Ziba Meets David With Provisions
Ziba meets the fleeing king with supplies and a slander against Mephibosheth. Shimei walks the ridge cursing and throwing stones; David forbids Abishai to kill him, saying our Father may have told him to. In Jerusalem, Absalom takes his father's concubines on the roof, as Ahithophel advised.
16 1When David had passed a little beyond the summit, Ziba, Mephibosheth's servant, met him with a pair of saddled donkeys carrying 200 loaves, one hundred raisin clusters, one hundred summer fruits, and a skin of wine. 2The king asked Ziba, "Why have you brought these?" Ziba said, "The donkeys for the king's household to ride, the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, the wine for whoever grows faint in the wilderness to drink."
3The king asked, "Where is your master's son?" Ziba answered, "He is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, 'Today the house of Israel will return my father's kingdom to me.'"
4The king told Ziba, "Everything Mephibosheth owned is now yours." Ziba said, "I bow before you. May I find favor with you, my lord the king."
Shimei Curses the Fleeing King
5When King David reached Bahurim, a man from Saul's family, Shimei son of Gera, came out cursing continually. 6He threw stones at David and all King David's servants, while all the people and all the mighty warriors were on his right and left. 7As he cursed, Shimei said: "Get out, get out, you man of bloodshed, you worthless man! 8Our Father has returned on you all the blood of Saul's house, in whose place you reigned, and our Father has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. Now you are caught in your own evil, for you are a man of blood." a a v8 Even cursing, Shimei can only appeal to the Father — yet he paints him as a cold avenger, the lie about the Father's heart that David's quiet trust answers.
9Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why let this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head." 10But the king said, "What does this concern you, sons of Zeruiah? If he curses because our Father told him, 'Curse David,' who can ask, 'Why have you done this?'"
11David told Abishai and all his servants, "My own son, from my own body, wants to kill me; how much more this Benjamite! Leave him, let him curse, for our Father told him to. 12Maybe our Father will see my misery and repay me good for today's cursing. 13David and his men went on along the road, while Shimei kept pace on the hillside opposite, cursing as he went, throwing stones at him and flinging dust." 14The king and all the people with him arrived weary, and there he refreshed himself.
Absalom Enters Jerusalem and Receives Counsel
15Meanwhile Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him. 16When Hushai the Archite, David's friend, came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, "Long live the king! Long live the king!"
17Absalom asked Hushai, "Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why didn't you go with your friend?"
18Hushai said to Absalom, "No; the one our Father and this people and all Israel's men have chosen—I'll be his, and stay with him. 19Besides, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? As I served your father, I'll serve you."
20Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, "Give us your counsel. What should we do?"
21Ahithophel told Absalom, "Sleep with your father's concubines, whom he left to keep the house. Then all Israel will hear you've made yourself reek to your father, and everyone with you will be strengthened."
22So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father's concubines before all Israel.
23Back then Ahithophel's counsel was like consulting our Father directly; both David and Absalom regarded all his counsel that way.
