⁸ “And remember, you have with you Shimei^(A) son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, who called down bitter curses on me the day I went to Mahanaim.^(B) When he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore^(C) to him by the Lord: ‘I will not put you to death by the sword.’

Shimei Curses David

⁵ As King David approached Bahurim,^(A) a man from the same clan as Saul’s family came out from there. His name was Shimei^(B) son of Gera, and he cursed^(C) 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.^(D) The Lord has given the kingdom into the hands of your son Absalom. You have come to ruin because you are a murderer!”^(E)

³⁶ Then the king sent for Shimei^(A) and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and live there, but do not go anywhere else. ³⁷ The day you leave and cross the Kidron Valley,^(B) you can be sure you will die; your blood will be on your own head.”^(C)

³⁸ Shimei answered the king, “What you say is good. Your servant will do as my lord the king has said.” And Shimei stayed in Jerusalem for a long time.

³⁹ But three years later, two of Shimei’s slaves ran off to Achish^(D) son of Maakah, king of Gath, and Shimei was told, “Your slaves are in Gath.” ⁴⁰ At this, he saddled his donkey and went to Achish at Gath in search of his slaves. So Shimei went away and brought the slaves back from Gath.

⁴¹ When Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned, ⁴² the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the Lord and warn^(E) you, ‘On the day you leave to go anywhere else, you can be sure you will die’? At that time you said to me, ‘What you say is good. I will obey.’ ⁴³ Why then did you not keep your oath to the Lord and obey the command I gave you?”

⁴⁴ The king also said to Shimei, “You know in your heart all the wrong^(F) you did to my father David. Now the Lord will repay you for your wrongdoing. ⁴⁵ But King Solomon will be blessed, and David’s throne will remain secure^(G) before the Lord forever.”

⁴⁶ Then the king gave the order to Benaiah^(H) son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck Shimei^(I) down and he died.

The kingdom was now established^(J) in Solomon’s hands.

¹⁶ Shimei^(A) son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David. ¹⁷ With him were a thousand Benjamites, along with Ziba,^(B) the steward of Saul’s household,^(C) and his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They rushed to the Jordan, where the king was. ¹⁸ They crossed at the ford to take the king’s household over and to do whatever he wished.

When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell prostrate before the king ¹⁹ and said to him, “May my lord not hold me guilty. Do not remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem.^(D) May the king put it out of his mind. ²⁰ For I your servant know that I have sinned, but today I have come here as the first from the tribes of Joseph to come down and meet my lord the king.”

²¹ Then Abishai^(E) son of Zeruiah said, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this? He cursed^(F) the Lord’s anointed.”^(G)

²² David replied, “What does this have to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah?^(H) What right do you have to interfere? Should anyone be put to death in Israel today?^(I) Don’t I know that today I am king over Israel?” ²³ So the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king promised him on oath.^(J)