History · Chapter 16 of 24
2 Samuel 16
As David flees, Ziba meets him with provisions and slanders Mephibosheth, gaining his master's estate. Then Shimei, of Saul's clan, curses David and throws stones, calling him a man of blood. David restrains Abishai from killing him, accepting the abuse as possibly from the LORD and hoping God will repay him good. Meanwhile Absalom enters Jerusalem, and on Ahithophel's advice publicly takes David's concubines.
What happens in 2 Samuel 16
On the road from Jerusalem, Ziba, Mephibosheth's servant, brings David donkeys and food, and claims his master stayed behind hoping to regain Saul's kingdom. David, believing him, grants Ziba all of Mephibosheth's property. Farther on, at Bahurim, Shimei of Saul's family comes out cursing David, throwing stones and dust, calling him a bloody man of Belial and declaring the LORD is repaying him for the house of Saul. Abishai offers to cut off Shimei's head, but David restrains him, saying perhaps the LORD has told Shimei to curse, and that God may yet look on his affliction and repay him good for the cursing.
In Jerusalem, Absalom arrives with Ahithophel. Hushai, David's man, greets Absalom with God save the king to win his trust. Ahithophel counsels Absalom to go in publicly to his father's concubines, signaling an irreversible break; Absalom does so on the palace roof in the sight of all Israel, fulfilling Nathan's word.
2 Samuel 16 in context
The chapter continues David's descent, and every incident tests his character in humiliation. Shimei's grievance reflects lingering resentment over the transfer of the kingdom from Saul's house. Ahithophel's advice about the concubines is a calculated political act: by defiling David's harem publicly, Absalom makes reconciliation impossible and hardens commitment to his cause.
It also fulfills, with grim precision, God's word through Nathan that David's wives would be taken before all Israel because of his sin with Bathsheba.
Main themes of 2 Samuel 16
2 Samuel 16 (KJV)
1And 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. 2And 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. 3And 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. 4Then 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. 5And 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. 6And 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. 7And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial: 8The 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. 9Then 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. 10And 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? 11And 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. 12It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day. 13And 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. 14And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves there. 15And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. 16And 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. 17And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend? 18And 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. 19And 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. 20Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do. 21And 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. 22So 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. 23And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.
Verses to carry from 2 Samuel 16
“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?”2 Samuel 16:10
“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.”2 Samuel 16:11
“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.”2 Samuel 16:22
Christian typology
How 2 Samuel 16 points to Jesus
Stripped of power and cursed by an enemy, David refuses to strike back, entrusting judgment to God and hoping the LORD will repay good for the reviling he bears. Here the persecuted king anticipates his greater Son, who, when he was reviled, did not revile in return, but committed himself to the One who judges justly. On the way to the cross Jesus absorbed mockery, false accusation, and cursing without retaliation, praying instead for his tormentors.
David wonders whether God can bring good out of a day of cursing; at Calvary God does exactly that, turning the worst injustice into the world's salvation. The meek endurance David shows in weakness became, in Christ, the very shape of redemption, blessing returned for cursing, life brought out of a day of shame.
Questions about 2 Samuel 16
Why does David let Shimei curse him?
David restrains Abishai and reasons that if the LORD has bidden Shimei to curse, no one should stop him, and perhaps God will see his affliction and repay him good (2 Samuel 16:11, 16:12). Rather than assert his royal right to vengeance, David humbly receives the abuse as something God may be using, and leaves justice to him. It is remarkable restraint from a king who could have killed his reviler with a word.
Was David right to believe Ziba's report about Mephibosheth?
The chapter presents Ziba's story without confirming it, and chapter 19 reveals Mephibosheth's own account contradicting it. David, fleeing and pressed for time, accepts the slander and rewards the slanderer (2 Samuel 16:3, 16:4). It stands as a caution about judging on one side of a story, especially in crisis, when the absent and vulnerable are most easily wronged by a convenient lie.
Reflection
In humiliation David neither struck back at Shimei nor demanded his rights, but hoped God would bring good out of the cursing. When you are reviled or wronged, can you entrust the verdict to God rather than seize revenge? This meek endurance is not weakness; it is the path your Lord himself walked.
A prayer from 2 Samuel 16
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