2 Samuel 16 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

When David had gone a little past the summit, Ziba — Mephibosheth's servant — was there waiting for him with a pair of saddled donkeys carrying two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred clusters of raisins, a hundred summer fruits, and a skin of wine.

The king asked Ziba, "What are you doing with all this?" Ziba said, "The donkeys are for the king's household to ride, the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat, and the wine is for anyone who gets exhausted in the wilderness."

The king asked, "And where is your master's grandson?" Ziba told the king, "He's staying in Jerusalem because he said, 'Today the house of Israel will give me back my grandfather's kingdom.'"

The king said to Ziba, "Everything that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours." Ziba said, "I bow before you! Let me find favor in your eyes, my lord the king."

When King David reached Bahurim, a man from Saul's clan came out — his name was Shimei son of Gera. He came out cursing as he walked,

and he threw stones at David and at all of King David's officials, even though all the troops and all the warriors flanked David on his right and left.

This is what Shimei said as he cursed: "Get out, get out, you man of blood! You worthless man!

Yahweh has paid you back for all the blood of Saul's household — the kingdom you stole from him. Yahweh has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. Now look at you — caught in your own evil, because you are a man of blood!"

Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over there and cut off his head!"

But the king said, "What do you and I have in common, sons of Zeruiah? If he's cursing because Yahweh told him, 'Curse David' — then who has the right to ask, 'Why are you doing this?'"

Then David said to Abishai and all his officials, "Look — my own son, who came from my own body, is trying to kill me. How much more then this Benjaminite! Leave him alone and let him curse, because Yahweh told him to."

Maybe Yahweh will see my misery and repay me with good in return for the cursing I'm receiving today."

So David and his men continued down the road while Shimei walked along the hillside parallel to him, cursing as he went, throwing stones at him and kicking up dirt.

The king and all the people with him arrived exhausted, and he rested there.

Meanwhile, Absalom and all the Israelites with him entered Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him.

When Hushai the Arkite — David's trusted friend — came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, "Long live the king! Long live the king!"

Absalom said to Hushai, "So this is how you show loyalty to your friend? Why didn't you go with your friend?"

Hushai replied to Absalom, "No — the one Yahweh has chosen, and these people, and all the men of Israel have chosen — I belong to him, and with him I'll stay.

And besides — who should I serve? Shouldn't it be his son? Just as I served your father, so I'll serve you."

Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, "Give us your advice. What should we do?"

Ahithophel told Absalom, "Go sleep with your father's concubines — the ones he left behind to take care of the palace. When all Israel hears that you've made yourself disgusting to your father, it will strengthen the resolve of everyone who supports you."

So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and Absalom slept with his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.

In those days, the advice Ahithophel gave was treated like someone had asked God himself a question. That's how both David and Absalom regarded everything Ahithophel said.