7. Shimei said when he cursed, “Be gone, be gone, you man of blood, and wicked fellow!
8. The Lord has returned on you all the blood of Saul’s house, in whose place you have reigned! the Lord has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son! Behold, you are caught by your own mischief, because you are a man of blood!”
9. Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please let me go over and take off his head.”
10. The king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Because he curses, and because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David;’ who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’”
11. David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, “Behold, my son, who came out of my bowels, seeks my life. How much more this Benjamite, now? Leave him alone, and let him curse; for the Lord has invited him.
12. It may be that the Lord will look on the wrong done to me, and that the Lord will repay me good for the cursing of me today.”
13. So David and his men went by the way; and Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him, and cursed as he went, threw stones at him, and threw dust.
14. The king, and all the people who were with him, came weary; and he refreshed himself there.
15. Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.
16. When Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, had come to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”
17. Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your kindness to your friend? Why didn’t you go with your friend?”