1. David had started down the other side of the Mount of Olives, when he was met by Ziba, the chief servant of Mephibosheth. Ziba had two donkeys that were carrying two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred handfuls of raisins, a hundred figs, and some wine.
2. “What's all this?” David asked.Ziba said, “The donkeys are for your family to ride. The bread and fruit are for the people to eat, and the wine is for them to drink in the desert when they are tired out.”
3. “And where is Mephibosheth?” David asked.Ziba answered, “He stayed in Jerusalem, because he thinks the people of Israel want him to rule the kingdom of his grandfather Saul.”
4. David then told him, “Everything that used to belong to Mephibosheth is now yours.”Ziba said, “Your Majesty, I am your humble servant, and I hope you will be pleased with me.”
5. David was near the town of Bahurim when a man came out and started cursing him. The man was Shimei the son of Gera, and he was one of Saul's distant relatives.
6. He threw stones at David, at his soldiers, and at everyone else, including the bodyguards who walked on each side of David.
7. Shimei was yelling at David, “Get out of here, you murderer! You good-for-nothing,
8. the Lord is paying you back for killing so many in Saul's family. You stole his kingdom, but now the Lord has given it to your son Absalom. You're a murderer, and that's why you're in such big trouble!”
9. Abishai said, “Your Majesty, this man is as useless as a dead dog! He shouldn't be allowed to curse you. Let me go over and chop off his head.”