1And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.
2And the king said unto Ziba, What mean you 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.
3And the king said, And where is your master's son? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abides at Jerusalem: for he said, To day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.
4Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, yours are all that pertained unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I humbly plead to you that I may find grace in your sight, my lord, O king.
5And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he came.
8The LORD has returned upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose position you have reigned; and the LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son: and, behold, you are taken in your mischief, because you are a bloody man.
9Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray you, and take off his head.
10And the king said, What have I to do with you, all of you sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD has said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore have you done so?
11And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came out of my bowels, seeks my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD has bidden him.
13And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill's side opposite to him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust.
16And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the king, God save the king.
19And again, whom should I serve? should I not serve in the presence of his son? as I have served in your father's presence, so will I be in your presence.
21And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto your father's concubines, which he has left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that you are abhorred of your father: then shall the hands of all that are with you be strong.
23And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.
