| 1 | And when David was a little past the top [of the ascent], behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and a hundred clusters of raisins, and a hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine. |
| 2 | And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses are for the king`s household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as are faint in the wilderness may drink. |
| 3 | And the king said, And where is thy master`s son? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem; for he said, To-day will the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father. |
| 4 | Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine is all that pertaineth unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I do obeisance; let me find favor in thy sight, my lord, O king. |
| 5 | And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, there came out thence a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera; he came out, and cursed still as he came. |
| 6 | And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. |
| 7 | And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Begone, begone, thou man of blood, and base fellow: |
| 8 | Jehovah hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and Jehovah hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son; and, behold, thou art [taken] in thine own mischief, because thou art a man of blood. |
| 9 | Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head. |
| 10 | And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? Because he curseth, and because Jehovah hath said unto him, Curse David; who then shall say, Wherefore hast thou done so? |
| 11 | And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, who came forth from my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more [may] this Benjamite now [do it]? let him alone, and let him curse; for Jehovah hath bidden him. |
| 12 | It may be that Jehovah will look on the wrong done unto me, and that Jehovah will requite me good for [his] cursing of me this day. |
| 13 | So David and his men went by the way; and Shimei went along on the hill-side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust. |
| 14 | And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary; and he refreshed himself there. |
| 15 | And Absalom, and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. |
| 16 | And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David`s friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, [Long] live the king, [Long] live the king. |
| 17 | And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend? |
| 18 | And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but whom Jehovah, and this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, his will I be, and with him will I abide. |
| 19 | And again, whom should I serve? [should I] not [serve] in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father`s presence, so will I be in thy presence. |
| 20 | Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give your counsel what we shall do. |
| 21 | And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father`s concubines, that he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel will hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then will the hands of all that are with thee be strong. |
| 22 | So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father`s concubines in the sight of all Israel. |
| 23 | And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if a man inquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom. |
