The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Samuel 16
1 When David was a little past the top,
behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth
met him with a couple of donkeys saddled,
and on them two hundred loaves of bread,
and one hundred clusters of raisins, and
one hundred summer fruits, and a container of wine.
2 The king said to Ziba, “What do you
mean by these?” Ziba said, “The donkeys are for the king’s
household to ride on; and the bread and
summer fruitfor the youngmento eat; and
the wine, that those who are faint in the
wilderness may drink.”
3 The king said, “Where is your master’s
son?” Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is staying in Jerusalem; for he said, ‘Today the
house of Israel will restore me the kingdom of my father.’ ”
4 Then the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all
that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours.”
Ziba said, “I bow down. Let me find
favor in your sight, my lord, O king.”
5 When King David came to Bahurim,
behold, a man of the family of Saul’s house
came out, whosename was Shimei,the son
of Gera. He came out and cursed as he
came.
6 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.
7 Shimei said when he cursed, “Be gone,
be gone, you man of blood, and wicked
fellow!
8 Yahweh has returned on you all the
blood of Saul’s house, in whose place you
have reigned! Yahweh has delivered the
kingdom into the hand of Absalom your
son! Behold, you are caught by your own
mischief, because you are a man of blood!”
9 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
take off his head.”
10 The king said, “What have I to do
with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Because
he curses, and because Yahweh has said
to him, ‘Curse David,’ who then shall say,
‘Why have you done so?’ ”
11 David said to Abishai and to all his
servants, “Behold, my son, who came out
of my bowels, seeks my life. How much
more this Benjamite, now? Leave him
alone, and let him curse; for Yahweh has
invited him.
12 It may be that Yahweh will look on
the wrong done to me, and that Yahweh
will repay me good for the cursing of me
today.”
1 When David was a little past the top,
behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth
met him with a couple of donkeys saddled,
and on them two hundred loaves of bread,
and one hundred clusters of raisins, and
one hundred summer fruits, and a container of wine.
2 The king said to Ziba, “What do you
mean by these?” Ziba said, “The donkeys are for the king’s
household to ride on; and the bread and
summer fruitfor the youngmento eat; and
the wine, that those who are faint in the
wilderness may drink.”
3 The king said, “Where is your master’s
son?” Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is staying in Jerusalem; for he said, ‘Today the
house of Israel will restore me the kingdom of my father.’ ”
4 Then the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all
that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours.”
Ziba said, “I bow down. Let me find
favor in your sight, my lord, O king.”
5 When King David came to Bahurim,
behold, a man of the family of Saul’s house
came out, whosename was Shimei,the son
of Gera. He came out and cursed as he
came.
6 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.
7 Shimei said when he cursed, “Be gone,
be gone, you man of blood, and wicked
fellow!
8 Yahweh has returned on you all the
blood of Saul’s house, in whose place you
have reigned! Yahweh has delivered the
kingdom into the hand of Absalom your
son! Behold, you are caught by your own
mischief, because you are a man of blood!”
9 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
take off his head.”
10 The king said, “What have I to do
with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Because
he curses, and because Yahweh has said
to him, ‘Curse David,’ who then shall say,
‘Why have you done so?’ ”
11 David said to Abishai and to all his
servants, “Behold, my son, who came out
of my bowels, seeks my life. How much
more this Benjamite, now? Leave him
alone, and let him curse; for Yahweh has
invited him.
12 It may be that Yahweh will look on
the wrong done to me, and that Yahweh
will repay me good for the cursing of me
today.”