David Is Cursed

⁵ When King David came to Bahurim, a man named Shimei, the son of Gera, came out from there. He was of the family of Saul’s household and he was cursing continually as he came out. ⁶ He threw stones at David and at all the ^[a]servants of King David; yet all the people and all the warriors remained on his right and on his left. ⁷ This is what Shimei said as he cursed: “Get out, get out, you man of bloodshed, you worthless and useless man! ⁸ The Lord has returned upon you all the bloodshed of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the Lord has given the kingdom into the hands of Absalom your son. And behold, you are caught in your own evil, for you are a man of bloodshed!”

⁹ Then Abishai [David’s nephew], the son of Zeruiah, said to the king, “Why should this dead dog (despicable person) curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head.” ¹⁰ But the king said, “^[b]What business is this of yours, O sons of Zeruiah? If Shimei is cursing because the Lord said to him, ‘Curse David,’ then who should say, ‘Why have you done so?’” ¹¹ Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Look, my son [Absalom] who came from my own body, is seeking my life; how much more [reason] now [does] this Benjamite [have to curse me]? Let him alone and let him curse, for [it could be that] the Lord has told him [to do it]. ¹² Perhaps the Lord will look on the wrong done to me [by Shimei, if he is acting on his own]; and [in that case perhaps] the Lord will this day return good to me in place of his cursing.” ¹³ So David and his men went on the road; and Shimei went along on the hillside close beside David and cursed as he went and threw stones and dust at him. ¹⁴ The king and all the people who were with him arrived [at the Jordan River] weary, and he refreshed himself there.