David and Ziba
1 When David had gone a little beyond the top of the hill, he was suddenly met by Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, who had with him a couple of donkeys loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred bunches of raisins, a hundred bunches of fresh fruit, and a leather bag full of wine. 2 King David asked him, “What are you going to do with all that?”
Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for Your Majesty's family to ride, the bread and the fruit are for the men to eat, and the wine is for them to drink when they get tired in the wilderness.”
3 “Where is Mephibosheth, the grandson of your master Saul?” the king asked him.
“He is staying in Jerusalem,” Ziba answered, “because he is convinced that the Israelites will now restore to him the kingdom of his grandfather Saul.”
4 The king said to Ziba, “Everything that belonged to Mephibosheth is yours.”
“I am your servant,” Ziba replied. “May I always please Your Majesty!”
David and Shimei
5 When King David arrived at Bahurim, one of Saul's relatives, Shimei son of Gera, came out to meet him, cursing him as he came. 6 Shimei started throwing stones at David and his officials, even though David was surrounded by his men and his bodyguards. 7 Shimei cursed him and said, “Get out! Get out! Murderer! Criminal! 8 You took Saul's kingdom, and now the Lord is punishing you for murdering so many of Saul's family. The Lord has given the kingdom to your son Absalom, and you are ruined, you murderer!”
9 Abishai, whose mother was Zeruiah, said to the king, “Your Majesty, why do you let this dog curse you? Let me go over there and cut off his head!”
10 “This is none of your business,” the king said to Abishai and his brother Joab. “If he curses me because the Lord told him to, who has the right to ask why he does it?” 11 And David said to Abishai and to all his officials, “My own son is trying to kill me; so why should you be surprised at this Benjaminite? The Lord told him to curse; so leave him alone and let him do it. 12 Perhaps the Lord will notice my misery and give me some blessings to take the place of his curse.” 13 So David and his men continued along the road. Shimei kept up with them, walking on the hillside; he was cursing and throwing stones and dirt at them as he went. 14 The king and all his men were worn out when they reached the Jordan, and there they rested.
Absalom in Jerusalem
15 Absalom and all the Israelites with him entered Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with them. 16 When Hushai, David's trusted friend, met Absalom, he shouted, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”
17 “What has happened to your loyalty to your friend David?” Absalom asked him. “Why didn't you go with him?”
18 Hushai answered, “How could I? I am for the one chosen by the Lord, by these people, and by all the Israelites. I will stay with you. 19 After all, whom should I serve, if not my master's son? As I served your father, so now I will serve you.”
20 Then Absalom turned to Ahithophel and said, “Now that we are here, what do you advise us to do?”
21 Ahithophel answered, “Go and have intercourse with your father's concubines whom he left behind to take care of the palace. Then everyone in Israel will know that your father regards you as his enemy, and your followers will be greatly encouraged.” 22 So they set up a tent for Absalom on the palace roof, and in the sight of everyone Absalom went in and had intercourse with his father's concubines.
23 Any advice that Ahithophel gave in those days was accepted as though it were the very word of God; both David and Absalom followed it.
Ciba
1 Kad Dāvids bija mazliet pagājis no virsotnes, redzi, viņam pretī nāca Mefībošeta kalps Ciba ar apseglotu ēzeļu pāri, kam uzkrautas divi simti maizes, simts rozīņu plāceņu un vasaras augļu un vīna maiss. 2 Ķēniņš prasīja Cibam: “Kas tas tev tur ir?” Viņš sacīja: “Ēzeļi ķēniņa namam, ko jāt, maize un vasaras augļi puišiem, ko ēst, un vīns, ko dzert tuksnesī pagurušajiem.” 3 Tad ķēniņš vaicāja: “Kur tava kunga dēls?” Ciba sacīja ķēniņam: “Viņš palika Jeruzālemē, jo viņš domā: šodien Israēla nams man atdos mana tēva valdīšanu!” 4 Ķēniņš sacīja Cibam: “Lai tad viss, kas pieder Mefībošetam, ir tavs!” Ciba atbildēja: “Es zemojos! Lai gūstu tavu vēlību, mans kungs, ķēniņ!”
