Dual Panel1When David <01732> had gone <05674> a short <04592> way beyond the summit <07218>, Ziba <06717> the servant <05288> of Mephibosheth <04648> was there to meet <07122> him. He had a couple <06776> of donkeys <02543> that were saddled <02280>, and on <05921> them were two hundred <03967> loaves of bread <03899>, a hundred <03967> raisin cakes <06778>, a hundred <03967> baskets of summer fruit <07019>, and a container <05035> of wine <03196>.
2The king <04428> asked <0559> Ziba <06717>, “Why <04100> did you bring these <0428> things?” Ziba <06717> replied <0559>, “The donkeys <02543> are for the king’s <04428> family <01004> to ride <07392> on, the loaves of bread <03899> and the summer fruit <07019> are for the attendants <05288> to eat <0398>, and the wine <03196> is for those who get exhausted <03287> in the desert <04057>.”
3The king <04428> asked <0559>, “Where <0346> is your master’s <0113> grandson <01121>?” Ziba <06717> replied <0559> to <0413> the king <04428>, “He remains in <03427> Jerusalem <03389>, for <03588> he said <0559>, ‘Today <03117> the house <01004> of Israel <03478> will give back <07725> to me my grandfather’s <01> kingdom <04468>.’”
4The king <04428> said <0559> to Ziba <06717>, “Everything <03605> that <0834> was Mephibosheth’s <04648> now belongs to you.” Ziba <06717> replied <0559>, “I bow <07812> before you. May I find <04672> favor <02580> in your sight <05869>, my lord <0113> the king <04428>.”
5Then King <04428> David <01732> reached <0935> Bahurim <0980>. There <08033> a man <0376> from Saul’s <07586> extended <03318> family <01004> <04940> named <08034> Shimei <08096> son <01121> of Gera <01617> came <03318> out <03318>, yelling curses <07043> as he approached.
6He threw <05619> stones <068> at David <01732> and all <03605> of King <04428> David’s <01732> servants <05650>, as well as all <03605> the people <05971> and the soldiers <01368> who were on his right <03225> and on his left <08040>.
7As <03541> he yelled <07043> curses, Shimei <08096> said <0559>, “Leave <03318>! Leave <03318>! You man <0376> of bloodshed <01818>, you wicked <01100> man <0376>!
8The Lord <03068> has punished <07725> you for all <03605> the spilled blood <01818> of the house <01004> of Saul <07586>, in whose <0834> place <08478> you rule <04427>. Now the Lord <03068> has given <05414> the kingdom <04410> into the hand <03027> of your son <01121> Absalom <053>. Disaster <07451> has overtaken you, for <03588> you <0859> are a man <0376> of bloodshed <01818>!”
9Then Abishai <052> son <01121> of Zeruiah <06870> said <0559> to <0413> the king <04428>, “Why <04100> should this <02088> dead <04191> dog <03611> curse <07043> my lord <0113> the king <04428>? Let <04994> me go over <05674> and cut off <05493> his head <07218>!”
10But the king <04428> said <0559>, “What <04100> do we have in common, you sons <01121> of Zeruiah <06870>? If <03588> he curses <07043> because <03588> the Lord <03068> has said <0559> to him, ‘Curse <07043> David <01732>!’, who <04310> can say <0559> to him, ‘Why <04069> have you done <06213> this <03651>?’”
11Then David <01732> said <0559> to <0413> Abishai <052> and to <0413> all <03605> his servants <05650>, “My own son <01121>, my very own flesh and blood <04578> <03318>, is trying <01245> to take my life <05315>. So also <0637> now <06258> this <03588> Benjaminite <01145>! Leave <03240> him alone so that he can curse <07043>, for <03588> the Lord <03068> has spoken <0559> to him.
12Perhaps <0194> the Lord <03068> will notice <07200> my affliction <05771> and this <02088> day <03117> grant <07725> me good <02896> in place <08478> of his curse <07045>.”
13So David <01732> and his men <0376> went <01980> on their way <01870>. But Shimei <08096> kept going <01980> along the side <06763> of the hill <02022> opposite <05980> him, yelling <01980> curses <07043> as he threw <05619> stones <068> and dirt <06083> at <05980> them.
14The king <04428> and all <03605> the people <05971> who <0834> were with <0854> him arrived <0935> exhausted <05889> at their destination, where <08033> David refreshed <05314> himself.
15Now when Absalom <053> and all <03605> the men <0376> <05971> of Israel <03478> arrived <0935> in Jerusalem <03389>, Ahithophel <0302> was with <0854> him.
16When <0834> David’s <01732> friend <07463> Hushai <02365> the Arkite <0757> came <0935> to <0413> Absalom <053>, Hushai <02365> said <0559> to <0413> him <053>, “Long live <02421> the king <04428>! Long live <02421> the king <04428>!”
17Absalom <053> said <0559> to <0413> Hushai <02365>, “Do you call this <02088> loyalty <02617> to <0854> your friend <07453>? Why <04100> didn’t <03808> you go <01980> with <0854> your friend <07453>?”
18Hushai <02365> replied <0559> to <0413> Absalom <053>, “No <03808>, I will be <01961> loyal <03427> to <0854> the one whom <0834> the Lord <03068>, these <02088> people <05971>, and all <03605> the men <0376> of Israel <03478> have chosen <0977>.
19Moreover <08145>, whom <04310> should I <0589> serve <05647>? Should it not <03808> be his son <01121>? Just as <0834> I served <05647> your father <01>, so <03651> I will serve <06440> you.”
20Then Absalom <053> said <0559> to <0413> Ahithophel <0302>, “Give <03051> us your advice <06098>. What <04100> should we do <06213>?”
21Ahithophel <0302> replied <0559> to <0413> Absalom <053>, “Have sex <0935> with <0413> your father’s <01> concubines <06370> whom <0834> he left <03240> to care <08104> for the palace <01004>. All <03605> Israel <03478> will hear <08085> that <03588> you have made yourself repulsive <0887> to your father <01>. Then your followers will be motivated <02388> to support <03027> you.”
22So they pitched <05186> a tent <0168> for Absalom <053> on <05921> the roof <01406>, and Absalom <053> had sex <0935> with <0413> his father’s <01> concubines <06370> in the sight <05869> of all <03605> Israel <03478>.
23In those <01992> days <03117> Ahithophel’s <0302> advice <06098> was considered <07592> as valuable as a prophetic <0430> revelation <01697>. Both <01571> David <01732> and <01571> Absalom <053> highly regarded the advice <06098> of Ahithophel <0302>.