2 Samuel 16

Catholic Public Domain Version

1And when David had passed a little beyond the top of the mountain, Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, appeared to meet him, with two donkeys, which were burdened with two hundred loaves, and one hundred bunches of dried grapes, and one hundred masses of dried figs, and a skin of wine.

2And the king said to Ziba, “What do you intend to do with these things?” And Ziba responded: “The donkeys are for the household of the king, so that they may sit. And the loaves and dried figs are for your servants to eat. But the wine is for anyone to drink who may be faint in the desert.”

3And the king said, “Where is the son of your lord?” And Ziba answered the king: “He remained in Jerusalem, saying, ‘Today, the house of Israel will restore the kingdom of my father to me.’ ”

4And the king said to Ziba, “All the things which were for Mephibosheth are now yours.” And Ziba said, “I beg you that I may find grace before you, my lord the king.”

5Then king David went as far as Bahurim. And behold, a man from the kindred of the house of Saul, named Shimei, the son of Gera, went out from there. And going out, he continued on, and he was cursing,

6and throwing stones against David and against all the servants of king David. And all the people and all the warriors were traveling to the right and to the left sides of the king.

7And so, as he was cursing the king, Shimei said: “Go away, go away, you man of blood, and you man of Belial!

8The Lord has repaid you for all the blood of the house of Saul. For you have usurped the kingdom in place of him. And so, the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of Absalom, your son. And behold, your evils press close upon you, because you are a man of blood.”

9Then Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, said to the king: “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go and cut off his head.”

10And the king said: “What is it to me and to all of you, O sons of Zeruiah? Permit him, so that he may curse. For the Lord has commanded him to curse David. And who is the one who would dare to say, ‘Why has he done so?’ ”

11And the king said to Abishai and to all his servants: “Behold, my son, who went forth from my loins, is seeking my life. How much more does a son of Benjamin do so now? Permit him, so that he may curse, in accord with the command of the Lord.

12Perhaps the Lord may look with favor upon my affliction, and the Lord may repay me good, in place of the cursing of this day.”

13And so, David continued walking along the way, and his associates with him. But Shimei was advancing along the ridge of the mountain on the side opposite him, cursing and throwing stones at him, and scattering dirt.

14And the king and the entire people with him, being weary, went and refreshed themselves there.

15But Absalom and all his people entered into Jerusalem. Moreover, Ahithophel was with him.

16And when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, had gone to Absalom, he said to him: “May you be well, O king! May you be well, O king!”

17And Absalom said to him: “Is this your kindness to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?”

18And Hushai responded to Absalom: “By no means! For I will be his, whom the Lord has chosen. And I, and all this people, and all of Israel, will remain with him.

19But then too, I declare this: whom should I serve? Is it not the son of the king? Just as I have been subject to your father, so will I be subject to you also.”

20Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Present a counsel as to what we ought to do.”

21And Ahithophel said to Absalom: “Enter to the concubines of your father, whom he left behind in order to care for the house. Thus, when all of Israel will hear that you disgraced your father, their hands may be strengthened with you.”

22Therefore, they spread a tent for Absalom on the rooftop. And he entered to the concubines of his father in the sight of all Israel.

23Now the counsel of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was treated as if one were consulting God. So was every counsel of Ahithophel, both when he was with David, and when he was with Absalom.

Reina-Valera 1909

1Y COMO David pasó un poco de la cumbre del monte, he aquí Siba, el criado de Mephi-boseth, que lo salía á recibir con un par de asnos enalbardados, y sobre ellos doscientos panes, y cien hilos de pasas, y cien panes de higos secos, y un cuero de vino.

2Y dijo el rey á Siba: ¿Qué es esto? Y Siba respondió: Los asnos son para la familia del rey, en que suban; los panes y la pasa para los criados, que coman; y el vino, para que beban los que se cansaren en el desierto.

3Y dijo el rey: ¿Dónde está el hijo de tu señor? Y Siba respondió al rey: He aquí él se ha quedado en Jerusalem, porque ha dicho: Hoy me devolverá la casa de Israel el reino de mi padre.

4Entonces el rey dijo á Siba: He aquí, sea tuyo todo lo que tiene Mephi-boseth. Y respondió Siba inclinándose: Rey señor mío, halle yo gracia delante de ti.

5Y vino el rey David hasta Bahurim: y he aquí, salía uno de la familia de la casa de Saúl, el cual se llamaba Semei, hijo de Gera; y salía maldiciendo,

6Y echando piedras contra David, y contra todos los siervos del rey David: y todo el pueblo, y todos los hombres valientes estaban á su diestra y á su siniestra.

7Y decía Semei, maldiciéndole: Sal, sal, varón de sangres, y hombre de Belial:

8Jehová te ha dado el pago de toda la sangre de la casa de Saúl, en lugar del cual tú has reinado: mas Jehová ha entregado el reino en mano de tu hijo Absalom; y hete aquí sorprendido en tu maldad, porque eres varón de sangres.

