9. Then Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, spoke to the king. He said, "King David, why should we let this dead dog call down curses on you? Let me go over there. I'll cut off his head."
10. But the king said, "You and Joab are sons of Zeruiah. What do you and I have in common? Maybe the Lord said to him, 'Call down curses on David.' If he did, who can ask him, 'Why are you doing this?' "
11. Then David spoke to Abishai and all of his officials. He said, "My very own son Absalom is trying to kill me. How much more should this man from Benjamin want to kill me! Leave him alone. Let him call down curses. The Lord has told him to do it.
12. Maybe the Lord will see how much I'm suffering. Maybe he'll reward me with good things in place of the curses that are being called down on me today."
13. So David and his men kept going along the road. At the same time, Shimei was going along the hillside across from him. He was calling down curses as he went. He was throwing stones at David. He was showering him with dirt.
14. The king and all of the people who were with him came to the place they had planned to go to. They were very tired. So David rested there.
15. During that time, Absalom and all of the men of Israel came to Jerusalem. Ahithophel was with him.
16. Then Hushai, the Arkite, went to Absalom. He said to him, "May the king live a long time! May the king live a long time!" Hushai was David's friend.
17. Absalom asked Hushai, "Is this the way you show love to your friend? Why didn't you go with him?"
18. Hushai said to Absalom, "Why should I? You are the one the Lord has chosen. These people and all of the men of Israel have also chosen you. I want to be on your side. I want to stay with you.
19. After all, who else should I serve? Shouldn't I serve the king's son? I will serve you, just as I served your father."
20. Absalom said to Ahithophel, "Give us your advice. What should we do?"