10. “No!” the king said. “Who asked your opinion, you sons of Zeruiah! If the lord has told him to curse me, who are you to stop him?”
11. Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “My own son is trying to kill me. Doesn’t this relative of Saul have even more reason to do so? Leave him alone and let him curse, for the lord has told him to do it.
12. And perhaps the lord will see that I am being wronged and will bless me because of these curses today.”
13. So David and his men continued down the road, and Shimei kept pace with them on a nearby hillside, cursing and throwing stones and dirt at David.
14. The king and all who were with him grew weary along the way, so they rested when they reached the Jordan River.
15. Meanwhile, Absalom and all the army of Israel arrived at Jerusalem, accompanied by Ahithophel.
16. When David’s friend Hushai the Arkite arrived, he went immediately to see Absalom. “Long live the king!” he exclaimed. “Long live the king!”
17. “Is this the way you treat your friend David?” Absalom asked him. “Why aren’t you with him?”