2 Samuel Chapter 16

2 Samuel Chapter 16
1 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 cakes of bread, and an hundred
bunches of raisins, and an hundred of
dried figs, and a bottle of wine.
2 And the king said unto Ziba, What
meanest thou by these? And Ziba said,
They be asses for the king's household to
ride on, and bread and dried figs for the
young men to eat, and wine, that the faint
may drink in the wilderness. 3 And the
king said, But where is thy master's son?
Then Ziba answered the king, Behold, he
remaineth in Jerusalem: for he said, This
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 beseech
thee, let me 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, named
Shimei the son of Gera: and he came out,
and cursed.
6 And he cast stones at David, and at all
the servants of king David: and all the
people, and all the men of war were on
his right hand, and on his left. 7 And thus
said Shimei when he cursed, Come forth,
come forth thou murderer, and wicked
man.
8 The Lord hath brought 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 wickedness, because thou
art a murderer.
9 Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah
unto the king, Why doth this dead dog
curse my lord the king? Let me go, I pray
thee, and take away his head. 10 But the
king said, What have I to do with you, ye
sons of Zeruiah? For he curseth, even
because the Lord hath bidden him curse
David: who dare then say, Wherefore
hast thou done so?
11 And David said to Abishai, and to all
his servants, Behold, my son which
came out of mine own bowels, seeketh
my life: then how much more now may
this son of Jemini? Suffer him to curse:
for the Lord hath bidden him. 12 It may
be that the Lord will look on mine
affliction, and do me good for his
cursing this day.
13 And as David and his men went by
the way, Shimei went by the side of the
mountain over against him, and cursed as
he went, and threw stones against him,
and cast dust.
14 Then came the king and all the people
that were with him 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 when Hushai the Archite David's
friend was come unto Absalom, Hushai
said unto Absalom, God save the king,
God save the king. 17 Then Absalom
said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy
friend? Why wentest thou not with thy
friend?
18 Hushai then answered 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 dwell.
19 And moreover unto whom shall I do
service? Not to his son? As I served
before thy father, so will I before thee.
20 Then spake Absalom to Ahithophel,
Give counsel what we shall do. 21 And
Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go into
thy father's concubines, which he hath
left to keep the house: and when all
Israel shall hear, that thou art abhorred
of thy father, the hands of all that are
with thee, shall be strong. 22 So they
spread Absalom a tent upon the top of
the house, and Absalom went into his
father's concubines in the sight of all
Israel.
23 And the counsel of Ahithophel which
he counseled in those days, was like as
one had asked counsel at the oracle of
God: so was all the counsel of
Ahithophel both with David and with
Absalom.