1David estava justamente a começar a descida do outro lado do monte quando Ziba, o governante da casa de Mefibosete, o encontrou. Ia conduzindo dois burros carregados com duzentos pães, cem cachos de passas e um odre de vinho.2“Para quem é isso?”, perguntou-lhe o soberano. “Os burros são para que a gente da tua casa monte neles; o pão e as passas são para os teus moços comerem; o vinho deverá ir contigo para o deserto para dar aos que possam vir a desfalecer.”3“E onde está Mefibosete?”, perguntou-lhe o rei. “Ficou em Jerusalém, pois disse que agora se tornaria rei e que poderia recuperar o reino do seu avô Saul.”4O rei disse a Ziba: “Nesse caso dou-te a ti tudo quanto pertence a Mefibosete.” Ziba respondeu: “Fico profundamente grato, meu senhor.”
Simei amaldiçoa David
5Ao passarem por Baurim, saiu da povoação um homem que os amaldiçoava. Era Simei, filho de Gera, membro da família de Saul.6Atirava pedras ao rei e aos seus chefes militares, assim como aos valentes guerreiros que o rodeavam.7“Sai daqui, assassino, malvado!”, gritava ele para David.8“O SENHOR está a fazer-te pagar por teres assassinado Saul e a sua família. Roubaste-lhe o trono e agora o SENHOR deu-o ao teu filho Absalão! Agora é a tua vez de provares o sabor da desgraça, assassino!”9“Porque havemos de deixar que este cão morto amaldiçoe o rei, meu senhor?”, perguntou Abisai. “Deixa-me ir ter com ele e esmagar-lhe a cabeça!”10“Não”, disse o rei. “Se foi o SENHOR quem o mandou amaldiçoar-me, quem sou eu para o impedir?11O meu próprio filho pretende matar-me; este filho de Benjamim apenas me amaldiçoa. Deixa-o em paz, pois foi, sem dúvida, o SENHOR quem o mandou fazer isso.12Talvez o SENHOR veja como estou a ser humilhado e acabe por me abençoar, por causa destas maldições.”13David e a sua gente continuaram o caminho, enquanto Simei se mantinha na encosta da colina que estava em frente a amaldiçoá-lo, a atirar-lhe pedras e terra para o ar.14Tanto o rei como os outros estavam cansados quando atingiram o rio Jordão, por isso, pararam ali a descansar.
O conselho de Husai e Aitofel
15Entretanto, Absalão chegava a Jerusalém com os seus homens e acompanhado de Aitofel.16Quando o amigo de David, Husai o arquita, chegou foi imediatamente ver Absalão. “Viva o rei!”, saudou-o. “Viva o rei!”17“Será justo essa forma de te conduzires em relação ao teu amigo David?”, perguntou-lhe Absalão. “Porque não estás com ele?”18“Porque trabalho para o homem que foi escolhido pelo SENHOR e por Israel”, replicou Husai.19“Porque haveria de estar com ele? Colaborei com o teu pai e agora colaboro contigo!”20Absalão aconselhou-se com Aitofel: “Que devo fazer agora?”21Aitofel disse-lhe: “Vai deitar-te com as mulheres do teu pai, aquelas que deixou aqui para manter a casa em ordem. Todo o Israel verá que o insultas de forma a tornar impossível qualquer reconciliação e dessa forma a população cerrará fileiras atrás de ti.”22Foi então levantada uma tenda num dos terraços do palácio, que toda a gente podia ver, e ali Absalão possuía as mulheres de seu pai.23Absalão fez tudo o que Aitofel lhe dizia tal como aconteceu com David. É que por detrás de cada palavra de Aitofel se descobria a sabedoria de Deus.
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 Sm 25:18; 2 Sm 9:2; 2 Sm 15:30; 2 Sm 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.” (Jz 5:10; Jz 10:4; 2 Sm 16:14; 2 Sm 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 Sm 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 Sm 3:16; 2 Sm 19:16; 2 Sm 19:21; 1 Rs 2:8; 1 Rs 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 Sm 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.” (Jz 9:24; Jz 9:56; 2 Sm 1:16; 1 Rs 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.” (Ex 22:28; 1 Sm 24:14; 2 Sm 3:8; 2 Sm 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 Sm 26:6; 2 Sm 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 Sm 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 Sm 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 Sm 16:2)
Absalom Enters Jerusalem
15Now Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. (2 Sm 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 Sm 10:24; 2 Sm 16:15; 1 Rs 1:25; 1 Rs 1:39; 2 Rs 11:12)17And Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?” (2 Sm 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 Sm 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 Sm 2:7; 2 Sm 15:16; 2 Sm 20:3; Zc 8:9; Zc 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 Sm 9:25; 2 Sm 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 Sm 15:12)