David and Ziba
1When David had gone a short distance beyond the summit, there was Ziba, the steward of Mephibosheth, waiting to meet him. He had a string of donkeys saddled and loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred cakes of raisins, a hundred cakes of figs and a skin of wine.
2The king asked Ziba, “Why have you brought these?”
Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on, the bread and fruit are for the men to eat, and the wine is to refresh those who become exhausted in the wilderness.”
3The king then asked, “Where is your master’s grandson?”
Ziba said to him, “He is staying in Jerusalem, because he thinks, ‘Today the Israelites will restore to me my grandfather’s kingdom.’ ”
4Then the king said to Ziba, “All that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours.”
“I humbly bow,” Ziba said. “May I find favor in your eyes, my lord the king.”
Shimei Curses David
5As King David approached Bahurim, a man from the same clan as Saul’s family came out from there. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and he cursed as he came out. 6He pelted David and all the king’s officials with stones, though all the troops and the special guard were on David’s right and left. 7As he cursed, Shimei said, “Get out, get out, you murderer, you scoundrel! 8The Lord has repaid you for all the blood you shed in the household of Saul, in whose place you have reigned. The Lord has given the kingdom into the hands of your son Absalom. You have come to ruin because you are a murderer!”
9Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head.”
10But the king said, “What does this have to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the Lord said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who can ask, ‘Why do you do this?’ ”
11David then said to Abishai and all his officials, “My son, my own flesh and blood, is trying to kill me. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone; let him curse, for the Lord has told him to. 12It may be that the Lord will look upon my misery and restore to me his covenant blessing instead of his curse today.”
13So David and his men continued along the road while Shimei was going along the hillside opposite him, cursing as he went and throwing stones at him and showering him with dirt. 14The king and all the people with him arrived at their destination exhausted. And there he refreshed himself.
The Advice of Ahithophel and Hushai
15Meanwhile, Absalom and all the men of Israel came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him. 16Then Hushai the Arkite, David’s confidant, went to Absalom and said to him, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”
17Absalom said to Hushai, “So this is the love you show your friend? If he’s your friend, why didn’t you go with him?”
18Hushai said to Absalom, “No, the one chosen by the Lord, by these people, and by all the men of Israel—his I will be, and I will remain with him. 19Furthermore, whom should I serve? Should I not serve the son? Just as I served your father, so I will serve you.”
20Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give us your advice. What should we do?”
21Ahithophel answered, “Sleep with your father’s concubines whom he left to take care of the palace. Then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself obnoxious to your father, and the hands of everyone with you will be more resolute.” 22So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.
23Now in those days the advice Ahithophel gave was like that of one who inquires of God. That was how both David and Absalom regarded 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：「你帶這些來做什麼？」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：「我叩拜我主我王，願我在你面前蒙恩。」
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向著大衛邊走邊罵， 6還朝大衛和他的臣僕扔石頭，無視大衛身邊的眾多隨從和勇士。 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，奪他的王位，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：「這死狗竟敢咒罵我主我王，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！讓他咒罵吧！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，我應該服侍誰呢？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。
