Ziba Gives Food to David
1 David had started down the other side of the Mount of Olives, when he was met by Ziba, the chief servant of Mephibosheth. Ziba had two donkeys that were carrying 200 loaves of bread, 100 handfuls of raisins, 100 figs, and some wine.
2 “What's all this?” David asked.
Ziba said, “The donkeys are for your family to ride. The bread and fruit are for the people to eat, and the wine is for them to drink in the desert when they are tired out.”
3 “And where is Mephibosheth?” David asked.
Ziba answered, “He stayed in Jerusalem, because he thinks the people of Israel want him to rule the kingdom of his grandfather Saul.”
4 David then told him, “Everything that used to belong to Mephibosheth is now yours.”
Ziba said, “Your Majesty, I am your humble servant, and I hope you will be pleased with me.”
Shimei Curses David
5 David was near the town of Bahurim when a man came out and started cursing him. The man was Shimei the son of Gera, and he was one of Saul's distant relatives. 6 He threw stones at David, at his soldiers, and at everyone else, including the bodyguards who walked on each side of David.
7 Shimei was yelling at David, “Get out of here, you murderer! You good-for-nothing, 8 the Lord is paying you back for killing so many in Saul's family. You stole his kingdom, but now the Lord has given it to your son Absalom. You're a murderer, and that's why you're in such big trouble!”
9 Abishai said, “Your Majesty, this man is as useless as a dead dog! He shouldn't be allowed to curse you. Let me go over and chop off his head.”
10 David replied, “What will I ever do with you and your brother Joab? If Shimei is cursing me because the Lord has told him to, then who are you to tell him to stop?”
11 Then David said to Abishai and all his soldiers:
My own son is trying to kill me! Why shouldn't this man from the tribe of Benjamin want me dead even more? Let him curse all he wants. Maybe the Lord did tell him to curse me. 12 But if the Lord hears these curses and sees the trouble I'm in, maybe he will have pity on me instead.
13 David and the others went on down the road. Shimei went along the hillside by the road, cursing and throwing rocks and dirt at them. 14 When David and those with him came to the Jordan River, they were tired out. But after they rested, they felt much better.
Hushai Meets Absalom
15 By this time, Absalom, Ahithophel, and the others had reached Jerusalem. 16 David's friend Hushai came to Absalom and said, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”
17 But Absalom asked Hushai, “Is this how you show loyalty to your friend David? Why didn't you go with him?”
18 Hushai answered, “The Lord and the people of Israel have chosen you to be king. I can't leave. I have to stay and serve the one they've chosen. 19 Besides, it seems right for me to serve you, just as I served your father.”
Ahithophel's Advice
20 Absalom turned to Ahithophel and said, “Give us your advice! What should we do?”
21 Ahithophel answered, “Some of your father's wives were left here to take care of the palace. You should have sex with them. Then everyone will find out that you have publicly disgraced your father. This will make you and your followers even more powerful.”
22 Absalom had a tent set up on the flat roof of the palace, and everyone watched as he went into the tent with his father's wives.
