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2 Samuel 16

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2 Samuel 16 Overview

As David flees, Ziba meets him with provisions and claims that Mephibosheth stayed in Jerusalem hoping Saul’s kingdom would be restored; David immediately awards Ziba Mephibosheth’s property. Farther along, Shimei of Saul’s family curses David and throws stones at him, but David refuses Abishai’s request to kill the man. Meanwhile Absalom enters Jerusalem, receives Hushai into his service, and publicly goes in to David’s concubines on Ahithophel’s counsel.

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Before you read 2 Samuel 16

Coming from

Chapter 15 ended with David fleeing Jerusalem and planting loyal informants inside the city while Absalom approached the capital.

In this chapter

David meets accusations and humiliation on the road while Absalom takes symbolic possession of the kingdom in Jerusalem.

Leads into

Chapter 17 pits Ahithophel’s plan for a rapid strike against David against Hushai’s deliberately delayed strategy, and the LORD uses Hushai’s counsel to frustrate Ahithophel.

Key understandingExplore deeper

Ziba’s accusation sounds plausible in the moment, but 2 Samuel 19 later gives Mephibosheth a very different account. David therefore makes a property judgment before hearing both sides, and readers should not treat Ziba’s claim as settled fact. Shimei’s cursing is also complex: David accepts that the LORD may use humiliation to chasten him, but that does not mean every word Shimei says is true or that Shimei is morally innocent. Absalom’s public seizure of the concubines is a royal claim and directly echoes Nathan’s earlier judgment.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Truth 1

Crisis can tempt leaders into quick judgments based on one person’s accusation, as David disposes of Mephibosheth’s property before hearing him.

Truth 2

David shows remarkable restraint toward Shimei and leaves room for God to judge the situation rather than killing a critic in anger.

Truth 3

God’s sovereign use of an event does not remove the moral responsibility of the people who act sinfully within it.

Truth 4

Absalom’s public act with the concubines fulfills the shameful household judgment announced in chapter 12.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Connection 1

2 Samuel 9 established Mephibosheth and Ziba’s original arrangement; chapter 19 must be read with chapter 16 before deciding whose later story is fully reliable.

Connection 2

2 Samuel 12:11–12 specifically foretold that another would lie with David’s wives in the sight of the sun; Absalom’s action deliberately fulfills that public humiliation.

Connection 3

Romans 12:19 later commands believers not to avenge themselves, consistent with David’s restraint when Abishai asks to kill Shimei.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Keep this clear 1

Do not accept Ziba’s accusation as proven simply because David believes it in the moment. The later narrative reopens the issue.

Keep this clear 2

David’s statement that the LORD told Shimei to curse reflects David’s submission to possible divine chastening; it does not mean God morally approves false accusation, hatred, or stone-throwing.

Keep this clear 3

Ahithophel’s counsel being highly regarded does not make his advice morally righteous. Strategic brilliance and moral goodness are not the same thing.

Read 2 Samuel 16 watching for…

What Ziba brings David and what accusation he makes.

How quickly David rules on Mephibosheth’s property.

The content of Shimei’s curses.

David’s answer when Abishai wants Shimei killed.

How Hushai gains Absalom’s acceptance.

The public act Ahithophel advises Absalom to take.

Chapter outline3 sections

1-4Ziba meets David and receives Mephibosheth’s property 5-14Shimei curses David as he flees 15-23Absalom enters Jerusalem and follows Ahithophel’s counsel

And when David was a little past the 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.

And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The 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.

And the king said, And where is thy master's son? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, To day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.

Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that pertained unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I humbly beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king.

And when king David came to 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.

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 right hand and on his left.

And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial:

The LORD hath returned upon thee all the 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.

Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head.

And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?

And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him.

It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day.

And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill's side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust.

And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves there.

And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.

And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the king, God save the king.

And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend?

And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but whom the LORD, and this people, and all the men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide.

And again, whom should I serve? should I not serve in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy presence.

Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do.

And 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.

So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.

And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had inquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.

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2 Samuel 16:5

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