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Chapter 16
1 And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold Siba the servant of Miphiboseth came to meet him with two asses, laden with two hundred loaves of bread, and a hundred bunches of raisins, a hundred cakes of figs, and a vessel of wine.
2 And the king said to Siba: What mean these things? And Siba answered: The asses are for the king's household to sit on: and the loaves and the figs for your servants to eat, and the wine to drink if any man be faint in the desert.
3 And the king said: Where is your master's son? And Siba answered the king: He remained in Jerusalem, saying: To day will the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.
4 And the king said to Siba: I give you all that belonged to Miphiboseth. And Siba said: I beseech you let me find grace before you, my lord, O king.
5 And king David came as far as Bahurim: and behold there came out from thence a man of the kindred of the house of Saul named Semei, the son of Gera, and coming out he cursed as he went on,
6 And he threw stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people, and all the warriors walked on the right, and on the left side of the king.
7 And thus said Semei when he cursed the king: Come out, come out, you man of blood, and you man of Belial.
8 The Lord has repaid you for all the blood of the house of Saul: because you have usurped the kingdom in his stead, and the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son: and behold your evils press upon you, because you are a man of blood.
9 And Abisai the son of Sarvia said to the king: Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? I will go, and cut off his head.
10 And the king said: What have I to do with you, ye sons of Sarvia? Let him alone and let him curse: for the Lord has bid him curse David: and who is he that shall dare say, why has he done so?
11 And the king said to Abisai, and to all his servants: Behold my son, who came forth from my bowels, seeks my life: how much more now a son of Jemini? let him alone that he may curse as the Lord has bidden him.
12 Perhaps the Lord may look upon my affliction, and the Lord may render me good for the cursing of this day.
13 And David and his men with him went by the way. And Semei by the hill's side went over against him, cursing, and casting stones at him, and scattering earth.
14 And the king and all the people with him came weary, and refreshed themselves there.
15 But Absalom and all his people came into Jerusalem, and Achitophel was with him.
16 And when Chusai the Arachite, David's friend, was come to Absalom, he said to him: God save you, O king, God save you, O king.
17 And Absalom said to him: Is this your kindness to your friend? Why went you not with your friend?
18 And Chusai answered Absalom: Nay: for I will be his, whom the Lord has chosen, and all this people, and all Israel, and with him will I abide.
19 Besides this, whom shall I serve? is it not the king's son? as I have served your father, so will I serve you also.
20 And Absalom said to Achitophel: Consult what we are to do.
21 And Achitophel said to Absalom: Go in to the concubines of your father, whom he has left to keep the house: that when all Israel shall hear that you have disgraced your father, their hands may be strengthened with you.
22 So they spread a tent for Absalom on the top of the house, and he went in to his father's concubines before all Israel.
23 Now the counsel of Achitophel, which he gave in those days, was as if a man should consult God: so was all the counsel of Achitophel, both when he was with David, and when he was with Absalom.