Chapter 16

  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.  

--

  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.  

--

  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.  

--

  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.  

--

  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.  

--

  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.  

--

  And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Begone, begone, thou man of blood, and base fellow:  

--

  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.  

--

  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.  

--

  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?  

--

  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.  

--

  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.  

--

  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.  

--

  And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary; and he refreshed himself there.  

--

  And Absalom, and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.  

--

  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.  

--

  And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend?  

--

  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.  

--

  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.  

--

  Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give your counsel what we shall do.  

--

  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.  

--

  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.  

--

  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.  

--