2 Samuel 16
Revised Geneva Translation
16 When David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, met him with a couple of saddled donkeys, and two hundred cakes of bread upon them, and a hundred bunches of raisins, and a hundred of dried figs, and a bottle of wine.
2 And the king said to Ziba, “What do you mean by these?” And Ziba said, “They are donkeys for the king’s household to ride on, and bread and dried figs for the young men to eat, and wine so that the faint may drink in the wilderness.
3 And the king said, “But where is your master’s son?” Then, Ziba answered the king, “Behold, he remains in Jerusalem. For he said, ‘This day shall the House of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.’”
4 Then the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours.” And Ziba said, “I beg you, let me find grace in your sight, my lord, O king!”
5 And when King David came to Bahurim, behold, there came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, named Shimei, the son of Gera. And he came out and cursed.
6 And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of King David, and all the people, and all the men of war on his right and on his left.
7 And thus said Shimei when he cursed, “Come forth! Come forth, you murderer and wicked man!
8 “The LORD has brought upon you all the blood of the House of Saul, in whose stead you have reigned! And the LORD has delivered your kingdom into the hand of Absalom, your son! And behold, you have been taken in your wickedness, because you are a murderer!”
9 Then Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, said to the king, “Why does this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please, let me go and take away his head.”
10 But the king said, ‘What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? For if he curses because the LORD has bid him curse David, who then dare says, ‘Why have you done so?’”
11 And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, “Behold, my son, who came out of my own bowels, seeks my life! How much more so, then, may this son of Benjamin? Allow him to curse! For the LORD has bid him!
12 “It may be that the LORD will look on my affliction and do me good for his cursing this day!”
13 And as David and his men went along the way, Shimei went along the side of the mountain, opposite him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones against him, and cast dust.
14 Then the king and all the people who were with him became weary and refreshed themselves there.
15 And Absalom, and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.
16 And when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, had come to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, “God save the king! God save the king!”
17 Then Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your kindness to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?
18 Hushai then answered Absalom, “No, but whom the LORD and this people and all the men of Israel choose. His will I be. And with them will I dwell.
19 “And moreover, to whom shall I do service if not to his son? As I served before your father, so will I before you.”
20 Then Absalom spoke to Ahithophel, “Give counsel what we shall do.”
21 And Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father’s concubines whom he has left to keep the house. And when all Israel shall hear that you are abhorred by your father, the hands of all who are with you shall be strong.”
22 So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house. And Absalom went in to his father’s concubines, in the sight of all Israel.
23 And the counsel of Ahithophel which he counseled in those days was as if one had asked counsel of the oracle of God. So was all the counsel of Ahithophel, both with David and with Absalom.
© 2019, 2024 by Five Talents Audio. All rights reserved.