2 Samuel 16

1 Now, David, had passed on but a little from the summit, when lo! Ziba, servant of Mephibosheth, met him, —with a couple of asses saddled, and, upon them, two hundred cakes of bread, and one hundred cakes of raisins, and one hundred summer fruits, and a skin of wine.

And when David had gone a little way past the top of the slope, Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, came to him, with two asses on which were two hundred cakes of bread and a hundred stems of dry grapes and a hundred summer fruits and a skin of wine.

2 And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou, by these? And Ziba said—The asses, are for the king’s household, to ride on, and, the bread and the summer fruits, are for the young men to eat, and, the wine, is for drink to such as are faint in the wilderness.

And David said to Ziba, What is your reason for this? And Ziba said, The asses are for the use of the king's people, and the bread and the fruit are food for the young men; and the wine is for drink for those who are overcome by weariness in the waste land.

3 Then said the king, And where is thy lord’s son? And Ziba said unto the king—Lo! abiding in Jerusalem, for he said, To-day, will the house of Israel, restore unto me, the kingdom of my father.

And the king said, And where is your master's son? And Ziba said, He is still at Jerusalem: for he said, Today Israel will give back to me the kingdom of my father.

4 Then said the king unto Ziba, Lo! thine, is all that pertained to Mephibosheth. And Ziba said—I have done homage, that I might find favour in thine eyes, my lord O king.

Then the king said to Ziba, Truly everything which was Mephibosheth's is yours. And Ziba said, I give honour to my lord, may I have grace in your eyes, my lord, O king!

5 And, when King David had come as far as Bahurim, lo! from thence a man coming out, of the family of the house of Saul, whose name, was Shimei son of Gera, coming out and cursing as he came.

And when King David came to Bahurim, a man of Saul's family named Shimei, the son of Gera, came out from there, calling curses after him.

6 And he pelted, with stones, David and all the servants of King David, —all the people, and all the mighty men, being on his right hand and on his left.

And he sent stones at David and at all the king's servants and at all the people and at all the men of war by his side, on the right hand and on the left.

7 And, thus, said Shimei, when he cursed, —Out! Out! thou man of bloodshed, and man of the Abandoned One!

And Shimei said, with curses, Be gone, be gone, you man of blood, you good-for-nothing:

8 Yahweh, hath brought back upon thee, all the shed-blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned, and Yahweh hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absolom thy son, —and, here thou art, in thy ruin, for that, a man of bloodshed, thou art.

The Lord has sent punishment on you for all the blood of the family of Saul, whose kingdom you have taken; and the Lord has given the kingdom to Absalom, your son: now you yourself are taken in your evil, because you are a man of blood.

9 Then said Abishai, son of Zeruiah, unto the king—Wherefore should this dead dog curse my lord the king? I pray thee, let me cross over and take off his head.

Then Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, said to the king, Is this dead dog to go on cursing my lord the king? let me go over and take off his head.

10 But the king said, What have I in common with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? thus, he curseth, because, Yahweh, hath said unto him—Curse David. Who then can say, Why hast thou done thus?

And the king said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Let him go on cursing, for the Lord has said, Put a curse on David, and who then may say, Why have you done so?

11 Then said David unto Abishai, and unto all his servants, Lo! my own son who sprang from my body, is seeking my life, —then how much more, now, a Benjamite? Let him alone, and let him curse, for, Yahweh, hath permitted him.

And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, You see how my son, the offspring of my body, has made designs against my life: how much more then may this Benjamite do so? Let him be, and let him go on cursing; for the Lord has given him orders.

12 It may be, that Yahweh will behold with his eye, —and that Yahweh will return me good, for his cursing this day.

It may be that the Lord will take note of my wrongs, and give me back good in answer to his cursing of me today.

13 And, when David and his men went along in the way, Shimei, was going along on the side of the hill over against him, cursing as he went, pelting him with stones, and throwing dust.

So David and his men went on their way: and Shimei went by the hillside parallel with them, cursing and sending stones and dust at him.

14 And the king and all the people that were with him arrived, weary, —and they refreshed themselves there.

And the king and his people came tired to Jordan, and took their rest there.

15 And, Absolom and all the men of Israel, entered Jerusalem, —and Ahithophel with him.

And Absalom and the men of Israel came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him.

16 And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, the friend of David, came in unto Absolom, that Hushai said unto Absolom: Long live the king! Long live the king!

Then Hushai the Archite, David's friend, came to Absalom and said, Long life to the king, long life to the king!

17 Then said Absolom unto Hushai, Is, this, thy lovingkindness unto thy friend? Wherefore wentest thou not with thy friend?

And Absalom said, Is this your love for your friend? why did you not go with your friend?

18 And Hushai said unto Absolom, Nay! but, whom Yahweh, and all this people, and the men of Israel have chosen, his, will I be, and, with him, will I dwell.

And Hushai said to Absalom, Not so; I am for that man whom the Lord and this people and all the men of Israel have taken as king, and I will take my place with him.

19 And, again, whom, should, I serve? Should it not be in presence of his son? as I served in presence of thy father, so, will I continue thy presence.

And more than this! where is my place as a servant? is it not before his son? as I have been your father's servant, so will I be yours.

20 Then said Absolom unto Ahithophel, —Give ye your counsel, what we shall do.

Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, Give your opinion now, what are we to do?

21 And Ahithophel said unto Absolom, Go in unto thy father’s concubines, whom he hath left to keep the house, —so shall all Israel hear that thou hast made thyself odious unto thy father, and the hands of all that are with thee, shall be strengthened.

And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in to your father's women who are here looking after his house; then all Israel will have the news that you are hated by your father, and the hands of your supporters will be strong.

22 And they stretched out for Absolom a tent, upon the house-top, —and Absolom went in unto his father’s concubines, in the sight of all Israel.

So they put up the tent for Absalom on the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his father's women before the eyes of all Israel.

23 Now, the counsel of Ahithophel which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God, —so, was all the counsel of Ahithophel, both to David, and also to Absolom.

In those days the opinions of Ahithophel were valued as highly as if through him a man might get direction from God; so were they valued by David as much as by Absalom.