2 Samuel 16

New King James Version

Mephibosheth’s Servant

16 When^(A)David was a little past the topof the mountain,there was^(B)Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth, who met him with a couple of saddled donkeys, and on them two hundredloavesof bread, one hundred clusters of raisins, one hundred summer fruits, and a skin of wine.² And the king said to Ziba, “What do you mean to do with these?”

So Ziba said, “The donkeysarefor the king’s household to ride on, the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for^(C)those who are faint in the wilderness to drink.”

³ Then the king said, “And whereisyour^(D)master’s son?”

^(E)And Ziba said to the king, “Indeed 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, “Here, all thatbelongsto Mephiboshethisyours.”

And Ziba said, “I humbly bow before you,thatI may find favor in your sight, my lord, O king!”

Shimei Curses David

⁵ Now when King David came to^(F)Bahurim, there was a man from the family of the house of Saul, whose namewas^(G)Shimei the son of Gera, coming from there. He came out, cursing continuously as he came.⁶ And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David. And all the people and all the mighty menwereon his right hand and on his left.⁷ Also Shimei said thus when he cursed: “Come out! Come out! You^[a]bloodthirsty man,^(H)you^[b]rogue!⁸ TheLordhas^(I)brought upon you all^(J)the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and theLordhas delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son. So now youare caughtin your own evil, because you are a^[c]bloodthirsty man!”

⁹ Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this^(K)dead dog^(L)curse my lord the king? Please, let me go over and take off his head!”

¹⁰ But the king said,^(M)“What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? So let him curse, because^(N)theLordhas said to him, ‘Curse David.’^(O)Who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’ ”

¹¹ And David said to Abishai and all his servants, “See how^(P)my son who^(Q)came from my own body seeks my life. How much more nowmay thisBenjamite? Let him alone, and let him curse; for so theLordhas ordered him.¹² It may be that theLordwill look on^[d]my affliction, and that theLordwill^(R)repay me with^(S)good for his cursing this day.”¹³ And as David and his men went along the road, Shimei went along the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went, threw stones at him and^[e]kicked up dust.¹⁴ Now the king and all the people whowerewith him became weary; so they refreshed themselves there.

The Advice of Ahithophel

¹⁵ Meanwhile^(T)Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem; and Ahithophelwaswith him.¹⁶ And so it was, when Hushai the Archite,^(U)David’s friend, came to Absalom, that^(V)Hushai said to Absalom, “Longlive the king!Longlive the king!”

¹⁷ So Absalom said to Hushai, “Isthis your loyalty to your friend?^(W)Why did you not go with your friend?”

¹⁸ And Hushai said to Absalom, “No, but whom theLordand this people and all the men of Israel choose, his I will be, and with him I will remain.¹⁹ Furthermore,^(X)whom should I serve?Should Inotservein the presence of his son? As I have served in your father’s presence, so will I be in your presence.”

²⁰ Then Absalom said to^(Y)Ahithophel, “Give advice as to what we should do.”

²¹ And Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father’s^(Z)concubines, whom he has left to keep the house; and all Israel will hear that you^(AA)are abhorred by your father. Then^(AB)the hands of all who are with you will be strong.”²² So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines^(AC)in the sight of all Israel.

²³ Now the advice of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days,wasas if one had inquired at the oracle of God. Sowasall the advice of Ahithophel^(AD)both with David and with Absalom.