David y Siba

16 Un poco más allá de la cumbre del monte, David se encontró con Siba, el criado de Mefiboset, que llevaba un par de asnos aparejados y cargados con doscientos panes, cien tortas de uvas pasas, cien tortas de higos y un odre de vino.

—¿Qué vas a hacer con todo esto? —preguntó el rey.

Siba respondió:

—Los asnos son para que monte la familia de Su Majestad, el pan y la fruta son para que coman los soldados, y el vino es para que beban los que desfallezcan en el desierto.

Entonces el rey preguntó:

—¿Dónde está el nieto de tu amo?

—Se quedó en Jerusalén —respondió Siba—. Él se imagina que ahora la nación de Israel le va a devolver el reino de su abuelo.

—Bueno —respondió el rey—, todo lo que antes fue de Mefiboset ahora es tuyo.

—¡Humildemente me postro ante usted! —exclamó Siba—. ¡Que cuente yo siempre con el favor de mi señor y rey!

Simí maldice a David

Cuando el rey David llegó a Bajurín, salía de allí un hombre de la familia de Saúl, llamado Simí, hijo de Guerá. Este se puso a maldecir y a tirarles piedras a David y a todos sus oficiales, a pesar de que las tropas y la guardia real rodeaban al rey. En sus insultos, Simí decía al rey:

—¡Largo de aquí! ¡Asesino! ¡Canalla! El Señor te está dando tu merecido por haber masacrado a la familia de Saúl para reinar en su lugar. Por eso el Señor ha entregado el reino a tu hijo Absalón. Has caído en desgracia, porque eres un asesino.

Abisay, hijo de Sarvia, dijo al rey:

—¿Cómo se atreve este perro muerto a maldecir a mi señor el rey? ¡Déjeme que vaya y le corte la cabeza!

10 Pero el rey respondió:

—Esto no es asunto mío ni de ustedes, hijos de Sarvia. A lo mejor el Señor le ha ordenado que me maldiga. Y si es así, ¿quién se lo puede reclamar?

11 Dirigiéndose a Abisay y a todos sus oficiales, David añadió:

—Si el hijo de mis entrañas intenta quitarme la vida, ¡qué no puedo esperar de este benjamita! Déjenlo que me maldiga, pues el Señor se lo ha mandado. 12 A lo mejor el Señor toma en cuenta mi aflicción y me paga con bendiciones las maldiciones que estoy recibiendo hoy.

13 David y sus hombres reanudaron el viaje. Simí, por su parte, los seguía por la ladera del monte, maldiciendo a David, tirándole piedras y levantando polvo. 14 El rey y quienes lo acompañaban llegaron agotados a su destino, así que descansaron allí.

El consejo de Husay y Ajitofel

15 Mientras tanto, Absalón y todos los israelitas que lo seguían habían entrado en Jerusalén; también Ajitofel lo acompañaba. 16 Entonces Husay, el arquita amigo de David, fue a ver a Absalón y exclamó:

—¡Viva el rey! ¡Viva el rey!

17 Absalón preguntó:

—¿Así muestras tu lealtad a tu amigo? ¿Cómo es que no te fuiste con él?

18 —De ningún modo —respondió Husay—. Soy más bien amigo del elegido del Señor, elegido también por este pueblo y por todos los israelitas. Así que yo me quedo con usted. 19 Además, ¿a quién voy a servir? Serviré al hijo, como antes serví al padre.

20 Luego dijo Absalón a Ajitofel:

—Danos tu consejo. ¿Qué debemos hacer?

21 Ajitofel respondió:

—Acuéstese usted con las concubinas[a] que su padre dejó al cuidado del palacio. De ese modo, todos los israelitas se darán cuenta de que usted se ha hecho odioso ante su padre, y quienes lo apoyan a usted se fortalecerán en el poder.

22 Entonces instalaron una tienda de campaña en la azotea para que Absalón se acostara con las concubinas de su padre a la vista de todos los israelitas.

23 En aquella época, recibir el consejo de Ajitofel era como oír la palabra misma de Dios y esto era así tanto para David como para Absalón.

Footnotes

  1. 16:21 Véase nota en Gn 22:24.

David’s Adversaries

16 When David had passed a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him with a couple of donkeys saddled, carrying two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred bunches of raisins, one hundred of summer fruits, and one skin of wine.(A) The king said to Ziba, “Why have you brought these?” Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride, the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat, and the wine is for those to drink who faint in the wilderness.”(B) The king said, “And where is your master’s son?” Ziba said to the king, “He remains in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will give me back my grandfather’s kingdom.’ ”(C) Then the king said to Ziba, “All that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours.” Ziba said, “I do obeisance; let me find favor in your sight, my lord the king.”

