2 Samuel 19:16-23

English Standard Version

David Pardons His Enemies

¹⁶ And ^(A)Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, from Bahurim, hurried to come down with the men of Judah to meet King David. ¹⁷ And with him were a thousand men from Benjamin. And ^(B)Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, with his fifteen sons and his twenty servants, rushed down to the Jordan before the king, ¹⁸ and they crossed the ford to bring over the king's household and to do his pleasure. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was about to cross the Jordan, ¹⁹ and said to the king, ^(C)“Let not my lord hold me guilty or remember how your servant ^(D)did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. Do not let the king take it to heart. ²⁰ For your servant knows that I have sinned. Therefore, behold, I have come this day, the first ^(E)of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.” ²¹ Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, “Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because ^(F)he cursed the Lord's anointed?” ²² But David said, ^(G)“What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day be as an adversary to me? ^(H)Shall anyone be put to death in Israel this day? For do I not know that I am this day king over Israel?” ^23 (I)And the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king gave him his oath.