David and Ziba
And David had passed a little beyond the summit — and look, Ziba, the young man of Mephibosheth, to meet him, with a pair of saddled donkeys, and on them two hundred loaves of bread, and a hundred clusters of raisins, and a hundred summer fruits, and a skin of wine.
And the king said to Ziba, “What are these for?” And Ziba said, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride, and the bread and the summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for the weary to drink in the wilderness.”
And the king said, “And where is your master’s son?” And Ziba said to the king, “Look — he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will give me back the kingdom of my father.’”
And the king said to Ziba, “Look — all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours.” And Ziba said, “I prostrate myself; may I find favor in your eyes, my lord the king.”
Shimei Curses David
And King David came as far as Bahurim — and look, from there a man coming out, from the family of the house of Saul, and his name was Shimei the son of Gera; coming out, and cursing as he came.
And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David — though all the people and all the mighty men were on his right and on his left.
And thus said Shimei as he cursed: “Get out, get out, man of blood, man of worthlessness!
The LORD has returned on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the LORD has given the kingship into the hand of Absalom your son. And look — you are in your own evil, for you are a man of blood.”
And Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me cross over, please, and take off his head.”
And the king said: “What have I to do with you, sons of Zeruiah? If he curses — because the LORD has said to him, ‘Curse David’ — then who shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’”
And David said to Abishai and to all his servants: “Look — my own son, who came out of my body, is seeking my life. How much more now this Benjaminite. Leave him alone, and let him curse, for the LORD has told him.
Perhaps the LORD will look on my affliction, and the LORD will return good to me in place of his cursing this day.”
And David and his men went on the way; and Shimei was walking along the ridge of the hill opposite him, walking and cursing, and throwing stones opposite him, and flinging dust.
And the king, and all the people who were with him, arrived weary; and he refreshed himself there.
The Counsel of Ahithophel and Hushai
And Absalom, and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.
And it was, when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”
And Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your loyal love for your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?”
And Hushai said to Absalom: “No — for the one whom the LORD has chosen, and this people, and all the men of Israel — his I will be, and with him I will stay.
And second: whom should I serve? Should it not be before his son? As I served before your father, so I will be before you.”
And Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give your counsel: what shall we do?”
And Ahithophel said to Absalom: “Go in to your father’s concubines, whom he left to keep the house. And all Israel will hear that you have made yourself a stench to your father, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.”
So they pitched the tent for Absalom on the roof, and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the eyes of all Israel.
Now the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counseled in those days, was as if a man inquired of the word of God — so was all the counsel of Ahithophel, both to David and to Absalom.