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Shimei Curses David and His Men

Then King David reached[a] Bahurim. There a man from Saul’s extended family named Shimei son of Gera came out, yelling curses as he approached.[b] He threw stones at David and all of King David’s servants, as well as all the people and the soldiers who were on his right and on his left. As he yelled curses, Shimei said, “Leave! Leave! You man of bloodshed, you wicked man![c] The Lord has punished you for[d] all the spilled blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you rule. Now the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. Disaster has overtaken you, for you are a man of bloodshed!”

Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head!” 10 But the king said, “What do we have in common,[e] you sons of Zeruiah? If he curses because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David!,’ who can say to him, ‘Why have you done this?’” 11 Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “My own son, my very own flesh and blood,[f] is trying to take my life. So also now this Benjaminite! Leave him alone so that he can curse, for the Lord has spoken to him. 12 Perhaps the Lord will notice my affliction[g] and this day grant me good in place of his curse.”[h]

13 So David and his men went on their way. But Shimei kept going along the side of the hill opposite him, yelling curses as he threw stones and dirt at them.[i] 14 The king and all the people who were with him arrived exhausted at their destination, where David[j] refreshed himself.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 16:5 tn Heb “came to.” The form of the verb in the MT is odd. Some prefer to read וַיַּבֹא (vayyavoʾ, preterite with vav consecutive) rather than וּבָא (uvaʾ, apparently perfect with vav), but this is probably an instance where the narrative offline veqatal construction introduces a new scene.
  2. 2 Samuel 16:5 tn Heb “And look, from there a man was coming out from the clan of the house of Saul and his name was Shimei son of Gera, continually going out and cursing.”
  3. 2 Samuel 16:7 tn Heb “man of worthlessness.”
  4. 2 Samuel 16:8 tn Heb “has brought back upon you.”
  5. 2 Samuel 16:10 tn Heb “What to me and to you?”
  6. 2 Samuel 16:11 tn Heb “who came out from my entrails.” David’s point is that is his own son, his child whom he himself had fathered, was now wanting to kill him.
  7. 2 Samuel 16:12 tc The Hebrew text is difficult here. It is probably preferable to read with the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate בְּעוֹנִי (beʿonyi, “on my affliction”) rather than the Kethib of the MT בָּעַוֹנִי (baʿavoni, “on my wrongdoing”). While this Kethib reading is understandable as an objective genitive (i.e., “the wrong perpetrated upon me”), it does not conform to normal Hebrew idiom for this idea. The Qere of the MT בְּעֵינֵי (beʿeni, “on my eyes”), usually taken as synecdoche to mean “my tears,” does not commend itself as a likely meaning. The Hebrew word is one of the so-called tiqqune sopherim, or “emendations of the scribes.”
  8. 2 Samuel 16:12 tn Heb “and the Lord will restore to me good in place of his curse this day.”
  9. 2 Samuel 16:13 tn Heb “and he cursed and threw stones, opposite him, pelting [them] with dirt.” The offline veqatal construction in the last clause indicates an action that was complementary to the action described in the preceding clause. He simultaneously threw stones and dirt.
  10. 2 Samuel 16:14 tn Heb “he”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

David Is Cursed

When King David came to (A)Bahurim, behold, a man was coming out from there from the family of the house of Saul, and (B)his name was Shimei, the son of Gera; he was coming out, (C)cursing as he came. He also threw stones at David and all the servants of King David; and all the people and all the warriors were on his right and on his left. This is what Shimei said when he cursed: “Go away, go away, (D)you man of bloodshed and worthless man! (E)The Lord has brought back upon you all (F)the bloodshed of the house of Saul, in whose place you have become king; and the Lord has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. And behold, you are caught in your own evil, for you are a man of bloodshed!”

Then (G)Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should (H)this dead dog (I)curse my lord the king? Now let me go over and [a]cut off his head.” 10 But the king said, “[b](J)What business of mine is yours, you sons of Zeruiah? (K)If he curses, and if the Lord has told him, ‘Curse David,’ (L)then who should say, ‘Why have you done so?’” 11 Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, (M)my son who came out of my own body seeks my life; how much more now this Benjaminite? Leave him alone and let him curse, (N)for the Lord has told him. 12 Perhaps the Lord will look on my [c]misery and [d](O)return good to me instead of his cursing this day.” 13 So David and his men went on the road; and Shimei kept going on the hillside close beside him, and as he went he cursed and threw stones and dirt at him. 14 And the king and all the people who were with him arrived exhausted, and he refreshed himself there.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 16:9 Lit take off
  2. 2 Samuel 16:10 Lit What to me and to you, an ancient idiom
  3. 2 Samuel 16:12 As in ancient versions; MT wrongdoing
  4. 2 Samuel 16:12 Lit the Lord will return