792 - Ziba, Shimei, and David

Ziba, Shimei, and David


When David had gone a little beyond the summit of the Mount of Olives, Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, was waiting there for him. 


He had two donkeys loaded with 200 loaves of bread, 100 clusters of raisins, 100 bunches of summer fruit, and a wineskin full of wine. 


“What are these for?” the king asked Ziba. 


Ziba replied, “The donkeys are for the king’s people, to ride on, and the bread and summer fruit are for the young men, to eat. 


The wine is for those, who become exhausted, in the wilderness.” 


“And where is Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson?” the king asked him. 


“He stayed in Jerusalem,” Ziba replied. 


“He said, ‘Today I will get back the kingdom, of my grandfather Saul.’ ” 


“In that case,” the king told Ziba, “I give you everything Mephibosheth owns.” 


“I bow before you,” Ziba replied. 


“May I always be pleasing to you, my lord the king.” 


Then, as King David came to Bahurim, a man came out, of the village, cursing them. 


It was Shimei, son of Gera, from the same clan, as Saul’s family. 


He threw stones, at the king, and the king’s officers, and all the mighty warriors, who surrounded him. 


“Get out of here, you murderer, you scoundrel!” he shouted, at David. 


“The Lord is paying you back, for all the bloodshed, in Saul’s clan. 


You stole his throne, and now, the Lord has given it to your son, Absalom. 


At last, you will taste some of your own medicine, for you are a murderer!” 


“Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king?” Abishai, son of Zeruiah, demanded. 


“Let me go over and cut off his head!” 


“No!” the king said. 


“Who asked your opinion, you sons, of Zeruiah! 


If the Lord has told him to curse me, who are you to stop him?” 


Then, David said to Abishai and to all his servants, 


“My own son is trying to kill me. 


Doesn’t this relative of Saul have even more reason to do so? 


Leave him alone and let him curse, for the Lord has told him, to do it. 


And perhaps, the Lord will see that I am being wronged …and will bless me, because of these curses, today.” 


So, David, and his men, continued down the road, and Shimei kept pace with them, on a nearby hillside, cursing and throwing stones …and dirt, at David. 


The king, and all who were with him, grew weary, along the way, so they rested, when they reached the Jordan River. 


2 Samuel 16:1–14 (NLT)


Praise be to God!


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