1 And when David1732 was a little4592 past5674 the top4480 7218 of the hill, behold,2009 Ziba6717 the servant5288 of Mephibosheth4648 met7125 him, with a couple6776 of asses2543 saddled,2280 and upon5921 them two hundred3967 loaves of bread,3899 and a hundred3967 bunches of raisins,6778 and a hundred3967 of summer fruits,7019 and a bottle5035 of wine.3196

2 And the king4428 said559 unto413 Ziba,6717 What4100 meanest thou by these?428 And Ziba6717 said,559 The asses2543 be for the king's4428 household1004 to ride on;7392 and the bread3899 and summer fruit7019 for the young men5288 to eat;398 and the wine,3196 that such as be faint3287 in the wilderness4057 may drink.8354

3 And the king4428 said,559 And where346 is thy master's113 son?1121 And Ziba6717 said559 unto413 the king,4428 Behold,2009 he abideth3427 at Jerusalem:3389 for3588 he said,559 Today3117 shall the house1004 of Israel3478 restore7725 me853 the kingdom4468 of my father.1

4 Then said559 the king4428 to Ziba,6717 Behold,2009 thine are all3605 that834 pertained unto Mephibosheth.4648 And Ziba6717 said,559 I humbly beseech7812 thee that I may find4672 grace2580 in thy sight,5869 my lord,113 O king.4428

5 And when king4428 David1732 came935 to5704 Bahurim,980 behold,2009 thence4480 8033 came out3318 a man376 of the family4480 4940 of the house1004 of Saul,7586 whose name8034 was Shimei,8096 the son1121 of Gera:1617 he came forth,3318 and cursed7043 still as he came.3318

6 And he cast5619 stones68 at853 David,1732 and at all3605 the servants5650 of king4428 David:1732 and all3605 the people5971 and all3605 the mighty men1368 were on his right hand4480 3225 and on his left.4480 8040

7 And thus3541 said559 Shimei8096 when he cursed,7043 Come out,3318 come out,3318 thou bloody1818 man,376 and thou man376 of Belial: 1100

8 The LORD3068 hath returned7725 upon5921 thee all3605 the blood1818 of the house1004 of Saul,7586 in whose834 stead8478 thou hast reigned;4427 and the LORD3068 hath delivered5414 853 the kingdom4410 into the hand3027 of Absalom53 thy son:1121 and, behold,2009 thou art taken in thy mischief,7451 because3588 thou859 art a bloody1818 man.376

9 Then said559 Abishai52 the son1121 of Zeruiah6870 unto413 the king,4428 Why4100 should this2088 dead4191 dog3611 curse7043 853 my lord113 the king?4428 let me go over,5674 I pray thee,4994 and take off5493 853 his head.7218

10 And the king4428 said,559 What4100 have I to do with you, ye sons1121 of Zeruiah?6870 so3541 let him curse,7043 because3588 the LORD3068 hath said559 unto him, Curse7043 853 David.1732 Who4310 shall then say,559 Wherefore4069 hast thou done6213 so?3651

11 And David1732 said559 to413 Abishai,52 and to413 all3605 his servants,5650 Behold,2009 my son,1121 which834 came forth3318 of my bowels,4480 4578 seeketh1245 853 my life:5315 how much more637 3588 now6258 may this Benjamite1145 do it? let him alone,5117 and let him curse;7043 for3588 the LORD3068 hath bidden559 him.

12 It may be194 that the LORD3068 will look7200 on mine affliction,6040 and that the LORD3068 will requite7725 me good2896 for8478 his cursing7045 this2088 day.3117

13 And as David1732 and his men376 went1980 by the way,1870 Shimei8096 went along1980 on the hill's2022 side6763 over against5980 him, and cursed7043 as he went,1980 and threw5619 stones68 at5980 him, and cast6080 dust.6083

14 And the king,4428 and all3605 the people5971 that834 were with854 him, came935 weary,5889 and refreshed themselves5314 there.8033

15 And Absalom,53 and all3605 the people5971 the men376 of Israel,3478 came935 to Jerusalem,3389 and Ahithophel302 with854 him.

16 And it came to pass,1961 when834 Hushai2365 the Archite,757 David's1732 friend,7463 was come935 unto413 Absalom,53 that Hushai2365 said559 unto413 Absalom,53 God save2421 the king,4428 God save2421 the king.4428

17 And Absalom53 said559 to413 Hushai,2365 Is this2088 thy kindness2617 to853 thy friend?7453 why4100 wentest1980 thou not3808 with854 thy friend?7453

18 And Hushai2365 said559 unto413 Absalom,53 Nay;3808 but3588 whom834 the LORD,3068 and this2088 people,5971 and all3605 the men376 of Israel,3478 choose,977 his will I be,1961 and with854 him will I abide.3427

19 And again,8145 whom4310 should I589 serve?5647 should I not3808 serve in the presence6440 of his son?1121 as834 I have served5647 in thy father's1 presence,6440 so3651 will I be1961 in thy presence.6440

20 Then said559 Absalom53 to413 Ahithophel,302 Give3051 counsel6098 among you what4100 we shall do.6213

21 And Ahithophel302 said559 unto413 Absalom,53 Go935 in unto413 thy father's1 concubines,6370 which834 he hath left5117 to keep8104 the house;1004 and all3605 Israel3478 shall hear8085 that3588 thou art abhorred887 of854 thy father:1 then shall the hands3027 of all3605 that834 are with854 thee be strong.2388

22 So they spread5186 Absalom53 a tent168 upon5921 the top1406 of the house; and Absalom53 went935 in unto413 his father's1 concubines6370 in the sight5869 of all3605 Israel.3478

23 And the counsel6098 of Ahithophel,302 which834 he counseled3289 in those1992 days,3117 was as834 if a man376 had inquired7592 at the oracle1697 of God:430 so3651 was all3605 the counsel6098 of Ahithophel302 both1571 with David1732 and1571 with Absalom.53