1
And when David was a littlepast the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephiboshethmet him, with a couple of assessaddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.
2
And the kingsaid unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Zibasaid, The asses be for the king's household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink.
3
And the kingsaid, And where is thy master's son? And Zibasaid unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, To day shall the house of Israelrestore me the kingdom of my father.
4
Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that pertained unto Mephibosheth. And Zibasaid, I humbly beseech thee that I may findgrace in thy sight, my lord, O king.
5
And when kingDavidcame to Bahurim, behold, thence cameout a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: he cameforth, and cursed still as he came.
6
And he caststones at David, and at all the servants of kingDavid: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left.
7
And thus saidShimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloodyman, and thou man of Belial:
8
The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloodyman.
9
Then saidAbishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this deaddogcurse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head.
10
And the kingsaid, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah?so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, CurseDavid. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?
11
And Davidsaid to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him.
12
It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day.
13
And as David and his menwent by the way, Shimeiwentalong on the hill's side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threwstonesat him, and castdust.
14
And the king, and all the people that were with him, cameweary, and refreshed themselves there.
15
And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.
16
And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushaisaid unto Absalom, God save the king, God save the king.
17
And Absalomsaid to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend?
18
And Hushaisaid unto Absalom, Nay; but whom the LORD, and this people, and all the men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide.
19
And again, whom should I serve? should I not serve in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy presence.
20
Then saidAbsalom to Ahithophel, Givecounsel among you what we shall do.
21
And Ahithophelsaid unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father's concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong.
22
So they spreadAbsalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father's concubinesin the sight of all Israel.
23
And 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 with David and with Absalom.