David and Ziba

16 When David had gone a short distance beyond the summit, there was Ziba,a the steward of Mephibosheth, waiting to meet him. He had a string of donkeys saddled and loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred cakes of raisins, a hundred cakes of figs and a skin of wine.b

2 The king asked Ziba, “Why have you brought these?”

Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on, the bread and fruit are for the men to eat, and the wine is to refreshc those who become exhausted in the wilderness.”

3 The king then asked, “Where is your master’s grandson?”d

Zibae said to him, “He is staying in Jerusalem, because he thinks, ‘Today the Israelites will restore to me my grandfather’s kingdom.’ ”

4 Then the king said to Ziba, “All that belonged to Mephiboshethf is now yours.”

“I humbly bow,” Ziba said. “May I find favor in your eyes, my lord the king.”

Shimei Curses David

5 As King David approached Bahurim,g a man from the same clan as Saul’s family came out from there. His name was Shimeih son of Gera, and he cursedi as he came out. 6 He pelted David and all the king’s officials with stones, though all the troops and the special guard were on David’s right and left. 7 As he cursed, Shimei said, “Get out, get out, you murderer, you scoundrel! 8 The Lord has repaid you for all the blood you shed in the household of Saul, in whose place you have reigned.j The Lord has given the kingdom into the hands of your son Absalom. You have come to ruin because you are a murderer!”k

9 Then Abishail son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dogm curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head.”n

10 But the king said, “What does this have to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah?o If he is cursing because the Lord said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who can ask, ‘Why do you do this?’ ”p

11 David then said to Abishai and all his officials, “My son,q my own flesh and blood, is trying to kill me. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone; let him curse, for the Lord has told him to.r 12 It may be that the Lord will look upon my miserys and restore to me his covenant blessingt instead of his curse today.u”

13 So David and his men continued along the road while Shimei was going along the hillside opposite him, cursing as he went and throwing stones at him and showering him with dirt. 14 The king and all the people with him arrived at their destination exhausted.v And there he refreshed himself.

The Advice of Ahithophel and Hushai

15 Meanwhile, Absalomw and all the men of Israel came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophelx was with him. 16 Then Hushaiy the Arkite, David’s confidant, went to Absalom and said to him, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”

17 Absalom said to Hushai, “So this is the love you show your friend? If he’s your friend, why didn’t you go with him?”z

18 Hushai said to Absalom, “No, the one chosen by the Lord, by these people, and by all the men of Israel—his I will be, and I will remain with him. 19 Furthermore, whom should I serve? Should I not serve the son? Just as I served your father, so I will serve you.”a

20 Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give us your advice. What should we do?”

21 Ahithophel answered, “Sleep with your father’s concubines whom he left to take care of the palace. Then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself obnoxious to your father, and the hands of everyone with you will be more resolute.” 22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.b

23 Now in those days the advicec Ahithophel gave was like that of one who inquires of God. That was how both Davidd and Absalom regarded all of Ahithophel’s advice.

17 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “I woulda choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David. 2 I would attack him while he is weary and weak.e I would strike him with terror, and then all the people with him will flee. I would strike down only the kingf 3 and bring all the people back to you. The death of the man you seek will mean the return of all; all the people will be unharmed.” 4 This plan seemed good to Absalom and to all the elders of Israel.

5 But Absalom said, “Summon also Hushaig the Arkite, so we can hear what he has to say as well.” 6 When Hushai came to him, Absalom said, “Ahithophel has given this advice. Should we do what he says? If not, give us your opinion.”

