1David fortsatte ned ad vejen på den anden side af Olivenbjerget og mødte kort efter Ziba, som havde været Sauls tjener og nu bestyrede Mefiboshets ejendom. Ziba havde to æsler med sig. De havde sadler på og var læssede med 200 brød, 100 rosinkager, 100 figner[1] og en lædersæk med vin.2„Hvor skal du hen med de ting?” spurgte kongen. Ziba svarede: „Æslerne er en gave til kongens familie, så de har noget at ride på. Brødet, kagerne og frugten er til folkene—og vinen skal styrke dem, der bliver udmattede i ørkenen.”3„Hvor er Mefiboshet?” spurgte kongen ham. „Han blev i Jerusalem,” svarede Ziba, „for han tænkte: Nu vil israelitterne give mig min farfars kongedømme tilbage!”4„Så overdrager jeg al hans ejendom til dig, Ziba!” udbrød kongen opbragt. „Mange, mange tak!” svarede Ziba og bøjede sig til jorden. „Måtte jeg altid bevare kongens velvilje.”
Shimi forbander David
5Da David og hans følge passerede Bahurim, kom en mand fra landsbyen ud og råbte forbandelser efter dem. Det var Shimi, Geras søn. Han var en slægtning til Saul.6Han kastede sten efter kongen og hans tjenere til trods for, at de var omgivet af hele hæren og livvagten.7-8„Forsvind, din morder—din bandit!” skreg han mod David. „Nu betaler Herren dig tilbage, fordi du myrdede kong Sauls familie for selv at overtage tronen. Nu har Herren overdraget den til din søn Absalom! Din morder! Nu får du, hvad du har fortjent!”9„Hvor længe skal den forbandede køter have lov til at overfuse kongen?” spurgte Abishaj, Zerujas søn. „Lad mig gå hen og hugge hovedet af ham!”10„I tænker kun på hævn, Zerujas sønner,” svarede David. „Hvis Herren har givet ham besked på at forbande mig—hvem er da jeg, at jeg skulle standse ham?11Min egen søn søger at slå mig ihjel, men denne benjaminit forbander mig jo kun. Lad ham være, for Herren er med i det.12Måske vil Herren ynkes over mig og vende forbandelserne til noget godt.”13Så gik David og hans mænd videre, men Shimi fulgte med i sikker afstand oppe på bakkeskråningen og fortsatte med at forbande David og smide sten og jord efter ham.14Da kongen og hans følge nåede vadestedet ved Jordanfloden, var de så udmattede, at de måtte holde et langt hvil.
Hushaj tilbyder Absalom sin tjeneste
15I mellemtiden havde Absalom holdt sit indtog i Jerusalem, ledsaget af sine folk og af Ahitofel.16Davids ven, arkitten Hushaj, opsøgte ham øjeblikkelig. „Kongen leve! Kongen længe leve!” hilste han.17„Er det en måde at behandle din ven David på?” spurgte Absalom. „Hvorfor er du ikke fulgt med ham?”18„Fordi jeg foretrækker at holde med den mand, som Herren og hans folk Israel har valgt,” svarede Hushaj.19„Er der noget forkert i det? Tidligere hjalp jeg din far, nu vil jeg gerne hjælpe dig.”
Ahitofel som Absaloms rådgiver
20Derefter sagde Absalom henvendt til Ahitofel: „Hvad skal vi så gøre nu? Kom med et godt råd!”21Ahitofel kom med følgende forslag: „Du skal gå i seng med din fars medhustruer, som han efterlod i paladset! Så vil hele Israels folk indse, at du har krænket ham så groft, at al forsoning er udelukket, og dine tilhængere vil vide, at du mener det alvorligt med dit oprør imod ham.”22Så blev der rejst et telt på paladsets flade tag, hvor alle kunne se det, og ved højlys dag gik Absalom ind i teltet og lå med sin fars medhustruer, den ene efter den anden.23Absalom fulgte altid Ahitofels råd, ligesom David tidligere havde gjort, for når Ahitofel talte, mente man, at han talte på Guds vegne.
1When David had passed a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of donkeys saddled, bearing two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred bunches of raisins, a hundred of summer fruits, and a skin of wine. (1.Sam 25,18; 2.Sam 9,2; 2.Sam 15,30; 2.Sam 15,32)2And the king said to Ziba, “Why have you brought these?” Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on, the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for those who faint in the wilderness to drink.” (Dom 5,10; Dom 10,4; 2.Sam 16,14; 2.Sam 17,29)3And the king said, “And where is your master’s son?” Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he remains in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will give me back the kingdom of my father.’” (2.Sam 19,26)4Then the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours.” And Ziba said, “I pay homage; let me ever find favor in your sight, my lord the king.”
Shimei Curses David
5When King David came to Bahurim, there came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera, and as he came he cursed continually. (2.Sam 3,16; 2.Sam 19,16; 2.Sam 19,21; 1.Kong 2,8; 1.Kong 2,36)6And he threw 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 Shimei said as he cursed, “Get out, get out, you man of blood, you worthless man! (2.Sam 16,5)8The Lord has avenged on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, your evil is on you, for you are a man of blood.” (Dom 9,24; Dom 9,56; 2.Sam 1,16; 1.Kong 2,32)9Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head.” (2.Mos 22,28; 1.Sam 24,14; 2.Sam 3,8; 2.Sam 9,8)10But the king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’” (1.Sam 26,6; 2.Sam 19,22)11And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Leave him alone, and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to. (2.Sam 12,11)12It may be that the Lord will look on the wrong done to me,[1] and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing today.”13So David and his men went on the road, while Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went and threw stones at him and flung dust. (2.Sam 19,21)14And the king, and all the people who were with him, arrived weary at the Jordan.[2] And there he refreshed himself. (2.Sam 16,2)
Absalom Enters Jerusalem
15Now Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. (2.Sam 15,37)16And when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!” (1.Sam 10,24; 2.Sam 16,15; 1.Kong 1,25; 1.Kong 1,39; 2.Kong 11,12)17And Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?” (2.Sam 19,25)18And Hushai said to Absalom, “No, for whom the Lord and this people and all the men of Israel have chosen, his I will be, and with him I will remain.19And again, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? As I have served your father, so I will serve you.” (2.Sam 15,34)20Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give your counsel. What shall we do?”21Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father’s concubines, whom he has left to keep the house, and all Israel will hear that you have made yourself a stench to your father, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.” (2.Sam 2,7; 2.Sam 15,16; 2.Sam 20,3; Zak 8,9; Zak 8,13)22So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof. And Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel. (1.Sam 9,25; 2.Sam 12,11)23Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave was as if one consulted the word of God; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel esteemed, both by David and by Absalom. (2.Sam 15,12)