(KJV) 2 Samuel 161

<< 2 Samuel 15 2 Samuel 17 >>

⥃David and Ziba

[1] And when David was a little past2 the top [of the hill], behold, Ziba3 the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple4 of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred [loaves] of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer5 fruits, and a bottle6 of wine. [2] And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest7 thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses [be] for the king’s household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young8 men to eat; and the wine, that such9 as be faint in the wilderness may drink. [3] And the king said, And where [is10] thy master’s son? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, To day11 shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father. [4] Then said the king to Ziba, Behold12, thine [are] all that [pertained] unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I humbly beseech thee13 [that] I may find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king.

⥃Shimei Curses David

[5] And when king David came to Bahurim14, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name15 [was] Shimei, the son of Gera: he came16 forth, and cursed17 still as he came. [6] And 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] And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man18, and thou man of Belial19: [8] The Lord hath returned20 upon thee all the blood21 of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou22 hast reigned; and the Lord hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou [art taken] in thy mischief, because thou [art] a bloody man.

[9] [¶]Then said Abishai23 the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog24 curse25 my lord the king? let me go26 over, I pray thee, and take off his head. [10] And the king said, What have27 I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him28 curse, because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall29 then say, Wherefore hast thou done so? [11] And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold30, my son, which came forth31 of my bowels, seeketh32 my life: how much more now [may this] Benjamite [do it]? let him alone, and let him curse; for the Lord33 hath bidden him. [12] It may be that the Lord34 will look on mine affliction35, and that the Lord will requite36 me good for his cursing this day. [13] And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill’s side over against him, and cursed37 as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust38. [14] And the king, and all the people that [were] with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves there39.

⥃The Counsel of Ahithophel and Hushai

[15] And Absalom40, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. [16] And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the king41, God save the king. [17] And Absalom said to Hushai, [Is] this thy42 kindness to thy friend? why wentest43 thou not with thy friend? [18] And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but whom the Lord, and this people, and all the men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide.44 [19] And again, whom should I serve? [should I] not [serve45] in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father’s presence, so will I be in thy presence.

[20] [¶]Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel46 among you what we shall do. [21] And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in47 unto thy48 father’s concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred49 of thy father50: then shall51 the hands52 of all that [are] with thee be strong. [22] So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top53 of the house; and Absalom went in54 unto his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel. [23] And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, [was] as if55 a man had enquired at the oracle of God56: so [was57] all the counsel58 of Ahithophel both59 with David and with Absalom.

<< 2 Samuel 15 2 Samuel 17 >>

  1. 2Sam 16:1, Ziba, by presents and false suggestions, obtains his master’s inheritance; 2Sam 16:5, At Bahurim Shimei curse David; 2Sam 16:9, David with patience abstains, and restrains others, from revenge; 2Sam 16:15, Hushai insinuates himself into Absalom’s counsel; 2Sam 16:20, Ahithophel’s counsel. ↩

  2. 2Sam 15:30, 2Sam 15:32 ↩

  3. 2Sam 9:2, 2Sam 9:9-12 ↩

  4. 2Sam 17:27-29, 2Sam 19:32; 1Sam 17:17-18, 1Sam 25:18; 1Chr 12:40; Prov 18:16, Prov 29:4-5 ↩

  5. These were probably pumpkins, cucumbers, or water-melons; the two latter being extensively used in the East to refresh travellers in the burning heat of the summer; and probably, as Mr. Harmer supposes, called summer fruits on this very account. Jer 40:10, Jer 40:12; Amos 8:1; Mic 7:1 ↩

  6. 1Sam 10:3, 1Sam 16:20 ↩

  7. Gen 21:29, Gen 33:8; Ezek 37:18; The asses. This is the eastern mode of speaking when presenting anything to a great man: "This is for the slaves of the servants of your majesty;" when at the same time the presents are intended for the sovereign himself, and it is so understood. 2Sam 15:1, 2Sam 19:26; Judg 5:10, Judg 10:4 ↩

  8. 1Sam 25:27 ↩

  9. 2Sam 15:23, 2Sam 17:29; Judg 8:4-5; 1Sam 14:28; Prov 31:6-7 ↩

  10. 2Sam 9:9-10; Ps 88:18; Mic 7:5 ↩

  11. 2Sam 19:24-30; Exod 20:16; Deut 19:18-19; Ps 15:3, Ps 101:5; Prov 1:19, Prov 21:28; 1Tim 6:9-10; Jude 1:11 ↩

  12. 2Sam 14:10-11; Exod 23:8; Deut 19:15; Prov 18:13, Prov 18:17, Prov 19:2 ↩

  13. Heb. I do obeisance, 2Sam 14:4, 2Sam 14:22 ↩

  14. This place is supposed to be the same as Almon (Josh 21:18), and Almeth (1Chr 6:60), a city of Benjamin, north of Jerusalem, and apparently not far from Olivet. 2Sam 16:14, 2Sam 3:16, 2Sam 17:18 ↩

