2 Samuel 16

2 Samuel 16:1

16:1-4 After David passed the summit of Olivet, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth . . . met him with a large supply of food and wine, plus two donkeys. When David asked about Mephibosheth, Ziba falsely reported (see 2Sa_19:27) that the son of Jonathan had stayed in Jerusalem in hopes that the kingdom would return to the house of Saul and thus to him as the next in line. David believed this lie and ordered that Mephibosheth’s property should become Ziba’s. 16:5-14 At Bahurim, on the road to Jericho, a descendant of Saul named Shimei came out and cursed David fiercely, charging him with the blood of Saul’s house. Abishai, one of David’s officers, wanted to kill Shimei on the spot, but the king would not allow it. He suggested that the LORD may have ordered him to curse. He pointed out that, after all, a member of Saul’s house had more cause to seek his life than his own son, Absalom. Also, perhaps David remembered the death of Uriah and realized that Shimei’s accusations were not entirely without foundation. And David hoped that Shimei’s excessive hostility might move God to have mercy.

As David and his men headed for the Jordan, Shimei followed them, cursing and throwing dust and stones. Finally the exiled king reached the river, where he and his party refreshed themselves.

2 Samuel 16:15

F. Absalom’s Counselors (16:1517:23)16:15-19 The scene now switches back to Jerusalem, where Absalom had just arrived. Hushai made a loud and vigorous display of loyalty to Absalom. At first he was suspected, but finally he was accepted by the usurper. 16:20-23 Ahithophel’s first counsel to Absalom was that he should go in to the ten concubines David had left behind in Jerusalem. Such an act, disgraceful in itself, would be an unspeakable insult to David, would make reconciliation out of the question, and would constitute a direct claim to the throne. Absalom accepted the advice by going in to the royal harem, in the sight of all Israel, thus fulfilling Nathan’s prophecy in 2Sa_12:11-12. Ahithophel’s counsel was highly respected in those days. Absalom followed it unquestioningly, as his father had done. But when we remember that Ahithophel was Bathsheba’s grandfather, we can see how the desire for revenge might determine his particular counsel.