Ziba, a False Servant

16 Now when David had gone on ^(A)a little beyond the summit, behold, ^(B)Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him ^(C)with a team of saddled donkeys, and on them were two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred cakes of raisins, a hundred summer fruits, and a jug of wine. ² And the king said to Ziba, “Why do you have these?” And Ziba said, “^(D)The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride, the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat, and the wine, ^(E)for whoever is weary in the wilderness to drink.” ³ Then the king said, “And where is ^(F)your master’s son?” And ^(G)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.’” ⁴ So the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours.” And Ziba said, “I prostrate myself; may I find favor in your sight, my lord, the king!”

David Is Cursed

⁵ When King David came to ^(H)Bahurim, behold, a man was coming out from there from the family of the house of Saul, and ^(I)his name was Shimei, the son of Gera; he was coming out, ^(J)cursing as he came. ⁶ He also threw stones at David and all the servants of King David; and all the people and all the warriors were on his right and on his left. ⁷ This is what Shimei said when he cursed: “Go away, go away, ^(K)you man of bloodshed and worthless man! ^8 (L)The Lord has brought back upon you all ^(M)the bloodshed of the house of Saul, in whose place you have become king; and the Lord has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. And behold, you are caught in your own evil, for you are a man of bloodshed!”

⁹ Then ^(N)Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should ^(O)this dead dog ^(P)curse my lord the king? Now let me go over and ^[a]cut off his head.” ¹⁰ But the king said, “^[b](Q)What business of mine is yours, you sons of Zeruiah? ^(R)If he curses, and if the Lord has told him, ‘Curse David,’ ^(S)then who should say, ‘Why have you done so?’” ¹¹ Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, ^(T)my son who came out of my own body seeks my life; how much more now this Benjaminite? Leave him alone and let him curse, ^(U)for the Lord has told him. ¹² Perhaps the Lord will look on my ^[c]misery and ^[d](V)return good to me instead of his cursing this day.” ¹³ So David and his men went on the road; and Shimei kept going on the hillside close beside him, and as he went he cursed and threw stones and dirt at him. ¹⁴ And the king and all the people who were with him arrived exhausted, and he refreshed himself there.

Absalom Enters Jerusalem

^15 (W)Then Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, entered Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. ¹⁶ Now it came about, when ^(X)Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came to Absalom, that ^(Y)Hushai said to Absalom, “^(Z)Long live the king! Long live the king!” ¹⁷ But Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your ^[e]loyalty to your friend? ^(AA)Why did you not go with your friend?” ¹⁸ So Hushai said to Absalom, “No! For whomever the Lord, this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, his I shall be, and with him I shall remain. ¹⁹ Besides, ^(AB)whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son? Just as I have served in your father’s presence, so I shall be in your presence.”

²⁰ Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give your advice. What should we do?” ²¹ Ahithophel said to Absalom, “^(AC)Have relations with your father’s concubines, whom he has left behind to take care of the house; then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself repulsive to your father. The hands of all who are with you will also be strengthened.” ²² So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, ^(AD)and Absalom had relations with his father’s concubines ^(AE)in the sight of all Israel. ²³ Now ^(AF)the advice of Ahithophel, which he ^[f]gave in those days, was taken as though one inquired of the word of God; ^(AG)so was all the advice of Ahithophel regarded by both David and Absalom.