2 Samuel 16

1 And when David was passed a little beyond the top [of the mount], behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth came toward him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and a hundred bunches of raisins, and a hundred [cakes] of dried figs, and a bottle of wine.

And David passed on a little way from Ros; and, behold, Siba the servant of Memphibosthe [came] to meet him; and he had a couple of asses laden, and upon them two hundred loaves, and a hundred [bunches of] raisins, and a hundred [cakes of] dates, and bottle of wine.

2 And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou with these? And Ziba said, The asses are for the king's household to ride on; and the bread and the dried figs for the young men to eat; and the wine to drink for such as may be faint in the wilderness.

And the king said to Siba, What meanest you by these? and Siba, said, The asses [are] for the household of the king to sit upon, and the loaves and the dates [are] for the young men to eat, and the wine [is] for them that are faint in the wilderness to drink.

3 And the king said, And where is thy master's son? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he remaineth at Jerusalem; for he said, Today will the house of Israel restore unto me the kingdom of my father.

And the king said, And where [is] the son of your master? and Siba said to the king, Behold, he remains in Jerusalem; for he said, To-day shall the house of Israel restore to me the kingdom of my father.

4 Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine shall be all that pertaineth unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I prostrate myself; let me but find grace in thy eyes, my Lord, O king.

And the king said to Siba, Behold, all Memphibosthe's property [is] your. And Siba did obeisance and said, My lord, O king, let me find grace in your eyes.

5 And when King David came as far as Bachurim, behold, there came out thence a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shim'i, the son of Gera, coming forth, and cursing.

And king David came to Baurim; and, behold, there came out from thence a man of the family of the house of Saul, and his name [was] Semei the son of Gera. He came forth and cursed as he went,

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 and on his left.

and cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on the right and left hand of the king.

7 And thus said Shim'i as he cursed, Away, away, thou man of blood, and thou worthless man!

And thus Semei said when he cursed him, Go out, go out, you bloody man, and man of sin.

8 The Lord hath brought back upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou didst reign; and the Lord hath placed the kingdom into the hand of Abshalom thy son; and, behold, thou art now in thy misfortune, because a man of blood art thou.

The Lord has returned upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, because you have reigned in his stead; and the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of Abessalom your son: and, behold, you [are taken] in your mischief, because you [are] a bloody man.

9 Then said Abishai the son of Zeruyah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my Lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and remove his head.

And Abessa the son of Saruia said to the king, Why does this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over now and take off his head.

10 And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruyah? so let him curse; because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?

And the king said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Saruia? even let him alone, and so let him curse, for the Lord has told him to curse David: and who shall say, Why have you done thus?

11 And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, who hath come forth out of my own body, seeketh my life: how much more now this Benjamite? let him alone, and let him curse; for the Lord hath said it to him.

And David said to Abessa and to all his servants, Behold, my son who came forth out of my bowels seeks my life; still more now may the son of Benjamin: let him curse, because the Lord has told him.

12 Perhaps the Lord will look on my affliction, and the Lord will requite me good instead of his cursing this day.

If by any means the Lord may look on my affliction, thus shall he return me good for his cursing this day.

13 And David and his men went [thus] on the way. And Shim'i went on the side of the mount opposite to him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones toward him, and cast dust.

And David and all the men with him went on the way: and Semei went by the side of the hill next to him, cursing as he went, and casting stones at him, and sprinkling him with dirt.

14 And the king, and all the people that were with him, arrived weary, and refreshed themselves there.

And the king, and all the people with him, came away and refreshed themselves there.

15 And Abshalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Achithophel [also] with him.

And Abessalom and all the men of Israel went into Jerusalem, and Achitophel with him.

16 And it came to pass, when Chushai the Arkite, David's friend, was come unto Abshalom, that Chushai said unto Abshalom, Long live the king! Long live the king!

And it came to pass when Chusi the chief friend of David came to Abessalom, that Chusi said to Abessalom, Let the king live.

17 And Abshalom said to Chushai, Is this thy kindness for thy friend? why art thou not gone with thy friend?

And Abessalom said to Chusi, [Is] this your kindness to your friend? why went you not forth with your friend?

18 And Chushai said unto Abshalom, No; but whom the Lord, and this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, his will I be, and with him will I remain.

And Chusi said to Abessalom, Nay, but following whom the Lord, and this people, and all Israel have chosen, —his will I be, and with him I will dwell.

19 And secondly, who is it whom I shall serve? is it not in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy presence.

And again, whom shall I serve? should I not in the presence of his son? As I served in the sight of your father, so will I be in your presence.

20 Then said Abshalom to Achithophel, Hold counsel among yourselves as to what we shall do.

And Abessalom said to Achitophel, Deliberate among yourselves concerning what we should do.

21 And Achithophel said unto Abshalom, Go in unto thy father's concubines, whom he hath left to guard the house; and all Israel will hear that thou art in bad odor with thy father: and then will the hands of all that are with thee become strong.

And Achitophel said to Abessalom, Go in to your father's concubines, whom he left to keep his house; and all Israel shall hear that you have dishonored your father; and the hands of all that are with you shall be strengthened.

22 So they spread for Abshalom a tent upon the roof; and Abshalom went in unto his father's concubines before the eyes of all Israel.

And they pitched a tent for Abessalom on the roof, and Abessalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.

23 And the counsel of Achithophel, which he counseled in those days, was as if a man had asked advice of the word of God: so was all the counsel of Achithophel both with David and with Abshalom.

And the counsel of Achitophel, which he counselled in former days, [was] as if one should enquire of the word of God: so [was] all the counsel of Achitophel both to David and also to Abessalom.