David and Ziba

1And David was past a little from the top, and behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth to meet him, and a couple of donkeys were saddled, and on them two hundred loaves of bread, and a hundred clusters of raisins, and a hundred summer fruits, and a skin of wine.

2And the king said to Ziba, “What are these to you?”

And Ziba said, “The donkeys are for the house of the king to ride on, and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine is for those who are faint to drink in the wilderness.”

3And the king said, “And where is the son of your master?”

And Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will restore to me the kingdom of my father.’”

4And the king said to Ziba, “Behold, unto you is all that is unto Mephibosheth.”

And Ziba said, “I humbly bow before you that I may find favor in your eyes, my lord the king.”

Shimei Curses David

5And King David came to Bahurim, and behold, a man from there was going out from the family of the house of Saul, and his name was Shimei son of Gera. And he came out, coming out cursing continuously. 6And he stoned David with stones, and all the servants of King David. And all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left.

7And thus said Shimei when he cursed, “Go out, go out, man of bloodshed, and man of worthlessness! 8YHWH has brought upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned. And YHWH has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son. And behold, you are in your own evil, because you are a man of blood.”

9And Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over, please, and turn aside his head.”

10And the king said, “What have I with you⁺, O sons of Zeruiah? If he curses because YHWH has said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’”

11And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my son, who came out of my bowels, is seeking my life. And how much more that now this Benjamite! Leave him alone and let him curse, for so YHWH has ordered him. 12Perhaps YHWH will look on my affliction and YHWH and will return me with good for his cursing this day.”

13And as David and his men went along the road, Shimei went along at the side of the hill opposite him as he went, and he cursed, and stoned with stones at him, and dusted with dust. 14And the king and all the people who were with him arrived weary,† and he refreshed himself there.

The Counsel of Ahithophel and Hushai

15And Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him. 16And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, friend of David, came to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom, “May live the king, may live the king.”

17And Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did not you go with your friend?”

18And Hushai said to Absalom, “No, but he whom YHWH has chosen, and this people, and all the men of Israel, unto him I will be, and with him I will remain. 19And secondly, whom should I serve? Is it not before the face of his son? As I have served before the face of your father, so will I be in your presence.”

20And Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give to us counsel as to what we should do.”

21And Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to the concubines of your father, whom he has left to keep the house. And all Israel will hear that you are abhorred by your father, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.”

22And they pitched for Absalom a tent on the roof, and Absalom went in to the concubines of his father before the eyes of all Israel.

23And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counseled in those days, was as if one had inquired at the word of God. So was all the counsel of Ahithophel, both with David and with Absalom.