David and Ziba
1David went just beyond the top of the Mount of Olives. Ziba was waiting there to meet him. He was Mephibosheth’s manager. He had several donkeys with saddles on them. They were carrying 200 loaves of bread and 100 raisin cakes. They were also carrying 100 fig cakes and a bottle of wine. The bottle was made out of animal skin.
2The king asked Ziba, “Why have you brought all these things?”
Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’s family to ride on. The bread and fruit are for the people to eat. The wine will make those who get tired in the desert feel like new again.”
3Then the king asked, “Where is your master’s grandson Mephibosheth?”
Ziba said to him, “He’s staying in Jerusalem. He thinks, ‘Today the Israelites will cause me to rule once again over my grandfather Saul’s kingdom.’ ”
4Then the king said to Ziba, “Everything that belonged to Mephibosheth belongs to you now.”
“You are my king and master,” Ziba said. “I make myself humble in front of you. I bow down to you. May you be pleased with me.”
Shimei Curses David
5King David approached Bahurim. As he did, a man came out toward him. The man was from the same family group that Saul was from. His name was Shimei. He was the son of Gera. As he came out of the town, he cursed David. 6He threw stones at David and all his officials. He did it even though all the troops and the special guard were there. They were to the right and left of David. 7As Shimei cursed, he said, “Get out! Get out, you murderer! You are a worthless and evil man! 8You spilled the blood of a lot of people in Saul’s family. You took over his kingdom. Now the Lord is paying you back. He has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. You have been destroyed because you are a murderer!”
9Then Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, spoke to the king. He said, “King David, why should we let this dead dog curse you? Let me go over there. I’ll cut off his head.”
10But the king said, “You and Joab are sons of Zeruiah. What does this have to do with you? Maybe the Lord said to him, ‘Curse David.’ If he did, who can ask him, ‘Why are you doing this?’ ”
11Then David spoke to Abishai and all his officials. He said, “My very own son Absalom is trying to kill me. How much more should this man from Benjamin want to kill me! Leave him alone. Let him curse. The Lord has told him to do it. 12Maybe the Lord will see how much I’m suffering. Maybe he’ll bring back to me his covenant blessing instead of his curse I’m hearing today.”
13So David and his men kept going along the road. At the same time, Shimei was going along the hillside across from him. He was cursing David as he went. He was throwing stones at David. He was showering him with dirt. 14The king and all the people with him came to the place they had planned to go to. They were very tired. So David rested there.
Ahithophel and Hushai Give Advice to Absalom
15During that time, Absalom and all the men of Israel came to Jerusalem. Ahithophel was with him. 16Then Hushai, the Arkite, went to Absalom. He said to him, “May the king live a long time! May the king live a long time!” Hushai was David’s trusted friend.
17Absalom said to Hushai, “So this is the way you show love to your friend? If he’s your friend, why didn’t you go with him?”
18Hushai said to Absalom, “Why should I? You are the one the Lord has chosen. These people and all the men of Israel have also chosen you. I want to be on your side. I want to stay with you. 19After all, who else should I serve? Shouldn’t I serve the king’s son? I will serve you, just as I served your father.”
20Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give us your advice. What should we do?”
21Ahithophel answered, “Your father left some concubines behind to take care of the palace. Go and sleep with them. Then all the Israelites will hear about it. They will hear that you have made your father hate you. Everyone with you will be encouraged to give you more support.” 22So they set up a tent for Absalom on the roof of the palace. He went in and slept with his father’s concubines. Everyone in Israel saw it.
23In those days the advice Ahithophel gave was as good as advice from someone who asks God for guidance. That’s what David and Absalom thought about all of Ahithophel’s advice.
Dawid Ne Siba
1Dawid sianee bepɔ no pɛ na ɔne Mefiboset ɔsomfoɔ Siba hyiaeɛ. Na ɔdi mfunumu mmienu a wɔahyehyɛ burodo mua ahanu, bobe aba a wɔabɔ no ntowantowa ɔha ne nsã nwoma kotokuo ma wɔ wɔn so. 2Ɔhene no bisaa Siba sɛ, “Na yeinom nso ɛ?” Na Siba buaa sɛ, “Mfunumu no, mo nkurɔfoɔ ntena wɔn so, na burodo no ne aduaba no, wɔmfa mma mmeranteɛ no na wɔnni. Na nsã no nso, momfa nkɔ ɛserɛ so hɔ, na wɔn a ɔbrɛ enti wɔbɛtɔ baha no, anom.”
3Na ɔhene no bisaa no sɛ, “Na Mefiboset wɔ he?” Siba buaa sɛ, “Ɔkaa Yerusalem. Ɔkaa sɛ, ‘Ɛnnɛ, mɛsane agye me nana Saulo ahemman no.’ ”
4Ɔhene no ka kyerɛɛ Siba sɛ, “Sɛ saa na ɛte deɛ a, mede biribiara a ɛyɛ Mefiboset dea no mema wo.”
