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 and take off his head.”
10. But the king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’”
11. And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Leave him alone, and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to.
12. It may be that the Lord will look on the wrong done to me, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing today.”
13. So David and his men went on the road, while Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went and threw stones at him and flung dust.
14. And the king, and all the people who were with him, arrived weary at the Jordan. And there he refreshed himself.
15. Now Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.
16. And when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”
17. And Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?”
18. And Hushai said to Absalom, “No, for whom the Lord and this people and all the men of Israel have chosen, his I will be, and with him I will remain.
19. And again, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? As I have served your father, so I will serve you.”
20. Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give your counsel. What shall we do?”