Shmuel II 16 שמואל ב ט״ז

Dovid passed a little further beyond the summit and Zivoh, Mephivoshes' young man greeted him with a pair of saddled donkeys. Upon them was two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred clusters of raisins, one hundred portions of dried figs and a jug of wine.

The king said to Tsivoh "What is your intent with these?" Tsivoh said [in reply], The donkeys are for the king's household to ride, the bread and the dried figs are for the young men to eat and the wine is for those tired in the desert to drink.

The king said, "Where is your master's son?" Tsivoh said to the king [in reply], "He is dwelling in Yerusholoyim because he is saying, 'Today, the house of Yisroel will return to me my father's kingdom.' "

The king said to Tsivoh, "All that belongs to Mephivoishes is [now] yours." Tsivoh said, "I bow down [in gratitude] I should find favor in your eyes, my master the king.

King Dovid came to Bachurim and a man came out from there from the family of the house of Shaul and his name was Shimi, the son of Gairoh. He came out and kept on cursing.

He threw stones at Dovid and on all the servants of king Dovid, and all the people and all the soldiers were on his [Dovid's] right and on his left.

This is what Shimi said in his cursing, "Begone, begone, man of blood and debased man.

Adonoy has repayed you for all the blood of the House of Shaul that you have replaced as king. Adonoy has delivered the monarchy into the hand of your son Avsholom. Here you are in a bad way because you are a man of blood."

Avishai, the son of Tsruyoh said to the king, "Why is this dead dog cursing my master, the king? I will go over there and take off his head.

The king said [in reply], "What is between me and you sons of Tsruyoh? He should curse [me] like this because Adonoy told him 'Curse Dovid.' Who can say, 'Why have you done this?'."

Dovid said to Avishai and to all his servants, "Behold, my son who came forth from within me is seeking to kill me even more so a son of a Binyomite should now [rise against me]. Let him curse because Adonoy told him to do so.

Maybe, Adonoy will see [the tears] in my eyes, and Adonoy will bring good to me instead of his curse of this day.

Dovid and his men went on the path and Shimi went along the side of the mountain opposite him cursing as he went and throwing stones at him and throwing dirt.

The king and all the people with him came [to Bachurim] exhausted and they rested there.

Avsholom and all the people, men of Yisroel came to Yerusholoyim and Achitophel with him.

When Chushai the Arkite, Dovid's friend came to Avsholom, Chushai said to Avsholom, "The king should live, the king should live."

Avsholom said to Chushai, "This is your kindness towards your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?"

Chushai said to Avsholom, No, because to whom God has chosen along with this people and all men of Yisroel with him I will be and with him I will dwell.

Secondly, whom am I serving? Is it not before his [own] son? As I have served before your father so too I will be before you."

Avsholom said to Achitophel, "You [wise men] give [me] advice concerning what to do [next]."

Achitophel said to Avsholom, "Lie with your father's concubines that he left to watch the palace and all of Yisroel will hear that you have disgraced your father and you will [thereby] strengthen the hands of all those who are with you.

They pitched a tent on the roof for Avsholom and Avsholom laid with his father's concubines before the eyes of all Yisroel.

The counsel of Achitophel that he counselled in those days [was as trustworthy] as inquiring of the word of God. So was the advice of Achitophel, both for Dovid and [later] for Avsholom.