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David had gone on a short distance beyond the summit, Mephibosheth’s servant Ziba was waiting there to meet him. He had a pair of saddled donkeys carrying two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred clusters of raisins, a hundred pieces of summer fruits, and a skin of wine.
2 The king asked Ziba, “Why have you brought these?”
Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on, 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 “And where is your master’s son?” the king asked.
Ziba replied to the king, “He is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will restore my grandfather’s kingdom to me’.”
4 Then the king said to Ziba, “All that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours.”
And Ziba said, “I humbly bow myself. May I find favour in your sight, my lord the king.”
5 As King David was approaching Bahurim, a man from Saul’s own clan named Shimei son of Gera came out, yelling curses and insults as he approached. 6 He threw stones at David and all the king’s officials, even though all the troops and warriors were at David’s right hand and his left. 7 As he was cursing, Shimei said, “Get out, get out, you bloodthirsty man, you worthless scoundrel! 8 The Lord has repaid you for all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned. The Lord has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. See, now you are in trouble because you are a man of blood!”
9 Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head.”
10 But the king said, “What does this have to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Let him curse me, for if the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David’, who then can say, ‘Why do you do this?’ ”
11 Then David said to Abishai and all his servants, “See how my son, who is my own flesh and blood, intends to take my life; how much more, then, this Benjaminite? Leave him alone and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to. 12 It may be that the Lord will look on my affliction and repay me with good for the cursing I am receiving this day.”
13 As David and his men proceeded down the road, Shimei went along the hillside opposite, cursing as he went, and throwing stones and flinging dirt at him. 14 The king and all the people with him were weary when they arrived.who were with him arrived weary at the Jordan, and they refreshed themselves there.
15 Now Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, arrived at Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him. 16 When Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came before Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”
17 Absalom asked Hushai, “Is this your loyality to your friend? Why didn’t you go with your friend?”
18 “Not at all,” Hushai answered Absalom, “the one chosen by the Lord, by these people, and by all the men of Israel—his I will be, and with him I will remain. 19 Besides, whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son? Just as I have served in your father’s presence, so I will also serve in yours.”
20 Absalom then said to Ahithophel, “Give us your advice. What should we do?”
21 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Lie with your father’s concubines, whom he has left to take care of the palace. When all of Israel hears that you have made yourself odious to your father, the hands of everyone who is with you will be strengthened.” 22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof of the house, and Absalom laid with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.
23 Now in those days the advice Ahithophel gave was considered to be like God’s own counsel. That was how the highly the advice of Ahithophel was esteemed by both David and Absalom.