II Samuel 16, Ziba, Shimei, Ahithopel

David is fleeing Absalom.  Israel has descended into civil war. This chapter reports on three separate events in this war.

2 Samuel 16: 1-4, Support from Mephibosheth's steward

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.

The king asked Ziba, “Why have you brought these?”

Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’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.”

The king then asked, “Where is your master’s grandson?”
Ziba said to him, “He is staying in Jerusalem, because he thinks, ‘Today the Israelites will restore to me my grandfather’s kingdom.’”

Then the king said to Ziba, “All that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours.”

“I humbly bow,” Ziba said. “May I find favor in your eyes, my lord the king.”

Ziba makes clear his allegiance to David, while claiming that his mast seeks to see Saul's dynasty restored.  Mephibosheth, a son of Jonathan, was injured as a five-year-old, when dropped by his nurse fleeing the chaos at the death of Saul and Jonathan. (See II Samuel 4:4.) David commited to protecting Mephibosheth in II Samuel 9.

2 Samuel 16: 5-8, Curses of Shimei

As King David approached Bahurim, a man from the same clan as Saul’s family came out from there. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and he cursed as he came out. He pelted David and all the king’s officials with stones, though all the troops and the special guard were on David’s right and left. As he cursed, Shimei said, “Get out, get out, you murderer, you scoundrel! The Lord has repaid you for all the blood you shed in the household of Saul, in whose place you have reigned. The Lord has given the kingdom into the hands of your son Absalom. You have come to ruin because you are a murderer!”

A clansman of Saul's takes the opportunity to foolishly curse and taunt David. He accuses David of gaining the throne by killing Saul's family. 

It is surely not a good idea to throw stones and curses at armed soldiers.

2 Samuel 16: 9-13, Abishai's suggestion

Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head.”

But the king said, “What does this have to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the Lord said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who can ask, ‘Why do you do this?’”

David then said to Abishai and all his officials, “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 Lord has told him to.  It may be that the Lord will look upon my misery and restore to me his covenant blessing instead of his curse today.”

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. The king and all the people with him arrived at their destination exhausted. And there he refreshed himself.

Abishai is a man of violence and seems to like killing.  He wanted to kill Saul in the cave (1 Samuel 26: 8.) and in 2 Samuel 3: 30, he is listed, with his brother, Joab, as murdering Asahel. But David has been humbled and has no intention of killing someone as trivial as Shimei. 

2 Samuel 16: 15-19, Hushai meets with Absalom

Meanwhile, Absalom and all the men of Israel came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him. Then Hushai the Arkite, David’s confidant, went to Absalom and said to him, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”

Absalom said to Hushai, “So this is the love you show your friend? If he’s your friend, why didn’t you go with him?”

Hushai said to Absalom, “No, the one chosen by the Lord, by these people, and by all the men of Israel—his I will be, and I will remain with him. Furthermore, whom should I serve? Should I not serve the son? Just as I served your father, so I will serve you.”

Hushai begins to weave his way into Absalom's court. Alter points out that Hushai's praise, "Long live the king!" may be ambiguous, as Hushai continues to support the real king, not the usurper.

2 Samuel 16: 20-23, Absalom and David's concubines

Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give us your advice. What should we do?”

Ahithophel answered, “Sleep with your father’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.” 

So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

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’s advice.

In the ancient Near East, apparently sleeping with one's father's concubines was a powerful alpha male statement, a statement of domination. (Reuben slept with Jacob's concubine, Bilhah, in Genesis 35: 22; Abner, before betraying Ish-bosheth, sleeps with Saul's concubine, in 2 Samuel 3: 7-10; Adonijah, David's fourth-born son will make a fatal mistake by asking for Abishag in 1 Kings 2.) By publicly having sex with David's concubines, Absalom has made it clear that there is no turning back.

The text notes that Ahithophel is seen as always giving exceptional counsel. In this case, Ahithophel makes sure that everyone knows there will be never be reconciliation between David and Absalom. This forces those around Absalom to commit to following him (or to slink away.)