Ziba Brings David Food for Him & Those Who Flee |
2 Samuel 16:1-23 The Book of 2 Samuel [in Smaller Chunks] |
When David was a little past the top of the hill, [he] [saw,] Ziba [Mephibosheth’s] servant [coming to] him, with a couple of saddled [mules,] & upon them [were:] 200 loaves of bread, 100 bunches of raisins, 100 summer fruits, & a bottle of wine. |
And King [David] said to Ziba, What [do] you [mean] by [all] these? And Ziba said, The [mules are] for the king’s household to ride on; & the bread & summer fruit [are] for the young men to eat. And the wine [is for anyone to] drink [who is] faint in the wilderness. |
The king [asked,] Where is your master’s son? And Ziba said to the king, [See,] he [stays in] Jerusalem. For he said, Today, the house of Israel shall restore [to] me, the kingdom of my father. |
Then, king [David] said to Ziba, [Look,] yours are all [who pertain] to Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I humbly [ask] you, that I may find grace in your sight, my lord, O king. |
When king David came to Bahurim & [saw] a man came out [there from] the family of [Saul’s] house, [named] Shimei, [Gera’s] son. [Shimei] came [forward,] & [continued to curse David] as he came. And [Shimei threw] stones at David, & all [his] servants. And all the people & all the mighty men were on his right hand [side,] & on his left. |
Shimei said [this] when he cursed, Come out, come out, you [blood thirsty] man, you man of Belial, [a.k.a. wicked people.] The Lord [has repaid] you [for] all the blood [shed] of the house of Saul, & you [have ruled] in [his place;] & the Lord [has] delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom, your son. |
And [look,] you [are caught] in your [own] mischief, because you are a [blood thirsty] man. Then, Abishai, [Zeruiah’s] son, said to the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord, the king? |
I pray [that] you let me go over, & take off his head. And king [David] said, What [does this] have to do with you, you [son] of Zeruiah? So, let him curse [me,] because the Lord [has] said to him, Curse David. Then, who shall say, [For what reason] have you done [this?] |
And David said to Abishai, & to all his servants, [See,] my son [who] came [from] my [own] [body, seeks] my life. How much more [can] this Benjamite do [to me?] Let him alone, & let him curse; for the Lord [has told] him [to do so.] |
It may be that the Lord will look on [my troubles,] & that the Lord will [repay] me good for [all] his cursing this day. As David & his men went by the [road,] Shimei went along on the hill's side [next to] him, [cursing] & [throwing rocks] at [king David, & dirt] as he went. |
And the king, & all the people [who] were with him, [became tired,] & refreshed themselves there. And Absalom, Ahithophel, & all the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem with him. It [happened,] when Hushai, the Archite, David’s friend, [went] to Absalom, & Hushai said to Absalom, God save the king, [a.k.a. Long live the king.] |
And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this your kindness to your friend? Why [didn’t you go] with your friend? Hushai said to Absalom, [No,] but [whomever] the Lord, this people, & all the men of Israel choose, I will be his, & I will [stay] with him. [2 Samuel 15:32-34 And it [happened,] that when David [had] come to the top of the [mountain,] where he worshiped God, [David] [saw] Hushai, the Archite, came with his coat [torn,] & [dirt] upon his head, to meet him. To whom David said, If you [continue] on with me, then you [shall] be a burden to me. But if you return to the city, & say to Absalom, I will be your servant, O king; [like] I have been your father's servant, [up till now, in the same way,] I will now also be your servant. Then you, [a.k.a. Hushai, may] defeat the [advice] of Ahithophel for me, [a.k.a. king David.] |
Again, whom should I serve? [Shouldn’t] I serve in the presence of [David’s] son? [Like] I have served in your father’s presence, so will I [serve] in your presence. Then, Absalom said to Ahithophel, [Discuss] among [yourselves,] what we shall do. |
And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in [& be intimate,] [with] your father’s [mistresses, that] he [has] left to [take care of] the house; & all Israel shall hear that you are [loathed by] your father. |
Then, the hands of all [who] are with you shall be strong. So they spread a tent [for] Absalom upon the top of the house; & Absalom [was intimate with] his father’s [mistresses] in the sight of all Israel. |
And [Ahithophel’s] counsel, in those days, was [like] if a man had [inquired by] the oracle of God. So, all [Ahithophel’s advice,] was both with David & with Absalom. |