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Ziba Meets David

¹ Now David had passed ^(C1)a little beyond the summit, and behold, ^(C2)Ziba the young man of Mephibosheth met him ^(C3)with a couple of saddled donkeys, and on them were two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred clusters of raisins, one hundred summer fruits, and a jug of wine.² And the king said to Ziba, "Why do you have these?" And Ziba said, "^(C1)The donkeys are for the king's household to ride, and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine, ^(C2)for whoever is faint in the wilderness to drink."³ Then the king said, "And where is ^(C1)your master's son?" And ^(C2)Ziba said to the king, "Behold, he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, 'Today the house of Israel will return the kingdom of my father to me.'"⁴ So the king said to Ziba, "Behold, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours." And Ziba said, "I prostrate myself; let me find favor in your sight, O my lord, the king!"

Shimei Curses David

⁵ And King David came to ^(C1)Bahurim, and behold, there came out from there a man of the family of the house of Saul ^(C2)whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera; he came out ^(C3)cursing continually as he came.⁶ He also threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David; and all the people and all the mighty men were at his right hand and at his left.⁷ And thus Shimei said when he cursed, "Get out, get out, ^(C1)you man of bloodshed, and vile fellow!⁸ "^(C1)Yahweh has returned upon you all ^(C2)the bloodshed of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and Yahweh has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. And behold, you are taken in your own evil, for you are a man of bloodshed!"

⁹ Then ^(C1)Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should ^(C2)this dead dog ^(C3)curse my lord the king? Let me pass over now and remove his head."¹⁰ But the king said, "^(C1)What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah? ^(C2)If he curses, and if Yahweh has told him, 'Curse David,' ^(C3)then who shall say, 'Why have you done so?'"¹¹ Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, "Behold, ^(C1)my son who came forth from my body seeks my life; how much more now this Benjamite? Let him alone and let him curse, ^(C2)for Yahweh has told him.¹² "Perhaps Yahweh will look on my affliction and ^(F1)(C1)return good to me instead of his cursing this day."¹³ So David and his men went on the way; and Shimei went along on the hillside parallel with him and as he went he cursed and cast stones and threw dust at him.¹⁴ Then the king and all the people who were with him arrived weary and he refreshed himself there.

Absalom Enters Jerusalem

^15 (C1)Now Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, had entered Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.¹⁶ And it happened that when ^(C1)Hushai the Archite, David's friend, came to Absalom, that ^(C2)Hushai said to Absalom, "^(C3)Long live the king! Long live the king!"¹⁷ And Absalom said to Hushai, "Is this your lovingkindness to your friend? ^(C1)Why did you not go with your friend?"¹⁸ Then Hushai said to Absalom, "No! For whom Yahweh, this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, his I will be, and with him I will remain.¹⁹ "Besides, ^(C1)whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son? As I have served in your father's presence, so I will be in your presence."

²⁰ Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, "Give your advice. What shall we do?"²¹ And Ahithophel said to Absalom, "^(C1)Go in to your father's concubines, whom he has left to keep the house; then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself odious 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, ^(C1)and Absalom went in to his father's concubines ^(C2)in the sight of all Israel.^23 (C1)Now the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counseled in those days, was as if one asked of the word of God; ^(C2)so was all the counsel of Ahithophel regarded by both David and Absalom.