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2 Samuel 16:1-23 — David and Ziba; Shimei Curses David

2Sam.16.1-23

¹When David had passed a little beyond the summit, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him with a pair of saddled donkeys, and on them were two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred raisin-cakes, a hundred summer fruits, and a skin of wine. ²The king said to Ziba, “What are these for?” Ziba said, “The donkeys are for the king's household to ride on, the bread and the summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for whoever grows weary in the wilderness to drink.” ³The king said, “And where is your master's son?” Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, 'Today the house of Israel will restore to me the kingdom of my father.'” ⁴Then the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours.” Ziba said, “I bow down; let me find favor in your sight, my lord the king.” ⁵When King David came to Bahurim, behold, a man came out from there, from the clan of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei son of Gera. He came out, cursing as he came. ⁶He threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David, while all the people and all the mighty men were on his right and on his left. ⁷And this is what Shimei said as he cursed: “Get out, get out, you man of blood, you worthless man!” ⁸The LORD has returned upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the LORD has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. Behold, you are caught in your own evil, because you are a man of blood. ⁹Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please let me go over and take off his head.” ¹⁰But the king said, “What have I to do with you, sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the LORD has said to him, 'Curse David,' then who can say, 'Why have you done so?'” ¹¹And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my son, who came forth from my own body, seeks my life. How much more now this Benjaminite! Leave him alone, and let him curse, for the LORD has told him to.” ¹²Perhaps the LORD will look on my eye , and the LORD will repay me with good for his cursing this day. ¹³So David and his men went on along the road, while Shimei went along the side of the hill opposite him, cursing as he went, throwing stones at him, and casting dust. ¹⁴And the king, and all the people who were with him, came weary, and there he refreshed himself. ¹⁵Now Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him. ¹⁶And when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!” ¹⁷Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?” ¹⁸Hushai said to Absalom, “No, for the one whom the LORD, and this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, his I will be, and with him I will remain.” ¹⁹And besides, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? As I served before your father, so I will be before you." ²⁰Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give your counsel: what should we do?” ²¹Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father's concubines, whom he left to keep the house. Then 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.” ²²So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel. ²³Now the counsel that Ahithophel gave in those days was as if one inquired of the word of God. So was all the counsel of Ahithophel, both to David and to Absalom.

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4/11/2026

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