1. And David passed on a little way from Ros; and behold, Ziba the servant of Memphibosheth [came] to meet him; and he had a couple of donkeys saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves, and a hundred [cakes of] raisins, and a hundred [cakes of] dates, and a bottle of wine.

2. And the king said to Ziba, What do you mean to do with these? And Ziba said, The donkeys [are] for the household of the king to sit on, and the loaves and the dates [are] for the young men to eat, and the wine [is] for them that are faint in the wilderness to drink.

3. And the king said, And where [is] the son of your master? And Ziba said to the king, Behold, he remains in Jerusalem; for he said, Today shall the house of Israel restore to me the kingdom of my father.

4. And the king said to Ziba, Behold, all Memphibosheth's property [is] yours. And Ziba bowed down and said, My lord, O king, let me find grace in your eyes.

5. And King David came to Bahurim; and behold, there came out from there a man of the family of the house of Saul, and his name [was] Shimei, the son of Gera. He came forth and cursed as he went,

6. and cast stones at David, and at all the servants of King David. And all the people and all the mighty men were on the right and left hand of the king.

7. And thus Shimei said when he cursed him, Go out, go out, you bloody man, and man of sin.

8. The Lord has returned upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, because you have reigned in his place; and the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son: and behold, you [are taken] in your mischief, because you [are] a bloody man.

9. Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, Why does this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over now and take off his head!

10. And the king said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Let him alone, and so let him curse, for the Lord has told him to curse David: and who shall say, Why have you done thus?

11. And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, Behold, my son who came forth out of my bowels seeks my life; still more now may the son of Benjamin: let him curse, because the Lord has told him.

12. If by any means the Lord may look upon my affliction, thus shall He return me good for his cursing this day.

13. And David and all the men with him went along the road: and Shimei went by the side of the hill next to him, cursing as he went, and casting stones at him, and sprinkling him with dirt.

14. And the king, and all the people with him, came away and refreshed themselves there.

15. And Absalom and all the men of Israel went into Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.

16. And it came to pass when Hushai the chief friend of David came to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom, Long live the king!

17. And Absalom said to Hushai, [Is] this your kindness to your friend? Why did you not go forth with your friend?

18. And Hushai said to Absalom, No, but following whom the Lord, and this people, and all Israel have chosen- his will I be, and with him I will dwell.

19. And again, whom shall I serve? Should I not [serve] in the presence of his son? As I served in the sight of your father, so will I be in your presence.

20. And Absalom said to Ahithophel, Deliberate among yourselves concerning what we should do.

21. And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in to your father's concubines, whom he left to keep his house; and all Israel shall hear that you have dishonored your father; and the hands of all that are with you shall be strengthened.

22. And they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.

23. And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counseled in former days, [was] as if one should inquire of the word of God: so [was] all the counsel of Ahithophel both to David and also to Absalom.