1 ¶ When David had gone a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a pair of saddled donkeys, on which were two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred bunches of raisins, a hundred bunches of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.

2 And the king asked Ziba, Why do you have these? And Ziba said, The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, is for those who become faint in the wilderness to drink.

3 Then the king asked, And where is your master’s son? And Ziba replied, He is remaining in Jerusalem: for he said, Today the house of Israel will restore to me the kingdom of my father.

4 Then the king said to Ziba, Look, all that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours. And Ziba said, I humbly beseech you that I may find grace in your sight, my lord, O king.

5 ¶ When king David came to Bahurim, a son of Gera named Shimei, who was of the house and family of Saul: came out, and cursed continually as he came.

6 And he threw stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: although all the people and all the fighting men were around him on his right and on his left.

7 And Shimei yelled as he cursed, Get out, get out, you bloody man, you man of Belial:

8 The LORD has avenged on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son: and, behold, this calamity is upon you, because you are a bloody man.

9 Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I beg you, and take off his head.

10 And the king said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the LORD has told him to curse David. Who can then say, Why have you done so?

11 And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Look, my son, who came out of my bowels, seeks my life: how much more now this Benjamite? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD has told him to.

12 Perhaps the LORD will look on my affliction, and will recompense me good for his cursing this day.

13 So as David and his men continued along the road, Shimei followed along on the hillside opposite him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones and dust at him.

14 Finally the king, and all the people who were with him, arrived at the Jordan exhausted, and rested there.

15 ¶ Now Absalom entered Jerusalem, along with Ahithophel and all the people, the men of Israel.

16 And when David’s friend, Hushai the Archite, went to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, Long live the king, Long live the king.

17 And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this the loyalty you show your friend? why did you not leave with your friend?

18 But Hushai said to Absalom, No; for whom the LORD, and this people, and all the men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and I will remain with him.

19 Besides, whom should I serve? should it not be his son? as I have served your father, so I will serve you.

20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, Give me your advice as to what we should do.

21 And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in to your father’s concubines, whom he has left to take care of the house; and all Israel will hear that your father detests you: then the hands of all who are with you will be strong.

22 So they set up a tent for Absalom on the roof of the house; and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

23 Now in those days the advice given by Ahithophel, was as if a man had consulted the Word of God: so highly was it esteemed by both David and Absalom.