16 And when Dovid was a little past the top of the hill, hinei, Tziva the na’ar of Mephivoshet met him, with a couple of chamorim saddled, and upon them 200 lechem, and 100 bunches of tzimmukim, and 100 kayitz, and a skin of yayin.

² And HaMelech said unto Tziva, What meanest thou by these? And Tziva said, The chamorim are for the Bais HaMelech to ride on; and the lechem and kayitz for the ne’arim to eat; and the yayin, that such as be faint in the midbar may drink.

³ And HaMelech said, And where is the ben adoneicha [i.e., Sa’ul grandson Mephivoshet]? And Tziva said unto HaMelech, Hinei, he abideth at Yerushalayim; for he said, Today shall Bais Yisroel restore to me the mamlechut avi.

⁴ Then said HaMelech to Tziva, Hinei, thine are all that pertained unto Mephivoshet. Tziva said, I humbly prostrate myself. May I find chen in thy sight, adoni, O Melech.

⁵ When Dovid HaMelech came to Bachurim, hinei, from there came out an ish of the mishpakhat Bais Sha’ul; shmo Shimei Ben Gera; and he, cursing continuously, came.

⁶ And he cast avanim (stones) at Dovid, and at all the avadim of Dovid HaMelech; and at kol haAm and at all the Gibborim that were on his right and on his left.

⁷ And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou ish hadamim and thou ish habeliyya’al;

⁸ Hashem hath returned upon thee all the dahm of the Bais Sha’ul, in whose place thou hast reigned; and Hashem hath delivered the meluchah (kingdom) into the yad Avshalom binecha; and, behold, thou art taken in thy ra’ah, because thou art an ish damim.

⁹ Then said Avishai Ben Tzeruyah unto HaMelech, Why should this kelev hamet (dead dog) curse adoni HaMelech? Let me go over, now and cut off his rosh.

¹⁰ And HaMelech said, What have I to do with you, ye Bnei Tzeruyah? So let him curse, because Hashem hath said unto him, Curse Dovid. Who shall then say, why hast thou done so?

¹¹ And Dovid said to Avishai, and to all his avadim, Hinei, beni, which came forth from within me, seeketh my nefesh; how much more now may this Bin-Hayemini (Benjamite) do it? Let him alone, and let him curse; for Hashem hath bidden him.

¹² It may be that Hashem will look on mine affliction, that Hashem will repay me tovah for his cursing this day.

¹³ And as Dovid and his anashim went by the derech, Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him, cursed as he went, threw avanim at him, and kicked up aphar.

¹⁴ And HaMelech, and kol HaAm that were with him, arrived weary, and refreshed themselves there [at the Yarden].

¹⁵ And Avshalom, and kol HaAm Ish Yisroel, came to Yerushalayim, and Achitophel with him.

¹⁶ And it came to pass, when Chushai the Archi, re’eh Dovid, was come unto Avshalom, that Chushai said unto Avshalom, Long live HaMelech, Long live HaMelech.

¹⁷ And Avshalom said to Chushai, Is this thy chesed (loyal loving-kindness) to thy re’a (friend)? Why wentest thou not with thy re’a (friend)?

¹⁸ Chushai said unto Avshalom, Lo; but whom Hashem, this people, and kol Ish Yisroel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide.

¹⁹ And again, whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of bno? As I have served in the presence of Avicha, so will I be in thy presence.

²⁰ Then said Avshalom to Achitophel, Give etza (counsel, advice, wisdom) among you what we shall do.

²¹ And Achitophel said unto Avshalom, Go in unto the pilagshim of Avicha, which he hath left to be shomer over the Bais (palace); and kol Yisroel shall hear that thou art a stench to Avicha; then shall the hands of all that are with thee be chazak (strong).

²² So they spread Avshalom an ohel upon the gag (roof); and Avshalom went in unto the pilagshim of Aviv in the sight of kol Yisroel.

²³ And the etza (counsel) of Achitophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if an ish had inquired at the davar HaElohim; so was all the etza (counsel) of Achitophel both with Dovid and with Avshalom.