David and Ziba
1 When David had gone a little beyond the top of the hill, he was suddenly met by Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, who had with him a couple of donkeys loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred bunches of raisins, a hundred bunches of fresh fruit, and a leather bag full of wine. 2 King David asked him, “What are you going to do with all that?”
Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for Your Majesty's family to ride, the bread and the fruit are for the men to eat, and the wine is for them to drink when they get tired in the wilderness.”
3 “Where is Mephibosheth, the grandson of your master Saul?” the king asked him.
“He is staying in Jerusalem,” Ziba answered, “because he is convinced that the Israelites will now restore to him the kingdom of his grandfather Saul.”
4 The king said to Ziba, “Everything that belonged to Mephibosheth is yours.”
“I am your servant,” Ziba replied. “May I always please Your Majesty!”
David and Shimei
5 When King David arrived at Bahurim, one of Saul's relatives, Shimei son of Gera, came out to meet him, cursing him as he came. 6 Shimei started throwing stones at David and his officials, even though David was surrounded by his men and his bodyguards. 7 Shimei cursed him and said, “Get out! Get out! Murderer! Criminal! 8 You took Saul's kingdom, and now the Lord is punishing you for murdering so many of Saul's family. The Lord has given the kingdom to your son Absalom, and you are ruined, you murderer!”
9 Abishai, whose mother was Zeruiah, said to the king, “Your Majesty, why do you let this dog curse you? Let me go over there and cut off his head!”
10 “This is none of your business,” the king said to Abishai and his brother Joab. “If he curses me because the Lord told him to, who has the right to ask why he does it?” 11 And David said to Abishai and to all his officials, “My own son is trying to kill me; so why should you be surprised at this Benjaminite? The Lord told him to curse; so leave him alone and let him do it. 12 Perhaps the Lord will notice my misery and give me some blessings to take the place of his curse.” 13 So David and his men continued along the road. Shimei kept up with them, walking on the hillside; he was cursing and throwing stones and dirt at them as he went. 14 The king and all his men were worn out when they reached the Jordan, and there they rested.
Absalom in Jerusalem
15 Absalom and all the Israelites with him entered Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with them. 16 When Hushai, David's trusted friend, met Absalom, he shouted, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”
17 “What has happened to your loyalty to your friend David?” Absalom asked him. “Why didn't you go with him?”
18 Hushai answered, “How could I? I am for the one chosen by the Lord, by these people, and by all the Israelites. I will stay with you. 19 After all, whom should I serve, if not my master's son? As I served your father, so now I will serve you.”
20 Then Absalom turned to Ahithophel and said, “Now that we are here, what do you advise us to do?”
21 Ahithophel answered, “Go and have intercourse with your father's concubines whom he left behind to take care of the palace. Then everyone in Israel will know that your father regards you as his enemy, and your followers will be greatly encouraged.” 22 So they set up a tent for Absalom on the palace roof, and in the sight of everyone Absalom went in and had intercourse with his father's concubines.
23 Any advice that Ahithophel gave in those days was accepted as though it were the very word of God; both David and Absalom followed it.
1 When Dauid was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the seruant of Mephibosheth mette him with a couple of asses sadled, and vpon them two hundreth cakes of bread, and an hundreth bunches of raisins, and an hundreth of dryed figges, and a bottel of wine. 2 And the King said vnto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, They be asses for the kings housholde to ride on, and bread and dryed figges for the yong men to eate, and wine, that the faint may drinke in the wildernesse. 3 And the king sayde, But where is thy masters sonne? Then Ziba answered the King, Beholde, he remayneth in Ierusalem: for he sayde, This day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdome of my father. 4 Then said the King to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that perteined vnto Mephibosheth. And Ziba saide, I beseech thee, let me finde grace in thy sight, my lord, O King. 5 And when king Dauid came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the familie of the house of Saul, named Shimei the sonne of Gera: and he came out, and cursed. 6 And he cast stones at Dauid, and at all the seruants of King Dauid: and all the people, and all the men of warre were on his right hande, and on his left. 7 And thus sayde Shimei when hee cursed, Come forth, come foorth thou murtherer, and wicked man. 8 The Lord hath brought vpon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned: and the Lord hath deliuered thy kingdome into the hand of Absalom thy sonne: and beholde, thou art taken in thy wickednesse, because thou art a murtherer. 9 Then saide Abishai the sonne of Zeruiah vnto the King, Why doeth this dead dog curse my lord the King? let me goe, I pray thee, and take away his head. 10 But the King saide, What haue I to doe with you, ye sonnes of Zeruiah? for he curseth, eue because the Lord hath bidden him curse Dauid: who dare then say, Wherfore hast thou done so? 11 And Dauid sayd to Abishai, and to all his seruants, Beholde, my sonne which came out of mine owne bowels, seeketh my life: then howe much more now may this sonne of Iemini? Suffer him to curse: for the Lord hath bidden him. 12 It may be that the Lord will looke on mine affliction, and doe me good for his cursing this day. 13 And as Dauid and his men went by the way, Shimei went by the side of the mountaine ouer against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones against him, and cast dust. 14 Then came the King and all the people that were with him wearie, and refreshed them selues there. 15 And Absalom, and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Ierusalem, and Ahithophel with him. 16 And when Hushai the Archite Dauids friend was come vnto Absalom, Hushai said vnto Absalom, God saue the King, God saue the King. 17 Then Absalom sayd to Hushai, Is this thy kindenes to thy friend? Why wentest thou not with thy friend? 18 Hushai then answered vnto Absalom, Nay, but whome the Lord, and this people, and all the men of Israel chuse, his will I be, and with him will I dwell. 19 And moreouer vnto whome shall I doe seruice? not to his sonne? as I serued before thy father, so will I before thee. 20 Then spake Absalom to Ahithophel, Giue counsell what we shall doe. 21 And Ahithophel said vnto Absalom, Goe in to thy fathers concubines, which he hath left to keepe the house: and when all Israel shall heare, that thou art abhorred of thy father, the hands of all that are with thee, shall be strong. 22 So they spread Absalom a tent vpon the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his fathers concubines in the sight of all Israel. 23 And the counsell of Ahithophel which he counseled in those dayes, was like as one had asked counsell at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with Dauid and with Absalom.