2 Samuel 16

1When DavidH1732 had goneH5674 a littleH4592 beyond the summitH7218, ZibaH6717 the servantH5288 ofH4648 MephiboshethH4648 was thereH2009 to meet himH7122. He had a pairH6776 of saddledH2280 donkeysH2543 loaded withH5921 two hundredH3967 loaves of breadH3899, a hundredH3967 clusters of raisinsH6778, a hundredH3967 summer fruitsH7019, and a skinH5035 of wineH3196.

2“WhyH4100 do you have theseH428?” askedH559 the kingH4428.

ZibaH6717 repliedH559, “The donkeysH2543 are for the king’sH4428 householdH1004 to rideH7392, the breadH3899 and summer fruitH7019 are for the young menH5288 to eatH398, and the wineH3196 is to refresh thoseH8354 who become exhaustedH3287 in the wildernessH4057.”

3“WhereH346 is your master’sH113 grandsonH1121?” askedH559 the kingH4428.

And ZibaH6717 answeredH559, “IndeedH2009, he is stayingH3427 in JerusalemH3389, forH3588 he has saidH559, ‘TodayH3117, the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478 will restoreH7725 to me the kingdomH4468 of my grandfatherH1.’”

4So the kingH4428 saidH559 to ZibaH6717, “AllH3605 thatH834 belongs to MephiboshethH4648 is now yoursH2009!”

“I humbly bow before youH7812,” saidH559 ZibaH6717. “May I findH4672 favorH2580 in your eyesH5869, my lordH113 the kingH4428!”

Shimei Curses David

5As KingH4428 DavidH1732 approachedH935H5704 BahurimH980, a manH376 from the familyH4940 of the houseH1004 of SaulH7586 was justH2009H8033 coming outH3318. His nameH8034 was ShimeiH8096 sonH1121 of GeraH1617, and as he approachedH3318, he kept yelling out cursesH7043. 6He threw stonesH5619H68 at DavidH1732 and at allH3605 the servantsH5650 of the kingH4428, though the troopsH5971 and allH3605 the mighty menH1368 were on David’sH1732H3605 rightH3225 and leftH8040.

7And asH3541 he yelled cursesH7043, ShimeiH8096 saidH559, “Get outH3318, get outH3318, you worthlessH1100 manH376 of bloodshedH1818H376! 8The LORDH3068 has paid you backH7725H5921 for allH3605 the bloodH1818 of the houseH1004 of SaulH7586, in whoseH834 placeH8478 you have reignedH4427, and the LORDH3068 has deliveredH5414 the kingdomH4410 into the handH3027 of your sonH1121 AbsalomH53. SeeH2005, you have come to ruinH7451 becauseH3588 you areH859 a manH376 of bloodshedH1818!”

9Then AbishaiH52 sonH1121 of ZeruiahH6870 saidH559 toH413 the kingH4428, “WhyH4100 should thisH2088 deadH4191 dogH3611 curseH7043 my lordH113 the kingH4428? Let me go overH5674H4994 and cut off his headH7218H5493!”

10But the kingH4428 repliedH559, “WhatH4100 have I to do with you, O sonsH1121 of ZeruiahH6870? IfH3588 he curses meH7043 becauseH3588 the LORDH3068 toldH559 him, ‘CurseH7043 DavidH1732,’ whoH4310 can askH559, ‘WhyH4069 did you doH6213 thisH3651?’”

11Then DavidH1732 saidH559 toH413 AbishaiH52H413 and to allH3605 his servantsH5650, “BeholdH2009, my own sonH1121, my own flesh and bloodH4578, seeksH1245 my lifeH5315. How much moreH3588, thenH6258, this BenjamiteH1145! Leave him aloneH5117 and let him curse meH7043, for the LORDH3068 has toldH559 him soH3588. 12PerhapsH194 the LORDH3068 will seeH7200 my afflictionH5771 and repayH7725H3068 me with goodH2896 forH8478 the cursingH7045 I receive todayH3117H2088.”

13So DavidH1732 and his menH582 proceededH1980 along the roadH1870 as ShimeiH8096 wentH1980 along the ridgeH6763 of the hillH2022 opposite himH5980. As Shimei wentH1980, he yelled cursesH7043, threw stonesH5619H68, and flungH6080 dustH6083 atH5980 David. 14Finally, the kingH4428 and allH3605 the peopleH5971 with himH854 arrivedH935,1 exhaustedH5889. And thereH8033 he refreshed himselfH5314.

The Counsel of Ahithophel and Hushai

15Then AbsalomH53 and allH3605H5971 the menH376 of IsraelH3478 cameH935 to JerusalemH3389, and AhithophelH302 was with himH854. 16AndH1961 David’sH1732 friendH7463 HushaiH2365 the ArchiteH757 wentH935 toH413 AbsalomH53 and saidH559 toH413 him, “Long liveH2421 the kingH4428! Long liveH2421 the kingH4428!”

17“Is thisH2088 the loyaltyH2617 you show your friendH7453?” AbsalomH53 repliedH559H413H2365. “WhyH4100 did you notH3808 goH1980 withH854 your friendH7453?”

18“Not at allH3808,” HushaiH2365H413 answeredH559. “ForH3588 the oneH834 chosenH977 by the LORDH3068, by thisH2088 peopleH5971, and by allH3605 the menH376 of IsraelH3478—hisH3808 I will beH1961, and with himH854 I will remainH3427. 19FurthermoreH8145, whomH4310 should IH589 serveH5647 if notH3808 his sonH1121? AsH834 I servedH5647 in your father’sH1 presenceH6440, so alsoH3651 I will serveH1961H6440 in yoursH6440.”

20Then AbsalomH53 saidH559 toH413 AhithophelH302, “Give meH3051 counselH6098. WhatH4100 should we doH6213?”

21AhithophelH302 repliedH559, “Sleep withH935H413 your father’sH1 concubinesH6370, whomH834 he has leftH5117 to take care ofH8104 the palaceH1004. When allH3605 IsraelH3478 hearsH8085 thatH3588 you have become a stenchH887 toH854 your fatherH1, then the handsH3027 of allH3605 who areH834 with youH854 will be strengthenedH2388.”

22So they pitchedH5186 a tentH168 for AbsalomH53 onH5921 the roofH1406, and heH53 slept withH935H413 his father’sH1 concubinesH6370 in the sightH5869 of allH3605 IsraelH3478.

23Now in thoseH1992 daysH3117 the adviceH6098 of AhithophelH302 was likeH834 the consultationH7592 of the wordH1697 of GodH430. SuchH3651 was the regardH3605 that bothH1571 DavidH1732 andH1571 AbsalomH53 had for Ahithophel’sH302 adviceH6098.