1And when David was a little past the top [of the ascent], look, Ziba the attendant of Mephibaal met him, with a couple of donkeys saddled, and on them two hundred loaves of bread, and a hundred clusters of raisins, and an ephah of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine. 2And the king said to Ziba, What do you mean by 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, that such as are faint in the wilderness may drink. 3And the king said, And where is your master's son? And Ziba said to the king, Look, he remains at Jerusalem; for he said, Today will the house of Israel restore to me the kingdom of my father. 4Then the king said to Ziba, Look, all that pertains to Mephibaal is yours. And Ziba said, I do obeisance; let me find favor in your sight, my lord, O king. 5And when King David came to Bahurim, look, there came out from there a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera; he came out, and cursed still as he came. 6And he cast stones at David, and at all the slaves of King David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. 7And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Begone, begone, you man of blood, and base fellow: 8Yahweh has returned on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead you have reigned; and Yahweh has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son; and, look, you are [taken] in your own mischief, because you are a man of blood. 9Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah to the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over, I pray you, and take off his head. 10And the king said, What have I to do with you{+}, you{+} sons of Zeruiah? Because he curses, and because Yahweh has said to him, Curse David; who then will say, Why have you done so? 11And David said to Abishai, and to all his slaves, Look, my son, who came forth from my bowels, seeks my life: how much more [may] this Benjamite now [do it]? Let him alone, and let him curse; for Yahweh has bidden him. 12It may be that Yahweh will look at the wrong done to me, and that Yahweh will requite me good for [his] cursing of me this day. 13So David and his men went by the way; and Shimei went along on the hillside across from him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust. 14And the king, and all the people who were with him, came weary; and he refreshed himself there. 15And Absalom, and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. 16And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, came to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom, [Long] live the king, [Long] live the king. 17And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this your kindness to your companion? Why didn't you go with your companion? 18And Hushai said to Absalom, No; but whom Yahweh, and this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, I will be his, and I will remain with him. 19And again, whom should I serve? [Should I] not [serve] in the presence of his son? As I have served in your father's presence, so I will be in your presence. 20Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, Give your{+} counsel what we will do. 21And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in to your father's concubines, that he has left to keep the house; and all Israel will hear that you are abhorred of your father: then the hands of all who are with you will be strong. 22So they spread Absalom a tent on the top of the house; and Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel. 23And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if a man inquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.