1 A nd when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, 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.

When David was a little past the top, behold, Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, met him with a couple of donkeys saddled, and upon them 200 loaves of bread, 100 bunches of raisins, 100 summer fruits, and a skin of wine.

2 A nd the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses be 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 be faint in the wilderness may drink.

The king said to Ziba, What do you mean by these? Ziba said, The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on, the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine is for those to drink who become faint in the wilderness.

3 A nd 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 shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.

The king said, And where is your master’s son ? Ziba said to the king, Behold, he remains in Jerusalem, for he said, Today the house of Israel will give me back the kingdom of my father.

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

Then the king said to Ziba, Behold, all that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours. Ziba said, I do obeisance; let me ever find favor in your sight, my lord O king.

5 A nd when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he came.

When King David came to Bahurim, a man of the family of the house of Saul, Shimei son of Gera, came out and cursed continually as he came.

6 A nd 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 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 A nd thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial:

Shimei said as he cursed, Get out, get out, you man of blood, you base fellow!

8 t he Lord hath returned upon thee all 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, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man.

The Lord has avenged upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead you have reigned; and the Lord has delivered the kingdom into the hands of Absalom your son. Behold, the calamity is upon you because you are a bloody man!

9 T hen 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.

Then said Abishai son of Zeruiah to the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head.

10 A nd the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?

The king said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the Lord said to him, Curse David, who then shall ask, Why have you done so?

11 A nd 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.

And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, Behold, my son, who was born to me, seeks my life. With how much more reason now may this Benjamite do it? Let him alone; and let him curse, for the Lord has bidden him to do it.

12 I t may be that the Lord will look on mine affliction, and that the Lord will requite me good for his cursing this day.

It may be that the Lord will look on the iniquity done me and will recompense me with good for his cursing this day.

13 A nd 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 cast dust.

So David and his men went by the road, and Shimei went along on the hillside opposite David and cursed as he went and threw stones and dust at him.

14 A nd the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves there.

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

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

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

16 A nd it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the king, God save the king.

And when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came to Absalom, Hushai said to, Long live the king! Long live the king!

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

Absalom said to Hushai, Is this your kindness and loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?

18 A nd 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.

Hushai said to Absalom, No, for whom the Lord and this people and all the men of Israel choose, his will I be, and with him I will remain.

19 A nd 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.

And again, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? As I have served your father, so will I serve you.

20 T hen said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do.

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

21 A nd Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father’s concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong.

And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in to your father’s concubines whom he has left to keep the house; and all Israel will hear that you are abhorred by your father. Then the hands of all who are with you will be made strong.

22 S o 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.

So they spread for Absalom a tent on the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his father’s harem in the sight of all Israel.

23 A nd the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.

And the counsel of Ahithophel in those days was as if a man had consulted the word of God; so was all Ahithophel’s counsel considered both by David and by Absalom.