2 Samuel 16

2 Samuel Chapter 16 KJV

1Ziba by presents and false suggestions obtaineth his master's inheritance. 5Shimei curseth David at Bahurim. 9David's patience and forbearance. 15Hushai insinuateth himself into Absalom's counsels. 20By Ahithophel's counsel Absalom openly goeth in to his father's concubines.
1 And when David was a little past 1the top of the hill, behold, 2Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, 3with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred 4bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.
2 And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses be for the king's household to 1ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the 2young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be 3faint in the wilderness may drink.
3 And the king said, And 1where is thy master's son? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for 2he said, To day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.
4 Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, 1thine are all that pertained unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, aI humbly beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king.
5 ¶ And when king David came to 1Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was 2Shimei, the son of Gera: ahe came forth, and 3cursed still as he came.
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 And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou abloody man, and thou 1man of Belial:
8 The Lord hath 1returned upon thee 2all 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, abehold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man.
9 ¶ Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this 1dead dog curse my lord the king? 2let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head.
10 And the king said, 1What have I to do with you, 2ye sons of Zeruiah? 3so let him curse, because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David. 4Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?
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 1It may be that the Lord will 2look on mine aaffliction, and that the Lord will 3requite me good for his cursing this day.
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 acast dust.
14 And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves 1there.
15 ¶ And 1Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.
16 And it came to pass, when Hushai the 1Archite, David's friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, aGod save the king, God save the king.
17 And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to 1thy friend? 2why wentest thou not with thy friend?
18 And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but 1whom the Lord, and this people, and all the men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide.
19 And again, whom 1should 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 said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give 1counsel among you what we shall do.
21 And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, 1Go in unto thy father's concubines, which he hath 2left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall 3the hands of all that are with thee be strong.
22 So they spread Absalom a tent upon 1the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.
23 And the 1counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the aoracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel 2both with David and with Absalom.
2 Samuel 16