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Shimei Curses David

King David came up to Bahurim and suddenly a man from there was coming out from the family of the house of Saul, and his name was Shimei the son of Gera. He was cursing as he came out.[a] And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David and at all the people and at all the mighty warriors on his right and on his left. Shimei said while cursing him, “Go out, go out, you man of bloodshed,[b] you man of wickedness.[c] Yahweh has returned on you all the blood of the household of Saul whom you have supplanted as king,[d] and Yahweh has given the kingship into the hand of Absalom your son. Look, you are in disaster for you are a man of blood.” Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please let me go over and take off his head.” 10 The king said, “What do we have in common,[e] sons of Zeruiah? If[f] he curses because Yahweh has said to him ‘Curse David,’ who can say, “Why have you done this?” 11 David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Look, my son who came out of my loins[g] is seeking my life. Now as far as[h] this Benjaminite, leave him alone and let him curse, for Yahweh has spoken to him. 12 Perhaps Yahweh will look in my eye[i] and repay good for me in place of his curse this day. 13 Then David and his men went on the road, with Shimei going on the side of the hill beside him, cursing as he went.[j] He threw stones beside him and threw[k] dust in the air. 14 When the king and all of the people who were with him arrived, he was weary, so he recovered there.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 16:5 Literally “He was coming out, coming out and cursing”
  2. 2 Samuel 16:7 Literally “man of bloods”
  3. 2 Samuel 16:7 Literally “and man of the wickedness”
  4. 2 Samuel 16:8 Literally “who you have reigned in place of him”
  5. 2 Samuel 16:10 Literally “What is for me and what is for you”
  6. 2 Samuel 16:10 Hebrew “Because”
  7. 2 Samuel 16:11 Hebrew “intestines”
  8. 2 Samuel 16:11 Literally “and even that now”
  9. 2 Samuel 16:12 According to the reading tradition (Qere); Kethib has “at my guilt”
  10. 2 Samuel 16:13 Literally “going and cursing”
  11. 2 Samuel 16:13 Hebrew “flung”