The Holy Bible: King James Version. 2000.
The SecondBook of Samuel
Otherwise Called, The Second Book of the Kings
Book of Samuel 16
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And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephib’osheth met him, 2 Sam. 9.9, 10 with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and a hundred bunches of raisins, and a hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine. |
2 |
And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses be 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 be faint in the wilderness may drink. |
3 |
And the king said, And where is thy master’s son? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, Today shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father. |
4 |
Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that pertained unto Mephib’osheth. And Ziba said, I humbly beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king. |
5 |
¶ And when king David came to Bahu’rim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shim’e-i, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he came. |
6 |
And 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. |
7 |
And thus said Shim’e-i when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Be’li-al. |
8 |
The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Ab’salom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man. |
9 |
¶ Then said Ab’ishai the son of Zeru-i’ah 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. |
10 |
And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeru-i’ah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so? |
11 |
And David said to Ab’ishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him. |
12 |
It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day. |
13 |
And as David and his men went by the way, Shim’e-i went along on the hillside over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust. |
14 |
And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves there. |
15 |
¶ And Ab’salom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahith’ophel with him. |
16 |
And it came to pass, when Hu’shai the Archite, David’s friend, was come unto Ab’salom, that Hu’shai said unto Ab’salom, God save the king, God save the king. |
17 |
And Ab’salom said to Hu’shai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend? |
18 |
And Hu’shai said unto Ab’salom, Nay; but whom the LORD, and this people, and all the men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide. |
19 |
And 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. |
20 |
¶ Then said Ab’salom to Ahith’ophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do. |
21 |
And Ahith’ophel said unto Ab’salom, Go in unto thy father’s concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong. |
22 |
So they spread Ab’salom a tent upon the top of the house; and Ab’salom went in unto his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel. 2 Sam. 12.11, 12 |
23 |
And the counsel of Ahith’ophel, which he counseled in those days, was as if a man had inquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahith’ophel both with David and with Ab’salom. |
Published by The American Bible Society
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