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.
大衛和洗巴
1大衛剛越過了山頂，就看見米非波設的僕人洗巴牽著兩頭驢，驢背上馱著二百個麵餅、一百個葡萄餅、一百個夏天的果餅和一皮袋酒來迎接他。 2王問洗巴說：「你帶這些來做什麽？」洗巴說：「驢是給王的家眷騎的，餅和夏天的水果是給你的隨從吃的，酒是供他們在曠野疲憊時喝的。」 3王又問他：「你主人的孫子米非波設在哪裡？」洗巴說：「他在耶路撒冷，因為他相信現在以色列人會把他祖父的國歸還給他。」 4王就對洗巴說：「米非波設的一切現在都歸你了。」洗巴說：「願我在我主我王面前蒙恩！」說著，便叩拜大衛王。
示每咒詛大衛
5大衛王來到巴戶琳時，掃羅家族基拉的兒子示每出來對著大衛破口大罵， 6還朝大衛和他的臣僕扔石頭，無視大衛身邊的眾多部下和勇士。 7示每罵大衛：「滾吧！滾吧！你這個殺人兇手，你這個敗類！ 8你殺掃羅的家人，奪其王位，耶和華報應了你，把江山交給了你兒子押沙龍。你這殺人兇手是自食惡果！」
9洗魯雅的兒子亞比篩對王說：「這死狗竟敢辱罵我主我王，讓我過去砍掉他的頭！」 10王卻說：「洗魯雅的兒子啊，不要管我的事。如果是耶和華叫他來咒罵我，誰能干涉他呢？」 11大衛對亞比篩和他所有臣僕說：「我的親生兒子尚且要取我的命，何況這個便雅憫人呢？由他去吧！因為這是耶和華的意思。 12也許耶和華會體察我的困苦，因我今天所受的咒罵而賜福給我。」 13於是，大衛和隨從繼續趕路，示每也沿著對面的山坡邊走邊罵，向他們扔石頭，撒灰塵。 14王和眾人來到約旦河邊時，疲憊不堪，便在那裡歇息。
15押沙龍和以色列眾人進了耶路撒冷，亞希多弗也和他在一起。 16大衛的朋友亞基人戶篩去見押沙龍，對他說：「願王萬歲！願王萬歲！」 17押沙龍問戶篩說：「這就是你對朋友的忠誠嗎？你為什麼不跟你的朋友去呢？」 18戶篩說：「我不去，誰是耶和華和全體以色列人民所揀選的，我就歸屬誰，留在誰那裡。 19再說，我應當服侍誰呢？難道不該服侍王的兒子嗎？我要像服侍你父親一樣服侍你。」
20押沙龍問亞希多弗下一步應該怎麼辦。 21亞希多弗說：「你父親留下幾個妃嬪看守宮殿，你要跟她們同寢，叫所有的以色列人知道你與父親誓不兩立，這樣支持你的人會更堅定。」 22於是，他們便為押沙龍在殿頂蓋了一座帳篷，他就當著所有以色列人的面與父親的妃嬪同寢。 23那時，亞希多弗出的主意如同是來自上帝的話，大衛曾對他言聽計從，現在押沙龍也是一樣。
