| King James Bible | New International Version |
| 1And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine. | 1When David had gone a short distance beyond the summit, there was Ziba, 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. |
| 2And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses be for the king's household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink. | 2The 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 refresh those who become exhausted in the wilderness." |
| 3And the king said, And where is thy master's son? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, To day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father. | 3The king then asked, "Where is your master's grandson?" Ziba said to him, "He is staying in Jerusalem, because he thinks, 'Today the Israelites will restore to me my grandfather's kingdom.'" |
| 4Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that pertained unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I humbly beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king. | 4Then the king said to Ziba, "All that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours." "I humbly bow," Ziba said. "May I find favor in your eyes, my lord the king." |
| 5And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he came. | 5As King David approached Bahurim, a man from the same clan as Saul's family came out from there. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and he cursed as he came out. |
| 6And he cast 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. | 6He 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. |
| 7And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial: | 7As he cursed, Shimei said, "Get out, get out, you murderer, you scoundrel! |
| 8The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man. | 8The LORD has repaid you for all the blood you shed in the household of Saul, in whose place you have reigned. The LORD has given the kingdom into the hands of your son Absalom. You have come to ruin because you are a murderer!" |
| 9Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head. | 9Then Abishai 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." |
| 10And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so? | 10But the king said, "What does this have to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the LORD said to him, 'Curse David,' who can ask, 'Why do you do this?'" |
| 11And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him. | 11David then said to Abishai and all his officials, "My son, 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. |
| 12It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day. | 12It may be that the LORD will look upon my misery and restore to me his covenant blessing instead of his curse today." |
| 13And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill's side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust. | 13So 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. |
| 14And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves there. | 14The king and all the people with him arrived at their destination exhausted. And there he refreshed himself. |
| 15And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. | 15Meanwhile, Absalom and all the men of Israel came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him. |
| 16And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the king, God save the king. | 16Then Hushai the Arkite, David's confidant, went to Absalom and said to him, "Long live the king! Long live the king!" |
| 17And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend? | 17Absalom said to Hushai, "So this is the love you show your friend? If he's your friend, why didn't you go with him?" |
| 18And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but whom the LORD, and this people, and all the men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide. | 18Hushai 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. |
| 19And again, whom should I serve? should I not serve in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy presence. | 19Furthermore, whom should I serve? Should I not serve the son? Just as I served your father, so I will serve you." |
| 20Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do. | 20Absalom said to Ahithophel, "Give us your advice. What should we do?" |
| 21And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father's concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong. | 21Ahithophel 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." |
| 22So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel. | 22So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel. |
| 23And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had inquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom. | 23Now in those days the advice Ahithophel gave was like that of one who inquires of God. That was how both David and Absalom regarded all of Ahithophel's advice. |
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