2 Samuel16
New King James Version
1When David was a little past the top of the mountain, there was Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth, who met him with a couple of saddled donkeys, and on them two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred clusters of raisins, one hundred summer fruits, and a skin of wine.
2And the king said to Ziba, “What do you mean to do with these?” So Ziba said, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on, the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for those who are faint in the wilderness to drink.”
3Then the king said, “And where is your master’s son?” And Ziba said to the king, “Indeed he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will restore the kingdom of my father to me.’ ”
4So the king said to Ziba, “Here, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours.” And Ziba said, “I humbly bow before you, that I may find favor in your sight, my lord, O king!”
5Now when King David came to Bahurim, there was a man from the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei the son of Gera, coming from there. He came out, cursing continuously as he came.
6And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David. And all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left.
7Also Shimei said thus when he cursed: “Come out! Come out! You bloodthirsty man, you rogue!
8The Lord has brought upon you 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 Absalom your son. So now you are caught in your own evil, because you are a bloodthirsty man!”
9Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please, let me go over and take off his head!”
10But the king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? So let him curse, because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David.’ Who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’ ”
11And David said to Abishai and all his servants, “See how my son who came from my own body seeks my life. How much more now may this Benjamite? Let him alone, and let him curse; for so the Lord has ordered him.
12It may be that the Lord will look on my affliction, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing this day.”
13And as David and his men went along the road, Shimei went along the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went, threw stones at him and kicked up dust.
14Now the king and all the people who were with him became weary; so they refreshed themselves there.
15Meanwhile Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem; and Ahithophel was with him.
16And so it was, when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”
17So Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?”
18And Hushai said to Absalom, “No, but whom the Lord and this people and all the men of Israel choose, his I will be, and with him I will remain.
19Furthermore, whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son? As I have served in your father’s presence, so will I be in your presence.”
20Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give advice as to what we should do.”
21And Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father’s concubines, whom he has left to keep the house; and all Israel will hear that you are abhorred by your father. Then the hands of all who are with you will be strong.”
22So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.
23Now the advice of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if one had inquired at the oracle of God. So was all the advice of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for 2 Samuel 16.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Ziba's falsehood. (1–4). David cursed by Shimei. (5–14). Ahithophel's counsel. (15–23).
vv1-4
Ziba belied Mephibosheth. Great men ought always to be jealous of flatterers, and to be careful that they hear both sides.
vv5-14
David bore Shimei's curses much better than Ziba's flatteries; by these he was brought to pass a wrong judgment on another, by those to pass a right judgment on himself: the world's smiles are more dangerous than its frowns. Once and again David spared Saul's life, while Saul sought his. But innocence is no defence against malice and falsehood; nor are we to think it strange, if we are charged with that which we have been most careful to keep ourselves from. It is well for us, that men are not to be our judges, but He whose judgment is according to truth. See how patient David was under this abuse. Let this remind us of Christ, who prayed for those who reviled and crucified him. A humble spirit will turn reproaches into reproofs, and get good from them, instead of being provoked by them. David the hand of God in it, and comforts himself that God would bring good out of his affliction. We may depend upon God to repay, not only our services, but our sufferings.
vv15-23
The wisest counsellors of that age were Ahithophel and Hushai: Absalom thinks himself sure of success, when he has both; on them he relies, and consults not the ark, though he had that with him. But miserable counsellors were they both. Hushai would never counsel him to do wisely. Ahithophel counselled him to do wickedly; and so did as effectually betray him, as he did, who was designedly false to him: for they that advise men to sin, certainly advise them to their hurt. After all, honesty is the best policy, and will be found so in the long run. Ahithophel gave wicked counsel to Absalom; to render himself so hateful to his father, that he would never be reconciled to him; this cursed policy was of the devil. How desperately wicked is the human heart!
Key Words
דָּוִד: David, the youngest son of Jesse
עָבַר: to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in copulation)
מְעַט: a little or few (often adverbial or compar.)
מִן: properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses
רֹאשׁ: the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, itc.)
נַעַר: (concretely) a boy (as active), from the age of infancy to adolescence; by implication, a servant; also (by interch. of sex), a girl (of similar latitude in age)
מְפִיבֹשֶׁת: Mephibosheth, the name of two Israelites
קִרְאָה: an encountering, accidental, friendly or hostile (also adverbially, opposite)
צֶמֶד: hence, an acre (i.e. day's task for a yoke of cattle to plough)
חֲמוֹר: a male ass (from its dun red)
Cross References
2 Samuel 16Directly fulfills Nathan's prophecy that David's neighbor would lie with his wives in the daylight.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Fulfills the specific judgment that this would be done openly 'before all Israel, and before the sun.'
Supported by Matthew Poole
Contextualizes Ahithophel's legendary counsel which David actively prayed God would turn into foolishness.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Establishes Ziba's status as servant and the original arrangement with Mephibosheth's land.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Mephibosheth's later defense and explanation, exposing Ziba's slanderous report here as a lie.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The Mosaic law explicitly prohibiting the cursing of a ruler or leader of the people.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Abishai's characteristic, hot-tempered eagerness to strike down the king's adversary immediately.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Illuminates David's folly in judging Mephibosheth's case before hearing the other side.
Supported by Matthew Henry
David recalls Shimei's grievous curse on his deathbed, directing Solomon how to handle him.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Abishai repeats his demand to execute Shimei for cursing the Lord's anointed upon David's return.
Supported by Matthew Poole
David's ongoing struggle to manage the violent, impetuous sons of Zeruiah.
Supported by JFB
Hushai's initial meeting with David, setting up his role as David's plant in Absalom's court.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Parallels the provisions of food and drink brought to sustain David's faint followers in the wilderness.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Thematic parallel of a son defiling his father's bed, recalling Reuben's sin and loss of birthright.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Identifies the ten concubines David left behind to keep the house, whom Absalom defiled.
Supported by JFB