| New Living Translation | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 1When David had gone a little beyond the summit of the Mount of Olives, Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, was waiting there for him. He had two donkeys loaded with 200 loaves of bread, 100 clusters of raisins, 100 bunches of summer fruit, and a wineskin full of wine. | 1Now when David had passed a little beyond the summit, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him with a couple of saddled donkeys, and on them were two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred clusters of raisins, a hundred summer fruits, and a jug of wine. |
| 2“What are these for?” the king asked Ziba. Ziba replied, “The donkeys are for the king’s people to ride on, and the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat. The wine is for those who become exhausted in the wilderness.” | 2The king said to Ziba, "Why do you have these?" And Ziba said, "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, for whoever is faint in the wilderness to drink." |
| 3“And where is Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson?” the king asked him. “He stayed in Jerusalem,” Ziba replied. “He said, ‘Today I will get back the kingdom of my grandfather Saul.’” | 3Then the king said, "And where is your master's son?" And 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“In that case,” the king told Ziba, “I give you everything Mephibosheth owns.” “I bow before you,” Ziba replied. “May I always be pleasing to you, my lord the king.” Shimei Curses David | 4So 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!" |
| 5As King David came to Bahurim, a man came out of the village cursing them. It was Shimei son of Gera, from the same clan as Saul’s family. | 5When King David came to Bahurim, behold, there came out from there a man of the family of the house of Saul whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera; he came out cursing continually as he came. |
| 6He threw stones at the king and the king’s officers and all the mighty warriors who surrounded him. | 6He 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“Get out of here, you murderer, you scoundrel!” he shouted at David. | 7Thus Shimei said when he cursed, "Get out, get out, you man of bloodshed, and worthless fellow! |
| 8“The LORD is paying you back for all the bloodshed in Saul’s clan. You stole his throne, and now the LORD has given it to your son Absalom. At last you will taste some of your own medicine, for you are a murderer!” | 8"The LORD has returned upon you all the bloodshed of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the LORD 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“Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king?” Abishai son of Zeruiah demanded. “Let me go over and cut off his head!” | 9Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over now and cut off his head." |
| 10“No!” the king said. “Who asked your opinion, you sons of Zeruiah! If the LORD has told him to curse me, who are you to stop him?” | 10But the king said, "What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah? If he curses, and if the LORD has told him, 'Curse David,' then who shall say, 'Why have you done so?'" |
| 11Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “My own son is trying to kill me. Doesn’t this relative of Saul have even more reason to do so? Leave him alone and let him curse, for the LORD has told him to do it. | 11Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, "Behold, my son who came out from me seeks my life; how much more now this Benjamite? Let him alone and let him curse, for the LORD has told him. |
| 12And perhaps the LORD will see that I am being wronged and will bless me because of these curses today.” | 12"Perhaps the LORD will look on my affliction and return good to me instead of his cursing this day." |
| 13So David and his men continued down the road, and Shimei kept pace with them on a nearby hillside, cursing and throwing stones and dirt at David. | 13So 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. |
| 14The king and all who were with him grew weary along the way, so they rested when they reached the Jordan River. Ahithophel Advises Absalom | 14The king and all the people who were with him arrived weary and he refreshed himself there. |
| 15Meanwhile, Absalom and all the army of Israel arrived at Jerusalem, accompanied by Ahithophel. | 15Then Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, entered Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. |
| 16When David’s friend Hushai the Arkite arrived, he went immediately to see Absalom. “Long live the king!” he exclaimed. “Long live the king!” | 16Now it came about when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, came to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom, "Long live the king! Long live the king!" |
| 17“Is this the way you treat your friend David?” Absalom asked him. “Why aren’t you with him?” | 17Absalom said to Hushai, "Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?" |
| 18“I’m here because I belong to the man who is chosen by the LORD and by all the men of Israel,” Hushai replied. | 18Then Hushai said to Absalom, "No! For whom the LORD, this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, his I will be, and with him I will remain. |
| 19“And anyway, why shouldn’t I serve you? Just as I was your father’s adviser, now I will be your adviser!” | 19"Besides, 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." |
| 20Then Absalom turned to Ahithophel and asked him, “What should I do next?” | 20Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, "Give your advice. What shall we do?" |
| 21Ahithophel told him, “Go and sleep with your father’s concubines, for he has left them here to look after the palace. Then all Israel will know that you have insulted your father beyond hope of reconciliation, and they will throw their support to you.” | 21Ahithophel said to Absalom, "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." |
| 22So they set up a tent on the palace roof where everyone could see it, and Absalom went in and had sex with his father’s concubines. | 22So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel. |
| 23Absalom followed Ahithophel’s advice, just as David had done. For every word Ahithophel spoke seemed as wise as though it had come directly from the mouth of God. | 23The advice of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if one inquired of the word of God; so was all the advice of Ahithophel regarded by both David and Absalom. |
| Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org |
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