2
And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses
are for the king’s household to ride on, and the bread and summer fruit for the servants to eat, and the wine that those that become weary 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 abides at Jerusalem, for he said, Today shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.
4
Then the king said to Ziba, Behold, thine
are all that
pertained unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba bowed down and said, Let me find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king.
5
And when King David came to Bahurim, behold, a man of the family of the house of Saul came forth, whose name
was Shimei, the son of Gera; he came forth cursing
6
and casting stones at David and at all the slaves 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 has returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom, thy son; and, behold, thou
art taken in thy evil because thou
art a bloody man.
9
Then Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, said 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 has said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Why hast thou done so?
11
And David said to Abishai, and to all his slaves, Behold, my son, who came forth of my bowels, seeks my life; how much more now a son of Jemini? Let him alone, and let him curse, for the LORD has bidden him.
12
It may be that the LORD will look on my affliction and that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day.