2 Samuel 19:17-30

17along with a thousand men of Benjamin, as well as Ziba the steward of the house of Saul and his fifteen sons and twenty servants.

They rushed down to the Jordan before the king 18and crossed at the ford to carry over the king’s household and to do what was good in his sight.

When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell down before the king 19and said, “My lord, do not hold me guilty, and do not remember your servant’s wrongdoing on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. May the king not take it to heart. 20For your servant knows that I have sinned, so here I am today as the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.”

21But Abishai son of Zeruiah said, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD’s anointed?”

22And David replied, “Sons of Zeruiah, what have I to do with you, that you should be my adversaries today? Should any man be put to death in Israel today? Am I not indeed aware that today I am king over Israel?”

23So the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king swore an oath to him.

24Then Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, went down to meet the king. He had not cared for his feet or trimmed his mustache or washed his clothes from the day the king had left until the day he returned safely. 25And he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, who asked him, “Mephibosheth, why did you not go with me?”

26“My lord the king,” he replied, “because I am lame, I said, ‘I will have my donkey saddled1 so that I may ride on it and go with the king.’ But my servant Ziba deceived me, 27and he has slandered your servant to my lord the king.

Yet my lord the king is like the angel2 of God, so do what is good in your eyes. 28For all the house of my grandfather deserves death from my lord the king, yet you have set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right, then, do I have to keep appealing to the king?”

29The king replied, “Why say any more? I hereby declare that you and Ziba are to divide the land.”

30And Mephibosheth said to the king, “Instead, since my lord the king has safely come to his own house, let Ziba take it all!”