7 Hushai replied to Absalom, “The advice Ahithophel has given is not good this time. 8 You know your father and his men; they are fighters, and as fierce as a wild bear robbed of her cubs.h Besides, your father is an experienced fighter;i he will not spend the night with the troops. 9 Even now, he is hidden in a cave or some other place.j If he should attack your troops first,b whoever hears about it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the troops who follow Absalom.’ 10 Then even the bravest soldier, whose heart is like the heart of a lion,k will meltl with fear, for all Israel knows that your father is a fighter and that those with him are brave.m

11 “So I advise you: Let all Israel, from Dan to Beersheban—as numerous as the sando on the seashore—be gathered to you, with you yourself leading them into battle. 12 Then we will attack him wherever he may be found, and we will fall on him as dew settles on the ground. Neither he nor any of his men will be left alive. 13 If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it down to the valleyp until not so much as a pebble is left.”

14 Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The adviceq of Hushai the Arkite is better than that of Ahithophel.”r For the Lord had determined to frustrates the good advice of Ahithophel in order to bring disastert on Absalom.u

15 Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, “Ahithophel has advised Absalom and the elders of Israel to do such and such, but I have advised them to do so and so. 16 Now send a message at once and tell David, ‘Do not spend the night at the fords in the wilderness;v cross over without fail, or the king and all the people with him will be swallowed up.w’ ”

17 Jonathanx and Ahimaaz were staying at En Rogel.y A female servant was to go and inform them, and they were to go and tell King David, for they could not risk being seen entering the city. 18 But a young man saw them and told Absalom. So the two of them left at once and went to the house of a man in Bahurim.z He had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it. 19 His wife took a covering and spread it out over the opening of the well and scattered grain over it. No one knew anything about it.a

20 When Absalom’s men came to the womanb at the house, they asked, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?”

The woman answered them, “They crossed over the brook.”c The men searched but found no one, so they returned to Jerusalem.

21 After they had gone, the two climbed out of the well and went to inform King David. They said to him, “Set out and cross the river at once; Ahithophel has advised such and such against you.” 22 So David and all the people with him set out and crossed the Jordan. By daybreak, no one was left who had not crossed the Jordan.

23 When Ahithophel saw that his advicec had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He put his house in orderd and then hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.

Absalom’s Death

24 David went to Mahanaim,e and Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel. 25 Absalom had appointed Amasaf over the army in place of Joab. Amasa was the son of Jether,d g an Ishmaelitee who had married Abigal, the daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah the mother of Joab. 26 The Israelites and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.

27 When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi son of Nahashh from Rabbahi of the Ammonites, and Makirj son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and Barzillaik the Gileaditel from Rogelim 28 brought bedding and bowls and articles of pottery. They also brought wheat and barley, flour and roasted grain, beans and lentils,f 29 honey and curds, sheep, and cheese from cows’ milk for David and his people to eat.m For they said, “The people have become exhausted and hungry and thirsty in the wilderness.n”

18 David mustered the men who were with him and appointed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. 2 David sent out his troops,o a third under the command of Joab, a third under Joab’s brother Abishaip son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittaiq the Gittite. The king told the troops, “I myself will surely march out with you.”

3 But the men said, “You must not go out; if we are forced to flee, they won’t care about us. Even if half of us die, they won’t care; but you are worth tenr thousand of us.a It would be better now for you to give us support from the city.”s

4 The king answered, “I will do whatever seems best to you.”

So the king stood beside the gate while all his men marched out in units of hundreds and of thousands. 5 The king commanded Joab, Abishai and Ittai, “Be gentle with the young man Absalom for my sake.” And all the troops heard the king giving orders concerning Absalom to each of the commanders.

6 David’s army marched out of the city to fight Israel, and the battle took place in the forestt of Ephraim. 7 There Israel’s troops were routed by David’s men, and the casualties that day were great—twenty thousand men. 8 The battle spread out over the whole countryside, and the forest swallowed up more men that day than the sword.

9 Now Absalom happened to meet David’s men. He was riding his mule, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom’s hairu got caught in the tree. He was left hanging in midair, while the mule he was riding kept on going.

10 When one of the men saw what had happened, he told Joab, “I just saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree.”

11 Joab said to the man who had told him this, “What! You saw him? Why didn’t you strikev …