David and Ziba

(Psalm 63:1-11)

1And David hath passed on a little from the top, and lo, Ziba, servant of Mephibosheth — to meet him, and a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves, and a hundred bunches of raisins, and a hundred [of] summer-fruit, and a bottle of wine. 2And the king saith unto Ziba, ‘What — these to thee?’ and Ziba saith, ‘The asses for the household of the king to ride on, and the bread and the summer-fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for the wearied to drink in the wilderness.’ 3And the king saith, ‘And where [is] the son of thy lord?’ and Ziba saith unto the king, ‘Lo, he is abiding in Jerusalem, for he said, To-day do the house of Israel give back to me the kingdom of my father.’ 4And the king saith to Ziba, ‘Lo, thine [are] all that Mephibosheth hath;’ and Ziba saith, ‘I have bowed myself — I find grace in thine eyes, my lord, O king.’

Shimei Curses David

5And king David hath come in unto Bahurim, and lo, thence a man is coming out, of the family of the house of Saul, and his name [is] Shimei, son of Gera, he cometh out, coming out and reviling; 6and he stoneth David with stones, and all the servants of king David, and all the people, and all the mighty men on his right and on his left. 7And thus said Shimei in his reviling, ‘Go out, go out, O man of blood, and man of worthlessness! 8Jehovah hath turned back on thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned, and Jehovah doth give the kingdom in to the hand of Absalom thy son; and lo, thou [art] in thine evil, for a man of blood thou [art].’

9And Abishai son of Zeruiah saith unto the king, ‘Why doth this dead dog revile my lord the king? let me pass over, I pray thee, and I turn aside his head.’ 10And the king saith, ‘What — to me and to you, O sons of Zeruiah? for — let him revile; even because Jehovah hath said to him, Revile David; and who saith, Wherefore hast Thou done so?’ 11And David saith unto Abishai, and unto all his servants, ‘Lo, my son who came out of my bowels is seeking my life, and also surely now the Benjamite; leave him alone, and let him revile, for Jehovah hath said [so] to him; 12it may be Jehovah doth look on mine affliction, and Jehovah hath turned back to me good for his reviling this day.’ 13And David goeth with his men in the way, and Shimei is going at the side of the hill over-against him, going on, and he revileth, and stoneth with stones over-against him, and hath dusted with dust. 14And the king cometh in, and all the people who [are] with him, wearied, and they are refreshed there.

The Counsel of Ahithophel and Hushai

15And Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, have come in to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him, 16and it cometh to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, hath come unto Absalom, that Hushai saith unto Absalom, ‘Let the king live! let the king live!’ 17And Absalom saith unto Hushai, ‘This thy kindness with thy friend! why hast thou not gone with thy friend?’ 18And Hushai saith unto Absalom, ‘Nay, for he whom Jehovah hath chosen, and this people, even all the men of Israel, his I am, and with him I abide; 19and secondly, for whom do I labour? is it not before his son? as I served before thy father so am I before thee.’

20And Absalom saith unto Ahithophel, ‘Give for you counsel what we do.’ 21And Ahithophel saith unto Absalom, ‘Go in unto the concubines of thy father, whom he left to keep the house, and all Israel hath heard that thou hast been abhorred by thy father, and the hands of all who [are] with thee have been strong.’ 22And they spread out for Absalom the tent on the roof, and Absalom goeth in unto the concubines of his father before the eyes of all Israel. 23And the counsel of Ahithophel which he counselled in those days [is] as [when] one inquireth at the word of God; so [is] all the counsel of Ahithophel both to David and to Absalom.