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2 Samuel 16
Expanded Bible
2 Samuel 16
Expanded Bible
Ziba Meets David
16 When David had passed a short way ·over the top of the Mount of Olives [L beyond the summit], Ziba, Mephibosheth’s [C Jonathan’s son and Saul’s grandson; 4:4] servant, met him. Ziba had a ·row [string; or couple] of donkeys loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred ·cakes [or clusters] of raisins, one hundred ·cakes of figs [L bunches of summer fruits], and ·leather bags full [skins] of wine. 2 The king asked Ziba, “What are these things for?”
Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for your ·family [household] to ride. The bread and ·cakes of figs [L summer fruit] are for the ·servants [men; soldiers] to eat. And the wine is for anyone to drink who might become ·weak [exhausted; faint] in the ·desert [wilderness].”
3 The king asked, “Where is ·Mephibosheth [L your master’s son/grandson]?”
Ziba answered him, “Mephibosheth is staying in Jerusalem because he thinks, ‘Today the Israelites will ·give [L restore] my father’s kingdom back to me!’”
4 Then the king said to Ziba, “All right. Everything that belonged to Mephibosheth, I now give to you!”
Ziba said, “I ·bow to you [prostrate myself]. ·I hope I will always be able to please you [L May I find favor in your sight/eyes, my lord the king].”
Shimei Curses David
5 As King David came to Bahurim, a man came out ·and cursed him [cursing at them]. He was from ·Saul’s family group [L the clan of the house of Saul], and his name was Shimei son of Gera. 6 He threw stones at David and his ·officers [officials; L servants], but the people and soldiers gathered ·all around David [L to his right and left]. 7 Shimei cursed David, saying, “Get out, get out, you ·murderer [L man of blood], you ·troublemaker [scoundrel]. 8 The Lord is ·punishing [repaying] you for ·the people in Saul’s family you killed [L all the bloodshed of the house of Saul]! You ·took [reigned in] Saul’s place as king, but now the Lord has given the kingdom to your son Absalom! Now you are ·ruined [caught in your own evil] because you are a ·murderer [L man of blood]!”
9 Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse you, the king? Let me go over and cut off his head!”
10 But the king answered, “·This does not concern you [L What have I to do with you], sons of Zeruiah! If ·he is cursing me because the Lord told him to [L the Lord has told him, “Curse David”] , who can ·question him [L say, “Why have you done so”]?”
11 David also said to Abishai and all his ·officers [officials; L servants], “My own ·son [flesh and blood] is trying to kill me! ·This man is a Benjaminite and has more right to kill me [L How much more reason has this Benjaminite; C as a member of Saul’s clan]! Leave him alone and let him ·curse me [L curse], ·because [or if] the Lord told him to do this. 12 Maybe the Lord will see ·my misery [my affliction/distress; or that I am being wronged] and repay me with ·something good [blessing] for Shimei’s curses today!”
13 So David and his men went on down the road, ·but [while] Shimei ·followed [went along] on the nearby hillside. He kept cursing David and throwing stones and ·dirt [flinging dust] at him. 14 When the king and all his people arrived at the Jordan, they were very tired, so they rested there.
15 Meanwhile, Absalom, Ahithophel, and all the ·Israelites [L people/army of Israel] arrived at Jerusalem. 16 David’s friend Hushai the Arkite came to Absalom and said to him, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”
17 Absalom asked, “·Why are you not loyal [L Is this the love/loyalty you show] to your friend David? Why didn’t you leave Jerusalem with your friend?”
18 Hushai said, “I belong to the one chosen by the Lord and by these people and everyone in Israel. I will stay with ·you [L him]. 19 In the past I served your father. So whom should I serve now? David’s son! I will serve you as I served him.”
Ahithophel’s Advice
20 Absalom said to Ahithophel, “·Tell [L Advise; Counsel] us what we should do.”
21 Ahithophel said, “Your father left behind some of his ·slave women [L concubines; C secondary wives; 3:7] to take care of the palace. ·Have sexual relations with [Sleep with; L Go into] them. Then all Israel will hear that ·your father is your enemy [L you have gravely insulted/made yourself odious to your father], and all ·your people [Israel; or those who support you] will be ·encouraged to give you more [stronger in their] support.” 22 So they put up a tent for Absalom on the roof [C the flat roofs of Israelite houses were used for living space] of ·his palace [L the king’s house] where everyone in Israel could see it. And Absalom ·had sexual relations with [slept with; L went in to] his father’s ·slave women [concubines].
