1 And when David{H1732} was a little{H4592} past{H5674}{(H8804)} the top{H7218} of the hill, behold, Ziba{H6717} the servant{H5288} of Mephibosheth{H4648} met{H7125}{(H8800)} him, with a couple{H6776} of asses{H2543} saddled{H2280}{(H8803)}, and upon them two hundred{H3967} loaves of bread{H3899}, and an hundred{H3967} bunches of raisins{H6778}, and an hundred{H3967} of summer fruits{H7019}, and a bottle{H5035} of wine{H3196}.

2 And the king{H4428} said{H559}{(H8799)} unto Ziba{H6717}, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba{H6717} said{H559}{(H8799)}, The asses{H2543} be for the king's{H4428} household{H1004} to ride on{H7392}{(H8800)}; and the bread{H3899} and summer fruit{H7019} for the young men{H5288} to eat{H398}{(H8800)}; and the wine{H3196}, that such as be faint{H3287} in the wilderness{H4057} may drink{H8354}{(H8800)}.

3 And the king{H4428} said{H559}{(H8799)}, And where is thy master's{H113} son{H1121}? And Ziba{H6717} said{H559}{(H8799)} unto the king{H4428}, Behold, he abideth{H3427}{(H8802)} at Jerusalem{H3389}: for he said{H559}{(H8804)}, To day{H3117} shall the house{H1004} of Israel{H3478} restore{H7725}{(H8686)} me the kingdom{H4468} of my father{H1}.

4 Then said{H559}{(H8799)} the king{H4428} to Ziba{H6717}, Behold, thine are all that pertained unto Mephibosheth{H4648}. And Ziba{H6717} said{H559}{(H8799)}, I humbly{H7812}{(H8694)} beseech thee that I may find{H4672}{(H8799)} grace{H2580} in thy sight{H5869}, my lord{H113}, O king{H4428}.

5 And when king{H4428} David{H1732} came{H935}{(H8804)} to Bahurim{H980}, behold, thence came out{H3318}{(H8802)} a man{H376} of the family{H4940} of the house{H1004} of Saul{H7586}, whose name{H8034} was Shimei{H8096}, the son{H1121} of Gera{H1617}: he came forth{H3318}{(H8802)}, and cursed{H7043}{(H8764)} still as he came{H3318}{(H8800)}.

6 And he cast{H5619}{(H8762)} stones{H68} at David{H1732}, and at all the servants{H5650} of king{H4428} David{H1732}: and all the people{H5971} and all the mighty men{H1368} were on his right hand{H3225} and on his left{H8040}.

7 And thus said{H559}{(H8804)} Shimei{H8096} when he cursed{H7043}{(H8763)}, Come out{H3318}{(H8798)}, come out{H3318}{(H8798)}, thou bloody{H1818} man{H376}, and thou man{H376} of Belial{H1100}:

8 The LORD{H3068} hath returned{H7725}{(H8689)} upon thee all the blood{H1818} of the house{H1004} of Saul{H7586}, in whose stead thou hast reigned{H4427}{(H8804)}; and the LORD{H3068} hath delivered{H5414}{(H8799)} the kingdom{H4410} into the hand{H3027} of Absalom{H53} thy son{H1121}: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief{H7451}, because thou art a bloody{H1818} man{H376}.

9 Then said{H559}{(H8799)} Abishai{H52} the son{H1121} of Zeruiah{H6870} unto the king{H4428}, Why should this dead{H4191}{(H8801)} dog{H3611} curse{H7043}{(H8762)} my lord{H113} the king{H4428}? let me go over{H5674}{(H8799)}, I pray thee, and take off{H5493}{(H8686)} his head{H7218}.

10 And the king{H4428} said{H559}{(H8799)}, What have I to do with you, ye sons{H1121} of Zeruiah{H6870}? so let him curse{H7043}{(H8762)}, because the LORD{H3068} hath said{H559}{(H8804)} unto him, Curse{H7043}{(H8761)} David{H1732}. Who shall then say{H559}{(H8799)}, Wherefore hast thou done so{H6213}{(H8804)}?

