2 Samuel 16 – New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

Ziba, a False Servant

1 Now when David ^H1732 had gone ^H5674 on ^H5674 a little ^H4592 beyond ^H4480 the summit ^H7218, behold ^H2009, Ziba ^H6717 the servant ^H5288 of Mephibosheth ^H4648 met ^H7122 him with a team ^H6776 of saddled ^H2280 donkeys ^H2543, and on them were two ^H3967 hundred ^H3967 loaves of bread ^H3899, a hundred ^H3967 cakes ^H6778 of ^H6778 raisins ^H6778, a hundred ^H3967 summer ^H7019 fruits ^H7019, and a jug ^H5035 of wine ^H3196.

2 And the king ^H4428 said ^H559 to Ziba ^H6717, “Why ^H4100 do you have these ^H428?” And Ziba ^H6717 said ^H559, “The donkeys ^H2543 are for the king’s ^H4428 household ^H1004 to ride ^H7392, the bread ^H3899 and summer ^H7019 fruit ^H7019 are for the young ^H5288 men ^H5288 to eat ^H398, and the wine ^H3196, for whoever is weary ^H3287 in the wilderness ^H4057 to drink ^H8354.” 3 Then the king ^H4428 said ^H559, “And where ^H346 is your master’s ^H113 son ^H1121?” And Ziba ^H6717 said ^H559 to the king ^H4428, “Behold ^H2009, he is staying ^H3427 in Jerusalem ^H3389, for he said ^H559, ‘Today ^H3117 the house ^H1004 of Israel ^H3478 will restore ^H7725 the kingdom ^H4468 of my father ^H1 to me.’” 4 So the king ^H4428 said ^H559 to Ziba ^H6717, “Behold ^H2009, all ^H3605 that belongs to Mephibosheth ^H4648 is yours.” And Ziba ^H6717 said ^H559, “I prostrate ^H2331 myself; may I find ^H4672 favor ^H2580 in your sight ^H5869, my lord ^H113, the king ^H4428!”

David Is Cursed

5 When King ^H4428 David ^H1732 came ^H935 to Bahurim ^H980, behold ^H2009, a man ^H376 was coming ^H3318 out ^H3318 from there ^H8033 from the family ^H4940 of the house ^H1004 of Saul ^H7586, and his name ^H8034 was Shimei ^H8096, the son ^H1121 of Gera ^H1617; he was coming ^H3318 out ^H3318, cursing ^H7043 as he came ^H3318.

6 He also threw ^H5619 stones ^H68 at David ^H1732 and all ^H3605 the servants ^H5650 of King ^H4428 David ^H1732; and all ^H3605 the people ^H5971 and all ^H3605 the warriors ^H1368 were on his right ^H3225 and on his left ^H8040. 7 This ^H3541 is ^H3541 what ^H3541 Shimei ^H8096 said ^H559 when he cursed ^H7043: “Go ^H3318 away ^H3318, go ^H3318 away ^H3318, you man ^H376 of bloodshed ^H1818 and worthless ^H1100 man ^H376! 8 The LORD ^H3068 has brought ^H7725 back ^H7725 upon you all ^H3605 the bloodshed ^H1818 of the house ^H1004 of Saul ^H7586, in ^H8478 whose ^H834 place ^H8478 you have become ^H4427 king ^H4427; and the LORD ^H3068 has handed ^H5414 H3027 the kingdom ^H4410 over ^H5414 to your son ^H1121 Absalom ^H53. And behold ^H2009, you are caught in your own evil ^H7451, for you are a man ^H376 of bloodshed ^H1818!”

