2 Samuel 16

1 And David hath passed on a little from the top, and lo, Ziba, servant of Mephibosheth — to meet him, and a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves, and a hundred bunches of raisins, and a hundred [of] summer-fruit, and a bottle of wine.

After David had gone a little way past the top of the mountain, there was Ziba, Mephibosheth's servant, waiting to meet him. He had two donkeys already saddled with him carrying two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred raisin cakes, a hundred summer fruits, and a skin of wine.

2 And the king saith unto Ziba, 'What — these to thee?' and Ziba saith, 'The asses for the household of the king to ride on, and the bread and the summer-fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for the wearied to drink in the wilderness.'

“What did you bring these for?” David asked Ziba. Ziba replied, “The donkeys are for the king's family to ride on, the bread and summer fruit are for the men to eat, and the wine is for those to drink who get worn out in the wilderness.”

3 And the king saith, 'And where [is] the son of thy lord?' and Ziba saith unto the king, 'Lo, he is abiding in Jerusalem, for he said, To-day do the house of Israel give back to me the kingdom of my father.'

“Where is your master's grandson?” the king asked. Ziba answered, “He decided to stay in Jerusalem. He's saying, ‘Today the people of Israel will give me back my grandfather's kingdom.’”

4 And the king saith to Ziba, 'Lo, thine [are] all that Mephibosheth hath;' and Ziba saith, 'I have bowed myself — I find grace in thine eyes, my lord, O king.'

The king told Ziba, “I give you everything that belongs to Mephibosheth!” “I bow before you,” Ziba replied. “May you approve of me, Your Majesty.”

5 And king David hath come in unto Bahurim, and lo, thence a man is coming out, of the family of the house of Saul, and his name [is] Shimei, son of Gera, he cometh out, coming out and reviling;

As King David arrived at the town of Bahurim, a man from Saul's family was just leaving. His name was Shimei, son of Gera, and he was shouting out curses as he came.

6 and he stoneth David with stones, and all the servants of king David, and all the people, and all the mighty men on his right and on his left.

He threw stones at David and all the king's officers, even though the king's men and all his bodyguards surrounded David.

7 And thus said Shimei in his reviling, 'Go out, go out, O man of blood, and man of worthlessness!

“Get out of here, just get out, you murderer, you wicked man!” Shimei said as he cursed.

8 Jehovah hath turned back on thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned, and Jehovah doth give the kingdom in to the hand of Absalom thy son; and lo, thou [art] in thine evil, for a man of blood thou [art].'

“The Lord has paid you back for all of Saul's family that you killed, and for stealing Saul's throne. The Lord has given the kingdom to your son Absalom. Look how you've ended up in disaster because you're a murderer!”

9 And Abishai son of Zeruiah saith unto the king, 'Why doth this dead dog revile my lord the king? let me pass over, I pray thee, and I turn aside his head.'

Abishai, son of Zeruiah, asked the king, “Why should this dead dog curse Your Majesty? Let me go and cut off his head!”

10 And the king saith, 'What — to me and to you, O sons of Zeruiah? for — let him revile; even because Jehovah hath said to him, Revile David; and who saith, Wherefore hast Thou done so?'

“What's that got to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah?” the king replied. “If he's cursing me because the Lord told him to, then who can question what he's doing?”

11 And David saith unto Abishai, and unto all his servants, 'Lo, my son who came out of my bowels is seeking my life, and also surely now the Benjamite; leave him alone, and let him revile, for Jehovah hath said [so] to him;

David said to Abishai and to all his officers, “Look, if my very own son is trying to kill me, why shouldn't this Benjamite want to even more! Leave him alone; let him curse me, for the Lord told him to.

12 it may be Jehovah doth look on mine affliction, and Jehovah hath turned back to me good for his reviling this day.'

Perhaps the Lord will see how I'm suffering and will pay me back with good for his curses today.”

13 And David goeth with his men in the way, and Shimei is going at the side of the hill over-against him, going on, and he revileth, and stoneth with stones over-against him, and hath dusted with dust.

David and his men continued down the road, with Shimei keeping up with them on the hillside opposite. He went on cursing as he went along, throwing stones and dirt at David.

14 And the king cometh in, and all the people who [are] with him, wearied, and they are refreshed there.

The king and everyone with him were tired out when they arrived at the Jordan. David rested there.

15 And Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, have come in to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him,

In the meantime Absalom and all the Israelites with him arrived in Jerusalem, along with Ahithophel.

16 and it cometh to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, hath come unto Absalom, that Hushai saith unto Absalom, 'Let the king live! let the king live!'

Hushai the Arkite, David's friend, went to see Absalom and declared, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”

17 And Absalom saith unto Hushai, 'This thy kindness with thy friend! why hast thou not gone with thy friend?'

“Is this how you show loyalty to your friend?” Absalom asked. “Why didn't you leave with your friend?”

18 And Hushai saith unto Absalom, 'Nay, for he whom Jehovah hath chosen, and this people, even all the men of Israel, his I am, and with him I abide;

“Certainly not!” Hushai replied. “I'm on the side of the one chosen by the Lord, by the army, and by all the people of Israel. I will remain loyal to him.

19 and secondly, for whom do I labour? is it not before his son? as I served before thy father so am I before thee.'

In any case, why shouldn't I serve his son? In the same way I served your father I will serve you.”

20 And Absalom saith unto Ahithophel, 'Give for you counsel what we do.'

Then Absalom asked Ahithophel, “Give me your advice. What shall we do?”

21 And Ahithophel saith unto Absalom, 'Go in unto the concubines of thy father, whom he left to keep the house, and all Israel hath heard that thou hast been abhorred by thy father, and the hands of all who [are] with thee have been strong.'

Ahithophel told him, “Go and sleep with your father's concubines—the ones he left here to look after the palace. Then everyone in Israel will realize that you have so offended your father there's no turning back, which will encourage all your supporters.”

22 And they spread out for Absalom the tent on the roof, and Absalom goeth in unto the concubines of his father before the eyes of all Israel.

So they put up a tent on the palace roof and Absalom went in and had sex with his father's concubines in the full view of everyone.

23 And the counsel of Ahithophel which he counselled in those days [is] as [when] one inquireth at the word of God; so [is] all the counsel of Ahithophel both to David and to Absalom.

At that time Ahithophel's advice was like receiving messages from God himself. This was how both David and Absalom viewed Ahithophel's advice.