וְדָוִד עָבַר מְעַט מֵהָרֹאשׁ וְהִנֵּה צִיבָא נַעַר מְפִי בֹשֶׁת לִקְרָאתוֹ וְצֶמֶד חֲמֹרִים חֲבֻשִׁים וַעֲלֵיהֶם מָאתַיִם לֶחֶם וּמֵאָה צִמּוּקִים וּמֵאָה קַיִץ וְנֵבֶל יָיִן

David had passed a little past the peak of the mountain, in the direction of the wilderness, and behold, Tziva servant of Mefivoshet came and met him with a pair of saddled donkeys, and upon them were two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred clusters, or packages, of raisins, one hundred dried figs, and a skin or earthenware jug of wine.

וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶל צִיבָא מָה אֵלֶּה לָּךְ וַיֹּאמֶר צִיבָא הַחֲמוֹרִים לְבֵית הַמֶּלֶךְ לִרְכֹּב וְהַלֶּחֶם וְהַקַּיִץ לֶאֱכוֹל הַנְּעָרִים וְהַיַּיִן לִשְׁתּוֹת הַיָּעֵף בַּמִּדְבָּר

The king said to Tziva: What are these of yours? Tziva said: The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on, so that you should not have to travel by foot; and the bread and dried figs for the lads to eat, and the wine, for the weary and thirsty in the wilderness to drink. These are the provisions that I have to offer you for your journey.

וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ וְאַיֵּה בֶּן אֲדֹנֶיךָ וַיֹּאמֶר צִיבָא אֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ הִנֵּה יוֹשֵׁב בִּירוּשָׁלִַם כִּי אָמַר הַיּוֹם יָשִׁיבוּ לִי בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵת מַמְלְכוּת אָבִי

The king said: Where is your master’s son, Mefivoshet? Tziva said to the king: Behold, he currently remains in Jerusalem, as he said to himself: Today the house of Israel will restore the kingdom of my father to me. He sees the rebellion and its upheavals as an opportunity for him, as he hopes that with your removal from your throne, the people will choose him, the heir to the dynasty of Saul, for their new king, rather than appointing Avshalom, your son.

וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ לְצִבָא הִנֵּה לְךָ כֹּל אֲשֶׁר לִמְפִיבֹשֶׁת וַיֹּאמֶר צִיבָא הִשְׁתַּחֲוֵיתִי אֶמְצָא חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ

The king said to Tziva: Behold, all that belongs to Mefivoshet is yours. Since you remained loyal to your king while Mefivoshet betrayed me, you will receive everything that belongs to him. The legal force of this declaration is unclear, as David was an exile, and had virtually no power at the time. Nevertheless, he gave Tziva a promise that he hoped to fulfill when circumstances would allow. Tziva said: I prostrate myself; may I find favor in your eyes, my lord the king.

וּבָא הַמֶּלֶךְ דָּוִד עַד בַּחוּרִים וְהִנֵּה מִשָּׁם אִישׁ יוֹצֵא מִמִּשְׁפַּחַת בֵּית שָׁאוּל וּשְׁמוֹ שִׁמְעִי בֶן גֵּרָא יֹצֵא יָצוֹא וּמְקַלֵּל

King David came to a place called Bahurim, and behold, a man from there, from the family of the house of Saul, from the tribe of Benjamin, came out; his name was Shimi son of Gera; he was cursing David as he came out.

וַיְסַקֵּל בָּאֲבָנִים אֶת דָּוִד וְאֶת כָּל עַבְדֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ דָּוִד וְכָל הָעָם וְכָל הַגִּבֹּרִים מִימִינוֹ וּמִשְּׂמֹאלוֹ

Shimi did not merely spew invective, he also stoned David with stones, and all the servants of King David, not with the intention of causing physical harm, but as a gesture of hatred and contempt; and all the people, and all the mighty were to his, David’s, right and to his left.

וְכֹה אָמַר שִׁמְעִי בְּקַלְלוֹ צֵא צֵא אִישׁ הַדָּמִים וְאִישׁ הַבְּלִיָּעַל

So said Shimi as he cursed: Depart, depart, man of blood, and wicked man.