9 Then Abishai ^H52 the son ^H1121 of Zeruiah ^H6870 said ^H559 to the king ^H4428, “Why ^H4100 should this ^H2088 dead ^H4191 dog ^H3611 curse ^H7043 my lord ^H113 the king ^H4428? Now ^H4994 let me go ^H5674 over ^H5674 and [fn]cut ^H5493 off ^H5493 his head ^H7218.” 10 But the king ^H4428 said ^H559, “[fn]What ^H4100 business of mine is yours, you sons ^H1121 of Zeruiah ^H6870? If ^H3588 he curses ^H7043, and if ^H3588 the LORD ^H3068 has told ^H559 him, ‘Curse ^H7043 David ^H1732,’ then who ^H4310 should say ^H559, ‘Why ^H4069 have you done ^H6213 so ^H3651?’” 11 Then David ^H1732 said ^H559 to Abishai ^H52 and to all ^H3605 his servants ^H5650, “Behold ^H2009, my son ^H1121 who ^H834 came ^H3318 out ^H3318 of my own body seeks ^H1245 my life ^H5315; how ^H637 much ^H637 H3588 more ^H637 H3588 now ^H6258 this Benjaminite ^H1145? Leave ^H5117 him alone ^H5117 and let him curse ^H7043, for the LORD ^H3068 has told ^H559 him. 12 Perhaps ^H194 the LORD ^H3068 will look ^H7200 on my [fn]misery ^H6040 and [fn]return ^H7725 good ^H2896 to me instead ^H8478 of ^H8478 his cursing ^H7045 this ^H2088 day ^H3117.” 13 So David ^H1732 and his men ^H376 went ^H1980 on the road ^H1870; and Shimei ^H8096 kept ^H1980 going ^H1980 on the hillside ^H6763 H2022 close ^H5980 beside ^H5980 him, and as he went ^H1980 he cursed ^H7043 and threw ^H5619 stones ^H68 and dirt ^H6083 at him. 14 And the king ^H4428 and all ^H3605 the people ^H5971 who ^H834 were with him arrived ^H935 exhausted ^H5889, and he refreshed ^H5314 himself there ^H8033.

Absalom Enters Jerusalem

15 Then Absalom ^H53 and all ^H3605 the people ^H5971, the men ^H376 of Israel ^H3478, entered ^H935 Jerusalem ^H3389, and Ahithophel ^H302 with him.

16 Now it came ^H1961 about ^H1961, when ^H834 Hushai ^H2365 the Archite ^H757, David’s ^H1732 friend ^H7463, came ^H935 to Absalom ^H53, that Hushai ^H2365 said ^H559 to Absalom ^H53, “Long live ^H2421 the king ^H4428! Long live ^H2421 the king ^H4428!” 17 But Absalom ^H53 said ^H559 to Hushai ^H2365, “Is this ^H2088 your [fn]loyalty ^H2617 to your friend ^H7453? Why ^H4100 did you not go ^H1980 with your friend ^H7453?” 18 So Hushai ^H2365 said ^H559 to Absalom ^H53, “No ^H3808! For whomever ^H834 the LORD ^H3068, this ^H2088 people ^H5971, and all ^H3605 the men ^H376 of Israel ^H3478 have chosen ^H977, his I shall be, and with him I shall remain ^H3427. 19 Besides ^H8145, whom ^H4310 should I serve ^H5647? Should I not serve in the presence ^H6440 of his son ^H1121? Just ^H834 as ^H834 I have served ^H5647 in your father’s ^H1 presence ^H6440, so ^H3651 I shall be in your presence ^H6440.”

20 Then Absalom ^H53 said ^H559 to Ahithophel ^H302, “Give ^H3051 your advice ^H6098. What ^H4100 should we do ^H6213?” 21 Ahithophel ^H302 said ^H559 to Absalom ^H53, “Have ^H935 relations ^H935 with ^H935 your father’s ^H1 concubines ^H6370, whom ^H834 he has left ^H5117 behind ^H5117 to take ^H8104 care ^H8104 of the house ^H1004; then all ^H3605 Israel ^H3478 will hear ^H8085 that you have made ^H887 yourself repulsive ^H887 to your father ^H1. The hands ^H3027 of all ^H3605 who ^H834 are with you will also be strengthened ^H2388.” 22 So they pitched ^H5186 a tent ^H168 for Absalom ^H53 on the roof ^H1406, and Absalom ^H53 had ^H935 relations ^H935 with ^H935 his father’s ^H1 concubines ^H6370 in the sight ^H5869 of all ^H3605 Israel ^H3478. 23 Now the advice ^H6098 of Ahithophel ^H302, which ^H834 he [fn]gave ^H3289 in those ^H1992 days ^H3117, was taken as though ^H834 one inquired ^H7592 of the word ^H1697 of God ^H430; so ^H3651 was all ^H3605 the advice ^H6098 of Ahithophel ^H302 regarded by both ^H1571 David ^H1732 and Absalom ^H53.