2 Samuel 16
David and Ziba
1When David had gone a little beyond the summit of the Mount of Olives, Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth,
2“What are these for?” the king asked Ziba.Ziba replied, “The donkeys are for the king’s people to ride on, and the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat. The wine is for those who become exhausted in the wilderness.”
3“And where is Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson?” the king asked him.“He stayed in Jerusalem,” Ziba replied. “He said, ‘Today I will get back the kingdom of my grandfather Saul.’”
4“In that case,” the king told Ziba, “I give you everything Mephibosheth owns.”“I bow before you,” Ziba replied. “May I always be pleasing to you, my lord the king.”
Shimei Curses David 5As King David came to Bahurim, a man came out of the village cursing them. It was Shimei son of Gera, from the same clan as Saul’s family. 6He threw stones at the king and the king’s officers and all the mighty warriors who surrounded him. 7“Get out of here, you murderer, you scoundrel!” he shouted at David. 8“The LORD is paying you back for all the bloodshed in Saul’s clan. You stole his throne, and now the LORD has given it to your son Absalom. At last you will taste some of your own medicine, for you are a murderer!”
9“Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king?” Abishai son of Zeruiah demanded. “Let me go over and cut off his head!”
10“No!” the king said. “Who asked your opinion, you sons of Zeruiah! If the LORD has told him to curse me, who are you to stop him?”
11Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “My own son is trying to kill me. Doesn’t this relative of Saul
14The king and all who were with him grew weary along the way, so they rested when they reached the Jordan River.
Ahithophel Advises Absalom 15Meanwhile, Absalom and all the army of Israel arrived at Jerusalem, accompanied by Ahithophel. 16When David’s friend Hushai the Arkite arrived, he went immediately to see Absalom. “Long live the king!” he exclaimed. “Long live the king!”
17“Is this the way you treat your friend David?” Absalom asked him. “Why aren’t you with him?”
18“I’m here because I belong to the man who is chosen by the LORD and by all the men of Israel,” Hushai replied. 19“And anyway, why shouldn’t I serve you? Just as I was your father’s adviser, now I will be your adviser!”
20Then Absalom turned to Ahithophel and asked him, “What should I do next?”
21Ahithophel told him, “Go and sleep with your father’s concubines, for he has left them here to look after the palace. Then all Israel will know that you have insulted your father beyond hope of reconciliation, and they will throw their support to you.” 22So they set up a tent on the palace roof where everyone could see it, and Absalom went in and had sex with his father’s concubines.
23Absalom followed Ahithophel’s advice, just as David had done. For every word Ahithophel spoke seemed as wise as though it had come directly from the mouth of God.