THE SECOND BOOK OF
SAMUEL,
2 Samuel 16 ©
Ziba, by presents and false information, gets from David all his master Mephibosheth’s estate, v. 1, etc. Shimei reviles and curses David, 5. Abishai would revenge it, but David takes it very patiently, 9. Absalom comes with Ahithophel to Jerusalem, 15. Hushai complies prudently with Absalom, and Absalom lies with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel, according to the counsel of Ahithophel, 20. Who, in those days, was highly esteemed, 23.
AND when David was a little past the 1top of the hill, behold, Ziba the 2servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses 3saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.
And the king said unto Ziba, 4What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses be for the king’s 5household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be faint in the 6wilderness may drink.
And the king said, And where is thy 7master’s 8son? Anda Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he 9said, To day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.
Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, 10thine are all 11that pertained unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I humbly 12beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king.
¶And when king David came to 13Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was 14Shimei,b the son of Gera: he 15came forth, and cursed still as he came.
And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: 16and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left.
And thus said Shimei 17when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou 18bloody man, and thou 19man of Belial:
The LORD hath returned 20upon thee all the blood of the house of 21Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy 22mischief, because thou art a bloody man.
¶Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this 23deadc dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head.
And the king said, 24What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? 25so let him curse, because the LORD hath 26said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then 27say, Wherefore hast thou done so?
And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, 28seeketh my life: how much more now may this 29Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath 30bidden him.
It may be that the LORD will look on mine 31affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for his 32cursing this day.
And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei 33went along on the hill's side over against 34him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones 35at him, and 36cast dust.
And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves there.
¶And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with 37him.
And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, 38God save the king, God save 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 the LORD, and this people, and all the men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide.
And again, whom should I serve? should I not serve in the presence 39of his son? as I have served in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy presence.
¶Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do.
And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, 40Go in unto thy father's concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall 41hear that thou art 42abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee 43be strong.
So they spread Absalom a tent upon the 44top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in 45the sight of all Israel.
And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was 46as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.