David Is Cursed

⁵ 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. ⁶ 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. ⁷ This is what Shimei said when he cursed: “Go away, go away, ^(D)you man of bloodshed and worthless man! ^8 (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!”

⁹ 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.