  15. 2Sam 19:16-18; 1Kgs 2:8-9, 1Kgs 2:36-44, 1Kgs 2:45-46 ↩

  16. etc. or, he still came forth and cursed ↩

  17. Exod 22:28; 1Sam 17:43; Ps 69:26, Ps 109:16-19, Ps 109:28; Prov 26:2; Eccl 10:20; Isa 8:21; Matt 5:11-12 ↩

  18. Heb. man of blood, 2Sam 3:37, 2Sam 11:15-17, 2Sam 12:9; Ps 5:6, Ps 51:14 ↩

  19. Deut 13:13; 1Sam 2:12, 1Sam 25:17; 1Kgs 21:10, 1Kgs 21:13 ↩

  20. Judg 9:24, Judg 9:56-57; 1Kgs 2:32-33; Acts 28:4-5; Rev 16:6 ↩

  21. 2Sam 1:16, 2Sam 3:28-29, 2Sam 4:8-12; Ps 3:2, Ps 4:2 ↩

  22. etc. or, thee in thy evil ↩

  23. 2Sam 3:30; 1Sam 26:6-8 ↩

  24. 2Sam 3:8, 2Sam 9:8; 1Sam 24:14 ↩

  25. Exod 22:28; Acts 23:5; 1Pet 2:17 ↩

  26. 1Sam 26:6-11; Job 31:30-31; Jer 40:13-16 ↩

  27. 2Sam 3:39, 2Sam 19:22; 1Kgs 2:5; Matt 16:23; Luke 9:54-56; 1Pet 2:23 ↩

  28. Gen 50:20; 1Kgs 22:21-23; 2Kgs 18:25; Lam 3:38-39; John 18:11 ↩

  29. Job 9:12; Eccl 8:4; Dan 4:35; Rom 9:20 ↩

  30. 2Sam 12:11-12 ↩

  31. 2Sam 7:2; Gen 15:4 ↩

  32. 2Sam 17:1-4; 2Kgs 19:37; 2Chr 32:21; Matt 10:21 ↩

  33. Isa 10:5-7; Ezek 14:9, Ezek 20:25 ↩

  34. Gen 29:32-33; Exod 2:24-25, Exod 3:7-8; 1Sam 1:11; Ps 25:18 ↩

  35. or, tears, Heb. eye ↩

  36. Deut 23:5; Isa 27:7; Matt 5:11-12; Rom 8:28; 2Cor 4:17; 2Thess 1:7; Heb 12:10; 1Pet 4:12-19 ↩

  37. 2Sam 16:5-6 ↩

  38. Heb. dusted him with dust, Acts 23:23; It was an ancient custom, in those warm and arid countries, to lay the dust before a person of distinction, by sprinkling the ground with water. Dr. Pococke and the consul were treated with this respect when they entered Cairo. The same custom is alluded to in the well-known fable of Phedrus, in which a slave is represented going before Augustus and officiously laying the dust. To throw dust in the air while a person was passing was therefore an act of great disrespect; to do so before a sovereign prince, an indecent outrage. But it is probable that Shimei meant more than disrespect and outrage to this afflicted king. Sir John Chardin informs us, that in the East, in general, those who demand justice against a criminal throw dust upon him, signifying that he ought to be put in the grave, and hence the common imprecation among the Turks and Persians, "Be covered with earth," or, "Earth be upon thy head." ↩

  39. 2Sam 16:5 ↩

  40. 2Sam 15:37 ↩

  41. Heb. let the king live, 1Sam 10:24; 1Kgs 1:25, 1Kgs 1:34; 2Kgs 11:12; Dan 2:4, Dan 5:10, Dan 6:6, Dan 6:21; Matt 21:9 ↩

  42. Deut 32:6 ↩

  43. 2Sam 15:32-37, 2Sam 19:25; Prov 17:17, Prov 18:24 ↩

  44. 2Sam 5:1-3; 1Sam 16:13 ↩

  45. 2Sam 15:34; 1Sam 28:2, 1Sam 29:8; Ps 55:21; Gal 2:13 ↩

  46. Exod 1:10; Ps 2:2, Ps 37:12-13; Prov 21:30; Isa 8:10, Isa 29:15; Matt 27:1; Acts 4:23-28 ↩

  47. Gen 6:4, Gen 38:16 ↩

  48. 2Sam 12:11, 2Sam 15:16, 2Sam 20:3; Gen 35:22; Lev 18:8, Lev 20:11; 1Kgs 2:17, 1Kgs 2:22; 1Cor 5:1 ↩

  49. Gen 34:30; 1Sam 13:4 ↩

  50. Gen 49:3-4 ↩

  51. 1Sam 27:12 ↩

  52. 2Sam 2:7; Zech 8:13 ↩

  53. 2Sam 11:2 ↩

  54. 2Sam 12:11-12, 2Sam 15:16, 2Sam 20:3; Num 25:6; Isa 3:9; Jer 3:3, Jer 8:12; Ezek 24:7; Phil 3:19 ↩

  55. Num 27:21; 1Sam 30:8; Ps 28:2; 1Pet 4:11 ↩

  56. Heb. word of God, Ps 19:7 ↩

  57. The first counsel of this sagacious but wicked man to Absalom was more like an oracle of Satan, both for subtlety and atrocity. He advised the shameless measure just detailed, in order to establish Absalom, and to preclude the possibility of a reconciliation with David. The wives of a conquered king were always the property of the conqueror; and in possessing these he appeared to possess the right to the kingdom. ↩

  58. 2Sam 17:14, 2Sam 17:23; Job 5:12, Job 28:28; Jer 4:22, Jer 8:9; Matt 11:25; Luke 16:8; Rom 1:22; 1Cor 3:19-20; Jas 3:13-18 ↩

  59. 2Sam 15:12; Eccl 10:1 ↩