הֵשִׁיב עָלֶיךָ ה' כָּל דְּמֵי בֵית שָׁאוּל אֲשֶׁר מָלַכְתָּ תַּחְתָּיו וַיִּתֵּן ה' אֶת הַמְּלוּכָה בְּיַד אַבְשָׁלוֹם בְּנֶךָ וְהִנְּךָ בְּרָעָתֶךָ כִּי אִישׁ דָּמִים אָתָּה

The Lord is returning upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead you became king. You rebelled against Saul, brought down his kingdom and reigned in his stead, and now your evil has been visited upon you. And the Lord has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Avshalom your son. Behold, you are ensnared in your evil; you will remain in your state of wickedness, for which you are being punished, because you are a man of blood.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֲבִישַׁי בֶּן צְרוּיָה אֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ לָמָּה יְקַלֵּל הַכֶּלֶב הַמֵּת הַזֶּה אֶת אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶעְבְּרָה נָּא וְאָסִירָה אֶת רֹאשׁוֹ

Avishai son of Tzeruya said to the king: Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please let me cross to the other side, to where Shimi stands, and I will remove his head. Avishai was more than capable of carrying out this threat.

וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ מַה לִּי וְלָכֶם בְּנֵי צְרֻיָה כֹּה יְקַלֵּל כִּי ה' אָמַר לוֹ קַלֵּל אֶת דָּוִד ומִי יֹאמַר מַדּוּעַ עָשִׂיתָה כֵּן

The king said: What is there between me and you, sons of Tzeruya? We think so differently from one another. I cannot agree to such a deed. He curses because the Lord said to him: Curse David. There must be a divine reason why this man has come to curse me at this stage. It is part of my atonement, or the divine punishment I deserve. Consequently, who can say to him: Why did you do so? I will not stop him.

וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל אֲבִישַׁי וְאֶל כָּל עֲבָדָיו הִנֵּה בְנִי אֲשֶׁר יָצָא מִמֵּעַי מְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת נַפְשִׁי וְאַף כִּי עַתָּה בֶּן הַיְמִינִי הַנִּחוּ לוֹ וִיקַלֵּל כִּי אָמַר לוֹ ה'

David said to Avishai, and to all his servants: Behold, my own son, Avshalom, who emerged from my innards, seeks my life, all the more so this Benjamite. He is a stranger to me and has other ties of loyalty. Leave him and let him curse, because the Lord said to him. This is not a private matter, but a sign from God.

אוּלַי יִרְאֶה ה' בְּעֵינִי וְהֵשִׁיב ה' לִי טוֹבָה תַּחַת קִלְלָתוֹ הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה

Perhaps the Lord will see the tears in my eye, or look upon my situation, and the Lord will repay me goodness instead of his curse this day. David considered Shimi’s curses a necessary stage in his atonement, and hoped that if he accepted his insults without responding, God would forgive him and come to his aid.

וַיֵּלֶךְ דָּוִד וַאֲנָשָׁיו בַּדָּרֶךְ וְשִׁמְעִי הֹלֵךְ בְּצֵלַע הָהָר לְעֻמָּתוֹ הָלוֹךְ וַיְקַלֵּל וַיְסַקֵּל בָּאֲבָנִים לְעֻמָּתוֹ וְעִפַּר בֶּעָפָר

David and his men went on the way, and Shimi was going on the side of the mountain opposite him, and cursing as he went, and he threw stones, and cast dirt, continuing his disparagement of David.

וַיָּבֹא הַמֶּלֶךְ וְכָל הָעָם אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ עֲיֵפִים וַיִּנָּפֵשׁ שָׁם

The king and all the people who were with him arrived at the plains of the wilderness; they were weary, and rested and refreshed themselves there.

וְאַבְשָׁלוֹם וְכָל הָעָם אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּאוּ יְרוּשָׁלִָם וַאֲחִיתֹפֶל אִתּוֹ

Avshalom, and all the people, that is, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahitofel was with him.

וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר בָּא חוּשַׁי הָאַרְכִּי רֵעֶה דָוִד אֶל אַבְשָׁלוֹם וַיֹּאמֶר חוּשַׁי אֶל אַבְשָׁלֹם יְחִי הַמֶּלֶךְ יְחִי הַמֶּלֶךְ

It was when Hushai the Arkite, David’s friend, came to Avshalom that Hushai said to Avshalom: Long live the king, long live the king.

וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְשָׁלוֹם אֶל חוּשַׁי זֶה חַסְדְּךָ אֶת רֵעֶךָ לָמָּה לֹא הָלַכְתָּ אֶת רֵעֶךָ

Avshalom said to Hushai: Is this your kindness and loyalty to your friend? Is this how you treat your good friend, the former king? Why didn’t you go with your friend?