11 And David{H1732} said{H559}{(H8799)} to Abishai{H52}, and to all his servants{H5650}, Behold, my son{H1121}, which came forth{H3318}{(H8804)} of my bowels{H4578}, seeketh{H1245}{(H8764)} my life{H5315}: how much more now may this Benjamite{H1145} do it? let him alone{H3240}{(H8685)}, and let him curse{H7043}{(H8762)}; for the LORD{H3068} hath bidden{H559}{(H8804)} him.

12 It may be that the LORD{H3068} will look{H7200}{(H8799)} on mine affliction{H5869}{(H8675)}{H6040}, and that the LORD{H3068} will requite{H7725}{(H8689)} me good{H2896} for his cursing{H7045} this day{H3117}.

13 And as David{H1732} and his men{H582} went{H3212}{(H8799)} by the way{H1870}, Shimei{H8096} went along{H1980}{(H8802)} on the hill's{H2022} side{H6763} over against{H5980} him, and cursed{H7043}{(H8762)} as he went{H1980}{(H8800)}, and threw{H5619}{(H8762)} stones{H68} at{H5980} him, and cast{H6080}{(H8765)} dust{H6083}.

14 And the king{H4428}, and all the people{H5971} that were with him, came{H935}{(H8799)} weary{H5889}, and refreshed{H5314}{(H8735)} themselves there.

15 And Absalom{H53}, and all the people{H5971} the men{H376} of Israel{H3478}, came{H935}{(H8804)} to Jerusalem{H3389}, and Ahithophel{H302} with him.

16 And it came to pass, when Hushai{H2365} the Archite{H757}, David's{H1732} friend{H7463}, was come{H935}{(H8804)} unto Absalom{H53}, that Hushai{H2365} said{H559}{(H8799)} unto Absalom{H53}, God save{H2421}{(H8799)} the king{H4428}, God save{H2421}{(H8799)} the king{H4428}.

17 And Absalom{H53} said{H559}{(H8799)} to Hushai{H2365}, Is this thy kindness{H2617} to thy friend{H7453}? why wentest{H1980}{(H8804)} thou not with thy friend{H7453}?

18 And Hushai{H2365} said{H559}{(H8799)} unto Absalom{H53}, Nay; but whom the LORD{H3068}, and this people{H5971}, and all the men{H376} of Israel{H3478}, choose{H977}{(H8804)}, his will I be, and with him will I abide{H3427}{(H8799)}.

19 And again{H8145}, whom should I serve{H5647}{(H8799)}? should I not serve in the presence{H6440} of his son{H1121}? as I have served{H5647}{(H8804)} in thy father's{H1} presence{H6440}, so will I be in thy presence{H6440}.

20 Then said{H559}{(H8799)} Absalom{H53} to Ahithophel{H302}, Give{H3051}{(H8798)} counsel{H6098} among you what we shall do{H6213}{(H8799)}.

21 And Ahithophel{H302} said{H559}{(H8799)} unto Absalom{H53}, Go in{H935}{(H8798)} unto thy father's{H1} concubines{H6370}, which he hath left{H3240}{(H8689)} to keep{H8104}{(H8800)} the house{H1004}; and all Israel{H3478} shall hear{H8085}{(H8804)} that thou art abhorred{H887}{(H8738)} of thy father{H1}: then shall the hands{H3027} of all that are with thee be strong{H2388}{(H8804)}.

22 So they spread{H5186}{(H8686)} Absalom{H53} a tent{H168} upon the top of the house{H1406}; and Absalom{H53} went in{H935}{(H8799)} unto his father's{H1} concubines{H6370} in the sight{H5869} of all Israel{H3478}.

23 And the counsel{H6098} of Ahithophel{H302}, which he counselled{H3289}{(H8804)} in those days{H3117}, was as if a man{H376} had enquired{H7592}{(H8799)} at the oracle{H1697} of God{H430}: so was all the counsel{H6098} of Ahithophel{H302} both with David{H1732} and with Absalom{H53}.