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          DASV: 2 Samuel 16    

1 When David was a little past the summit, Ziba the servant of
Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of donkeys saddled and on
them 200 loaves of bread, 100 clusters of raisins, 100 bunches
of summer fruit and a skin of wine.
2 Then the king said to Ziba, "Why did you bring these?" Ziba said,
"The donkeys are for the king's household to ride on, and the
bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat; and the wine,
are for those who get exhausted in the desert to drink."
3 The king asked, "Where is your master's son?" Ziba said to the
king, "He is staying in Jerusalem, telling himself, 'Today the house
of Israel will give me back my grandfather Saul's kingdom.'"
4 Then the king said to Ziba, "All that belonged to Mephibosheth
is now yours." Ziba said, "I bow before you only let me find
favor in your sight, my lord, O king."

5 When king David came to Bahurim, a man from the house of Saul
came out whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera. He came out
continually cursing as he came.
6 He threw stones at David, and at all the servants of king David,
as well as at all the people and all the mighty men who were
on his right and left.
7 This is what Shimei screamed when he cursed, "Get out, get out
of here, you murderer, and scoundrel.
8 The LORD is repaying you for all the blood of the house of Saul,
in whose place you have reigned. The LORD has given the kingdom
over to the hand of Absalom your son. Disaster has finally overtaken
you, because you are a man of bloodshed."
9 Then Abishai the 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."
10 But the king said, "What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah?
If he curses because the LORD has told him, 'Curse David,' who can
say to him, 'Why have you done this?'"
11 Then David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, "Look, my son,
who came from my own flesh is trying to kill me, how much more
this Benjaminite? Leave him alone. Let him curse, for the LORD
has told him to do it.
12 It may be that the LORD will look on the wrong done to me,
and the LORD may repay me good for his cursing me today."
13 So David and his men went down the road, and Shimei went
along on the nearby hillside across from him, cursing as he went,
throwing stones and dirt at David.
14 The king and all the people who were with him arrived weary
at their destination. There he refreshed himself.

15 Now Absalom and all the men of Israel, arrived at Jerusalem,
and Ahithophel was with him.
16 When Hushai the Archite, David's friend, came to Absalom,
Hushai said to Absalom, "Long live the king, long live the king."
17 Absalom asked Hushai, "Is this how you show your loyalty to your
friend? Why did you not go with your friend?"
18 Hushai replied to Absalom, "No, but to the one whom the LORD,
these people and all the men of Israel have chosen, I will be
loyal and I will stay in his service.
19 Anyway, whom should I serve? Should I not serve his son?
As I have served your father, so will I serve you."

20 Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, "Give your advice as to what
we should do?"
21 Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Go sleep with your father's
concubines, that he left to look after the palace. Then all Israel
will hear that you are abhorred by your father. Then the hands
of all following you will be strengthened."
22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the top of the palace.
Then Absalom went and had sex with his father's concubines in
the sight of all Israel.
23 In those days the counsel Ahithophel gave was as good as if
a person consulted an oracle of God. The advice of Ahithophel
was respected by both David and Absalom.

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