“1 And when David was a little past the top [of the hill], behold,
Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses
saddled, and upon them two hundred [loaves] of bread, and an hundred
bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of
wine. 2 And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And
Ziba said, The asses [be] for the king’s household to ride on; and the
bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such
as be faint in the wilderness may drink. 3 And the king said, And where
[is] thy master’s son? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth
at Jerusalem: for he said, To day shall the house of Israel restore me
the kingdom of my father. 4 Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine
[are] all that [pertained] unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I humbly
beseech thee [that] I may find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king.”
“5 And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man
of the family of the house of Saul, whose name [was] Shimei, the son of
Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he came. 6 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 And thus
said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and
thou man of Belial: 8 The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of
the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath
delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold,
thou [art taken] in thy mischief, because thou [art] a bloody man. 9
Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead
dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off
his head. 10 And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of
Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse
David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so? 11 And David
said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came
forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now [may this]
Benjamite [do it]? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath
bidden him. 12 It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and
that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day. 13 And as
David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill’s side
over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and
cast dust. 14 And the king, and all the people that [were] with him,
came weary, and refreshed themselves there.”
“15 And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to
Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. 16 And it came to pass, when Hushai
the Archite, David’s friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said
unto Absalom, God save the king, God save the king. 17 And Absalom said
to Hushai, [Is] this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not
with thy friend? 18 And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but whom the
LORD, and this people, and all the men of Israel, choose, his will I be,
and with him will I abide. 19 And again, whom should I serve? [should I]
not [serve] in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father’s
presence, so will I be in thy presence. 20 Then said Absalom to
Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do. 21 And Ahithophel
said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father’s concubines, which he hath
left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred
of thy father: then shall the hands of all that [are] with thee be
strong. 22 So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and
Absalom went in unto his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.
23 And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days,
[was] as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so [was] all the
counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.” (2 Samuel
16:1-23 AV)
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