2 Samuel 16

New Life Version

David and Ziba

16 When David had gone a short way past the mountain top, Mephibosheth’s servant Ziba met him with two donkeys ready for traveling. On them were 200 loaves of bread, 100 vines of dried grapes, 100 summer fruits, and a bottle of wine. ² The king said to Ziba, “Why do you have these?” And Ziba said, “The donkeys are for those of the king’s house to travel on. The bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat. And the wine drink is for whoever is weak in the desert.” ³ Then the king said, “Where is your owner’s son?” And Ziba answered, “He is staying in Jerusalem. For he said, ‘Today the family of Israel will return to me the nation of my father.’” ⁴ So the king said to Ziba, “See, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours.” And Ziba said, “I bow down in honor to you. O my lord the king, let me find favor in your eyes!”

David and Shimei

⁵ When King David came to Bahurim, there came out a man of the family of Saul. His name was Shimei, the son of Gera. He did not stop speaking bad things as he came. ⁶ He threw stones at David, and at all the servants of King David. And all the people and all the strong men were at his right and at his left. ⁷ Shimei said as he said bad things, “Get out! Get out, you man of blood, you man of no worth! ⁸ The Lord has punished you for all the blood of the family of Saul, in whose place you have ruled! The Lord has given the nation to your son Absalom! Your trouble is upon you, because you are a man of blood!”

⁹ Zeruiah’s son Abishai said to the king, “Why should this dead dog speak against my lord the king? Let me go now and cut off his head.” ¹⁰ But the king said, “What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah? If he speaks against me, and if the Lord has told him, ‘Speak against David,’ then who should say, ‘Why have you done so?’” ¹¹ Then David said to Abishai and all his servants, “See, my own son wants to kill me. How much more now may this Benjamite? Let him alone and let him speak against me, for the Lord has told him. ¹² It may be that the Lord will look upon my trouble and return good to me instead of his bad words today.” ¹³ So David and his men went on the way. And Shimei went beside him on the hill. He spoke against David as he went, and threw stones and dust at him. ¹⁴ The king and all the people with him were tired when they came to the Jordan. There he rested and received new strength.

Absalom Goes to Jerusalem

¹⁵ Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came into Jerusalem. And Ahithophel was with him. ¹⁶ When David’s friend Hushai the Archite came to Absalom, Hushai said to him, “Long live the king! Long live the king!” ¹⁷ And Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your kindness to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?” ¹⁸ Hushai said to Absalom, “No! I will belong to whoever is chosen by the Lord, this people, and all the men of Israel. ¹⁹ And whom should I serve? Should I not serve his son? As I have served your father, so I will serve you.”

²⁰ Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give your wise words. What should we do?” ²¹ Ahithophel answered, “Go in to your father’s women, whom he has left to take care of the house. Then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself hated by your father. Then the hands of all who are with you will be made stronger.” ²² So they set up a tent for Absalom on the roof. And Absalom went in to his father’s women so that the eyes of all Israel could see. ²³ The words that Ahithophel spoke in those days were as if one had asked for the Word of God. Both David and Absalom thought of Ahithophel’s words in this way.