23 Ahithophel gave such good advice in those days that both Absalom and David thought it came straight from God.
1 Kad Dāvids bija mazliet nogājis no kalna gala, redzi, tad Ciba, Mefibošeta puisis, nāca viņam pretī ar pāris apkrautiem ēzeļiem, un tie uz muguras nesa divi simti maizes, simts rozīņu raušu, simts vasaras augļu saiņu un ādas trauku ar vīnu. 2 Un ķēniņš sacīja Cibam: "Kas tie tev tur ir?" Tad Ciba sacīja: "Ēzeļi ir ķēniņa nama ļaudīm, ko jāt, bet maize un vasaras augļi kalpotājiem, ko ēst, bet vīns tiem, kas tuksnesī piekusuši, ko dzert." 3 Tad ķēniņš jautāja: "Bet kur tad ir tava kunga dēls?" Un Ciba atbildēja ķēniņam: "Redzi, viņš ir palicis Jeruzālemē, jo viņš teica: šodien Israēla nams man atdos atpakaļ mana vectēva ķēniņa valstību." 4 Tad ķēniņš sacīja Cibam: "Lai tad nu tev arī pieder viss, kas piederēja Mefibošetam!" Un Ciba sacīja: "Es noliecos tavā priekšā, lai atrodu labvēlību tavās acīs, mans kungs un ķēniņ!" 5 Kad ķēniņš Dāvids nonāca līdz Bahurimai, redzi, tad no turienes iznāca kāds vīrs no Saula nama piederīgiem, un viņa vārds bija Šimejs, Geras dēls. Tuvodamies viņš nepārtraukti lādējās 6 un meta akmeņus uz Dāvidu un uz visiem ķēniņa Dāvida kalpiem, kaut gan visa karavīru saime un visi miesassargi gāja ķēniņam pa labo un pa kreiso pusi. 7 Un Šimejs tam sacīja, lādēdams: "Ej ārā, ej projām, tu, asinskārīgais vīrs, tu, ļaundari! 8 Tas Kungs tev tagad liek nest visu Saula nama asins parādu, kā vietā tu esi uzkundzējies par ķēniņu. Bet tagad Tas Kungs nodod ķēniņa valsts varu tava dēla Absaloma rokā, un redzi, nu tu pats tagad esi nelaimē, jo tu esi asinskārīgs vīrs!" 9 Tad Abišajs, Cerujas dēls, sacīja ķēniņam: "Kāpēc šis sprāgušais suns lād manu kungu un ķēniņu? Atļauj man noiet tur pāri pie viņa un viņam noraut galvu!" 10 Bet ķēniņš atbildēja: "Kāda daļa man ar jums, jūs Cerujas dēli? Ļaujiet taču viņam lādēties! Laikam jau gan viņš lād tādēļ, ka Tas Kungs būs viņam sacījis: lādi Dāvidu! - Kā gan tad drīkst jautāt: kādēļ tu tā dari?" 11 Un Dāvids sacīja Abišajam un visiem saviem kalpiem: "Redzi, mans paša dēls, kas cēlies no maniem gurniem, tagad tīko pēc manas dzīvības; vai tad ne vairāk šis benjamīnietis! Ļaujiet tam, lai viņš lādas, jo Tas Kungs viņam to ir licis! 12 Varbūt Tas Kungs mani uzlūkos manā postā un jau šodien pārvērtīs viņa lāstu man par svētību." 13 Tā Dāvids gāja ar saviem vīriem tālāk pa ceļu, bet Šimejs gāja otrā pusē gar kalna klintāju, un iedams viņš lādējās, meta akmeņus uz viņiem un svaidīja pīšļus. 14 Un ķēniņš ar tiem vīriem, kas bija pie viņa, piekusuši nonāca pie avotiem un tur atveldzējās. 15 Bet Absaloms un visi Israēla vīri gāja uz Jeruzālemi un Ahitofels līdz ar viņu. 16 Un notika, kad Dāvida draugs Hušajs no Arkas nāca pie Absaloma, tad Hušajs uzsauca Absalomam: "Ilgu mūžu ķēniņam! Ilgu mūžu ķēniņam!" 17 Bet Absaloms atbildēja Hušajam: "Vai tā ir tava uzticība pret tavu draugu? Kāpēc tu neesi gājis ar savu draugu?" 18 Tad Hušajs atbildēja Absalomam: "Nē! Bet, ko Tas Kungs ir izredzējis un šī tauta un visi Israēla vīri, tam es arī piederēšu un pie tā es arī palikšu! 19 Un tālāk - kam tad lai es kalpoju? Vai lai es nekalpoju viņa dēlam? Tāpat kā es esmu kalpojis tavam tēvam, tāpat es gribu būt tavā priekšā!" 20 Un Absaloms sacīja Ahitofelam: "Dodiet padomu, ko lai mēs iesākam!" 21 Un Ahitofels sacīja Absalomam: "Ieej pie sava tēva blakussievām, ko viņš te ir atstājis, lai tās sargātu namu. Tad viss Israēls dzirdēs, ka tu esi kļuvis pretīgs savam tēvam. Un visu to rokas, kas pie tevis, taps stiprinātas." 22 Un viņi izplēta Absaloma telti uz jumta, un Absaloms iegāja pie sava tēva blakussievām, visam Israēlam to redzot. 23 Un Ahitofela padoms, ko viņš tanī laikā deva, bija tik augstu turēts itin kā Dieva atklāsme; tāds bija Ahitofela padoms tiklab Dāvidam, kā Absalomam.
