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2 Samuel

2 Samuelchapter 16

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A.Ziba's provisions and Ziba's slandervv. 1-4

1 When David had gone a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth was there to meet him. He had a pair of saddled donkeys loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred clusters of raisins, a hundred summer fruits, and a skin of wine. 2 “Why do you have these?” asked the king. Ziba replied, “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 to refresh those who become exhausted in the wilderness.” 3 “Where is your master’s grandson?” asked the king. And Ziba answered, “Indeed, he is staying in Jerusalem, for he has said, ‘Today, the house of Israel will restore to me the kingdom of my grandfather.’” 4 So the king said to Ziba, “All that belongs to Mephibosheth is now yours!” “I humbly bow before you,” said Ziba. “May I find favor in your eyes, my lord the king!”

B.Shimei throws stones: let him cursevv. 5-14

5 As King David approached Bahurim, a man from the family of the house of Saul was just coming out. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and as he approached, he kept yelling out curses. 6 He threw stones at David and at all the servants of the king, though the troops and all the mighty men were on David’s right and left. 7 And as he yelled curses, Shimei said, “Get out, get out, you worthless man of bloodshed! 8 The LORD has paid you back for all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, you have come to ruin because you are a man of bloodshed!” 9 Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head!” 10 But the king replied, “What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah? If he curses me because the LORD told him, ‘Curse David,’ who can ask, ‘Why did you do this?’” 11 Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my own son, my own flesh and blood, seeks my life. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone and let him curse me, for the LORD has told him so. 12 Perhaps the LORD will see my affliction and repay me with good for the cursing I receive today.” 13 So David and his men proceeded along the road as Shimei went along the ridge of the hill opposite him. As Shimei went, he yelled curses, threw stones, and flung dust at David. 14 Finally, the king and all the people with him arrived, exhausted. And there he refreshed himself.

C.Hushai plays the friend; Ahithophel counsels shame on the roofvv. 15-23

15 Then Absalom and all the men of Israel came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him. 16 And David’s friend Hushai the Archite went to Absalom and said to him, “Long live the king! Long live the king!” 17 “Is this the loyalty you show your friend?” Absalom replied. “Why did you not go with your friend?” 18 “Not at all,” Hushai answered. “For the one chosen by the LORD, by the people, and by all the men of Israel—his I will be, and with him I will remain. 19 Furthermore, whom should I serve if not the son? As I served in your father’s presence, so also I will serve in yours.” 20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give me counsel. What should we do?” 21 Ahithophel replied, “Sleep with your father’s concubines, whom he has left to keep the palace. When all Israel hears that you have become a stench to your father, then the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.” 22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel. 23 Now in those days the advice of Ahithophel was like the consultation of the word of God. Such was the regard that both David and Absalom had for Ahithophel’s advice.

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Chapter summary

Two men meet the fleeing king.

Read the rest, the context and the outline ▾

Two men meet the fleeing king. Ziba comes with loaded asses, bread, summer fruit, and wine, and a slander about Mephibosheth hoping for the crown; David, in no position to investigate, gives him everything. Then Shimei of Saul's house walks along the hillside cursing and throwing stones, calling him a man of blood; Abishai offers to take off his head, and David refuses on the deepest ground in the chapter: 'Let him curse, because Jehovah hath said unto him, Curse David', my own son seeketh my life, how much more this Benjamite. Meanwhile Ahithophel counsels the public taking of the concubines on the housetop: Nathan's word fulfilled to the letter.

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary and John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament.

Context

History · Nathan, Gad — 2 Samuel overview

  • A. 1–4 Ziba's provisions and Ziba's slander
  • B. 5–14 Shimei throws stones: let him curse
  • C. 15–23 Hushai plays the friend; Ahithophel counsels shame on the roof
Top cross-references8 chapters ▾
  • 2 Samuel 155 verses
    • 2 Samuel 15:12While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, to come from his hometown of Giloh. So the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept increasing.
    • 2 Samuel 15:16Then the king set out, and his entire household followed him. But he left behind ten concubines to take care of the palace.
    • 2 Samuel 15:32When David came to the summit, where he used to worship God, Hushai the Archite was there to meet him with his robe torn and dust on his head.
    • 2 Samuel 15:34But you can thwart the counsel of Ahithophel for me if you return to the city and say to Absalom: ‘I will be your servant, my king; in the past I was your father’s servant, but now I will be your servant.’
    • 2 Samuel 15:37So David’s friend Hushai arrived in Jerusalem just as Absalom was entering the city.
    • Read 2 Samuel 15 →
  • 2 Samuel 173 verses
    • 2 Samuel 17:14Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than that of Ahithophel.” For the LORD had purposed to thwart the good counsel of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.
    • 2 Samuel 17:23When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He put his affairs in order and hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.
    • 2 Samuel 17:29honey, curds, sheep, and cheese from the herd for David and his people to eat. For they said, “The people have become hungry, exhausted, and thirsty in the wilderness.”
    • Read 2 Samuel 17 →
  • 2 Samuel 92 verses
    • 2 Samuel 9:8Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog like me?”
    • 2 Samuel 9:9Then the king summoned Saul’s servant Ziba and said to him, “I have given to your master’s grandson all that belonged to Saul and to all his house.
    • Read 2 Samuel 9 →
  • Proverbs 182 verses
4 more chapters this one speaks with
  • 2 Samuel 32 verses
    • 2 Samuel 3:16Her husband followed her, weeping all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go back.” So he returned home.
    • 2 Samuel 3:28Afterward, David heard about this and said, “I and my kingdom are forever guiltless before the LORD concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner.
    • Read 2 Samuel 3 →
  • 2 Samuel 122 verses
    • 2 Samuel 12:9Why then have you despised the command of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You put Uriah the Hittite to the sword and took his wife as your own, for you have slain him with the sword of the Ammonites.
    • 2 Samuel 12:11This is what the LORD says: ‘I will raise up adversity against you from your own house. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to another, and he will lie with them in broad daylight.
    • Read 2 Samuel 12 →
  • 2 Samuel 192 verses
    • 2 Samuel 19:22And David replied, “Sons of Zeruiah, what have I to do with you, that you should be my adversaries today? Should any man be put to death in Israel today? Am I not indeed aware that today I am king over Israel?”
    • 2 Samuel 19:25And he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, who asked him, “Mephibosheth, why did you not go with me?”
    • Read 2 Samuel 19 →
  • Exodus 221 verse

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.