16:1 And when David 1732 was a little 4592 past 5674 8804 the top 7218 [of the hill], behold, Ziba 6717 the servant 5288 of Mephibosheth 4648 met 7125 8800 him, with a couple 6776 of asses 2543 saddled 2280 8803, and upon them two hundred 3967 [loaves] of bread 3899, and an hundred 3967 bunches of raisins 6778, and an hundred 3967 of summer fruits 7019, and a bottle 5035 of wine 3196.

16:2 And the king 4428 said 559 8799 unto Ziba 6717, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba 6717 said 559 8799, The asses 2543 [be] for the king's 4428 household 1004 to ride on 7392 8800; and the bread 3899 and summer fruit 7019 for the young men 5288 to eat 398 8800; and the wine 3196, that such as be faint 3287 in the wilderness 4057 may drink 8354 8800.

16:3 And the king 4428 said 559 8799, And where [is] thy master's 113 son 1121? And Ziba 6717 said 559 8799 unto the king 4428, Behold, he abideth 3427 8802 at Jerusalem 3389: for he said 559 8804, To day 3117 shall the house 1004 of Israel 3478 restore 7725 8686 me the kingdom 4468 of my father 1.

16:4 Then said 559 8799 the king 4428 to Ziba 6717, Behold, thine [are] all that [pertained] unto Mephibosheth 4648. And Ziba 6717 said 559 8799, I humbly 7812 8694 beseech thee [that] I may find 4672 8799 grace 2580 in thy sight 5869, my lord 113, O king 4428.(I humbly…: Heb. I do obeisance)

16:5 And when king 4428 David 1732 came 935 8804 to Bahurim 980, behold, thence came out 3318 8802 a man 376 of the family 4940 of the house 1004 of Saul 7586, whose name 8034 [was] Shimei 8096, the son 1121 of Gera 1617: he came forth 3318 8802, and cursed 7043 8764 still as he came 3318 8800.(he came forth…: or, he still came forth and cursed)

16:6 And he cast 5619 8762 stones 68 at David 1732, and at all the servants 5650 of king 4428 David 1732: and all the people 5971 and all the mighty men 1368 [were] on his right hand 3225 and on his left 8040.

16:7 And thus said 559 8804 Shimei 8096 when he cursed 7043 8763, Come out 3318 8798, come out 3318 8798, thou bloody 1818 man 376, and thou man 376 of Belial 1100:(bloody…: Heb. man of blood)

16:8 The LORD 3068 hath returned 7725 8689 upon thee all the blood 1818 of the house 1004 of Saul 7586, in whose stead thou hast reigned 4427 8804; and the LORD 3068 hath delivered 5414 8799 the kingdom 4410 into the hand 3027 of Absalom 53 thy son 1121: and, behold, thou [art taken] in thy mischief 7451, because thou [art] a bloody 1818 man 376.(behold…: Heb. behold thee in thy evil)

16:9 Then said 559 8799 Abishai 52 the son 1121 of Zeruiah 6870 unto the king 4428, Why should this dead 4191 8801 dog 3611 curse 7043 8762 my lord 113 the king 4428? let me go over 5674 8799, I pray thee, and take off 5493 8686 his head 7218.

16:10 And the king 4428 said 559 8799, What have I to do with you, ye sons 1121 of Zeruiah 6870? so let him curse 7043 8762, because the LORD 3068 hath said 559 8804 unto him, Curse 7043 8761 David 1732. Who shall then say 559 8799, Wherefore hast thou done so 6213 8804?

16:11 And David 1732 said 559 8799 to Abishai 52, and to all his servants 5650, Behold, my son 1121, which came forth 3318 8804 of my bowels 4578, seeketh 1245 8764 my life 5315: how much more now [may this] Benjamite 1145 [do it]? let him alone 3240 8685, and let him curse 7043 8762; for the LORD 3068 hath bidden 559 8804 him.

16:12 It may be that the LORD 3068 will look 7200 8799 on mine affliction 5869 8675 6040, and that the LORD 3068 will requite 7725 8689 me good 2896 for his cursing 7045 this day 3117.(affliction: or, tears: Heb. eye)

16:13 And as David 1732 and his men 582 went 3212 8799 by the way 1870, Shimei 8096 went along 1980 8802 on the hill's 2022 side 6763 over against 5980 him, and cursed 7043 8762 as he went 1980 8800, and threw 5619 8762 stones 68 at 5980 him, and cast 6080 8765 dust 6083.(cast…: Heb. dusted him with dust)

16:14 And the king 4428, and all the people 5971 that [were] with him, came 935 8799 weary 5889, and refreshed 5314 8735 themselves there.

16:15 And Absalom 53, and all the people 5971 the men 376 of Israel 3478, came 935 8804 to Jerusalem 3389, and Ahithophel 302 with him.

16:16 And it came to pass, when Hushai 2365 the Archite 757, David's 1732 friend 7463, was come 935 8804 unto Absalom 53, that Hushai 2365 said 559 8799 unto Absalom 53, God save 2421 8799 the king 4428, God save 2421 8799 the king 4428.(God…: Heb. Let the king live)

16:17 And Absalom 53 said 559 8799 to Hushai 2365, [Is] this thy kindness 2617 to thy friend 7453? why wentest 1980 8804 thou not with thy friend 7453?

16:18 And Hushai 2365 said 559 8799 unto Absalom 53, Nay; but whom the LORD 3068, and this people 5971, and all the men 376 of Israel 3478, choose 977 8804, his will I be, and with him will I abide 3427 8799.

16:19 And again 8145, whom should I serve 5647 8799? [should I] not [serve] in the presence 6440 of his son 1121? as I have served 5647 8804 in thy father's 1 presence 6440, so will I be in thy presence 6440.

16:20 Then said 559 8799 Absalom 53 to Ahithophel 302, Give 3051 8798 counsel 6098 among you what we shall do 6213 8799.

16:21 And Ahithophel 302 said 559 8799 unto Absalom 53, Go in 935 8798 unto thy father's 1 concubines 6370, which he hath left 3240 8689 to keep 8104 8800 the house 1004; and all Israel 3478 shall hear 8085 8804 that thou art abhorred 887 8738 of thy father 1: then shall the hands 3027 of all that [are] with thee be strong 2388 8804.

16:22 So they spread 5186 8686 Absalom 53 a tent 168 upon the top of the house 1406; and Absalom 53 went in 935 8799 unto his father's 1 concubines 6370 in the sight 5869 of all Israel 3478.

16:23 And the counsel 6098 of Ahithophel 302, which he counselled 3289 8804 in those days 3117, [was] as if a man 376 had enquired 7592 8799 at the oracle 1697 of God 430: so [was] all the counsel 6098 of Ahithophel 302 both with David 1732 and with Absalom 53.(oracle: Heb. word)

GOTO NEXT CHAPTER - KJV INDEX & SEARCH