Study Desk

Now when David had gone on ^(C1)a little beyond the summit, behold, ^(C2)Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him ^(C3)with a team of saddled donkeys, and on them were two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred cakes of raisins, a hundred summer fruits, and a jug of wine.

And the king said to Ziba, "Why do you have these?" And Ziba said, "^(C1)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, ^(C2)for whoever is weary in the wilderness to drink."

Then the king said, "And where is ^(C1)your master's son?" And ^(C2)Ziba said to the king, "Behold, he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, 'Today the house of Israel will restore the kingdom of my father to me.'"

So the king said to Ziba, "Behold, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours." And Ziba said, "I prostrate myself; may I find favor in your sight, my lord, the king!"

When King David came to ^(C1)Bahurim, behold, a man was coming out from there from the family of the house of Saul, and ^(C2)his name was Shimei, the son of Gera; he was coming out, ^(C3)cursing as he came.

He also threw stones at David and all the servants of King David; and all the people and all the warriors were on his right and on his left.

This is what Shimei said when he cursed: "Go away, go away, ^(C1)you man of bloodshed and worthless man!

"^(C1)The LORD has brought back upon you all ^(C2)the bloodshed of the house of Saul, in whose place you have become king; and the LORD has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. And behold, you are caught in your own evil, for you are a man of bloodshed!"

Then ^(C1)Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should ^(C2)this dead dog ^(C3)curse my lord the king? Now let me go over and ^(F1)cut off his head."

But the king said, "^(F1)(C1)What business of mine is yours, you sons of Zeruiah? ^(C2)If he curses, and if the LORD has told him, 'Curse David,' ^(C3)then who should say, 'Why have you done so?'"

Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, "Behold, ^(C1)my son who came out of my own body seeks my life; how much more now this Benjaminite? Leave him alone and let him curse, ^(C2)for the LORD has told him.

"Perhaps the LORD will look on my ^(F1)misery and ^(F2)(C1)return good to me instead of his cursing this day."

So David and his men went on the road; and Shimei kept going on the hillside close beside him, and as he went he cursed and threw stones and dirt at him.

And the king and all the people who were with him arrived exhausted, and he refreshed himself there.