2 Samuel 16:1-23
1 And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.
2 And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses be for the king's household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink.
3 And the king said, And where is thy master's son? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, To day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.
4 Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that pertained unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I humblya beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king.
5 And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth,b and cursed still as he came.
6 And he 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.
7 And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloodyc man, and thou man of Belial:
8 The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief,d because thou art a bloody man.
9 Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head.
10 And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?
11 And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him.
12 It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction,e and that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day.
13 And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill's side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and castf dust.
14 And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves there.
15 And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.
16 And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the king, God save the king.
17 And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend?
18 And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but whom the LORD, and this people, and all the men of Israel, 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 his son? as I have served in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy presence.
20 Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do.
21 And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father's concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong.
22 So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.
23 And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracleg of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.
2 Samuel 16:3. Where is thy master's son? Ziba had been servant to Jonathan. Here is another sad case superinduced by a civil war. Mephibosheth, a prince at the mercy of a covetous and a lying servant, a traitor who by accusing his master of high treason, obtained the grant of Saul's estates. We should always hear the other party.
2 Samuel 16:7. Shimei cursed David. See on Genesis 9:25.
2 Samuel 16:11. Let him curse, for the Lord hath bidden him; spoken subjunctively, it may be the Lord hath bidden him.
2 Samuel 16:14. The king and all the people came weary, and refreshed themselves there. That is, at the fords of Jordan opposite to Mahanaim, to be ready to pass over on the approach of Absalom's army, and to receive the king's friends every moment flocking to the royal standard. Here, according to Josephus, he numbered his army and appointed the officers.
2 Samuel 16:21. Thy father's concubines. This advice was unique in its kind, and consummate in its character. Truly Absalom and his counsellor had a spirit of error sent from God.
REFLECTIONS.
What a chapter of instruction is this to princes, and to nations: what a monitor to loyalty under reverses, and to consistency of character. A civil war lays open all the vileness of the human heart. David having left Jerusalem weeping, and wisely without a garrison, wished to collect his forces into one body all the way to Jordan. Among these came Ziba the servant of Saul, whom the king had reappointed to the stewardship of his master's lands. He brought rich and seasonable presents. But he had deceived Mephibosheth; and saddled the ass for himself instead of his lord, that he might accuse him of treason to the king. Ziba was made rich, as servant of Saul's house; yet through covetousness he wished to destroy his master, that he might inherit his wealth: and taking advantage of David when his soul was loaded with anguish, and his heart softened with grief, he obtained a promise of the land. A servant, who through interest accuses his master, should seldom be credited without the fairest evidence. The king on leaving Jerusalem was beset with a hypocrite, and on entering Bahurim he was assailed by Shimei, an open foe. Had Saul's house reigned, this man had been a prince. Hence, disappointment, envy and malice, had long lurked in his heart; and now he ventured to disgorge the whole on his afflicted sovereign. Impelled by implacable passions, he confined not his reproaches to truth. He accused the king as the cause of every visitation which befel that house. He went on cursing him, and throwing stones towards him, indicating that he ought to be stoned for his complicated crimes. It is cruel to reproach any man suffering under the hand of God; but adversity makes manifest the human heart. By this strange conduct Shimei justly forfeited his life; and his curses and stones ultimately recoiled on his own head.
David's restraining Abishai from smiting Shimei, is characteristic of a great and noble mind, actuated by a high sense of superior virtue. Deeply affected with the rebellion, he regarded his own sins as the principal cause; and viewing himself in God's hands, and as a criminal at his bar, he would not inflict justice on another criminal. So our blessed Lord, while on the cross, prayed for those who mocked and derided and falsely accused him. It is the best and brightest ornament of a christian to bear calumny and reproach in the spirit of our Master.
But what must Shimei feel, after thus exhausting his malice in the frantic effusions of passion? What must he feel in his chamber, when he found his life had been spared, and no notice taken of his wickedness? Must he not say, surely David, who has spared my life under all these atrocious provocations, could never be accessory to the fall of Saul's house. I have acted the part of a traitor and a fool; and if the king shall return in peace, perhaps my life will be required for my folly. Acute indeed are the reproaches of conscience, after a violent excess of passion.
Leaving the king reposed on the Jordan, and encreasing in strength, we are conducted back to Jerusalem. This city Absalom had entered, and almost on the steps of his father. In the council, Ahithophel, accounted an oracle of the age, and supposed to be grandfather of Bathsheba, was first consulted. This old and wicked man perceiving many in the army afraid that a compromise would take place between the father and the son, and consequently that all the blame of the revolt would be thrown on them, advised Absalom openly to dishonour his father's bed; then every one would be confident that no reconciliation could ever be effected. This was to brand the prince with the indelible infamy of Reuben, and of Phœnix's sin. But though this advice might remove the fears in view, it did far more mischief in revolting the feelings of every virtuous mind. He who advises his sovereign against morality, advises him against his God. It was artful advice, and being adapted to the well known passions of the son, it was immediately put in execution. Let us learn never to do evil that good may come; for here the adviser and the advised perished in their folly, and were monuments of vengeance to all future ages. He is a base minister who flatters the royal passion.