Common English Bible

2 Samuel 16:1-8 Common English Bible (CEB)

1. When David had passed a short distance beyond the summit, Ziba, Mephibosheth’s servant, met him with a pair of saddled donkeys loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred bunches of raisins, one hundred figs, and a jar of wine.

2. "What is all this for?" the king asked Ziba."The donkeys are for the royal family to ride," Ziba explained. "The bread and summer fruit are for the young people to eat, and the wine is for those who get exhausted in the wilderness."

3. "Where is your master’s grandson?" the king asked."He is still in Jerusalem," Ziba answered the king, "because he thinks that the Israelites are now going to give his grandfather’s kingdom back to him."

4. "Look here," the king said to Ziba. "Everything that belonged to Mephibosheth now belongs to you."Ziba said, "I bow out of respect! Please think well of me, my master and king."

5. When King David came to Bahurim, a man from the same clan as Saul’s family came out from there. His name was Shimei; he was Gera’s son. He was cursing as he came out.

6. He threw rocks at David and at all of King David’s servants, even though the entire army and all the warriors were on either side of him.

7. This is what Shimei said as he cursed David: "Get out of here! Get out of here! You are a murderer! You are despicable!

8. The Lord has paid you back for all the blood of Saul’s family, in whose place you rule, and the Lord has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. You are in this trouble because you are a murderer!"