9Entonces Abisai hijo de Sarvia dijo al rey: ¿Por qué maldice este perro muerto á mi señor el rey? Yo te ruego que me dejes pasar, y quitaréle la cabeza.

10Y el rey respondió: ¿Qué tengo yo con vosotros, hijos de Sarvia? El maldice así, porque Jehová le ha dicho que maldiga á David: ¿quién pues le dirá: Por qué lo haces así?

11Y dijo David á Abisai y á todos sus siervos: He aquí, mi hijo que ha salido de mis entrañas, acecha á mi vida: ¿cuánto más ahora un hijo de Benjamín? Dejadle que maldiga, que Jehová se lo ha dicho.

12Quizá mirará Jehová á mi aflicción, y me dará Jehová bien por sus maldiciones de hoy.

13Y como David y los suyos iban por el camino, Semei iba por el lado del monte delante de él, andando y maldiciendo, y arrojando piedras delante de él, y esparciendo polvo.

14Y el rey y todo el pueblo que con él estaba, llegaron fatigados, y descansaron allí.

15Y Absalom y todo el pueblo, los varones de Israel, entraron en Jerusalem, y con él Achitophel.

16Y acaeció luego, que como Husai Arachîta amigo de David hubo llegado á Absalom, díjole Husai: Viva el rey, viva el rey.

17Y Absalom dijo á Husai: ¿Este es tu agradecimiento para con tu amigo? ¿por qué no fuiste con tu amigo?

18Y Husai respondió á Absalom: No: antes al que eligiere Jehová y este pueblo y todos los varones de Israel, de aquél seré yo, y con aquél quedaré.

19¿Y á quién había yo de servir? ¿no es á su hijo? Como he servido delante de tu padre, así seré delante de ti.

20Entonces dijo Absalom á Achitophel: Consultad qué haremos.

21Y Achitophel dijo á Absalom: Entra á las concubinas de tu padre, que él dejó para guardar la casa; y todo el pueblo de Israel oirá que te has hecho aborrecible á tu padre, y así se esforzarán las manos de todos los que están contigo.

22Entonces pusieron una tienda á Absalom sobre el terrado, y entró Absalom á las concubinas de su padre, en ojos de todo Israel.

23Y el consejo que daba Achitophel en aquellos días, era como si consultaran la palabra de Dios. Tal era el consejo de Achitophel, así con David como con Absalom.

King James Version

1And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.

2And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses be for the king’s household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink.

3And the king said, And where is thy master’s son? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, To day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.

4Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that pertained unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I humbly beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king.

5And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he came.

6And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left.

7And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial:

8The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man.

9Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah 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.

10And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?

11And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him.

12It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day.

13And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill’s side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust.

14And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves there.

15And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.

16And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the king, God save the king.

17And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend?

18And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but whom the LORD, and this people, and all the men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide.

19And again, whom should I serve? should I not serve in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father’s presence, so will I be in thy presence.

20Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do.

21And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father’s concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong.

22So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

23And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.

World English Bible

1When David was a little past the top, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him with a couple of donkeys saddled, and on them two hundred loaves of bread, and one hundred clusters of raisins, and one hundred summer fruits, and a container of wine.

2The king said to Ziba, “What do you mean by these?” Ziba said, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that those who are faint in the wilderness may drink.”

3The king said, “Where is your master’s son?” Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is staying in Jerusalem; for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will restore me the kingdom of my father.’”

4Then the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours.” Ziba said, “I bow down. Let me find favor in your sight, my lord, O king.”

5When King David came to Bahurim, behold, a man of the family of Saul’s house came out, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera. He came out and cursed as he came.

6He cast stones at David and at all the servants of King David, and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left.

7Shimei said when he cursed, “Be gone, be gone, you man of blood, and wicked fellow!

8The LORD has returned on you all the blood of Saul’s house, in whose place you have reigned! The LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son! Behold, you are caught by your own mischief, because you are a man of blood!”

9Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please let me go over and take off his head.”

10The king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Because he curses, and because the LORD has said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’”

11David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my son, who came out of my bowels, seeks my life. How much more this Benjamite, now? Leave him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD has invited him.

12It may be that the LORD will look on the wrong done to me, and that the LORD will repay me good for the cursing of me today.”

13So David and his men went by the way; and Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went, threw stones at him, and threw dust.

14The king and all the people who were with him arrived weary; and he refreshed himself there.

15Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.

16When Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, had come to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”

17Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your kindness to your friend? Why didn’t you go with your friend?”

18Hushai said to Absalom, “No; but whomever the LORD and this people and all the men of Israel have chosen, I will be his, and I will stay with him.

19Again, whom should I serve? Shouldn’t I serve in the presence of his son? As I have served in your father’s presence, so I will be in your presence.”

20Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give your counsel what we shall do.”

21Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father’s concubines that he has left to keep the house. Then all Israel will hear that you are abhorred by your father. Then the hands of all who are with you will be strong.”

22So they spread a tent for Absalom on the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

23The counsel of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if a man inquired at the inner sanctuary of God. All the counsel of Ahithophel was like this both with David and with Absalom.