23 At that time people thought Ahithophel’s advice was as ·reliable as God’s own word [L if one consulted a word/message/oracle from God]. Both David and Absalom thought ·it was that reliable [so].
2 Samuel 16
New International Version
2 Samuel 16
New International Version
David and Ziba
16 When David had gone a short distance beyond the summit, there was Ziba,(A) the steward of Mephibosheth, waiting to meet him. He had a string of donkeys saddled and loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred cakes of raisins, a hundred cakes of figs and a skin of wine.(B)
2 The king asked Ziba, “Why have you brought these?”
Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on, the bread and fruit are for the men to eat, and the wine is to refresh(C) those who become exhausted in the wilderness.”
3 The king then asked, “Where is your master’s grandson?”(D)
Ziba(E) said to him, “He is staying in Jerusalem, because he thinks, ‘Today the Israelites will restore to me my grandfather’s kingdom.’”
4 Then the king said to Ziba, “All that belonged to Mephibosheth(F) is now yours.”
“I humbly bow,” Ziba said. “May I find favor in your eyes, my lord the king.”
Shimei Curses David
5 As King David approached Bahurim,(G) a man from the same clan as Saul’s family came out from there. His name was Shimei(H) son of Gera, and he cursed(I) as he came out. 6 He pelted David and all the king’s officials with stones, though all the troops and the special guard were on David’s right and left. 7 As he cursed, Shimei said, “Get out, get out, you murderer, you scoundrel! 8 The Lord has repaid you for all the blood you shed in the household of Saul, in whose place you have reigned.(J) The Lord has given the kingdom into the hands of your son Absalom. You have come to ruin because you are a murderer!”(K)
9 Then Abishai(L) son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog(M) curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head.”(N)
10 But the king said, “What does this have to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah?(O) If he is cursing because the Lord said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who can ask, ‘Why do you do this?’”(P)
11 David then said to Abishai and all his officials, “My son,(Q) my own flesh and blood, is trying to kill me. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone; let him curse, for the Lord has told him to.(R) 12 It may be that the Lord will look upon my misery(S) and restore to me his covenant blessing(T) instead of his curse today.(U)”
13 So David and his men continued along the road while Shimei was going along the hillside opposite him, cursing as he went and throwing stones at him and showering him with dirt. 14 The king and all the people with him arrived at their destination exhausted.(V) And there he refreshed himself.
The Advice of Ahithophel and Hushai
15 Meanwhile, Absalom(W) and all the men of Israel came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel(X) was with him. 16 Then Hushai(Y) the Arkite, David’s confidant, went to Absalom and said to him, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”
17 Absalom said to Hushai, “So this is the love you show your friend? If he’s your friend, why didn’t you go with him?”(Z)
18 Hushai said to Absalom, “No, the one chosen by the Lord, by these people, and by all the men of Israel—his I will be, and I will remain with him. 19 Furthermore, whom should I serve? Should I not serve the son? Just as I served your father, so I will serve you.”(AA)
20 Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give us your advice. What should we do?”
21 Ahithophel answered, “Sleep with your father’s concubines whom he left to take care of the palace. Then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself obnoxious to your father, and the hands of everyone with you will be more resolute.” 22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.(AB)
23 Now in those days the advice(AC) Ahithophel gave was like that of one who inquires of God. That was how both David(AD) and Absalom regarded all of Ahithophel’s advice.
2 Samuel 16
King James Version
2 Samuel 16
King James Version
16 And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.
2 And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses be 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 be faint in the wilderness may drink.
3 And the king said, And where is thy master's son? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, To day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.
4 Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that pertained unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I humbly beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king.
5 And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he came.
6 And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left.
7 And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial:
8 The Lord hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the Lord hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man.
9 Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head.
10 And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?
11 And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the Lord hath bidden him.
12 It may be that the Lord will look on mine affliction, and that the Lord will requite me good for his cursing this day.
13 And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill's side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust.
14 And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves there.
15 And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.
16 And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the king, God save the king.
17 And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend?
18 And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but whom the Lord, and this people, and all the men of Israel, 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 his son? as I have served in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy presence.
20 Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do.
21 And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father's concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong.
22 So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.
23 And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.
Expanded Bible (EXB)
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