Siba buaa sɛ, “Meda wo ase awura. Ɛberɛ biara, biribiara a wobɛka akyerɛ me sɛ menyɛ no, mɛyɛ.”
Simei Dome Dawid
5Ɛberɛ a ɔhene Dawid ne ne nkurɔfoɔ retwam wɔ Bahurim no, ɔbarima bi pue firii akuraa no ase bɛdomee wɔn. Na saa ɔbarima no din de Simei, Gera a ɔyɛ Saulo busuani babarima. 6Ɔpaa Dawid ne ne mpanimfoɔ ne akodɔm a wɔatwa wɔn ho ahyia no nyinaa aboɔ. 7Ɔteaam guu Dawid so sɛ, “Firi hanom kɔ! Mogyapɛfoɔ a ɔte sɛ woɔ! Ɔsansani! 8Awurade atua wo ka sɛ wohwiee Saulo ne ne fiefoɔ mogya guiɛ. Wowiaa nʼahennwa, na afei Awurade de ahemman no ahyɛ wo babarima Absalom nsa. Wobɛnom wʼankasa aduro, wo mogyapɛfoɔ.”
9Ɛnna Seruia babarima Abisai bisaa ɔhene no sɛ, “Adɛn enti na ɛsɛ sɛ ɔkraman funu yi tumi dome me wura, ɔhene? Ma menkɔ na menkɔtwa ne ti.”
10Nanso, ɔhene no kaa sɛ, “Ɛdeɛn na me ne mo Seruia mmammarima bɛyɛ? Sɛ Awurade aka akyerɛ no sɛ, ɔnnome me a, me ne hwan a mɛtumi aka akyerɛ no sɛ ɔnnyae?”
11Na Dawid ka kyerɛɛ Abisai ne ne mpanimfoɔ sɛ, “Me babarima a ɔyɛ mʼankasa mogya pɛ sɛ ɔkum me. Na ɛdeɛn na ɛsi Saulo busuani ho kwan sɛ ɔnyɛ saa ara. Monnyaa no, momma ɔnnome, ɛfiri sɛ, Awurade na waka akyerɛ no sɛ ɔnyɛ saa. 12Ebia, Awurade bɛhunu sɛ wɔreyɛ me bɔne, na ɔde papa atua me nnome a me nsa aka no ɛnnɛ yi no so ka.”
13Enti, Dawid ne ne mmarima toaa so kɔɔ wɔn ɛkwan a saa ɛberɛ no, na Simei nso nam bepɔ bi a ɛbɛn wɔn so. Ɔrekɔ no nyinaa, na ɔredome, toto aboɔ bɔ Dawid, tu mfuturo gu ewiem. 14Ɔhene ne ne nkurɔfoɔ nyinaa brɛeɛ wɔ ɛkwan so enti, wɔduruu Asubɔnten Yordan ho no, wɔgyee wɔn ahome.
Ahitofel Ma Absalom Afotuo
15Absalom ne Israel mmarima nyinaa baa Yerusalem a Ahitofel ka wɔn ho. 16Na Husai a ɔfiri Arki a ɔyɛ Dawid adamfo no, kɔɔ Absalom nkyɛn kɔka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Ɔhene nkwa so! Ɔhene nkwa so!”
17Na Absalom bisaa Husai sɛ, “Yei ne ɛkwan a wode wʼadamfo Dawid fa soɔ? Adɛn enti na wo ne wʼadamfo ankɔ?”
18Husai ka kyerɛɛ Absalom sɛ, “Mewɔ ha ɛfiri sɛ meyɛ adwuma ma ɔbarima a Awurade ne Israel ayi no. 19Deɛ ɛka ho bio ne sɛ, hwan na ɛsɛ sɛ mesom no? Sɛdeɛ mesom wʼagya no, saa ara na mɛsom wo.”
20Ɛnna Absalom danee ne ho bisaa Ahitofel sɛ, “Ɛdeɛn bio na menyɛ?”
21Ahitofel buaa no sɛ, “Kɔ na wo ne wʼagya mpenafoɔ no nna, ɛfiri sɛ, wagya wɔn hɔ sɛ wɔnhwɛ ahemfie hɔ. Ɛno bɛma Israel nyinaa ahunu sɛ, woabu no animtia a ɛboro nkabom so, na wɔde wɔn ho bɛma wo.” 22Enti, wɔsii ntomadan wɔ ahemfie no atifi baabi a obiara bɛhunu, na Absalom kɔɔ ntomadan no mu, na ɔne nʼagya mpenafoɔ no daeɛ.
23Absalom tiee Ahitofel afotuo sɛdeɛ Dawid yɛeɛ no pɛpɛɛpɛ. Na asɛm biara a ɛfiri Ahitofel anom baeɛ no mu nyansa no, yɛɛ sɛdeɛ ɛfiri Onyankopɔn anom.
