David y Siba
1Un poco más allá de la cumbre del monte, David se encontró con Siba, el criado de Mefiboset, que llevaba un par de asnos aparejados y cargados con doscientos panes, cien tortas de uvas pasas, cien tortas de higos y un odre de vino.
2—¿Qué vas a hacer con todo esto? —preguntó el rey.
Siba respondió:
—Los asnos son para que monte la familia de Su Majestad, el pan y la fruta son para que coman los soldados, y el vino es para que beban los que desfallezcan en el desierto.
3Entonces el rey preguntó:
—¿Dónde está el nieto de tu amo?
—Se quedó en Jerusalén —respondió Siba—. Él se imagina que ahora la nación de Israel le va a devolver el reino de su abuelo.
4—Bueno —respondió el rey—, todo lo que antes fue de Mefiboset ahora es tuyo.
—¡Humildemente me postro ante usted! —exclamó Siba—. ¡Que cuente yo siempre con el favor de mi señor y rey!
Simí maldice a David
5Cuando el rey David llegó a Bajurín, salía de allí un hombre de la familia de Saúl, llamado Simí, hijo de Guerá. Este se puso a maldecir 6y a tirarles piedras a David y a todos sus oficiales, a pesar de que las tropas y la guardia real rodeaban al rey. 7En sus insultos, Simí decía al rey:
—¡Largo de aquí! ¡Asesino! ¡Canalla! 8El Señor te está dando tu merecido por haber masacrado a la familia de Saúl para reinar en su lugar. Por eso el Señor ha entregado el reino a tu hijo Absalón. Has caído en desgracia, porque eres un asesino.
9Abisay, hijo de Sarvia, dijo al rey:
—¿Cómo se atreve este perro muerto a maldecir a mi señor el rey? ¡Déjeme que vaya y le corte la cabeza!
10Pero el rey respondió:
—Esto no es asunto mío ni de ustedes, hijos de Sarvia. A lo mejor el Señor le ha ordenado que me maldiga. Y si es así, ¿quién se lo puede reclamar?
11Dirigiéndose a Abisay y a todos sus oficiales, David añadió:
—Si el hijo de mis entrañas intenta quitarme la vida, ¡qué no puedo esperar de este benjamita! Déjenlo que me maldiga, pues el Señor se lo ha mandado. 12A lo mejor el Señor toma en cuenta mi aflicción y me paga con bendiciones las maldiciones que estoy recibiendo hoy.
13David y sus hombres reanudaron el viaje. Simí, por su parte, los seguía por la ladera del monte, maldiciendo a David, tirándole piedras y levantando polvo. 14El rey y quienes lo acompañaban llegaron agotados a su destino, así que descansaron allí.
El consejo de Husay y Ajitofel
15Mientras tanto, Absalón y todos los israelitas que lo seguían habían entrado en Jerusalén; también Ajitofel lo acompañaba. 16Entonces Husay, el arquita amigo de David, fue a ver a Absalón y exclamó:
—¡Viva el rey! ¡Viva el rey!
17Absalón preguntó:
—¿Así muestras tu lealtad a tu amigo? ¿Cómo es que no te fuiste con él?
18—De ningún modo —respondió Husay—. Soy más bien amigo del elegido del Señor, elegido también por este pueblo y por todos los israelitas. Así que yo me quedo con usted. 19Además, ¿a quién voy a servir? Serviré al hijo, como antes serví al padre.
20Luego dijo Absalón a Ajitofel:
—Danos tu consejo. ¿Qué debemos hacer?
21Ajitofel respondió:
—Acuéstese usted con las concubinas16:21 Véase nota en Gn 22:24. que su padre dejó al cuidado del palacio. De ese modo, todos los israelitas se darán cuenta de que usted se ha hecho odioso ante su padre, y quienes lo apoyan a usted se fortalecerán en el poder.
22Entonces instalaron una tienda de campaña en la azotea para que Absalón se acostara con las concubinas de su padre a la vista de todos los israelitas.
23En aquella época, recibir el consejo de Ajitofel era como oír la palabra misma de Dios y esto era así tanto para David como para Absalón.
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.
