Holy Bible
(King James Version)
Second
Samuel: Chapter 16
1. AND when David was a
little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the servant of Me-phib-o-sheth
met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred
loaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of
summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.
2. And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest 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 young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be
faint in the wilderness may drink.
3. And the king said, And where is thy master's son? And Ziba said
unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, To-day
shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.
4. Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that pertained unto
Me-phib-o-sheth. And Ziba said, I humbly beseech thee that I may find
grace in thy sight, my lord, O king.
5. And when king David came to Ba-hu-rim, behold, thence came out a man
of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shim-e-i, the son of
Gera: he came forth, and cursed 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 Shim-e-i when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou
bloody man, and thou man of Be-li-al:
8. The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul,
in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the
kingdom into the hand of Ab-sa-lom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken
in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man.
9. Then said Ab-i-shai the son of Zer-u-i-ah unto the king, Why should
this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and
take off his head.
10. And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zer-u-i-ah?
so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David. Who
shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?
11. And David said to Ab-i-shai, and to all his servants, Behold,
my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more
now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the
LORD hath bidden him.
12. It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the
LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day.
13. And as David and his men went by the way, Shim-e-i went along on the
hill's side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at
him, and cast dust.
14. And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and
refreshed themselves there.
15. And Ab-sa-lom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to
Jerusalem, and A-hith-o-phel with him.
16. And it came to pass, when Hu-shai the Ar-chite, David's friend, was
come unto Ab-sa-lom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the
king, God save the king.
17. And Ab-sa-lom said to Hu-shai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend?
why wentest thou not with thy friend?
18. And Hu-shai said unto Ab-sa-lom, 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.
19. And again, whom should I serve? should I not serve 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 Ab-sa-lom to A-hith-o-phel, Give counsel among you what we
shall do.
21. And A-hith-o-phel said unto Ab-sa-lom, go in unto thy father's
concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall
hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all
that are with thee be strong.
22. So they spread Ab-sa-lom a tent upon the top of the house; and
Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.
23. And the counsel of A-hith-o-phel, which he counselled in those days,
was as if a man had inquired at the oracle of God: so was all the
counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Ab-sa-lom.
Apr. 23 Daily reading
schedule.. go to chapter 17
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Art by: Penny Parker. Visit her site HERE
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