2 Samuel 19:16-23
New English Translation
16 Shimei son of Gera the Benjaminite from Bahurim came down quickly with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17 There were 1,000 men from Benjamin with him, along with Ziba the servant[a] of Saul’s household, and with him his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They hurriedly crossed[b] the Jordan within sight of the king. 18 They crossed at the ford in order to help the king’s household cross and to do whatever he thought appropriate.
Now after he had crossed the Jordan, Shimei son of Gera threw himself down before the king. 19 He said to the king, “Don’t think badly of me, my lord, and don’t recall the sin of your servant on the day when you, my lord the king, left[c] Jerusalem! Please don’t call it to mind! 20 For I, your servant,[d] know that I sinned, and I have come today as the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.”
21 Abishai son of Zeruiah replied, “For this should not Shimei be put to death? After all, he cursed the Lord’s anointed!” 22 But David said, “What do we have in common,[e] you sons of Zeruiah? You are like my enemy today! Should anyone be put to death in Israel today? Don’t I know that today I am king over Israel?” 23 The king said to Shimei, “You won’t die.” The king vowed an oath[f] concerning this.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Samuel 19:17 tn Heb “youth.”
- 2 Samuel 19:17 tn Heb “rushed into.”
- 2 Samuel 19:19 tn Though this verb in the MT is third person masculine singular, it should probably be read as second person masculine singular. It is one of fifteen places where the Masoretes placed a dot over each of the letters of the word in question in order to call attention to their suspicion of the word. Their concern in this case apparently had to do with the fact that this verb and the two preceding verbs alternate from third person to second and back again to third. Words marked in this way in Hebrew manuscripts or printed editions are said to have puncta extrordinaria, or “extraordinary points.”
- 2 Samuel 19:20 tn The Hebrew text has simply “your servant.” The word "I" has been supplied for English style.
- 2 Samuel 19:22 tn Heb “what to me and to you.”
- 2 Samuel 19:23 tn Heb “swore to him.”
2 Samuel 19:16-23
Expanded Bible
16 Shimei son of Gera, a Benjaminite who lived in Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17 With Shimei came a thousand Benjaminites. Ziba, the servant from Saul’s family, also came, bringing his fifteen sons and twenty servants with him. They all hurried to the Jordan River ·to meet [arriving before] the king. 18 The people went across the ·Jordan [L ford] to help ·bring [escort] the king’s family back to Judah and to do whatever the king wanted. As the king was crossing the river, Shimei son of Gera came to him and ·bowed facedown on the ground [prostrated himself] in front of the king. 19 He said to the king, “My master, don’t hold me guilty. ·Don’t remember [Forget] the wrong ·I [L your servant] did when you left Jerusalem! ·Don’t hold it against me [Put it out of your mind]. 20 I know I have sinned. That is why I am the first person from Joseph’s ·family [L house; C that is, the first Israelite] to come down and meet you today, my master and king!”
21 But Abishai son of Zeruiah said, “·Shimei should die [L Should not Shimei die…?] because he cursed you, the Lord’s ·appointed king [anointed; 16:5–14]!”
22 David said, “·This does not concern [L What does this have to do with…?] you, sons of Zeruiah! Today you’re ·against me [my adversary]! No one will be put to death in Israel today. Today I know I am king over Israel!” 23 Then the king ·promised [vowed to] Shimei, “You won’t die [1 Kin. 2:8–9, 41–46].”
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