2 Samuel 16

1 When David was a little past the top, look, Ziba the servant of Mippibaal met him, with a couple of donkeys saddled, and on them two hundred loaves of bread, and one hundred clusters of raisins, and one hundred summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.

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 a hundred bunches of raisins, and a hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.

2 The king said to Ziba, "What do you mean by these?" Ziba said, "The donkeys are 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 are faint in the wilderness may drink."

And the king said to Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses [are] 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 are faint in the wilderness may drink.

3 The king said, "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 me the kingdom of my father.'"

And the king said, And where [is] thy master's son? And Ziba said to the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, To-day shall the house of Israel restore to me the kingdom of my father.

4 Then the king said to Ziba, "Look, all that pertains to Mippibaal is yours." Ziba said, "I do obeisance. Let me find favor in your sight, my lord, O king."

Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine [are] all that [pertained] to Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I humbly beseech thee [that] I may find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king.

5 When king David came to Bahurim, look, a man of the family of the house of Saul came out, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera. He came out, and cursed still as he came.

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 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.

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 Shimei said when he cursed, "Be gone, be gone, you man of blood, and base fellow.

And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial:

8 The LORD has returned on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned. The LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son. Look, you are caught by your own mischief, because you are a man of blood."

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 Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please let me go over and take off his head."

Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah to 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 The king said, "What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Because he curses, and because the LORD has said to him, 'Curse David;' who then shall say, 'Why have you done so?'"

And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath said to him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Why hast thou done so?

11 David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, "Look, my son, who came forth from my bowels, seeks my life. How much more this Benjamite, now? Leave him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD has invited him.

And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, who came forth from my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now [may this] Benjaminite [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 my affliction and return good to me for his cursing today."

It may be that the LORD will look on my affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day.

13 So David and his men went by the way; and Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him, and cursed as he went, threw stones at his flank, and threw dirt.

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 The king, and all the people who were with him, arrived weary at the Jordan, and he refreshed himself there.

And the king, and all the people that [were] with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves there.

15 Absalom, and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.

And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.

16 It happened, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, had come to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom, "Long live the king. Long live the king."

And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, had come to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom, God save the king, God save the king.

17 Absalom said to Hushai, "Is this your kindness to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?"

And Absalom said to Hushai, [Is] this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend?

18 Hushai said to Absalom, "No; but whomever the LORD, and this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, his will I be, and with him I will stay.

And Hushai said to 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 Again, whom should I serve? Shouldn't I serve in the presence of his son? As I have served in your father's presence, so will I be in your presence."

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 Absalom said to Ahithophel, "Give your counsel what we shall do."

Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do.

21 Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Go in to your father's secondary wives, that he has left to keep the house. Then all Israel will hear that you are abhorred by your father. Then the hands of all who are with you will be strong."

And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in to thy father's concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred by thy father: then shall the hands of all that [are] with thee be strong.

22 So they spread Absalom a tent on the top of the house; and Absalom went in to his father's secondary wives in the sight of all Israel.

So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.

23 The counsel of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if a man inquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.

And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counseled in those days, [was] as if a man had inquired at the oracle of God: so [was] all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.