2 Samuel 16

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
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 had passed a little beyond the top of the mountain, Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, appeared to meet him, with two donkeys, which were burdened with two hundred loaves, and one hundred bunches of dried grapes, and one hundred masses of dried figs, and a skin 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 to Ziba, “What do you intend to do with these things?” And Ziba responded: “The donkeys are for the household of the king, so that they may sit. And the loaves and dried figs are for your servants to eat. But the wine is for anyone to drink who may be faint in the desert.”
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, “Where is the son of your lord?” And Ziba answered the king: “He remained in Jerusalem, saying, ‘Today, the house of Israel will restore the kingdom of my father to me.’ ”
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 And the king said to Ziba, “All the things which were for Mephibosheth are now yours.” And Ziba said, “I beg you that I may find grace before you, my lord the 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 Then king David went as far as Bahurim. And behold, a man from the kindred of the house of Saul, named Shimei, the son of Gera, went out from there. And going out, he continued on, and he was cursing,
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 throwing stones against David and against all the servants of king David. And all the people and all the warriors were traveling to the right and to the left sides of the king.
7 The words of his curse were these, 'Off with you, off with you, man of blood, scoundrel!	7 And so, as he was cursing the king, Shimei said: “Go away, go away, you man of blood, and you 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 has repaid you for all the blood of the house of Saul. For you have usurped the kingdom in place of him. And so, the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of Absalom, your son. And behold, your evils press close upon you, because you are a man of blood.”
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 Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, said to the king: “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go and cut 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 is it to me and to all of you, O sons of Zeruiah? Permit him, so that he may curse. For the Lord has commanded him to curse David. And who is the one who would dare to say, ‘Why has he 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 the king said to Abishai and to all his servants: “Behold, my son, who went forth from my loins, is seeking my life. How much more does a son of Benjamin do so now? Permit him, so that he may curse, in accord with the command of the Lord.
12 Perhaps Yahweh wil look on my wretchedness and wil repay me with good for his curses today.'	12 Perhaps the Lord may look with favor upon my affliction, and the Lord may repay me good, in place of the cursing of 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 so, David continued walking along the way, and his associates with him. But Shimei was advancing along the ridge of the mountain on the side opposite him, cursing and throwing stones at him, and scattering dirt.
14 The king and al the people who were with him arrived exhausted at . . . . . . and there they drewbreath.	14 And the king and the entire people with him, being weary, went and refreshed themselves there.
15 Absalom entered Jerusalem with al the men of Israel; with him was Ahithophel.	15 But Absalom and all his people entered into Jerusalem. Moreover, Ahithophel was 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 when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, had gone to Absalom, he said to him: “May you be well, O king! May you be well, O 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 him: “Is this your kindness to your friend? Why did you not go with your 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 responded to Absalom: “By no means! For I will be his, whom the Lord has chosen. And I, and all this people, and all of Israel, will remain with him.
19 Besides, whom should I serve, if not his son? As I served your father, so shal I serve you.'	19 But then too, I declare this: whom should I serve? Is it not the son of the king? Just as I have been subject to your father, so will I be subject to you also.”
20 Absalom said to Ahithophel, 'Think careful y. What shal we do?'	20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Present a counsel as to what we ought to 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 to Absalom: “Enter to the concubines of your father, whom he left behind in order to care for the house. Thus, when all of Israel will hear that you disgraced your father, their hands may be strengthened with you.”
22 So a tent was pitched for Absalom on the flat roof and, with al Israel watching, Absalom went to hisfather's concubines.	22 Therefore, they spread a tent for Absalom on the rooftop. And he entered to the concubines of his father 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 Now the counsel of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was treated as if one were consulting God. So was every counsel of Ahithophel, both when he was with David, and when he was with Absalom.