1When David had passed a little beyond the summit, there was Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, coming to meet him, with a pair of saddled donkeys, and on them two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred clusters of raisins, a hundred summer fruits, and a skin of wine.
2The king said to Ziba, “What are these to you?” Ziba said, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on, the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for whoever is faint in the wilderness to drink.”
3The king said, “And where is your master’s son?” Ziba said to the king, “Look, he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will restore to me the kingdom of my father.’”
4The king said to Ziba, “Look, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is now yours.” Ziba said, “I bow low; may I find favor in your eyes, my lord the king.”
5When King David came as far as Bahurim, there was a man coming out from there, from the clan of the house of Saul, and his name was Shimei son of Gera. He came out, cursing continually as he came.
6He threw stones at David and at all King David’s servants, though all the people and all the warriors were on his right and on his left.
7Thus Shimei said as he cursed: “Get out, get out, you man of bloodshed, you worthless man!
8Yahweh has brought back on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and Yahweh has given the kingship into the hand of Absalom your son. And here you are in your trouble, for you are a man of bloodshed!”
9Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me cross over and take off his head.”
10The king said, “What have I to do with you, sons of Zeruiah? If he curses, and if Yahweh has said to him, ‘Curse David,’ then who shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’”
11David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Look, my own son, who came out from my body, seeks my life; how much more now this Benjaminite! Leave him alone and let him curse, for Yahweh has told him to.
12Perhaps Yahweh will look on my affliction and Yahweh will repay me good in place of his cursing this day.”
13So David and his men went on the road, while Shimei kept going along the hillside opposite him, cursing as he went, and throwing stones opposite him and flinging dust.
14The king and all the people who were with him arrived weary, and he refreshed himself there.
15Now Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him.
16When Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”
17Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your loyal love to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?”
18Hushai said to Absalom, “No, but the one whom Yahweh and this people and all the men of Israel have chosen—his I will be, and with him I will remain.
19And besides, whom should I serve? Should it not be in the presence of his son? As I served in the presence of your father, so will I be before you.”
20Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give your counsel; what shall we do?”
21Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father’s concubines, whom he left to keep the house, and all Israel will hear that you have made yourself odious to your father, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.”
22So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.
23Now the counsel of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if a man inquired of the word of God; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel esteemed, both by David and by Absalom.
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