Now when David had passed
aa little
beyond
the summit
, behold
, bZiba
the servant
of Mephibosheth
met
him cwith 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
.
The king said
to Ziba
, "Why
do you have these
?" And Ziba
said
, " aThe donkeys
are for the king's
household
to ride
, and the bread
and summer
fruit
for the young
men
to eat
, and the wine
, bfor whoever
is faint
in the wilderness
to drink
."
Then the king said
, "And where
is ayour master's
son
?" And bZiba
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.' "
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
!"
When King David
came
to aBahurim
, behold
, there came
out from there
a man
of the family
of the house
of Saul
bwhose name
was Shimei
, the son
of Gera
; he came
out ccursing
continually as he came
.
He 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
.
Thus Shimei
said
when he cursed
, "Get
out, get
out, ayou man
of bloodshed
, and worthless
fellow
!
" aThe LORD has returned
upon you all
bthe 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
!"
Then aAbishai the son
of Zeruiah
said
to the king
, "Why
should bthis
dead
dog
ccurse
my lord
the king
? Let me go
over
now
and 1cut
off
his head
."
But the king said
, " aWhat
have I to do with you, O sons
of Zeruiah
? bIf
he curses
, and if
the LORD
has told
him, `Curse
David
,' cthen who
shall say
, `Why
have you done
so
?' "
Then David said
to Abishai
and to all
his servants
, "Behold
, amy son
who
came
out from 1me seeks
my life
; how
much
more
now
this Benjamite
? Let
him alone
and let him curse
, bfor the LORD
has told
him.
"Perhaps the LORD
will look
on my affliction
and 1 areturn
good
to me instead
of his cursing
this
day
."
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.
The king and all
the people
who
were with him arrived
weary
and he refreshed
himself there
.
aThen Absalom and all
the people
, the men
of Israel
, entered
Jerusalem
, and Ahithophel
with him.
Now it came about when
aHushai
the Archite
, David's
friend
, came
to Absalom
, that bHushai
said
to Absalom
, " cLong live
the king
! Long live
the king
!"
Absalom said
to Hushai
, "Is this
your 1loyalty
to your friend
? aWhy
did you not go
with your friend
?"
Then 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
.
"Besides, awhom
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
."
Then Absalom said
to Ahithophel
, "Give
your advice
. What
shall we do
?"
Ahithophel said
to Absalom
, " aGo
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
."
So they pitched a tent
for Absalom
on the roof
, aand Absalom
went
in to his father's
concubines
bin the sight
of all
Israel
.
aThe advice of Ahithophel
, which
he 1gave
in those
days
, was as if
one inquired
of the word
of God
; bso
was all
the advice
of Ahithophel
regarded by both
David
and Absalom
.