1And when David was a little past the top of the ascent , behold , Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him , with a couple of asses saddled , and upon them two hundred loaves of bread , and a hundred clusters of raisins , and a hundred of summer fruits , and a bottle of wine . 2And the king said unto Ziba , What meanest thou by these ? And Ziba said, The asses are for the king ’s household to ride on ; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat ; and the wine , that such as are faint in the wilderness may drink . 3And the king said, And where is thy master ’s son ? And Ziba said unto the king , Behold , he abideth at Jerusalem ; for he said, To-day will the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father . 4Then said the king to Ziba , Behold , thine is all that pertaineth unto Mephibosheth . And Ziba said, I do obeisance ; let me find favor in thy sight , my lord, O king . 5And when king David came to Bahurim, behold , there came out thence a man of the family of the house of Saul , whose name was Shimei , the son of Gera ; he came out , and cursed still as he came . 6And 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 . 7And thus said Shimei when he cursed , Begone, begone, thou man of blood , and base fellow: 8Jehovah hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul , in whose stead thou hast reigned ; and Jehovah hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son ; and , behold , thou art taken in thine own mischief , because thou art a man of blood . 9Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king , Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king ? let me go over , I pray thee , and take off his head . 10And the king said , What have I to do with you , ye sons of Zeruiah ? Because he curseth , and because Jehovah hath said unto him , Curse David ; who then shall say, Wherefore hast thou done so ? 11And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants , Behold , my son , who came forth from my bowels , seeketh my life : how much more may this Benjamite now do it ? let him alone , and let him curse ; for Jehovah hath bidden him . 12It may be that Jehovah will look on the wrong done unto me , and that Jehovah will requite me good for his cursing of me this day . 13So David and his men went by the way ; and Shimei went along on the hill-side over against him , and cursed as he went , and threw stones at him , and cast dust . 14And the king , and all the people that were with him , came weary ; and he refreshed himself there .
Ziba's Deception and David's Response
15And Absalom, and all the people , the men of Israel , came to Jerusalem , and Ahithophel with him . 16And it came to pass , when Hushai the Archite, David ’s friend , was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, Long live the king , Long live the king . 17And Absalom said to Hushai , Is this thy kindness to thy friend ? why wentest thou not with thy friend ? 18And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay ; but whom Jehovah , and this people , and all the men of Israel have chosen, his will I be , and with him will I abide . 19And again , whom should 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 . 20Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give your counsel what we shall do . 21And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father’s concubines , that he hath left to keep the house ; and all Israel will hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then will the hands of all that are with thee be strong . 22So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house ; and Absalom went in unto his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel . 23And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days , was as if a man inquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.