the MT בְּעֵינֵי (beʿeni, “on my eyes”), usually taken as synecdoche to mean “my tears,” does not commend itself as a likely meaning. The Hebrew word is one of the so-called tiqqune sopherim, or “emendations of the scribes.”
  14. 2 Samuel 16:12 tn Heb “and the Lord will restore to me good in place of his curse this day.”
  15. 2 Samuel 16:13 tn Heb “and he cursed and threw stones, opposite him, pelting [them] with dirt.” The offline veqatal construction in the last clause indicates an action that was complementary to the action described in the preceding clause. He simultaneously threw stones and dirt.
  16. 2 Samuel 16:14 tn Heb “he”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  17. 2 Samuel 16:15 tn Heb “and all the people, the men of Israel.”
  18. 2 Samuel 16:16 tn Heb “to Absalom.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun “him” in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  19. 2 Samuel 16:18 tn Heb “No for with the one whom the Lord has chosen, and this people, and all the men of Israel, I will be and with him I will stay.” The translation follows the Qere and several medieval Hebrew mss in reading לוֹ (lo, “[I will be] to him”) rather than the MT לֹא (loʾ, “[I will] not be”), which makes very little sense here.
  20. 2 Samuel 16:19 tn Heb “Just as I served before your father, so I will be before you.”
  21. 2 Samuel 16:21 tn Heb “approach,” The verb בּוֹא (boʾ) with the preposition אֶל (ʾel) means “come to” or “approach,” but is also used as a euphemism for sexual relations.
  22. 2 Samuel 16:21 tn Heb “and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.”
  23. 2 Samuel 16:22 sn That is, on top of the flat roof of the palace, so it would be visible to the public.
  24. 2 Samuel 16:22 tn Heb “approached.” See note at v. 21.
  25. 2 Samuel 16:23 tn Heb “And the advice of Ahithophel which he advised in those days was as when one inquires of the word of God.”
  26. 2 Samuel 16:23 tn Heb “So was all the advice of Ahithophel, also to David, also to Absalom.”
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2 Samuel 16
International Standard Version

David’s Experience with His Adversaries

16 Now just as David happened to have passed the summit of the Mount of Olives,[a] suddenly Mephibosheth’s servant Ziba met him, accompanied by a couple of saddled donkeys loaded with 200 loaves of bread, 100 clusters of raisins, 100 pieces of summer fruit, and a skin of wine! 2 The king asked Ziba, “What are those for?”

Ziba replied, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride, the bread and summer fruit are for your young men to eat, and the wine is for whoever wants to drink if they get weary in the wilderness.”

3 Then the king asked, “Where is your master’s son?”

“He’s staying in Jerusalem!” Ziba answered the king. “He’s saying ‘The nation[b] of Israel will restore my father’s kingdom to me today!’”

4 So the king told Ziba, “Pay attention! Everything that belongs to Mephibosheth is now yours!”

In response Ziba said, “I’m submitting to you. Let me find favor in your sight, your majesty the king!”

Shimei Curses David

5 Later on, as King David approached Bahurim, Gera’s son Shimei, who was related to the family of Saul’s household, went out to meet David,[c] cursing continually as he approached. 6 He threw rocks at David and all of David’s staff who were accompanying him, while all the rest of the entourage, including all of David’s security detail, were close by him.[d] 7 “Get out of here![e] Get out!” Shimei yelled as he cursed. “You murderer! You who think you’re above the law![f] 8 The Lord has repaid you personally for murdering the entire dynasty of Saul, whose place you’ve taken to reign! And the Lord has given the kingdom into your son Absalom’s control. Now look! Your own evil has caught up with you, because you’re guilty of murder!”

9 At this point, Zeruiah’s son Abishai asked the king, “Why should this dead dog be cursing your majesty the king? May I have permission to go over and cut off his head?”

10 But the king responded, “What do I have in common with you sons of Zeruiah? If he continues to curse—and if the Lord has told him, ‘Curse David!’—then who are you to be demanding to know[g] ‘Why have you done this?’”

11 So David ordered Abishai and all of his staff: “Look! My own son wants to kill me! How much more now is this descendant of Benjamin? Leave him alone and let him go on cursing, because the Lord has ordered him to do this.[h] 12 Perhaps the Lord will take note of my troubles and return good to me instead of curses today!”

13 So David and his entourage went on their way, and Shimei walked along the hillside with him, cursing, throwing rocks, and tossing dirt at David[i] as they went along. 14 Eventually, the king and his entourage arrived exhausted at their destination, and David[j] refreshed himself there.

Absalom Captures Jerusalem

15 Right about then, Absalom and his entourage from the people of Israel entered Jerusalem, accompanied by Ahithophel. 16 When David’s friend Hushai the Archite approached Absalom, Hushai greeted Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”

17 But Absalom asked Hushai, “So this is how you demonstrate your loyalty[k] to your closest friends? Why didn’t you leave with your friend?”

18 Hushai replied, “No! On the contrary, whomever the Lord, this group, and all the men of Israel choose is where I’ll be, and I’ll remain with him! 19 Besides, who else should I be serving? Why not the son? The same way I served your father, I’ll serve you.”[l]

Ahithophel Counsels Absalom

20 So Absalom asked Ahithophel, “What’s your advice? What should we do?”

21 Ahithophel responded, “Go inside and have sex with your father’s mistresses[m], whom he left to keep the palace in order. Then everyone in Israel will hear how your father has come to hate you and everyone who has joined you will be emboldened to act.” 22 So they erected a tent for Absalom on the palace roof and Absalom went in and had sex with his father’s mistresses right in front of all Israel.

Ahithophel Tries to Crush David’s Supporters

23 Now Ahithophel’s advice that he provided at that time was being compared to one who inquired of God, so highly regarded was Ahithophel’s counsel by both David and Absalom.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 16:1 The Heb. lacks of the Mount of Olives
  2. 2 Samuel 16:3 Lit. house
  3. 2 Samuel 16:5 The Heb. lacks to meet David
  4. 2 Samuel 16:6 Lit. were at his right and left hands
  5. 2 Samuel 16:7 The Heb. lacks of here
  6. 2 Samuel 16:7 So LXX. MT reads You man of Belial!
  7. 2 Samuel 16:10 Lit. be saying
  8. 2 Samuel 16:11 The Heb. lacks to do this
  9. 2 Samuel 16:13 Lit. him
  10. 2 Samuel 16:14 Lit. he
  11. 2 Samuel 16:17 Lit. gracious love
  12. 2 Samuel 16:19 Lit served in your father’s presence, I’ll serve in your presence
  13. 2 Samuel 16:21 Or concubines; i.e. secondary wives
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