Shimei Curses David

When King David came to (A)Bahurim, there came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was (B)Shimei, the son of Gera, and as he came (C)he cursed continually. And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David, and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. And Shimei said as he (D)cursed, “Get out, get out, you man of blood, you worthless man! The Lord (E)has avenged on you all (F)the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, your evil is on you, for you are a man of blood.”

Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this (G)dead dog (H)curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head.” 10 But the king said, (I)“What have I to do with you, (J)you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’” 11 And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, (K)my own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Leave him alone, and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to. 12 It may be that the Lord will look on the wrong done to me,[a] and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing today.” 13 So David and his men went on the road, while Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him and (L)cursed as he went and threw stones at him and flung dust. 14 And the king, and all the people who were with him, (M)arrived weary at the Jordan.[b] And there he refreshed himself.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 16:12 Septuagint, Vulgate will look upon my affliction
  2. 2 Samuel 16:14 Septuagint; Hebrew lacks at the Jordan

Shimei Curses David

When King David got to Bahurim, a man belonging to the family of the house of Saul was just coming out.(A) His name was Shimei son of Gera,(B) and he was yelling curses as he approached. He threw stones at David and at all the royal[a] servants, the people and the warriors on David’s right and left. Shimei said as he cursed, “Get out, get out, you man of bloodshed, you wicked man!(C) The Lord has paid you back for all the blood of the house of Saul in whose place you became king, and the Lord has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. Look, you are in trouble because you’re a man of bloodshed!”

Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog(D) curse my lord the king?(E) Let me go over and remove his head!”

10 The king replied, “Sons of Zeruiah, do we agree on anything?(F) He curses(G) me this way because the Lord[b] told him, ‘Curse David!’ (H) Therefore, who can say, ‘Why did you do that?’” 11 Then David said to Abishai and all his servants, “Look, my own son, my own flesh and blood,[c] intends to take my life(I)—how much more now this Benjaminite! Leave him alone and let him curse me; the Lord has told him to. 12 Perhaps the Lord will see my affliction[d] and restore goodness to me instead of Shimei’s curses today.” 13 So David and his men proceeded along the road as Shimei was going along the ridge of the hill opposite him. As Shimei went, he cursed David, threw stones at him, and kicked up dust. 14 Finally, the king and all the people with him arrived[e] exhausted, so they rested there.

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Footnotes

  1. 16:6 Lit all King David’s
  2. 16:10 Alt Hb tradition reads If he curses, and if the Lord
  3. 16:11 Lit son who came from my belly
  4. 16:12 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Vg; one Hb tradition reads iniquity; alt Hb tradition reads eyes; another Hb tradition reads will look with his eye
  5. 16:14 LXX adds at the Jordan