Dauid.

1   And when Dauid had passed a litle the toppe of the Mount, Siba the seruant of Miphiboseth appeared coming to meete him, with two asses, which were loden with two hundred loaues, and a hundred bunches of raysens, an hundred masses of figges, and a bottel of wine.

2   And the king said to Siba: What meane these thinges? And Siba answered: The asses are for the kinges houshould to sitte on: and the loaues and the figges to eate for thy seruantes, and the wine to drinke if any man shal fainte in the desert.

3   And the king said: Where is thy masters sonne? And Siba answered the king: He hath remained in Ierusalem, saying: This day wil the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.

4   And the king said to Siba: ^note Let al thinges be thine that were Miphiboseths. And Siba said: I besech thee let me find grace before thee, my lord king.

5   King Dauid therefore came as farre as Bahurim: & behold there came forth thence a man of the kinred of the house of Saul named Semei, the sonne of Sera, and he proceded going forth, & cursed.

6   And he threw stones against Dauid, & against al the seruantes of king Dauid & the whole people, & al the warriers went on the right, and the left side of the king.

7   And thus spake Semei when he cursed the king: Come forth, come forth thou man of bloud, and man of Belial.

8   Our Lord hath repayed thee al the bloud of the house of Saul: because thou hast inuaded the kingdom for him, and our Lord hath geuen the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy sonne: and behold thyne euiles presse thee, because thou art a man of bloud.

9   And Abisai the sonne of Seruia said to the king: Why curseth this dead dogge my lord the king? I wil goe, and strike of his head.

10   And the king said: What is it to me and you, ye sonnes of Saruia? Let him alone that he may curse: for our Lord hath ^note commanded him to curse Dauid: and who is he that dare say, why hath he so done?

11   And the king said to Abisai, and to al his seruantes: Behold my sonne, that came out of my wombe, seeketh my life: how much more the sonne of Iemini? let him alone that he may curse according to the precept of our Lord:

12   if perhaps our Lord may respect mine affliction, and our Lord may render me good for this dayes cursing.

13   Dauid therefore walked and his companie in the way with him. And Semei by the banke on the hils side, went ouer against him, cursing, and casting stones against him, and sprinkling

Dauid. earth.

14   The king therefore came, and al the people with him wearie, and they were refreshed there.

15   But Absalom and al his people entered into Ierusalem, yea and Achitophel with him.

16   And when Chusai the Arachite Dauids frend was come to Absalom, he said to him: God saue thee ô king, God saue thee ô king.

17   To whom Absalom, is this, quoth he, thy kindenes toward thy frend? why wentest thou not with thy frend?

18   And Chusai answered Absalom: Not so: because I wil be his, whom our Lord hath chosen, and al this people, and al Israel, and with him wil tarie.

19   Yea that I may adde this also, whom shal I serue? not the kinges sonne? as I haue serued thy father, so wil I serue thee also.

20   And Absalom said to Achitophel: Consult what we ought to doe.

21   And Achitophel said to Absalom: Goe in to the concubines of thy father, which he hath left to keepe the house: ^note that when al Israel shal heare that thou hast defiled thy father, their handes may be strengthened with thee.

22   They pitched therefore a tent for Absalom in the house toppe, and he went in to his fathers concubines before al Israel.

23   And the counsel of Achitophel, which he gaue in those dayes, as if a man should consult God: so was al the counsel of Achitophel, both when he was with Dauid, and when he was with Absalom.

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