1 Kings 2:1-11

Evangelical Heritage Version

² I am about to go the way of all the earth. Now, be strong and act like a man! ³ Fulfill your duties to the Lord your God. Walk in his ways. Keep his statutes, his commands, his ordinances, and his decrees as they are written in the Law of Moses, so that you may have success in everything you do and everywhere you turn, ⁴ in order that the Lord may keep this word that he spoke to me: “If your sons are careful to walk before me faithfully with their whole heart and soul, then you will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.”

⁵ Furthermore, you know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to two commanders of the army of Israel, to Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He killed them, spilling blood in peacetime as if it were happening in war. He spattered that blood on the belt around his waist and on the sandals on his feet, as if it were war. ⁶ Deal with him according to your wisdom, but do not let his gray hair go down to the grave in peace.

⁷ Keep faith with^[a] the sons of Barzillai from Gilead, and let them eat at your table, because they did the same for me when I fled from your brother Absalom.

⁸ Watch out for Shimei son of Gera from Bahurim of the tribe of Benjamin, since he is still with you. He cursed me bitterly on the day I went to Mahanaim. But when he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the Lord, “I will not kill you with the sword.” ⁹ But now, do not leave him unpunished, for you are a wise man. You will know what you should do to him. Bring his gray hair down to the grave in blood.