Scriptures

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

2 Samuel 16
⁸ The Lord has returned upon you all the bloodshed of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. And behold, you are taken in your own evil, for you are a man of bloodshed!"
⁹ Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over now and cut off his head."
¹⁰ But the king said, "What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah? If he curses, and if the Lord has told him, ’Curse David,’ then who shall say, ’Why have you done so?’"
¹¹ Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, "Behold, my son who came out from me seeks my life; how much more now this Benjamite? Let him alone and let him curse, for the Lord has told him.
¹² Perhaps the Lord will look on my affliction and return good to me instead of his cursing this day."
¹³ So David and his men went on the way; and Shimei went along on the hillside parallel with him and as he went he cursed and cast stones and threw dust at him.
¹⁴ The king and all the people who were with him arrived weary and he refreshed himself there.
¹⁵ Then Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, entered Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.
¹⁶ Now it came about when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom, "Long live the king! Long live the king!"
¹⁷ Absalom said to Hushai, "Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?"
¹⁸ Then Hushai said to Absalom, "No! For whom the Lord, this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, his I will be, and with him I will remain.