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Ziba, a False Servant

¹ Now when David had gone on ^(C1)a little beyond the summit, behold, ^(C2)Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him ^(C3)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.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, the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat, and the wine, ^(C2)for whoever is weary 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 restore 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; may I find favor in your sight, my lord, the king!"

David Is Cursed

⁵ When King David came to ^(C1)Bahurim, behold, a man was coming out from there from the family of the house of Saul, and ^(C2)his name was Shimei, the son of Gera; he was coming out, ^(C3)cursing as he came.⁶ 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.⁷ This is what Shimei said when he cursed: "Go away, go away, ^(C1)you man of bloodshed and worthless man!⁸ "^(C1)The LORD has brought back upon you all ^(C2)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!"

⁹ Then ^(C1)Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should ^(C2)this dead dog ^(C3)curse my lord the king? Now let me go over and ^(F1)cut off his head."¹⁰ But the king said, "^(F1)(C1)What business of mine is yours, you sons of Zeruiah? ^(C2)If he curses, and if the LORD has told him, 'Curse David,' ^(C3)then who should say, 'Why have you done so?'"¹¹ Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, "Behold, ^(C1)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, ^(C2)for the LORD has told him.¹² "Perhaps the LORD will look on my ^(F1)misery and ^(F2)(C1)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 (C1)Then Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, entered Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.¹⁶ Now it came about, 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 But Absalom said to Hushai, "Is this your ^(F1)loyalty to your friend? ^(C1)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, ^(C1)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, "^(C1)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, ^(C1)and Absalom had relations with his father's concubines ^(C2)in the sight of all Israel.²³ Now ^(C1)the advice of Ahithophel, which he ^(F1)gave in those days, was taken as though one inquired of the word of God; ^(C2)so was all the advice of Ahithophel regarded by both David and Absalom.