2 Samuel16
World English Bible · Public Domain
1When David was a little past the top, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him with a couple of donkeys saddled, and on them two hundred loaves of bread, and one hundred clusters of raisins, and one hundred summer fruits, and a container of wine.
2The king said to Ziba, “What do you mean by these?” Ziba said, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that those who are faint in the wilderness may drink.”
3The king said, “Where is your master’s son?” Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is staying in Jerusalem; for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will restore me the kingdom of my father.’”
4Then the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours.” Ziba said, “I bow down. Let me find favor in your sight, my lord, O king.”
5When King David came to Bahurim, behold, a man of the family of Saul’s house came out, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera. He came out and cursed as he came.
6He cast 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.
7Shimei said when he cursed, “Be gone, be gone, you man of blood, and wicked fellow!
8Yahweh has returned on you all the blood of Saul’s house, in whose place you have reigned! Yahweh has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son! Behold, you are caught by your own mischief, because you are a man of blood!”
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.”
10The king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Because he curses, and because Yahweh has said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’”
11David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my son, who came out of my bowels, seeks my life. How much more this Benjamite, now? Leave him alone, and let him curse; for Yahweh has invited him.
12It may be that Yahweh will look on the wrong done to me, and that Yahweh will repay me good for the cursing of me today.”
13So David and his men went by the way; and Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went, threw stones at him, and threw dust.
14The king and all the people who were with him arrived weary; and he refreshed himself there.
15Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.
16When Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, had come to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”
17Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your kindness to your friend? Why didn’t you go with your friend?”
18Hushai said to Absalom, “No; but whomever Yahweh and this people and all the men of Israel have chosen, I will be his, and I will stay with him.
19Again, whom should I serve? Shouldn’t I serve in the presence of his son? As I have served in your father’s presence, so I will be in your presence.”
20Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give your counsel what we shall do.”
21Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father’s concubines that he has left to keep the house. Then 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 spread 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.
23The counsel of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if a man inquired at the inner sanctuary of God. All the counsel of Ahithophel was like this 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