2 Samuel 16: Ziba's gift, Shimei's curses, and Absalom in Jerusalem

In plain English: When David had gone a little past the top of the hill, there was Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, coming to meet him. He had a pair of donkeys with saddles, and on them were two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred bunches of raisins, a hundred summer fruits, and a skin of wine.

In plain English: The king said to Ziba, "What are these for?" Ziba said, "The donkeys are for the king's household to ride, the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat, and the wine is for anyone who grows faint in the wilderness to drink."

In plain English: The king said, "Where is your master's son?" Ziba said to the king, "He is staying in Jerusalem, because he said, 'Today the house of Israel will give me back my father's kingdom.'"

Good to know: These are Ziba's words about his master. In 9:9 and 9:10 David had given Mephibosheth all that belonged to Saul, with Ziba and his sons and servants to farm the land for him. In 19:24 to 19:30 Mephibosheth tells the king another story: that his servant deceived him and slandered him. The text does not say which of the two told the truth.

In plain English: Then the king said to Ziba, "Everything that belongs to Mephibosheth is now yours." Ziba said, "I bow down. May I find favor in your sight, my lord the king."

In plain English: When King David came to Bahurim, a man from the family of Saul's house came out from there. His name was Shimei, the son of Gera. He kept coming out and cursing as he came.

In plain English: He threw stones at David and at all King David's servants, and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right and on his left.

In plain English: This is what Shimei said as he cursed: "Get out, get out, you man of blood, you worthless man (this Bible: wicked fellow)!

The Hebrew words: "Man of blood" is literally that: a man of blood. "Wicked fellow" is literally "man of beliyya'al", the word explained in the note on 1 Samuel 25:17: "without profit, worthlessness; by extension, destruction, wickedness".

In plain English: Yahweh has paid you back for all the blood of Saul's house, in whose place you have reigned! Yahweh has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom! Look, you are caught in your own trouble (or: your own evil), because you are a man of blood!"

In plain English: Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please let me go over and cut off his head."

In plain English: The king said, "What do I have to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? He curses, and Yahweh has said to him, 'Curse David.' So who can say, 'Why have you done this?'" (Or: So let him curse, for Yahweh has said to him, 'Curse David.')

The Hebrew words: As the Hebrew is written, David's words begin with ki, "because", twice: "because he curses, and because Yahweh has said to him". This Bible follows that. The STEPBible meanings for this verse read the first word as koh, which the dictionary gives as "like this, ... thus (or so)": "So he curses, for Yahweh has said to him".

What changes: Read the way this Bible has it, David gives the reason Shimei curses. Read the other way, David tells Abishai to let him go on cursing. Either way, the words "Yahweh has said to him, Curse David" are David's. The text gives no verse where Yahweh says this to Shimei.

In plain English: David said to Abishai and to all his servants, "Look, my own son, who came from my own body, is trying to kill me (literally: seeks my life). How much more this Benjamite now! Leave him alone and let him curse, because Yahweh has told him to (this Bible: Yahweh has invited him).

In plain English: Perhaps Yahweh will look on the wrong done to me (or: on my eyes; the Hebrew as written: on my guilt), and Yahweh will pay me back with good for his cursing today."

The Hebrew word: As the Hebrew is written, Yahweh looks "on my guilt" (avon, which the dictionary gives as "perversity, i.e. (moral) evil"). This Bible has "the wrong done to me". The STEPBible meanings for this verse read it as ayin, "an eye": "Yahweh will look on my eyes". The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "my affliction".

What changes: Read as "my guilt", David speaks of his own wrong. Read as "the wrong done to me" or "my affliction", he speaks of what he is suffering. Read as "my eyes", Yahweh looks at David himself. Either way, David hopes Yahweh will repay him with good.

In plain English: So David and his men went on along the road, while Shimei went along the hillside opposite him, cursing as he went, throwing stones at him and throwing dust.

In plain English: The king and all the people with him arrived worn out, and he rested there (this Bible: refreshed himself).

In plain English: Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him.

In plain English: When Hushai the Archite, David's friend, came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, "Long live the king! Long live the king!"

Good to know: In 15:34 David sent Hushai back to the city to say to Absalom, "I will be your servant, O king", and to "defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel". "David's friend" is re'eh, which the dictionary gives as "a (male) companion". The same word is used in 1 Kings 4:5 for "the king's friend" in a list of Solomon's officials. 1 Chronicles 27:33 says, "Hushai the Archite was the king's friend", with a different word, rea', which the dictionary gives as "an associate (more or less close)".

In plain English: Absalom said to Hushai, "Is this your loyalty (this Bible: kindness) to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?"

In plain English: Hushai said to Absalom, "No. The one whom Yahweh and this people and all the men of Israel have chosen, his I will be, and with him I will stay.

In plain English: And besides, whom should I serve? Should I not serve his son? As I served your father, so I will serve you (literally: be before you)."

In plain English: Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, "Give your advice (this Bible: counsel). What should we do?"

In plain English: Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Go in to your father's concubines, whom he left to look after the house. Then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself hateful (literally: have made yourself stink) to your father, and all who are with you will be strengthened (literally: their hands will be strong)."

In plain English: So they set up a tent for Absalom on the roof, and Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.

Good to know: When David left Jerusalem he "left ten women, who were concubines, to keep the house" (15:16). In 12:11 and 12:12 Nathan had said to David, "This is what Yahweh says": "I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he will lie with your wives in the sight of this sun ... I will do this thing before all Israel." The text here tells what Absalom did and does not point back to those words. 20:3 tells what David did with the ten women when he came home.

In plain English: In those days, the counsel Ahithophel gave was as if a man asked the word of God (this Bible: inquired at the inner sanctuary of God). All Ahithophel's counsel was like that, both to David and to Absalom.

The Hebrew words: "Inquired at the inner sanctuary of God" is in Hebrew "asked by the word of God". "Word" is davar, which the dictionary gives as "a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing". A word spelled almost the same, devir, means "the shrine or innermost part of the sanctuary".

What changes: Read as "the word of God", taking Ahithophel's counsel was like asking God for his word. Read as "the inner sanctuary", it was as if a man had asked at God's most holy place. The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "as if one should enquire of the word of God". Either way, the verse says how highly his counsel was held.