2 Samuel 16:5-14

Common English Bible

Shimei curses David

⁵ When King David came to Bahurim, a man from the same clan as Saul’s family came out from there. His name was Shimei; he was Gera’s son. He was cursing as he came out. ⁶ He threw rocks at David and at all of King David’s servants, even though the entire army and all the warriors were on either side of him.

⁷ This is what Shimei said as he cursed David: “Get out of here! Get out of here! You are a murderer! You are despicable! ⁸ The Lord has paid you back for all the blood of Saul’s family, in whose place you rule, and the Lord has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. You are in this trouble because you are a murderer!”

⁹ Zeruiah’s son Abishai said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my master the king? Let me go over and cut his head off!”

¹⁰ But the king said, “My problems aren’t yours, you sons of Zeruiah. If he is cursing because the Lord told him to curse David, then who is to question, ‘Why are you doing this?’”

¹¹ Then David addressed Abishai and all his servants: “Listen! My own son, one of my very own children, wants me dead. This Benjaminite can only feel the same—only more! Leave him alone. And let him curse, because the Lord told him to. ¹² Perhaps the Lord will see my distress; perhaps the Lord will repay me with good for this cursing today.”

¹³ So David and his men kept walking, while Shimei went along on the hillside next to him, cursing as he went, throwing rocks and dirt at him. ¹⁴ The king and all the people who were with him reached the Jordan River^[a] exhausted, and he rested there.