1
And Daviyd had passed a little beyond the summit, and see, Tziva, servant of Mefivoshet, came to meet him, with a pair of saddled donkeys, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and one hundred clusters of raisins, and one hundred portions of summer fruit, and a skin of wine.
2
And the king said to Tziva, “What are these for you?” And Tziva said, “The donkeys are for the House of the king to ride upon, and the bread and the summer fruit are for the young men to eat, and the wine is for the weary in the wilderness to drink.”
3
And the king said, “And where is the son of your master?” And Tziva said to the king, “See, he remains in Yerushalayim, for he said, ‘Today the House of Yisra’el will return to me the Kingdom of my father.’”
4
And the king said to Tziva, “See, all that belongs to Mefivoshet is yours.” And Tziva said, “I bow myself. Let me find favor in your eyes, my master the king.”
5
And King Daviyd came as far as Bachurim, and see, from there an ish from the family of the House of Shaul came out, and his name was Shimi son of Gera. Going out, he cursed as he came.
6
And he threw stones at Daviyd and at all the servants of King Daviyd, while all the people and all the mighty men were at his right and at his left.
7
And thus Shimi said in his cursing: “Go out, go out, ish of blood and ish of worthlessness!
8
Yahuah has returned upon you all the blood of the House of Shaul, in whose place you have reigned, and Yahuah has given the Kingdom into the hand of Avshalom your son. And see, you are in your evil, for you are an ish of blood.”
9
And Avishai son of Tzeruyah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my master the king? Please let me cross over and remove his head.”
10
And the king said, “What is there to me and to you, sons of Tzeruyah? For he curses because Yahuah has said to him, ‘Curse Daviyd.’ And who shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’”
11
And Daviyd said to Avishai and to all his servants, “See, my son, who came out from my own body, seeks my being. How much more now this Binyamini? Leave him, and let him curse, for Yahuah has said it to him.
12
Perhaps Yahuah will look upon my affliction, and Yahuah will return good to me in place of his curse this day.”
13
And Daviyd and his men walked by the way. And Shimi walked along the side of the mountain opposite him, going and cursing as he went, and throwing stones opposite him, and casting dust.
14
And the king and all the people who were with him came weary, and he refreshed himself there.
15
And Avshalom and all the people, the ish of Yisra’el, came to Yerushalayim, and Achitofel with him.
16
And it came to pass, when Chushai the Arki, companion of Daviyd, came to Avshalom, that Chushai said to Avshalom: “Let the king live! Let the king live!”
17
And Avshalom said to Chushai, “Is this your Covenant-Faithfulness toward your companion? Why did you not go with your companion?”
18
And Chushai said to Avshalom, “No. Rather, whom Yahuah and this people and all the ish of Yisra’el have chosen, his I will be, and with him I will dwell.
19
And secondly, whom should I serve? Should it not be before the face of his son? As I served before the face of your father, so I will be before your face.”
20
And Avshalom said to Achitofel, “Give counsel among yourselves. What shall we do?”
21
And Achitofel said to Avshalom, “Go in to the concubines of your father, whom he left to guard the House. And all Yisra’el will hear that you have made yourself odious to your father, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.”
22
And they spread a tent for Avshalom upon the roof. And Avshalom went in to the concubines of his father before the eyes of all Yisra’el.
23
And the counsel of Achitofel, which he counseled in those days, was as if an ish had asked at the Word of Elohim. So was all the counsel of Achitofel, both with Daviyd and with Avshalom.