2Samuel 16 - Prayer Tents

David and Ziba

16When David had gone a little beyond the summit of the Mount of Olives, Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, was waiting there for him. He had two donkeys loaded with 200 loaves of bread, 100 clusters of raisins, 100 bunches of summer fruit, and a wineskin full of wine.H1732H4592H5674H7218H6717H5288H4648H7125H6776H2543H2280H3967H3899H3967H6778H3967H7019H5035H3196 2"What are these for?" the king asked Ziba. Ziba replied, "The donkeys are for the king's people to ride on, and the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat. The wine is for those who become exhausted in the wilderness."H4428H559H6717H6717H559H2543H4428H1004H7392H3899H7019H5288H398H3196H3287H4057H8354 3"And where is Mephibosheth, Saul's grandson?" the king asked him."He stayed in Jerusalem," Ziba replied. "He said, 'Today I will get back the kingdom of my grandfather Saul.'"H4428H559H113H1121H6717H559H4428H3427H3389H559H3117H1004H3478H7725H4468H1 4"In that case," the king told Ziba, "I give you everything Mephibosheth owns." "I bow before you," Ziba replied. "May I always be pleasing to you, my lord the king."H559H4428H6717H4648H6717H559H7812H4672H2580H5869H113H4428

Shimei Curses David

5As King David came to Bahurim, a man came out of the village cursing them. It was Shimei son of Gera, from the same clan as Saul's family.H4428H1732H935H980H3318H376H4940H1004H7586H8034H8096H1121H1617H3318H7043H3318 6He threw stones at the king and the king's officers and all the mighty warriors who surrounded him.H5619H68H1732H5650H4428H1732H5971H1368H3225H8040 7"Get out of here, you murderer, you scoundrel!" he shouted at David.H559H8096H7043H3318H3318H1818H376H376H1100 8"The LORD is paying you back for all the bloodshed in Saul's clan. You stole his throne, and now the LORD has given it to your son Absalom. At last you will taste some of your own medicine, for you are a murderer!"H3068H7725H1818H1004H7586H4427H3068H5414H4410H3027H53H1121H7451H1818H376 9"Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king?" Abishai son of Zeruiah demanded. "Let me go over and cut off his head!"H559H52H1121H6870H4428H4191H3611H7043H113H4428H5674H5493H7218 10"No!" the king said. "Who asked your opinion, you sons of Zeruiah! If the LORD has told him to curse me, who are you to stop him?"H4428H559H1121H6870H7043H3068H559H7043H1732H559H6213 11Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, "My own son is trying to kill me. Doesn't this relative of Saul have even more reason to do so? Leave him alone and let him curse, for the LORD has told him to do it.H1732H559H52H5650H1121H3318H4578H1245H5315H1145H3240H7043H3068H559 12And perhaps the LORD will see that I am being wronged and will bless me because of these curses today."H3068H7200H5869H6040H3068H7725H2896H7045H3117 13So David and his men continued down the road, and Shimei kept pace with them on a nearby hillside, cursing as he went and throwing stones at David and tossing dust into the air.H1732H582H3212H1870H8096H1980H2022H6763H5980H7043H1980H5619H68H5980H6080H6083 14The king and all who were with him grew weary along the way, so they rested when they reached the Jordan River.H4428H5971H935H5889H5314

Ahithophel Advises Absalom

15Meanwhile, Absalom and all the army of Israel arrived at Jerusalem, accompanied by Ahithophel.H53H5971H376H3478H935H3389H302 16When David's friend Hushai the Arkite arrived, he went immediately to see Absalom. "Long live the king!" he exclaimed. "Long live the king!"H2365H757H1732H7463H935H53H2365H559H53H2421H4428H2421H4428 17"Is this the way you treat your friend David?" Absalom asked him. "Why aren't you with him?"H53H559H2365H2617H7453H1980H7453 18"I'm here because I belong to the man who is chosen by the LORD and by all the men of Israel," Hushai replied.H2365H559H53H3068H5971H376H3478H977H3427 19"And anyway, why shouldn't I serve you? Just as I was your father's adviser, now I will be your adviser!"H8145H5647H6440H1121H5647H1H6440H6440 20Then Absalom turned to Ahithophel and asked him, "What should I do next?"H559H53H302H3051H6098H6213 21Ahithophel told him, "Go and sleep with your father's concubines, for he has left them here to look after the palace. Then all Israel will know that you have insulted your father beyond hope of reconciliation, and they will throw their support to you."H302H559H53H935H1H6370H3240H8104H1004H3478H8085H887H1H3027H2388 22So they set up a tent on the palace roof where everyone could see it, and Absalom went in and had sex with his father's concubines.H5186H53H168H1406H53H935H1H6370H5869H3478 23Absalom followed Ahithophel's advice, just as David had done. For every word Ahithophel spoke seemed as wise as though it had come directly from the mouth of God.H6098H302H3289H3117H376H7592H1697H430H6098H302H1732H53