16
1 And when Dovid was a little past the top of the hill, hinei, Tziva the na'ar of Mephivoshet met him, with a couple of chamorim saddled, and upon them 200 lechem, and 100 bunches of tzimmukim, and 100 kayitz, and a skin of yayin.
2 And HaMelech said unto Tziva, What meanest thou by these? And Tziva said, The chamorim are for the Bais HaMelech to ride on; and the lechem and kayitz for the ne'arim to eat; and the yayin, that such as be faint in the midbar may drink. 3 And HaMelech said, And where is the ben adoneicha?* And Tziva said unto HaMelech, Hinei, he abideth at Yerushalayim; for he said, Today shall Bais Yisroel restore to me the mamlechut avi. 4 Then said HaMelech to Tziva, Hinei, thine are all that pertained unto Mephivoshet. Tziva said, I humbly prostrate myself. May I find chen in thy sight, adoni, O Melech.
5 When Dovid HaMelech came to Bachurim, hinei, from there came out an ish of the mishpakhat Bais Sha'ul; shmo Shime'i Ben Gera; and he, cursing continuously, came.
6 And he cast avanim (stones) at Dovid, and at all the avadim of Dovid HaMelech; and at kol haAm and at all the Gibborim that were on his right and on his left. 7 And thus said Shime'i when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou ish hadamim and thou ish habeliyya'al; 8 Hashem hath returned upon thee all the dahm of the Bais Sha'ul, in whose place thou hast reigned; and Hashem hath delivered the meluchah (kingdom) into the yad Avshalom binecha; and, behold, thou art taken in thy ra'ah, because thou art an ish damim.
9 Then said Avishai Ben Tzeruyah unto HaMelech, Why should this kelev hamet (dead dog) curse adoni HaMelech? Let me go over, now and cut off his rosh.
10 And HaMelech said, What have I to do with you, ye Bnei Tzeruyah? So let him curse, because Hashem hath said unto him, Curse Dovid. Who shall then say, why hast thou done so?
11 And Dovid said to Avishai, and to all his avadim, Hinei, beni, which came forth from within me, seeketh my nefesh; how much more now may this Ben-HaYemini (Benjamite) do it? Let him alone, and let him curse; for Hashem hath bidden him. 12 It may be that Hashem will look on mine affliction, that Hashem will repay me tovah for his cursing this day.
13 And as Dovid and his anashim went by the derech, Shime'i went along on the hillside opposite him, cursed as he went, threw avanim at him, and kicked up aphar.
14 And HaMelech, and kol HaAm that were with him, arrived weary, and refreshed themselves there.†
15 And Avshalom, and kol HaAm Ish Yisroel, came to Yerushalayim, and Achitophel with him.
16 And it came to pass, when Chushai the Arki, re'eh Dovid, was come unto Avshalom, that Chushai said unto Avshalom, Long live HaMelech, Long live HaMelech. 17 And Avshalom said to Chushai, Is this thy chesed (loyal loving-kindness) to thy re'a (friend)? Why wentest thou not with thy re'a (friend)? 18 Chushai said unto Avshalom, Lo; but whom Hashem, this people, and kol Ish Yisroel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide. 19 And again, whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of bno? As I have served in the presence of Avicha, so will I be in thy presence.
20 Then said Avshalom to Achitophel, Give etza (counsel, advice, wisdom) among you what we shall do. 21 And Achitophel said unto Avshalom, Go in unto the pilagshim of Avicha, which he hath left to be shomer over the Bais (palace); and kol Yisroel shall hear that thou art a stench to Avicha; then shall the hands of all that are with thee be chazak (strong).
22 So they spread Avshalom an ohel upon the gag (roof); and Avshalom went in unto the pilagshim of Aviv in the sight of kol Yisroel.
23 And the etza (counsel) of Achitophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if an ish had inquired at the davar HaElohim; so was all the etza (counsel) of Achitophel both with Dovid and with Avshalom.
* 16:3 i.e., Sha'ulʼs grandson Mephivoshet † 16:14 at the Yarden