Šimī lād Dāvidu
5 Ķēniņš Dāvids nonāca līdz Bahūrīmai, un, redzi, no turienes nāca kāds vīrs no Saula dzimtas, vārdā Šimī, Gēras dēls, – nāca un lādēt lādējās! 6 Viņš meta ar akmeņiem Dāvidam un visiem ķēniņa Dāvida kalpiem, kaut turpat bija visi ļaudis un visi Dāvida spēkavīri! 7 Lādēdams Šimī sacīja: “Ej vien, ej, tu slepkavniek un nelieti! 8 Pret tevi nu Kungs pavērsis visas Saula nama asinis – jo tu valdīji viņa vietā! Nu Kungs dod valdīšanu tavam dēlam Abšālomam, un, redzi, nu pār tevi nāk paša ļaunums, jo tu esi slepkava!” 9 Abīšajs, Cerūjas dēls, sacīja ķēniņam: “Kāpēc tas sprāgušais suns lād manu kungu, ķēniņu? Iešu tur pāri un noraušu viņam galvu!”
10 Bet ķēniņš atbildēja: “Kas man ar jums, Cerūjas dēli! Ja viņš tā lād, tad Kungs būs viņam licis: lādi Dāvidu! – un kas gan lai vaicā: kāpēc tu tā dari?!” 11 Un Dāvids teica Abīšajam un visiem saviem kalpiem: “Redzi, paša dēls, kas no manis nācis, tīko manu dzīvību, kur nu vēl benjāminietis! Lieciet to mierā, lai lādas – Kungs viņam licis. 12 Varbūt Kungs uzlūkos manu vainu, varbūt Kungs to vērsīs par labu viņa šīsdienas lāstu dēļ!” 13 Tā Dāvids ar saviem vīriem gāja pa ceļu, bet Šimī gāja otrā pusē pa kalna nogāzi. Iedams viņš lādēja, svieda pāri akmeņus un putināja pīšļus uz viņu pusi. 14 Ķēniņš ar visiem saviem ļaudīm noguruši nonāca Bahūrīmā un tur atpūtās.
Ahītofela padoms
15 Abšāloms un viss israēliešu pulks ienāca Jeruzālemē un Ahītofels kopā ar viņu. 16 Dāvida draugs arkietis Hūšajs pienāca pie Abšāloma un sauca Abšālomam: “Lai dzīvo ķēniņš! Lai dzīvo ķēniņš!” 17 Abšāloms teica Hūšajam: “Vai tāda ir laipnība pret draugu? Kāpēc tu negāji kopā ar savu draugu?” 18 Hūšajs atbildēja Abšālomam: “Nē! Tam, ko izraudzījis Kungs un šī tauta, un visi israēlieši, – tam es būšu un pie tā es palikšu! 19 Turklāt kam gan lai kalpoju, ja ne viņa dēlam? Kā es kalpoju tavam tēvam, tāpat arī tev!”
20 Abšāloms teica Ahītofelam: “Dod padomu, ko mums darīt!” 21 Ahītofels teica Abšālomam: “Ej pie sava tēva blakussievām, kuras viņš atstāja pieskatīt namu. Tad viss Israēls dzirdēs, ka tu savam tēvam esi kļuvis par smerdeli, un tas dos spēku visiem, kas ir ar tevi.” 22 Viņi izpleta Abšālomam telti uz jumta, un tas gāja pie sava tēva blakussievām, visam Israēlam redzot. 23 Jo tolaik Ahītofela dotais padoms bija līdzvērtīgs Dieva iztaujāšanai – tāds bija ikviens Ahītofela padoms gan Dāvidam, gan Abšālomam.
