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.

Read full chapter

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

As King David came to Bahurim, a man came out of the village cursing them. It was Shimei son of Gera, from the same clan as Saul’s family. He threw stones at the king and the king’s officers and all the mighty warriors who surrounded him. “Get out of here, you murderer, you scoundrel!” he shouted at David. “The Lord is paying you back for all the bloodshed in Saul’s clan. You stole his throne, and now the Lord has given it to your son Absalom. At last you will taste some of your own medicine, for you are a murderer!”

“Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king?” Abishai son of Zeruiah demanded. “Let me go over and cut off his head!”

10 “No!” the king said. “Who asked your opinion, you sons of Zeruiah! If the Lord has told him to curse me, who are you to stop him?”

11 Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “My own son is trying to kill me. Doesn’t this relative of Saul[a] have even more reason to do so? Leave him alone and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to do it. 12 And perhaps the Lord will see that I am being wronged[b] and will bless me because of these curses today.” 13 So David and his men continued down the road, and Shimei kept pace with them on a nearby hillside, cursing and throwing stones and dirt at David.

14 The king and all who were with him grew weary along the way, so they rested when they reached the Jordan River.[c]

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 16:11 Hebrew this Benjaminite.
  2. 16:12 As in Greek and Syriac versions; Hebrew reads see my iniquity.
  3. 16:14 As in Greek version (see also 17:16); Hebrew reads when they reached their destination.