1 N ow when David had passed a little beyond the summit, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him with a couple of saddled donkeys, and on them were two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred clusters of raisins, a hundred summer fruits, and a jug 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 T he king said to Ziba, “Why do you have these?” And Ziba said, “ The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride, and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine, for whoever is faint in the wilderness to 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 T hen the king said, “And where is your master’s son?” And Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will restore the kingdom of my father to me.’”

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 S o the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours.” And Ziba said, “I prostrate myself; let me find favor in your sight, O my lord, the king!” David Is Cursed

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 W hen King David came to Bahurim, behold, there came out from there a man of the family of the house of Saul whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera; he came out cursing continually 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 H e threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David; and all the people and all the mighty men were at his right hand and at 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 T hus Shimei said when he cursed, “Get out, get out, you man of bloodshed, and worthless fellow!

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

8 T he Lord has returned upon you all the bloodshed of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. And behold, you are taken in your own evil, for you are a man of bloodshed!”

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 Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over now and cut 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 B ut the king said, “ What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah? If he curses, and if the Lord has told him, ‘Curse David,’ then who shall say, ‘Why have you 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 T hen David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my son who came out from me seeks my life; how much more now this Benjamite? Let him alone and let him curse, for the Lord has told 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 P erhaps the Lord will look on my affliction and return good to me instead of 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 S o David and his men went on the way; and Shimei went along on the hillside parallel with him and as he went he cursed and cast stones and threw dust at him.

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 T he king and all the people who were with him arrived weary and he refreshed himself there. Absalom Enters Jerusalem

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

15 T hen Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, entered Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.

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

16 N ow it came about when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom, “ Long live the king! Long live 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 bsalom said to Hushai, “Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?”

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

18 T hen Hushai said to Absalom, “No! For whom the Lord, this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, his I will be, and with him I will remain.

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 B esides, whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son? As I have served in your father’s presence, so I will be in your 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 Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give your advice. What shall we do?”

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

21 A hithophel said to Absalom, “ Go in to your father’s concubines, whom he has left to keep the house; then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself odious to your father. The hands of all who are with you will also be strengthened.”

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 pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and Absalom went in to 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 T he advice of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if one inquired of the word of God; so was all the advice of Ahithophel regarded by both David and 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.