וַיֹּאמֶר חוּשַׁי אֶל אַבְשָׁלֹם לֹא כִּי אֲשֶׁר בָּחַר ה' וְהָעָם הַזֶּה וְכָל אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל לוֹ אֶהְיֶה וְאִתּוֹ אֵשֵׁב

Hushai said to Avshalom: No, I do not accept that reasoning; for he whom the Lord, this people, those around you, and the men of Israel have chosen, his I will be, and with him I will stay. Since you are the chosen king, and God is with you, I will henceforth be loyal to you.

וְהַשֵּׁנִית לְמִי אֲנִי אֶעֱבֹד הֲלוֹא לִפְנֵי בְנוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר עָבַדְתִּי לִפְנֵי אָבִיךָ כֵּן אֶהְיֶה לִפָנֶיךָ

Secondly, whom should I serve? David has been dispossessed of the crown, and will likely be killed, exiled, or will disappear. Isn’t it appropriate that I fill the same role I filled for him, before his son? As I served before your father, so I will be before you. Avshalom apparently accepted Hushai’s statement and appointed him one of his close counselors.

וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְשָׁלוֹם אֶל אֲחִיתֹפֶל הָבוּ לָכֶם עֵצָה מַה נַּעֲשֶׂה

Avshalom said to Ahitofel, his chief advisor: Give your counsel, what shall we do? What should be our next steps?

וַיֹּאמֶר אֲחִיתֹפֶל אֶל אַבְשָׁלֹם בּוֹא אֶל פִּלַגְשֵׁי אָבִיךָ אֲשֶׁר הִנִּיחַ לִשְׁמוֹר הַבָּיִת וְשָׁמַע כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי נִבְאַשְׁתָּ אֶת אָבִיךָ וְחָזְקוּ יְדֵי כָּל אֲשֶׁר אִתָּךְ

Ahitofel said to Avshalom: Go consort with your father’s concubines, whom he left to keep the house. By engaging in intercourse with the concubines of the previous king, you will vividly demonstrate that you are his replacement. This is certainly a morally dubious act, but it will be known to all. All Israel will then hear that you have become loathsome to your father. Through this act, you will become detested by your father. If so far the people still have their doubts, and are not rushing to show support for you, the young, rebellious son of an experienced and successful king, as they fear David’s retribution if and when he returns to the throne, they will now understand that there will be no reconciliation between father and son. And the hands of everyone who is with you, your active followers and those who wish to support you, but are wavering, will be strengthened. Ahitofel was the cleverest man in Israel, but he was by no means a moral individual. Rather, he was motivated solely by political considerations. In his mind, the step he was proposing was an easy one to execute, it did not exact a heavy price, and its symbolic meaning would be clear: Avshalom had taken over the throne in an absolute manner from his father, who no longer existed in his eyes.

וַיַּטּוּ לְאַבְשָׁלוֹם הָאֹהֶל עַל הַגָּג וַיָּבֹא אַבְשָׁלוֹם אֶל פִּלַגְשֵׁי אָבִיו לְעֵינֵי כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל

They pitched a tent for Avshalom on the roof, and Avshalom consorted with his father’s concubines before the eyes of all Israel. Everyone saw the concubines being brought to Avshalom in the tent. This was the fulfillment of Natan’s prophecy to David following his sin with Bathsheba, that the deed David performed in private would be carried out in public before all of Israel (see 12:11–12). It is even possible that this public event was performed on the same roof where David had been when the episode involving Bathsheba began (see 11:2).

וַעֲצַת אֲחִיתֹפֶל אֲשֶׁר יָעַץ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם כַּאֲשֶׁר יִשְׁאַל אִישׁ בִּדְבַר הָאֱלֹהִים כֵּן כָּל עֲצַת אֲחִיתֹפֶל גַּם לְדָוִד גַּם לְאַבְשָׁלֹם

Such a public act was certainly improper, especially with the concubines of Avshalom’s own father. Even if there might have been a certain legitimacy to Avshalom’s claim to the throne, this was an extremely crude way of asserting it. Therefore, the verse offers a parenthetical aside by way of explanation: The counsel of Ahitofel that he counseled in those days was like a man would inquire of the word of God; so was all the counsel of Ahitofel both with David and with Avshalom. The counsel of Ahitofel was considered the last word during his time. The practical authority of his pronouncements in that society was so great that they were accepted like the word of God. None dared dispute his advice. Therefore, even if Avshalom himself would never have entertained such an idea, once Ahitofel had made the suggestion he accepted it without hesitation. Just as his father David used to listen to Ahitofel’s counsel, and granted much weight to his statements, Avshalom followed suit, as he followed without much reserve the system that had worked for his father.