1 A nd David hath passed on a little from the top, and lo, Ziba, servant of Mephibosheth -- to meet him, and a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves, and a hundred bunches of raisins, and a hundred summer-fruit, and a bottle of wine.

When David had gone a short way past the mountain top, Mephibosheth’s servant Ziba met him with two donkeys ready for traveling. On them were 200 loaves of bread, 100 vines of dried grapes, 100 summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.

2 A nd the king saith unto Ziba, `What -- these to thee?' and Ziba saith, `The asses for the household of the king to ride on, and the bread and the summer-fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for the wearied to drink in the wilderness.'

The king said to Ziba, “Why do you have these?” And Ziba said, “The donkeys are for those of the king’s house to travel on. The bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat. And the wine drink is for whoever is weak in the desert.”

3 A nd the king saith, `And where the son of thy lord?' and Ziba saith unto the king, `Lo, he is abiding in Jerusalem, for he said, To-day do the house of Israel give back to me the kingdom of my father.'

Then the king said, “Where is your owner’s son?” And Ziba answered, “He is staying in Jerusalem. For he said, ‘Today the family of Israel will return to me the nation of my father.’”

4 A nd the king saith to Ziba, `Lo, thine all that Mephibosheth hath;' and Ziba saith, `I have bowed myself -- I find grace in thine eyes, my lord, O king.'

So the king said to Ziba, “See, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours.” And Ziba said, “I bow down in honor to you. O my lord the king, let me find favor in your eyes!” David and Shimei

5 A nd king David hath come in unto Bahurim, and lo, thence a man is coming out, of the family of the house of Saul, and his name Shimei, son of Gera, he cometh out, coming out and reviling;

When King David came to Bahurim, there came out a man of the family of Saul. His name was Shimei, the son of Gera. He did not stop speaking bad things as he came.

6 a nd he stoneth David with stones, and all the servants of king David, and all the people, and all the mighty men on his right and on his left.

He threw stones at David, and at all the servants of King David. And all the people and all the strong men were at his right and at his left.

7 A nd thus said Shimei in his reviling, `Go out, go out, O man of blood, and man of worthlessness!

Shimei said as he said bad things, “Get out! Get out, you man of blood, you man of no worth!

8 J ehovah hath turned back on thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned, and Jehovah doth give the kingdom in to the hand of Absalom thy son; and lo, thou in thine evil, for a man of blood thou.'

The Lord has punished you for all the blood of the family of Saul, in whose place you have ruled! The Lord has given the nation to your son Absalom! Your trouble is upon you, because you are a man of blood!”

9 A nd Abishai son of Zeruiah saith unto the king, `Why doth this dead dog revile my lord the king? let me pass over, I pray thee, and I turn aside his head.'

Zeruiah’s son Abishai said to the king, “Why should this dead dog speak against my lord the king? Let me go now and cut off his head.”

10 A nd the king saith, `What -- to me and to you, O sons of Zeruiah? for -- let him revile; even because Jehovah hath said to him, Revile David; and who saith, Wherefore hast Thou done so?'

But the king said, “What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah? If he speaks against me, and if the Lord has told him, ‘Speak against David,’ then who should say, ‘Why have you done so?’”

11 A nd David saith unto Abishai, and unto all his servants, `Lo, my son who came out of my bowels is seeking my life, and also surely now the Benjamite; leave him alone, and let him revile, for Jehovah hath said to him;

Then David said to Abishai and all his servants, “See, my own son wants to kill me. How much more now may this Benjamite? Let him alone and let him speak against me, for the Lord has told him.

12 i t may be Jehovah doth look on mine affliction, and Jehovah hath turned back to me good for his reviling this day.'

It may be that the Lord will look upon my trouble and return good to me instead of his bad words today.”

13 A nd David goeth with his men in the way, and Shimei is going at the side of the hill over-against him, going on, and he revileth, and stoneth with stones over-against him, and hath dusted with dust.

So David and his men went on the way. And Shimei went beside him on the hill. He spoke against David as he went, and threw stones and dust at him.

14 A nd the king cometh in, and all the people who with him, wearied, and they are refreshed there.

The king and all the people with him were tired when they came to the Jordan. There he rested and received new strength. Absalom Goes to Jerusalem

15 A nd Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, have come in to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him,

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

16 a nd it cometh to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, hath come unto Absalom, that Hushai saith unto Absalom, `Let the king live! let the king live!'

When David’s friend Hushai the Archite came to Absalom, Hushai said to him, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”

17 A nd Absalom saith unto Hushai, `This thy kindness with thy friend! why hast thou not gone with thy friend?'

And Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your kindness to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?”

18 A nd Hushai saith unto Absalom, `Nay, for he whom Jehovah hath chosen, and this people, even all the men of Israel, his I am, and with him I abide;

Hushai said to Absalom, “No! I will belong to whoever is chosen by the Lord, this people, and all the men of Israel.

19 a nd secondly, for whom do I labour? is it not before his son? as I served before thy father so am I before thee.'

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

20 A nd Absalom saith unto Ahithophel, `Give for you counsel what we do.'

Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give your wise words. What should we do?”

21 A nd Ahithophel saith unto Absalom, `Go in unto the concubines of thy father, whom he left to keep the house, and all Israel hath heard that thou hast been abhorred by thy father, and the hands of all who with thee have been strong.'

Ahithophel answered, “Go in to your father’s women, whom he has left to take care of the house. Then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself hated by your father. Then the hands of all who are with you will be made stronger.”

22 A nd they spread out for Absalom the tent on the roof, and Absalom goeth in unto the concubines of his father before the eyes of all Israel.

So they set up a tent for Absalom on the roof. And Absalom went in to his father’s women so that the eyes of all Israel could see.

23 A nd the counsel of Ahithophel which he counselled in those days as one inquireth at the word of God; so all the counsel of Ahithophel both to David and to Absalom.

The words that Ahithophel spoke in those days were as if one had asked for the Word of God. Both David and Absalom thought of Ahithophel’s words in this way.