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 towards 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 opposite 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.
1Davut tepenin doruğunu biraz geçince, Mefiboşet'in hizmetkârı Siva palan vurulmuş ve üzerlerine iki yüz ekmek, yüz salkım kuru üzüm, yüz tane taze meyve ve bir tulum şarap yüklü iki eşekle onu karşıladı.2Kral, Siva'ya, ‹‹Bunları niçin getirdin?›› diye sordu. Siva, ‹‹Eşekler kral ailesinin binmesi, ekmekle taze meyve hizmetkârların yemesi, şarapsa kırda yorgun düşenlerin içmesi için›› diye yanıtladı.3Kral, ‹‹Efendin Saul'un torunu nerede?›› diye sordu. Siva, ‹‹Yeruşalim'de kalıyor›› diye yanıtladı, ‹‹Çünkü ‹İsrail halkı bugün atamın krallığını bana geri verecek› diye düşünüyor.››4Kral, ‹‹Mefiboşet'in her şeyi senindir›› dedi. Siva, ‹‹Önünde eğilirim, efendim kral! Dilerim her zaman benden hoşnut kalırsın›› dedi.
Davut'la Şimi
5Kral Davut Bahurim'e vardığında, Saul ailesinin geldiği boydan Gera oğlu Şimi adında biri lanetler okuyarak ortaya çıktı.6Bütün askerler ve koruyucular Kral Davut'un sağında, solunda olmasına karşın, Şimi Davut'la askerlerini taşlıyordu.7Şimi lanetler okuyarak, ‹‹Çekil git, ey eli kanlı, alçak adam!›› diyordu,8‹‹RAB, yerine kral olduğun Saul ailesinin dökülen kanlarının karşılığını sana verdi. RAB krallığı oğlun Avşalom'a verdi. Sen eli kanlı bir adam olduğun için bu yıkıma uğradın!››9Seruya oğlu Avişay krala, ‹‹Bu ölü köpek neden efendim krala lanet okusun?›› dedi, ‹‹İzin ver de gidip başını uçurayım.››10Ama kral, ‹‹Bu sizin işiniz değil, ey Seruya oğulları!›› dedi, ‹‹RAB ona, ‹Davut'a lanet oku› dediği için lanet okuyorsa, kim, ‹Bunu neden yapıyorsun› diye sorabilir?››11Sonra Davut Avişay'la askerlerine, ‹‹Öz oğlum beni öldürmeye çalışırken, şu Benyaminli'nin yaptığına şaşmamalı›› dedi, ‹‹Bırakın onu, lanet okusun, çünkü ona böyle yapmasını RAB buyurmuştur.12Belki RAB sıkıntımı görür de, bugün okunan lanetlerin karşılığını iyilikle verir.››13Davut'la adamları yollarına devam ettiler. Davut'un karşısında, dağın yamacında yürüyen Şimi, giderken ona lanet okuyor, taş, toprak atıyordu.14Gidecekleri yere yorgun argın varan kralla yanındaki halk orada dinlendiler.15Avşalom'la İsrail halkı Yeruşalim'e girmişlerdi. Ahitofel de Avşalom'la birlikteydi.16Davut'un dostu Arklı Huşay, Avşalom'un yanına varınca, ‹‹Yaşasın kral! Yaşasın kral!›› diye bağırdı.17Avşalom Huşay'a, ‹‹Dostuna bağlılığın bu mu? Neden dostunla gitmedin?›› diye sordu.18Huşay, ‹‹Hayır›› diye yanıtladı, ‹‹Ben RAB'bin, bu halkın ve bütün İsrailliler'in seçtiği kişiden yana olacağım, onun yanında kalacağım.19Üstelik Davut oğlu Avşalom'dan başka kime hizmet edeceğim? Babana nasıl hizmet ettiysem, sana da öyle hizmet edeceğim.››20Avşalom Ahitofel'e, ‹‹Ne yapmalıyız, bize öğüt ver›› dedi.21Ahitofel, ‹‹Babanın saraya bakmak için bıraktığı cariyelerle yat›› diye karşılık verdi, ‹‹Böylece bütün İsrail babanın nefretini kazandığını duyacak ve seni destekleyenlerin tümü kendilerini daha da güçlenmiş bulacaklar.››22Sarayın damında Avşalom için bir çadır kurdular. Avşalom bütün İsrailliler'in gözü önünde babasının cariyelerinin yanına girdi.
Huşay Ahitofel'in Öğüdünü Bozuyor
23O günlerde Ahitofel'in verdiği öğüt, Tanrı sözünü ileten bir adamınki gibiydi. Davut da, Avşalom da onun öğüdünü öyle kabul ederlerdi.