The Transformed Life – a Call to Consecration

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The Listener’s Bible®: NIV Edition

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         <div class="label">16</div><div class="s1"><span class="heading">David and Ziba</span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v1" data-usfm="2SA.16.1"><span class="label">1</span><span class="content">When David had gone a short distance beyond the summit, there was Ziba, the steward of Mephibosheth, waiting to meet him. He had a string of donkeys saddled and loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred cakes of raisins, a hundred cakes of figs and a skin of wine.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v1" data-usfm="2SA.16.1"></span><span class="verse v2" data-usfm="2SA.16.2"><span class="label">2</span><span class="content">The king asked Ziba, &#8220;Why have you brought these?&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v2" data-usfm="2SA.16.2"><span class="content">Ziba answered, &#8220;The donkeys are for the king&#8217;s household to ride on, the bread and fruit are for the men to eat, and the wine is to refresh those who become exhausted in the wilderness.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v2" data-usfm="2SA.16.2"></span><span class="verse v3" data-usfm="2SA.16.3"><span class="label">3</span><span class="content">The king then asked, &#8220;Where is your master&#8217;s grandson?&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v3" data-usfm="2SA.16.3"><span class="content">Ziba said to him, &#8220;He is staying in Jerusalem, because he thinks, &#8216;Today the Israelites will restore to me my grandfather&#8217;s kingdom.&#8217;&#8198;&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v3" data-usfm="2SA.16.3"></span><span class="verse v4" data-usfm="2SA.16.4"><span class="label">4</span><span class="content">Then the king said to Ziba, &#8220;All that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v4" data-usfm="2SA.16.4"><span class="content">&#8220;I humbly bow,&#8221; Ziba said. &#8220;May I find favor in your eyes, my lord the king.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="s1"><span class="heading">Shimei Curses David</span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v4" data-usfm="2SA.16.4"></span><span class="verse v5" data-usfm="2SA.16.5"><span class="label">5</span><span class="content">As King David approached Bahurim, a man from the same clan as Saul&#8217;s family came out from there. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and he cursed as he came out. </span></span><span class="verse v6" data-usfm="2SA.16.6"><span class="label">6</span><span class="content">He pelted David and all the king&#8217;s officials with stones, though all the troops and the special guard were on David&#8217;s right and left. </span></span><span class="verse v7" data-usfm="2SA.16.7"><span class="label">7</span><span class="content">As he cursed, Shimei said, &#8220;Get out, get out, you murderer, you scoundrel! </span></span><span class="verse v8" data-usfm="2SA.16.8"><span class="label">8</span><span class="content">The </span><span class="nd"><span class="content">Lord</span></span><span class="content"> has repaid you for all the blood you shed in the household of Saul, in whose place you have reigned. The </span><span class="nd"><span class="content">Lord</span></span><span class="content"> has given the kingdom into the hands of your son Absalom. You have come to ruin because you are a murderer!&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v8" data-usfm="2SA.16.8"></span><span class="verse v9" data-usfm="2SA.16.9"><span class="label">9</span><span class="content">Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, &#8220;Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v9" data-usfm="2SA.16.9"></span><span class="verse v10" data-usfm="2SA.16.10"><span class="label">10</span><span class="content">But the king said, &#8220;What does this have to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the </span><span class="nd"><span class="content">Lord</span></span><span class="content"> said to him, &#8216;Curse David,&#8217; who can ask, &#8216;Why do you do this?&#8217;&#8198;&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v10" data-usfm="2SA.16.10"></span><span class="verse v11" data-usfm="2SA.16.11"><span class="label">11</span><span class="content">David then said to Abishai and all his officials, &#8220;My son, my own flesh and blood, is trying to kill me. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone; let him curse, for the </span><span class="nd"><span class="content">Lord</span></span><span class="content"> has told him to. </span></span><span class="verse v12" data-usfm="2SA.16.12"><span class="label">12</span><span class="content">It may be that the </span><span class="nd"><span class="content">Lord</span></span><span class="content"> will look upon my misery and restore to me his covenant blessing instead of his curse today.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v12" data-usfm="2SA.16.12"></span><span class="verse v13" data-usfm="2SA.16.13"><span class="label">13</span><span class="content">So David and his men continued along the road while Shimei was going along the hillside opposite him, cursing as he went and throwing stones at him and showering him with dirt. </span></span><span class="verse v14" data-usfm="2SA.16.14"><span class="label">14</span><span class="content">The king and all the people with him arrived at their destination exhausted. And there he refreshed himself.</span></span></div><div class="s1"><span class="heading">The Advice of Ahithophel and Hushai</span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v14" data-usfm="2SA.16.14"></span><span class="verse v15" data-usfm="2SA.16.15"><span class="label">15</span><span class="content">Meanwhile, Absalom and all the men of Israel came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him. </span></span><span class="verse v16" data-usfm="2SA.16.16"><span class="label">16</span><span class="content">Then Hushai the Arkite, David&#8217;s confidant, went to Absalom and said to him, &#8220;Long live the king! Long live the king!&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v16" data-usfm="2SA.16.16"></span><span class="verse v17" data-usfm="2SA.16.17"><span class="label">17</span><span class="content">Absalom said to Hushai, &#8220;So this is the love you show your friend? If he&#8217;s your friend, why didn&#8217;t you go with him?&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v17" data-usfm="2SA.16.17"></span><span class="verse v18" data-usfm="2SA.16.18"><span class="label">18</span><span class="content">Hushai said to Absalom, &#8220;No, the one chosen by the </span><span class="nd"><span class="content">Lord</span></span><span class="content">, by these people, and by all the men of Israel&#8212;his I will be, and I will remain with him. </span></span><span class="verse v19" data-usfm="2SA.16.19"><span class="label">19</span><span class="content">Furthermore, whom should I serve? Should I not serve the son? Just as I served your father, so I will serve you.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v19" data-usfm="2SA.16.19"></span><span class="verse v20" data-usfm="2SA.16.20"><span class="label">20</span><span class="content">Absalom said to Ahithophel, &#8220;Give us your advice. What should we do?&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v20" data-usfm="2SA.16.20"></span><span class="verse v21" data-usfm="2SA.16.21"><span class="label">21</span><span class="content">Ahithophel answered, &#8220;Sleep with your father&#8217;s concubines whom he left to take care of the palace. Then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself obnoxious to your father, and the hands of everyone with you will be more resolute.&#8221; </span></span><span class="verse v22" data-usfm="2SA.16.22"><span class="label">22</span><span class="content">So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father&#8217;s concubines in the sight of all Israel.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v22" data-usfm="2SA.16.22"></span><span class="verse v23" data-usfm="2SA.16.23"><span class="label">23</span><span class="content">Now in those days the advice Ahithophel gave was like that of one who inquires of God. That was how both David and Absalom regarded all of Ahithophel&#8217;s advice.</span></span></div>
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