16:1 大衛剛過山頂,見米非波設的僕人洗巴拉著備好了的兩匹驢,驢上馱著二百麵餅,一百葡萄餅,一百個夏天的果餅,一皮袋酒來迎接他。
16:2 王問洗巴說:「你帶這些來是甚麼意思呢?」洗巴說:「驢是給王的家眷騎的;麵餅和夏天的果餅是給少年人吃的;酒是給在曠野疲乏人喝的。」
16:3 王問說:「你主人的兒子在哪裡呢?」洗巴回答王說:「他仍在耶路撒冷,因他說:『以色列人今日必將我父的國歸還我。』」
16:4 王對洗巴說:「凡屬米非波設的都歸你了。」洗巴說:「我叩拜我主我王,願我在你眼前蒙恩。」
16:5 大衛王到了巴戶琳,見有一個人出來,是掃羅族基拉的兒子,名叫示每。他一面走一面咒罵,
16:6 又拿石頭砍大衛王和王的臣僕;眾民和勇士都在王的左右。
16:7 示每咒罵說:「你這流人血的壞人哪,去吧去吧!
16:8 你流掃羅全家的血,接續他作王;耶和華把這罪歸在你身上,將這國交給你兒子押沙龍。現在你自取其禍,因為你是流人血的人。」
16:9 洗魯雅的兒子亞比篩對王說:「這死狗豈可咒罵我主我王呢?求你容我過去,割下他的頭來。」
16:10 王說:「洗魯雅的兒子,我與你們有何關涉呢?他咒罵是因耶和華吩咐他說:『你要咒罵大衛。』如此,誰敢說你為甚麼這樣行呢?」
16:11 大衛又對亞比篩和眾臣僕說:「我親生的兒子尚且尋索我的性命,何況這便雅憫人呢?由他咒罵吧!因為這是耶和華吩咐他的。
16:12 或者耶和華見我遭難,為我今日被這人咒罵,就施恩與我。」
16:13 於是大衛和跟隨他的人往前行走。示每在大衛對面山坡,一面行走一面咒罵,又拿石頭砍他,拿土揚他。
16:14 王和跟隨他的眾人疲疲乏乏地到了一個地方,就在那裡歇息歇息。
16:15 押沙龍和以色列眾人來到耶路撒冷;亞希多弗也與他同來。
16:16 大衛的朋友亞基人戶篩去見押沙龍,對他說:「願王萬歲!願王萬歲!」
16:17 押沙龍問戶篩說:「這是你恩待朋友嗎?為甚麼不與你的朋友同去呢?」
16:18 戶篩對押沙龍說:「不然,耶和華和這民,並以色列眾人所揀選的,我必歸順他,與他同住。
16:19 再者,我當服事誰呢?豈不是前王的兒子嗎?我怎樣服事你父親,也必照樣服事你。」
16:20 押沙龍對亞希多弗說:「你們出個主意,我們怎樣行才好?」
16:21 亞希多弗對押沙龍說:「你父所留下看守宮殿的妃嬪,你可以與她們親近。以色列眾人聽見你父親憎惡你,凡歸順你人的手就更堅強。」
16:22 於是人為押沙龍在宮殿的平頂上支搭帳棚;押沙龍在以色列眾人眼前,與他父的妃嬪親近。
16:23 那時亞希多弗所出的主意好像人問上帝的話一樣;他昔日給大衛,今日給押沙龍所出的主意,都是這樣。
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.
2 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.”
3 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.’”
4 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.”
5 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. 6 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. 7 As he cursed, Shimei said, “Get out, get out, you murderer, you scoundrel! 8 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!”
9 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.”
10 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?’”
11 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. 12 It may be that the Lord will look upon my misery and restore to me his covenant blessing instead of his curse today.”
13 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. 14 The king and all the people with him arrived at their destination exhausted. And there he refreshed himself.
15 Meanwhile, Absalom and all the men of Israel came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him. 16 Then Hushai the Arkite, David’s confidant, went to Absalom and said to him, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”
17 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?”
18 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. 19 Furthermore, whom should I serve? Should I not serve the son? Just as I served your father, so I will serve you.”
20 Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give us your advice. What should we do?”
21 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.” 22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.
23 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.
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大衛雖然一路逃亡,他卻是一路鎮靜,不管掃羅的族人對他好與不好,他都默默的承受,毫無抱怨的說:「洗魯雅的兒子,我與你們有何關涉呢?他咒罵是因耶和華吩咐他說:『你要咒罵大衛。』如此,誰敢說你為甚麼這樣行呢?」
不僅如此,大衛又對亞比篩和眾臣僕說:「我親生的兒子尚且尋索我的性命,何況這便雅憫人呢?由他咒罵吧!因為這是耶和華吩咐他的。或者耶和華見我遭難,為我今日被這人咒罵,就施恩與我。」
相信大衛會有這樣的反應,除了心裡難過,更是將一切結果交給上帝了!因為對兒子用平定叛軍的手段,右下不了手;可是讓押沙龍反叛成功也不是他所願意的,真是兩難啊!
然而卻押沙龍受到亞希多弗的影響,一直引導押沙龍走向敗亡的路上,竟然要押沙龍做羞辱大衛的事!亞希多弗對押沙龍說:「你父所留下看守宮殿的妃嬪,你可以與她們親近。以色列眾人聽見你父親憎惡你,凡歸順你人的手就更堅強。」
這個沒有腦袋的押沙龍竟然聽他的話,在宮殿的平頂上支搭帳棚;押沙龍在以色列眾人眼前,與他父的妃嬪親近。真是搞不清楚狀況,忘記自己是誰,竟讓自己陷入險境之中!
從押沙龍的身上讓我們感受到,一位領袖只憑著自己的外表,不敬畏上帝,是無法擔當重責大任,成就不了甚麼功業,只會造成自己所屬的團體或組織的禍患!
也因此,要成為領袖或上帝的代表,在上帝所安排的團體或組織中,必須要有敬畏上帝的心、遠離惡事,如此才能有上帝所賜的智慧和聰明來承擔重責大任,造福所屬的團體或組織!