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.
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.
