2 SamuelChapter 16
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1David went a little past the top of the hill. There Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, came to meet him. He had two donkeys with saddles on them. They were loaded with 200 loaves of bread and 100 bunches of raisins. They also carried 100 summer fruits and a skin bag full of wine. 2"Why did you bring these?" the king asked. Ziba answered, "The donkeys are for the king's family to ride. The bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat. The wine is to help those who get tired in the wilderness." 3"Where is your master's grandson?" the king asked. Ziba answered, "He is staying in Jerusalem. He said, 'Today the people of Israel will give back to me my grandfather's kingdom.'" 4So the king said to Ziba, "Everything that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours!" "I humbly bow before you," Ziba said. "May you always be pleased with me, my lord the king!" 5King David came near Bahurim. A man from Saul's family was just coming out of the town. His name was Shimei son of Gera. As he came near, he kept shouting curses. 6He threw stones at David and at all the king's servants. He did this even though the troops and all the mighty men were on David's right and left. 7As Shimei shouted curses, he said, "Get out, get out, you worthless murderer! 8The LORD has paid you back for all the blood you spilled from Saul's family. You took Saul's place as king. Now the LORD has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. Look, you are ruined, because you are a murderer!" 9Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over there and cut off his head!" 10But the king said, "You sons of Zeruiah, this is none of your business! He may be cursing me because the LORD told him, 'Curse David.' If so, who can ask him, 'Why are you doing this?'" 11Then David said to Abishai and all his servants, "Look, my own son, my own flesh and blood, is trying to kill me. So this man from Benjamin has even more reason to do it! Leave him alone. Let him curse me. The LORD has told him to. 12Maybe the LORD will see my trouble. Maybe he will give me good things in return for the curses I hear today." 13So David and his men kept going along the road. Shimei walked along the hillside across from him. As he went, he shouted curses. He threw stones and tossed dirt at David. 14At last the king and all the people with him arrived. They were worn out. There David rested and got his strength back. 15Then Absalom and all the men of Israel came to Jerusalem. Ahithophel was with him. 16David's friend Hushai the Archite went to Absalom. He said to him, "Long live the king! Long live the king!" 17Absalom answered, "Is this how loyal you are to your friend? Why didn't you go with your friend?" 18"No," Hushai answered. "I belong to the one chosen by the LORD, by these people, and by all the men of Israel. I will stay with him. 19Besides, who should I serve? Shouldn't I serve his son? I served your father. In the same way, I will serve you." 20Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, "Give us your advice. What should we do?" 21Ahithophel answered, "Sleep with your father's concubines. He left them to take care of the palace. Then all Israel will hear that you have made your father hate you. And all who are with you will grow bolder." 22So they set up a tent for Absalom on the roof. And he slept with his father's concubines while all Israel watched. 23In those days people trusted Ahithophel's advice like a word from God. That is how both David and Absalom thought of all of Ahithophel's advice.