2 Samuel 16
16
David and Ziba. 1David went a little beyond the top and Ziba, the servant of Meribbaal, was there to meet him with saddled donkeys laden with two hundred loaves of bread, an ephah of cakes of pressed raisins, an ephah of summer fruits, and a skin of wine.#2 Sm 4:4; 9:1–13; 19:18, 25. 2The king said to Ziba, “What are you doing with all this?” Ziba replied: “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on. The bread and summer fruits are for your servants to eat, and the wine to drink when they grow weary in the wilderness.” 3Then the king said, “And where is your lord’s son?” Ziba answered the king, “He is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will restore to me my father’s kingdom.’”#2 Sm 19:26–27. 4The king therefore said to Ziba, “So! Everything Meribbaal had is yours.” Then Ziba said: “I pay you homage, my lord the king. May I find favor with you!”#2 Sm 19:30.
David and Shimei. 5As King David was approaching Bahurim, there was a man coming out; he was of the same clan as the house of Saul, and his name was Shimei, son of Gera. He kept cursing as he came out,#2 Sm 3:16; 19:17, 22–23; 1 Kgs 2:8. 6and throwing stones at David and at all King David’s officers, even though all the soldiers, including the royal guard, were on David’s right and on his left. 7Shimei was saying as he cursed: “Get out! Get out! You man of blood, you scoundrel! 8The Lord has paid you back for all the blood shed from the family of Saul,#Blood shed…Saul: probably refers to the episode recounted in 21:1–14. whom you replaced as king, and the Lord has handed over the kingdom to your son Absalom. And now look at you: you suffer ruin because you are a man of blood.” 9Abishai, son of Zeruiah, said to the king: “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head.”#2 Sm 19:22; 1 Sm 24:15; 26:6. 10But the king replied: “What business is it of mine or of yours, sons of Zeruiah, that he curses? Suppose the Lord has told him to curse David; who then will dare to say, ‘Why are you doing this?’”#2 Sm 15:25–26; 19:23. 11Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants: “If my own son, who came forth from my loins, is seeking my life, how much more might this Benjaminite do so! Let him alone and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to.#2 Sm 12:11. 12Perhaps the Lord will look upon my affliction and repay me with good for the curses he is uttering this day.” 13David and his men continued on the road, while Shimei kept up with them on the hillside, all the while cursing and throwing stones and dirt as he went.#2 Sm 19:19–24. 14The king and all the soldiers with him arrived at the Jordan tired out, and stopped there to rest.
Absalom’s Counselors. 15In the meantime Absalom, with all the Israelites, entered Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him. 16When David’s friend Hushai the Archite came to Absalom, he said to him: “Long live the king! Long live the king!”#2 Sm 15:32–37. 17But Absalom asked Hushai: “Is this your devotion to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?” 18Hushai replied to Absalom: “On the contrary, I am his whom the Lord and all this people and all Israel have chosen, and with him I will stay. 19Furthermore, as I was in attendance upon your father, so will I be before you. Whom should I serve, if not his son?”#2 Sm 15:34.
20Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Offer your counsel on what we should do.” 21Ahithophel replied to Absalom: “Go to your father’s concubines, whom he left behind to take care of the palace. When all Israel hears how odious you have made yourself to your father, all those on your side will take courage.”#2 Sm 15:16; 20:3. 22So a tent was pitched on the roof for Absalom, and Absalom went to his father’s concubines in view of all Israel.#2 Sm 12:11–12.
Counsel of Ahithophel. 23Now the counsel given by Ahithophel at that time was as though one sought the word of God. Such was all the counsel of Ahithophel both to David and to Absalom.#2 Sm 15:12, 31; 17:23.
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Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc
2 Samuel 16
16
Ziba Helps David
1When David had gone a little beyond the summit,#16:1 = Mount of Olives Ziba, Mephibosheth’s servant,#2Sm 9:12 was right there to meet him. He had a pair of saddled donkeys loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred clusters of raisins, one hundred bunches of summer fruit, and a clay jar of wine. 2The king said to Ziba, “Why do you have these?”
Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride, the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat, and the wine is for those to drink who become exhausted in the wilderness.”
3“Where is your master’s grandson?” the king asked.
“Why, he’s staying in Jerusalem,” Ziba replied to the king, “for he said, ‘Today, the house of Israel will restore my grandfather’s kingdom to me.’”#2Sm 19:26–27
4The king said to Ziba, “All that belongs to Mephibosheth is now yours!” #2Sm 9:3–11
“I bow before you,” Ziba said. “May I find favor with you, my lord the king!”
Shimei Curses David
5When King David got to Bahurim, a man belonging to the family of the house of Saul was just coming out.#2Sm 3:16 His name was Shimei son of Gera,#2Sm 19:16; 1Kg 2:8–9,36–46 and he was yelling curses as he approached. 6He threw stones at David and at all the royal#16:6 Lit all King David’s servants, the people and the warriors on David’s right and left. 7Shimei said as he cursed, “Get out, get out, you man of bloodshed, you wicked man!#Ex 22:28 8The Lord has paid you back for all the blood of the house of Saul in whose place you became king, and the Lord has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. Look, you are in trouble because you’re a man of bloodshed!”
9Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog#1Sm 24:14; 2Sm 9:8 curse my lord the king?#Ex 22:28 Let me go over and remove his head!”
10The king replied, “Sons of Zeruiah, do we agree on anything?#2Sm 3:39; 19:22 He curses#1Sm 17:43; 2Sm 16:5; Ec 7:21–22 me this way because the Lord#16:10 Alt Hb tradition reads If he curses, and if the Lord told him, ‘Curse David! ’ #2Sm 12:11 Therefore, who can say, ‘Why did you do that? ’” 11Then David said to Abishai and all his servants, “Look, my own son, my own flesh and blood,#16:11 Lit son who came from my belly intends to take my life#2Sm 12:10–11 — how much more now this Benjaminite! Leave him alone and let him curse me; the Lord has told him to. 12Perhaps the Lord will see my affliction#16:12 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Vg; one Hb tradition reads iniquity; alt Hb tradition reads eyes; another Hb tradition reads will look with his eye and restore goodness to me instead of Shimei’s curses today.” 13So David and his men proceeded along the road as Shimei was going along the ridge of the hill opposite him. As Shimei went, he cursed David, threw stones at him, and kicked up dust. 14Finally, the king and all the people with him arrived#16:14 LXX adds at the Jordan exhausted, so they rested there.
Absalom’s Advisers
15Now Absalom and all the Israelites came to Jerusalem. Ahithophel was also with him. 16When David’s friend Hushai the Archite came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!” #1Sm 10:24; 1Kg 1:25; 2Kg 11:12
17“Is this your loyalty to your friend?” Absalom asked Hushai. “Why didn’t you go with your friend?”
18“Not at all,” Hushai answered Absalom. “I am on the side of the one that the Lord, this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen. I will stay with him. 19Furthermore, whom will I serve if not his son? As I served in your father’s presence, I will also serve in yours.”#2Sm 15:34
20Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give me your advice. What should we do?”
21Ahithophel replied to Absalom, “Sleep with your father’s concubines whom he left to take care of the palace.#2Sm 15:16; 20:3 When all Israel hears that you have become repulsive to your father, everyone with you will be encouraged.”#16:21 Lit father, the hands of everyone with you will be strong 22So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.#2Sm 12:11–12
23Now the advice Ahithophel gave in those days was like someone asking about a word from God#2Sm 15:12 — such was the regard that both David and Absalom had for Ahithophel’s advice.
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