1And when David was a little beyond the summit, Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, met him, with a couple of saddled donkeys, carrying two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred bunches of raisins, a hundred summer fruits, and a skin of wine. 2And David said to Ziba, “Why have you brought these?” And Ziba said, “The donkeys are for the king's household to ride; the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, for any who are faint in the wilderness to drink.” 3And David asked, “And where is Mephibosheth, your master's son?” And Ziba said, “He is staying at Jerusalem; for he said, ‘Today shall the tribe of Israel restore to me the kingdom of my father.’” 4Then David told Ziba, “Look, all that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours.” And Ziba said, “I humbly beg you that I may find grace in your sight, my lord, O king.” 5And when King David came to Bahurim, a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, son of Gera; came out, cursing continuously as he came. 6And he threw stones at King David, his servants; and at the people with him, even though David’s special guards were to his right and left. 7And Shimei said when he cursed, “Get out, get out, you murderer, you scoundrel! 8The LORD has repaid you for all the blood you shed of the house of Saul, in whose stead you have reigned; and the LORD has now delivered the kingdom to Absalom, your son; and you are caught in your own mischief, because you are a murderer!” 9Then Abishai, son of Zeruiah, said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord, the king? Let me go over and take off his head.” 10And the king said, “What business is this of yours, you sons of Zeruiah? Let him curse, because if the LORD has told him, ‘Curse David.’, then who can say, ‘Why do you do this?’” 11And David said to Abishai, and all his servants, “Look, my son, who is of my own flesh and blood, seeks my life; how much more, now, can this Benjamite add to it? Let him alone, and let him curse; for it could be that the LORD has told him to do so. 12It may be that the LORD will look on my affliction, and that the LORD will reward me good for his cursing this day, if he is acting on his own.” 13And as David and his men went along the road, Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him, and cursing, and pelting them with stones and dirt, as he went. 14And when the king, and those people with him, reached the Jordan, and were weary, they refreshed themselves there.

15Meanwhile, Absalom, and all his followers, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him. 16And when Hushai, the Archite, David's friend, came to Absalom, he said to Absalom, “God save the king, God save the king.” 17And Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this how you treat your friend, David? Why did you not go with him?” 18And Hushai said to Absalom, “No; I am here to support whomever the LORD, His people, and all the men of Israel, have chosen. 19And whom else should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son, just as I have served in his father's presence. So I shall serve in your presence!”

20Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give us your advice - what we should do.” 21And Ahithophel told Absalom, “Go in unto your father's concubines, whom he has left to keep the house. Then all Israel shall hear that you are abhorred by your father; and all those that are with shall you be strengthened.” 22So they spread Absalom a tent on the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in plain sight of all Israel (2 Sam.12:11). 23 In those days, the advice of Ahithophel was regarded was as if from a man who had inquired directly from God. That was how all the counsel of Ahithophel was esteemed by both David and Absalom.