1 And David passed a little beyond the summit {rosh: summit height}, and behold Ziba the servant {na'ar: subordinate household member} of Mephibosheth met him, carrying a pair of saddled donkeys and on them two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred clusters of raisins, one hundred portions of summer fruit, and a skin of wine.
2 And the king {melek: national ruler} said to Ziba, “What are these to you?” And Ziba replied, “The donkeys are for the house of the king to ride, and the bread and the summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for the weary {yaef: physically exhausted} to drink in the wilderness.”
3 And the king said, “Where is your master’s son?” And Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is staying in Jerusalem {birushalayim: sacred city}, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will restore to me the kingdom {mamlakhut: royal authority} of my father.’”
4 Then the king said to Ziba, “Behold {hinneh: urgent summons}, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is now yours.” And Ziba said, “I have bowed down. May I find favor {chen: gracious acceptance} in your eyes, my lord the king.”
5 And King David came to Bahurim. And behold {ve-hineh: narrative marker}, from there came a man from the family of the house of Saul, named Shimei son of Gera; he was coming out, coming out and cursing {mekalel: pronouncing maledictions}.
6 And he pelted David and all the servants {avdei: royal attendants} of King David with stones, and all the people and all the mighty men {gibborim: valiant warriors} on his right and on his left.
7 And thus Shimei said as he cursed him, “Go out, go out, man of bloodshed {damim: violent deeds} and man of worthlessness {beliya‘al: lawlessness}.”
8 The LORD {YHWH, Judge of Deeds} has repaid you for all the bloodshed {damim: violent deaths} of the house of Saul, in whose place you reigned, and has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. And now you stand in your calamity, because you are a bloodstained man.
9 Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog {kelev: contemptuous insult} curse my lord {adoni: personal master} the king? Please allow me to cross over and remove his head.”
10 But the king said, “What have I to do with you, sons of Zeruiah? Let him curse {kallel: permissive command}, because the LORD {YHWH, Supreme Arbiter} has said to him, ‘Curse David.’ Who then can say, ‘Why have you done this?’”
11 And David said to Abishai and to all his servants {avadav: trusted aides}, “Behold, my son who came forth from my own body is seeking my life; how much more now this Benjamite! Leave him alone and let him curse, for the LORD {YHWH, Sovereign Orchestrator} has told him to do so.”
12 Perhaps the LORD {YHWH, Compassionate Judge} will see my affliction {be’oni: misery} and restore good to me instead of his curse today.
13 And David and his men went on the road, and Shimei was going on the side {tse’la: slope} of the hill opposite him, cursing as he went and throwing stones at him and showering him with dust {afar: fine particles}.
14 And the king came, and all the people who were with him were weary {ayephim: deeply fatigued}, and he refreshed himself there {vayinnafesh: found renewed strength}.
15 And Absalom {Avshalom: royal heir} and all the people {kol-am: collective supporters} of Israel came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him.
16 And it happened when Hushai the Archite, the friend {reiʿeh: trusted companion} of David, came to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king {melekh: sovereign}! Long live the king!”
17 And Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your kindness {chasad: loyal devotion} to your friend {rei’a: companion}? Why did you not go with your friend?”
18 And Hushai said to Absalom, “Not so; but I will be for the one whom the LORD {YHWH, Sovereign Chosen}, this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, and I will remain with him {eshev: continue steadfastly}.”
19 And secondly, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son {beno: rightful heir}? Just as I served {avadti: covenantal service} before your father, so I will be before you.
20 And Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give {havu: formal imperative} counsel {etsah: strategic counsel} among yourselves; what shall we do?”
21 And Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father’s concubines, whom he has left to guard the house. Then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself detestable {niv’ashta: abhorrent, repulsive} to your father, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened {chazku: encouraged, emboldened}.”
22 So they pitched a tent {ohel: Portable Dwelling} for Absalom on the roof, and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines before the eyes {le-einei: Public Exposure} of all Israel.
23 And the advice {etsah: counsel} of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if a man inquired of the word of God {Elohim, Divine Counselor}; so was all the advice of Ahithophel, both for David and for Absalom.