16:1 And when David was a little past the a top [of the hill],
behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a
couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred [loaves]
of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred
of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.
16:2 And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these?
And Ziba said, The b asses [be] for the king's household
to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young
men to eat; and the wine, that such as be faint in the
wilderness may drink.
(b) Commonly there are no viler traitors than they, who
under the pretence of friendship accuse others.
16:5 And when king David came to c Bahurim, behold, thence
came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose
name [was] Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and
cursed still as he came.
(c) Which was a city in the tribe of Benjamin.
16:6 And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of
king David: and all the people and all the mighty men
[were] on his d right hand and on his left.
(d) That is, round about him.
16:8 The LORD hath returned upon thee all the e blood of the
house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the
LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom
thy son: and, behold, thou [art taken] in thy mischief,
because thou [art] a bloody man.
(e) Reproaching him, as though by his means Ishbosheth and
Abner were slain.
16:10 And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of
Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath f said
unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast
thou done so?
(f) David felt that this was the judgment of God for his
sin, and therefore humbles himself to his rod.
16:12 It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and
that the LORD will g requite me good for his cursing
this day.
(g) Meaning, that the Lord will send comfort to his, when
they are oppressed.
16:14 And the king, and all the people that [were] with him,
came weary, and refreshed themselves h there.
(h) That is, at Bahurim.
16:17 And Absalom said to Hushai, [Is] this thy kindness to thy
i friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend?
(i) Meaning, David.
16:21 And k Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy
father's concubines, which he hath left to keep the house;
and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy
father: then shall the hands of all that [are] with thee
be strong.
(k) Suspecting the change of the kingdom, and so his own
overthrow, he gives such counsel as might most hinder
his father's reconciliation: and also declare to the
people that Absalom was in highest authority.
16:23 And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in
those days, [was] as if a man had l enquired at the
oracle of God: so [was] all the counsel of Ahithophel both
with David and with Absalom.
