2 Samuel 16

NEW JERUSALEM	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 When David had passed a little beyond the summit, Meribbaal's retainer, Ziba, met him with a pair ofdonkeys, saddled and laden with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred bunches of raisins, a hundred of theseason's fruits, and a skin of wine.	1 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 an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.
2 The king said to Ziba, 'What are you going to do with that?' 'The donkeys', Ziba replied, 'are for theking's family to ride, the bread and the fruit for the soldiers to eat, the wine is for drinking by those who getexhausted in the desert.'	2 And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses be 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 be faint in the wilderness may drink.
3 The king asked 'And where is your master's son?' Ziba replied to the king, 'Why, he has stayed inJerusalem because, he says, "Today, the House of Israel wil give me back my father's kingdom." '	3 And the king said, And where is thy master's son? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, To day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.
4 Then the king said to Ziba, 'Everything owned by Meribbaal is yours.' Ziba said, 'I prostrate myself!May I be worthy of your favour, my lord king!'	4 Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that pertained unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I humbly beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king.
5 As David was reaching Bahurim, out came a man of the same clan as Saul's family. His name wasShimei son of Gera and, as he came, he uttered curse after curse	5 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 and threw stones at David and at al King David's retinue, even though the whole army and al thechampions formed an escort round the king on either side.	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 hand and on his left.
7 The words of his curse were these, 'Off with you, off with you, man of blood, scoundrel!	7 And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial:
8 Yahweh has paid you back for all the spilt blood of the House of Saul whose sovereignty you haveusurped; and Yahweh has transferred the sovereign power to Absalom your son. Now your wickedness hasovertaken you, man of blood that you are.'	8 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 Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, 'Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me goover and cut his head off.'	9 Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto 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 But the king replied, 'What concern is my business to you, sons of Zeruiah? Let him curse! If Yahwehhas said to him, "Curse David!" what right has anyone to say, "Why have you done so?" '	10 And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?
11 David said to Abishai and al his retinue, 'Why, the son sprung from my own body is now seeking mylife; al the more reason for this Benjaminite to do so! Let him curse on, if Yahweh has told him to!	11 And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him.
12 Perhaps Yahweh wil look on my wretchedness and wil repay me with good for his curses today.'	12 It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day.
13 So David and his men went on their way, and Shimei kept pace with him along the oppositemountainside, cursing as he went, throwing stones and flinging dust.	13 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 al the people who were with him arrived exhausted at . . . . . . and there they drewbreath.	14 And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves there.
15 Absalom entered Jerusalem with al the men of Israel; with him was Ahithophel.	15 And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.
16 When Hushai the Archite, David's friend, reached Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, 'Long live theking! Long live the king!'	16 And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the king, God save the king.
17 Absalom said to Hushai, 'Is this your faithful love for your friend? Why didn't you go away with yourfriend?'	17 And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend?
18 Hushai replied to Absalom, 'No, the man whom Yahweh and this people and al the men of Israelhave chosen, he is the man for me, and with him wil I stay!	18 And Hushai said 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 abide.
19 Besides, whom should I serve, if not his son? As I served your father, so shal I serve you.'	19 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 Absalom said to Ahithophel, 'Think careful y. What shal we do?'	20 Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do.
21 Ahithophel replied to Absalom, 'Go to your father's concubines whom he left to look after the palace;then al Israel wil hear that you have thoroughly antagonised your father, and the resolution of all yoursupporters wil be strengthened.'	21 And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father's concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong.
22 So a tent was pitched for Absalom on the flat roof and, with al Israel watching, Absalom went to hisfather's concubines.	22 So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.
23 At the time, whatever advice Ahithophel gave was treated like a decision obtained from God; as byDavid, so by Absalom, was al Ahithophel's advice regarded.	23 And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled 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.