Shimei Curses David

When King David came to Bahurim, a man of the family of the house of Saul came out whose name was Shimei son of Gera; he came out cursing.(D) He threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David; now all the people and all the warriors were on his right and on his left. Shimei shouted while he cursed, “Out! Out! Murderer! Scoundrel!(E) The Lord has avenged on all of you the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, disaster has overtaken you, for you are a man of blood.”(F)

Then Abishai 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.”(G) 10 But the king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’ ”(H) 11 David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “My own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Let him alone, and let him curse, for the Lord has bidden him.(I) 12 It may be that the Lord will look on my distress,[a] and the Lord will repay me with good for this cursing of me today.”(J) 13 So David and his men went on the road while Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went, throwing stones and flinging dust at him. 14 The king and all the people who were with him arrived weary at the Jordan,[b] and there he refreshed himself.

The Counsel of Ahithophel

15 Now Absalom and all the Israelites[c] came to Jerusalem; Ahithophel was with him.(K) 16 When Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”(L) 17 Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?”(M) 18 Hushai said to Absalom, “No, but the one whom the Lord and this people and all the Israelites have chosen, his I will be, and with him I will remain. 19 Moreover, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? Just as I have served your father, so I will serve you.”(N)

20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give us your counsel; what shall we do?” 21 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father’s concubines, the ones he has left to look after the house, and all Israel will hear that you have made yourself odious to your father, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.”(O) 22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom upon the roof, and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.(P) 23 Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave was as if one consulted the oracle[d] of God, so all the counsel of Ahithophel was esteemed both by David and by Absalom.(Q)

Footnotes

  1. 16.12 Gk Vg: Heb iniquity
  2. 16.14 Gk ms: Heb lacks at the Jordan
  3. 16.15 Gk: Heb all the people, the men of Israel
  4. 16.23 Heb word

Ziba, a False Servant

16 Now when David had gone on (A)a little beyond the summit, behold, (B)Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him (C)with a team of saddled donkeys, and on them were two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred cakes of raisins, a hundred summer fruits, and a jug of wine. 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, the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat, and the wine, (E)for whoever is weary in the wilderness to drink.” 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 restore the kingdom of my father to me.’” So the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours.” And Ziba said, “I prostrate myself; may I find favor in your sight, my lord, the king!”

David Is Cursed

When King David came to (H)Bahurim, behold, a man was coming out from there from the family of the house of Saul, and (I)his name was Shimei, the son of Gera; he was coming out, (J)cursing as he came. He also threw stones at David and all the servants of King David; and all the people and all the warriors were on his right and on his left. This is what Shimei said when he cursed: “Go away, go away, (K)you man of bloodshed and worthless man! (L)The Lord has brought back upon you all (M)the bloodshed of the house of Saul, in whose place you have become king; and the Lord has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. And behold, you are caught in your own evil, for you are a man of bloodshed!”

Then (N)Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should (O)this dead dog (P)curse my lord the king? Now let me go over and [a]cut off his head.” 10 But the king said, “[b](Q)What business of mine is yours, you sons of Zeruiah? (R)If he curses, and if the Lord has told him, ‘Curse David,’ (S)then who should say, ‘Why have you done so?’” 11 Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, (T)my son who came out of my own body seeks my life; how much more now this Benjaminite? Leave him alone and let him curse, (U)for the Lord has told him. 12 Perhaps the Lord will look on my [c]misery and [d](V)return good to me instead of his cursing this day.” 13 So David and his men went on the road; and Shimei kept going on the hillside close beside him, and as he went he cursed and threw stones and dirt at him. 14 And the king and all the people who were with him arrived exhausted, and he refreshed himself there.

Absalom Enters Jerusalem

15 (W)Then Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, entered Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. 16 Now it came about, 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 But Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your [e]loyalty to your friend? (AA)Why did you not go with your friend?” 18 So Hushai said to Absalom, “No! For whomever the Lord, this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, his I shall be, and with him I shall remain. 19 Besides, (AB)whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son? Just as I have served in your father’s presence, so I shall be in your presence.”

20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give your advice. What should we do?” 21 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “(AC)Have relations with your father’s concubines, whom he has left behind to take care of the house; then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself repulsive 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 had relations with his father’s concubines (AE)in the sight of all Israel. 23 Now (AF)the advice of Ahithophel, which he [f]gave in those days, was taken as though one inquired of the word of God; (AG)so was all the advice of Ahithophel regarded by both David and Absalom.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 16:9 Lit take off
  2. 2 Samuel 16:10 Lit What to me and to you, an ancient idiom
  3. 2 Samuel 16:12 As in ancient versions; MT wrongdoing
  4. 2 Samuel 16:12 Lit the Lord will return
  5. 2 Samuel 16:17 Or faithfulness
  6. 2 Samuel 16:23 Lit advised