2 Samuel

2 Samuel 16 ©

1 Ziba by presents and false suggestions obtaineth his master's inheritance. 5 Shimei curseth David at Bahurim. 9 David's patience and forbearance. 15 Hushai insinuateth himself into Absalom's counsels. 20 By Ahithophel's counsel Absalom openly goeth in to his father's concubines.

1

AND when David was a little past athe top of the hill, behold, bZiba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, cwith a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred dbunches of raisins, and an 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 be for the king's household to eride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the fyoung men to eat; and the wine, that such as be gfaint in the wilderness may drink.

3

And the king said, And hwhere is thy master's son? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for ihe said, To day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.

h ch. 9.
4

Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, jthine are all that pertained unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, 1I humbly beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king.

5

¶And when king David came to kBahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was lShimei, the son of Gera: 2he came forth, and mcursed 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, Come out, come out, thou 3bloody man, and thou nman of Belial:

8

The LORD hath oreturned upon thee pall the blood of the house of Saul, in whose *stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, 4behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man.

9

¶Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this qdead dog curse my lord the king? rlet me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head.

10

And the king said, sWhat have I to do with you, tye sons of Zeruiah? uso let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David. vWho shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?

11

And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it ? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him.

12

wIt may be that the LORD will xlook on mine 5affliction, and that the LORD will yrequite me good for his cursing this day.

13

And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill's side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and 6cast dust.

14

And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves zthere.

z v.5.
15

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

16

And it came to pass, when Hushai the bArchite, David's friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, 7God save the king, God save the king.

17

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

18

And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but ewhom the LORD, and this people, and all the men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide.

19

And again, whom fshould 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 gcounsel among you what we shall do.

21

And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, hGo in unto thy father's concubines, which he hath ileft to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall jthe hands of all that are with thee be strong.

j ch. 2.7.
22

So they spread Absalom a tent upon kthe top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.

23

And the lcounsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the 8oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel mboth with David and with Absalom.