1 Davi passou para o outro lado do monte das Oliveiras e ali se encontrou, de repente, com Ziba, o empregado de Mefibosete. Ele trazia dois jumentos carregados com duzentos pães, cem cachos de passas, cem cachos de frutas frescas e um odre cheio de vinho. 2 Então o rei Davi lhe perguntou:

— O que você vai fazer com tudo isso?

Ziba respondeu:

— Os jumentos são para a família do rei montar; o pão e as frutas, para os homens comerem; e o vinho é para eles beberem quando ficarem cansados no deserto.

3 — Onde está Mefibosete, o neto do seu patrão Saul? — perguntou o rei.

Ziba respondeu:

— Ele ficou em Jerusalém porque está convencido de que agora os israelitas vão devolver a ele o reino do seu avô Saul.

4 O rei disse a Ziba:

— Tudo o que era de Mefibosete é seu.

Ziba respondeu:

— Eu me curvo diante do meu rei e senhor e que eu sempre possa agradá-lo!

5 Quando o rei Davi chegou à cidade de Baurim, Simei, filho de Gera, um dos parentes de Saul, foi encontrar-se com ele e começou a amaldiçoá-lo. 6 Simei começou também a jogar pedras em Davi e nos seus oficiais, apesar de o rei estar rodeado pelos seus homens e pelos guardas pessoais. 7 Ele amaldiçoou Davi e disse:

— Fora daqui, assassino! Criminoso! 8 Você tomou o reino de Saul. O Senhor Deus o está castigando por você ter matado tantas pessoas da família de Saul. Agora Deus entregou o reino ao seu filho Absalão, e você está arruinado, seu assassino!

9 Então Abisai, cuja mãe era Zeruia, disse ao rei:

— Por que o senhor permite que este cachorro morto o amaldiçoe? Deixe que eu vá lá cortar a cabeça dele!

10 — Vocês, filhos de Zeruia, não têm nada a ver com isso! — respondeu o rei a Abisai e ao seu irmão Joabe. — Se foi o Senhor Deus quem mandou que este homem me amaldiçoasse, quem tem o direito de perguntar por que é que ele está fazendo isso?

11 E Davi disse a Abisai e a todos os seus oficiais:

— Se o meu próprio filho está tentando me matar, por que eu ficaria admirado se este membro da tribo de Benjamim quisesse fazer o mesmo? Deixem esse homem em paz. Deixem que ele amaldiçoe porque foi o Senhor quem o mandou fazer isso. 12 Pode ser que o Senhor olhe para a minha aflição e me dê algumas bênçãos em lugar destas maldições.

13 Então Davi e os seus homens continuaram o seu caminho. Simei também ia ao lado, caminhando pelo monte, amaldiçoando e jogando pedras e terra em Davi.

14 O rei e todos os seus homens chegaram muito cansados ao rio Jordão e descansaram ali.

15 Absalão e todos os israelitas entraram em Jerusalém, e Aitofel estava com eles. 16 Quando Husai, o conselheiro particular de Davi, encontrou Absalão, gritou:

— Viva o rei! Viva o rei!

17 E Absalão perguntou:

— Onde está a sua fidelidade ao seu amigo? Por que você não foi com ele?

18 Husai respondeu:

— Como é que eu poderia fazer isso? Eu sou a favor daquele que foi escolhido por Deus, o Senhor, por este povo e por todos os israelitas. Eu ficarei com o senhor. 19 Afinal de contas, a quem eu deveria servir, a não ser o filho do meu chefe? Assim como servi o seu pai, eu agora o servirei.

20 Aí Absalão disse a Aitofel:

— Eu quero o seu conselho. O que devemos fazer?

21 Aitofel respondeu:

— Tenha relações com as concubinas do seu pai, aquelas que ele deixou cuidando do palácio. Assim todos em Israel ficarão sabendo que você se tornou inimigo do seu pai, e os seus seguidores ficarão bem animados.

22 Então armaram uma barraca para Absalão no terraço do palácio, e ali, na frente de todos, ele teve relações com as concubinas do seu pai.

23 Naquela época os conselhos que Aitofel dava eram seguidos como se fossem a própria palavra de Deus; tanto Davi como Absalão os seguiam.

