Parallel Bible results for "2 samuel 16"

2 Samuel 16

Common English Bible CEB

1 When David had passed a short distance beyond the summit, Ziba, Mephibosheth's servant, met him with a pair of saddled donkeys loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred bunches of raisins, one hundred figs, and a jar of wine.

2 "What is all this for?" the king asked Ziba. "The donkeys are for the royal family to ride," Ziba explained. "The bread and summer fruit are for the young people to eat, and the wine is for those who get exhausted in the wilderness."

3 "Where is your master's grandson?" the king asked. "He is still in Jerusalem," Ziba answered the king, "because he thinks that the Israelites are now going to give his grandfather's kingdom back to him."

4 "Look here," the king said to Ziba. "Everything that belonged to Mephibosheth now belongs to you." Ziba said, "I bow out of respect! Please think well of me, my master and king."

5 When King David came to Bahurim, a man from the same clan as Saul's family came out from there. His name was Shimei; he was Gera's son. He was cursing as he came out.

6 He threw rocks at David and at all of King David's servants, even though the entire army and all the warriors were on either side of him.

7 This is what Shimei said as he cursed David: "Get out of here! Get out of here! You are a murderer! You are despicable!

8 The LORD has paid you back for all the blood of Saul's family, in whose place you rule, and the LORD has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. You are in this trouble because you are a murderer!"

9 Zeruiah's son Abishai said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my master the king? Let me go over and cut his head off!"

10 But the king said, "My problems aren't yours, you sons of Zeruiah. If he is cursing because the LORD told him to curse David, then who is to question, ‘Why are you doing this?'"

11 Then David addressed Abishai and all his servants: "Listen! My own son, one of my very own children, wants me dead. This Benjaminite can only feel the same—only more! Leave him alone. And let him curse, because the LORD told him to.

12 Perhaps the LORD will see my distress; perhaps the LORD will repay me with good for this cursing today."

13 So David and his men kept walking, while Shimei went along on the hillside next to him, cursing as he went, throwing rocks and dirt at him.

14 The king and all the people who were with him reached the Jordan River exhausted, and he rested there.

15 Now Absalom and all the Israelites entered Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him.

16 Then David's friend Hushai, who was from Erek, approached Absalom and said to him, "Long live the king! Long live the king!"

17 But Absalom said to Hushai, "Is this how you show loyal love to your friend? Why didn't you go with him?"

18 "No," Hushai replied to Absalom, "I will belong to the one chosen by the LORD, by this people, and by all Israel, and I will stay with him.

19 What's more, whom should I serve if not David's son? I served your father, and so I will serve you in the same way."

20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, "Give your advice then. What should we do?"

21 "Have sex with your father's secondary wives—the ones he left to take care of the palace," Ahithophel told Absalom. "Then all Israel will hear that you have alienated yourself from your father, and everyone who supports you will be encouraged."

22 So they set up a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he had sex with his father's secondary wives in plain sight before all Israel. (

23 Now in those days, the advice Ahithophel gave was like asking for a word from God. That's why Ahithophel's advice was valued by both David and Absalom.)

The Message Bible MSG

1 Shortly after David passed the crest of the hill, Mephibosheth's steward Ziba met him with a string of pack animals, saddled and loaded with a hundred loaves of bread, a hundred raisin cakes, a hundred baskets of fresh fruit, and a skin of wine.

2 The king said to Ziba, "What's all this?" "The donkeys," said Ziba, "are for the king's household to ride, the bread and fruit are for the servants to eat, and the wine is for drinking, especially for those overcome by fatigue in the wilderness."

3 The king said, "And where is your master's grandson?" "He stayed in Jerusalem," said Ziba. "He said, 'This is the day Israel is going to restore my grandfather's kingdom to me.'"

4 "Everything that belonged to Mephibosheth," said the king, "is now yours." Ziba said, "How can I ever thank you? I'll be forever in your debt, my master and king; may you always look on me with such kindness!"

5 When the king got to Bahurim, a man appeared who had connections with Saul's family. His name was Shimei son of Gera. As he followed along he shouted insults

6 and threw rocks right and left at David and his company, servants and soldiers alike.

7 To the accompaniment of curses he shouted, "Get lost, get lost, you butcher, you hellhound!

8 God has paid you back for all your dirty work in the family of Saul and for stealing his kingdom. God has given the kingdom to your son Absalom. Look at you now - ruined! And good riddance, you pathetic old man!"

9 Abishai son of Zeruiah said, "This mangy dog can't insult my master the king this way - let me go over and cut off his head!"

10 But the king said, "Why are you sons of Zeruiah always interfering and getting in the way? If he's cursing, it's because God told him, 'Curse David.' So who dares raise questions?"

11 "Besides," continued David to Abishai and the rest of his servants, "my own son, my flesh and bone, is right now trying to kill me; compared to that this Benjaminite is small potatoes. Don't bother with him; let him curse; he's preaching God's word to me.

12 And who knows, maybe God will see the trouble I'm in today and exchange the curses for something good."

13 David and his men went on down the road, while Shimei followed along on the ridge of the hill alongside, cursing, throwing stones down on them, and kicking up dirt.

14 By the time they reached the Jordan River, David and all the men of the company were exhausted. There they rested and were revived.

15 By this time Absalom and all his men were in Jerusalem. And Ahithophel was with them.

16 Soon after, Hushai the Arkite, David's friend, came and greeted Absalom, "Long live the king! Long live the king!"

17 Absalom said to Hushai, "Is this the way you show devotion to your good friend? Why didn't you go with your friend David?"

18 "Because," said Hushai, "I want to be with the person that God and this people and all Israel have chosen. And I want to stay with him.

19 Besides, who is there to serve other than the son? Just as I served your father, I'm now ready to serve you."

20 Then Absalom spoke to Ahithophel, "Are you ready to give counsel? What do we do next?"

21 Ahithophel told Absalom, "Go and sleep with your father's concubines, the ones he left to tend to the palace. Everyone will hear that you have openly disgraced your father, and the morale of everyone on your side will be strengthened."

22 So Absalom pitched a tent up on the roof in public view, and went in and slept with his father's concubines.

23 The counsel that Ahithophel gave in those days was treated as if God himself had spoken. That was the reputation of Ahithophel's counsel to David; it was the same with Absalom.