1 AND now, it came to pass that there were many who heard the words of Samuel, the Lamanite, which he spake upon the walls of the city. And as many as believed on his word went forth and sought for Nephi; and when they had come forth and found him they confessed unto him their sins and denied not, desiring that they might be baptized unto the Lord.2 But as many as there were who did not believe in the words of Samuel were angry with him; and they cast stones at him upon the wall, and also many shot arrows at him as he stood upon the wall; but the Spirit of the Lord was with him, insomuch that they could not hit him with their stones neither with their arrows.3 Now when they saw that they could not hit him, there were many more who did believe on his words, insomuch that they went away unto Nephi to be baptized.4 For behold, Nephi was baptizing, and prophesying, and preaching, crying repentance unto the people, showing signs and wonders, working miracles among the people, that they might know that the Christ must shortly come-5 Telling them of things which must shortly come, that they might know and remember at the time of their coming that they had been made known unto them beforehand, to the intent that they might believe; therefore as many as believed on the words of Samuel went forth unto him to be baptized, for they came repenting and confessing their sins.6 But the more part of them did not believe in the words of Samuel; therefore when they saw that they could not hit him with their stones and their arrows, they cried unto their captains, saying: Take this fellow and bind him, for behold he hath a devil; and because of the power of the devil which is in him we cannot hit him with our stones and our arrows; therefore take him and bind him, and away with him.7 And as they went forth to lay their hands on him, behold, he did cast himself down from the wall, and did flee out of their lands, yea, even unto his own country, and began to preach and to prophesy among his own people.8 And behold, he was never heard of more among the Nephites; and thus were the affairs of the people.9 And thus ended the eighty and sixth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.10 And thus ended also the *eighty and seventh year of the reign of the judges, the more part of the people remaining in their pride and wickedness, and the lesser part walking more circumspectly before God.11 And these were the conditions also, in the eighty and eighth year of the reign of the judges.12 And there was but little alteration in the affairs of the people, save it were the people began to be more hardened in iniquity, and do more and more of that which was contrary to the commandments of God, in the eighty and ninth year of the reign of the judges.13 But it came to pass in the *ninetieth year of the reign of the judges, there were great signs given unto the people, and wonders; and the words of the prophets began to be fulfilled.14 And angels did appear unto men, wise men, and did declare unto them glad tidings of great joy; thus in this year the scriptures began to be fulfilled.15 Nevertheless, the people began to harden their hearts, all save it were the most believing part of them, both of the Nephites and also of the Lamanites, and began to depend upon their own strength and upon their own wisdom, saying:16 Some things they may have guessed right, among so many; but behold, we know that all these great and marvelous works cannot come to pass, of which has been spoken.17 And they began to reason and to contend among themselves, saying:18 That it is not reasonable that such a being as a Christ shall come; if so, and he be the Son of God, the Father of heaven and of earth, as it has been spoken, why will he not show himself unto us as well as unto them who shall be at Jerusalem?19 Yea, why will he not show himself in this land as well as in the land of Jerusalem?20 But behold, we know that this is a wicked tradition, which has been handed down unto us by our fathers, to cause us that we should believe in some great and marvelous thing which should come to pass, but not among us, but in a land which is far distant, a land which we know not; therefore they can keep us in ignorance, for we cannot witness with our own eyes that they are true.21 And they will, by the cunning and the mysterious arts of the evil one, work some great mystery which we cannot understand, which will keep us down to be servants to their words, and also servants unto them, for we depend upon them to teach us the word; and thus will they keep us in ignorance if we will yield ourselves unto them, all the days of our lives.22 And many more things did the people imagine up in their hearts, which were foolish and vain; and they were much disturbed, for Satan did stir them up to do iniquity continually; yea, he did go about spreading rumors and contentions upon all the face of the land, that he might harden the hearts of the people against that which was good and against that which should come.23 And notwithstanding the signs and the wonders which were wrought among the people of the Lord, and the many miracles which they did, Satan did get great hold upon the hearts of the people upon all the face of the land.24 And thus *ended the ninetieth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.25 And thus ended the book of Helaman, according to the record of Helaman and his sons.