5 And when king H4428 David H1732 came H935 to Bahurim, H980 behold, thence came out H3318 a man H376 of the family H4940 of the house H1004 of Saul, H7586 whose name H8034 was Shimei, H8096 the son H1121 of Gera: H1617 he came forth, H3318 and cursed H7043 still as he came. H3318
And, behold, thou hast with thee Shimei H8096 the son H1121 of Gera, H1617 a Benjamite H1145 of Bahurim, H980 which cursed H7043 me with a grievous H4834 curse H7045 in the day H3117 when I went H3212 to Mahanaim: H4266 but he came down H3381 to meet H7125 me at Jordan, H3383 and I sware H7650 to him by the LORD, H3068 saying, H559 I will not put thee to death H4191 with the sword. H2719 Now therefore hold him not guiltless: H5352 for thou art a wise H2450 man, H376 and knowest H3045 what thou oughtest to do H6213 unto him; but his hoar head H7872 bring thou down H3381 to the grave H7585 with blood. H1818
And the king H4428 sent H7971 and called H7121 for Shimei, H8096 and said H559 unto him, Build H1129 thee an house H1004 in Jerusalem, H3389 and dwell H3427 there, and go not forth H3318 thence any whither. H575 For it shall be, that on the day H3117 thou goest out, H3318 and passest over H5674 the brook H5158 Kidron, H6939 thou shalt know H3045 for certain H3045 that thou shalt surely H4191 die: H4191 thy blood H1818 shall be upon thine own head. H7218 And Shimei H8096 said H559 unto the king, H4428 The saying H1697 is good: H2896 as my lord H113 the king H4428 hath said, H1696 so will thy servant H5650 do. H6213 And Shimei H8096 dwelt H3427 in Jerusalem H3389 many H7227 days. H3117 And it came to pass at the end H7093 of three H7969 years, H8141 that two H8147 of the servants H5650 of Shimei H8096 ran away H1272 unto Achish H397 son H1121 of Maachah H4601 king H4428 of Gath. H1661 And they told H5046 Shimei, H8096 saying, H559 Behold, thy servants H5650 be in Gath. H1661 And Shimei H8096 arose, H6965 and saddled H2280 his ass, H2543 and went H3212 to Gath H1661 to Achish H397 to seek H1245 his servants: H5650 and Shimei H8096 went, H3212 and brought H935 his servants H5650 from Gath. H1661 And it was told H5046 Solomon H8010 that Shimei H8096 had gone H1980 from Jerusalem H3389 to Gath, H1661 and was come again. H7725 And the king H4428 sent H7971 and called H7121 for Shimei, H8096 and said H559 unto him, Did I not make thee to swear H7650 by the LORD, H3068 and protested H5749 unto thee, saying, H559 Know H3045 for a certain, H3045 on the day H3117 thou goest out, H3318 and walkest H1980 abroad any whither, H575 that thou shalt surely H4191 die? H4191 and thou saidst H559 unto me, The word H1697 that I have heard H8085 is good. H2896 Why then hast thou not kept H8104 the oath H7621 of the LORD, H3068 and the commandment H4687 that I have charged H6680 thee with? The king H4428 said H559 moreover to Shimei, H8096 Thou knowest H3045 all the wickedness H7451 which thine heart H3824 is privy to, H3045 that thou didst H6213 to David H1732 my father: H1 therefore the LORD H3068 shall return H7725 thy wickedness H7451 upon thine own head; H7218 And king H4428 Solomon H8010 shall be blessed, H1288 and the throne H3678 of David H1732 shall be established H3559 before H6440 the LORD H3068 for H5704 ever. H5769 So the king H4428 commanded H6680 Benaiah H1141 the son H1121 of Jehoiada; H3077 which went out, H3318 and fell H6293 upon him, that he died. H4191 And the kingdom H4467 was established H3559 in the hand H3027 of Solomon. H8010
And Shimei H8096 the son H1121 of Gera, H1617 a Benjamite, H1145 which was of Bahurim, H980 hasted H4116 and came down H3381 with the men H376 of Judah H3063 to meet H7125 king H4428 David. H1732 And there were a thousand H505 men H376 of Benjamin H1145 with him, and Ziba H6717 the servant H5288 of the house H1004 of Saul, H7586 and his fifteen H2568 H6240 sons H1121 and his twenty H6242 servants H5650 with him; and they went over H6743 Jordan H3383 before H6440 the king. H4428 And there went over H5674 a ferry boat H5679 to carry over H5674 the king's H4428 household, H1004 and to do H6213 what he thought H5869 good. H2896 And Shimei H8096 the son H1121 of Gera H1617 fell down H5307 before H6440 the king, H4428 as he was come over H5674 Jordan; H3383 And said H559 unto the king, H4428 Let not my lord H113 impute H2803 iniquity H5771 unto me, neither do thou remember H2142 that which thy servant H5650 did perversely H5753 the day H3117 that my lord H113 the king H4428 went out H3318 of Jerusalem, H3389 that the king H4428 should take H7760 it to his heart. H3820 For thy servant H5650 doth know H3045 that I have sinned: H2398 therefore, behold, I am come H935 the first H7223 this day H3117 of all the house H1004 of Joseph H3130 to go down H3381 to meet H7125 my lord H113 the king. H4428 But Abishai H52 the son H1121 of Zeruiah H6870 answered H6030 and said, H559 Shall not Shimei H8096 be put to death H4191 for this, because he cursed H7043 the LORD'S H3068 anointed? H4899 And David H1732 said, H559 What have I to do with you, ye sons H1121 of Zeruiah, H6870 that ye should this day H3117 be adversaries H7854 unto me? shall there any man H376 be put to death H4191 this day H3117 in Israel? H3478 for do not I know H3045 that I am this day H3117 king H4428 over Israel? H3478 Therefore the king H4428 said H559 unto Shimei, H8096 Thou shalt not die. H4191 And the king H4428 sware H7650 unto him.
Because that he remembered H2142 not to shew H6213 mercy, H2617 but persecuted H7291 the poor H6041 and needy H34 man, H376 that he might even slay H4191 the broken H3512 in heart. H3824 As he loved H157 cursing, H7045 so let it come H935 unto him: as he delighted H2654 not in blessing, H1293 so let it be far H7368 from him. As he clothed H3847 himself with cursing H7045 like as with his garment, H4055 so let it come H935 into his bowels H7130 like water, H4325 and like oil H8081 into his bones. H6106 Let it be unto him as the garment H899 which covereth H5844 him, and for a girdle H4206 wherewith he is girded H2296 continually. H8548
Blessed G3107 are ye, G2075 when G3752 men shall revile G3679 you, G5209 and G2532 persecute G1377 you, and G2532 shall say G2036 all manner G3956 of evil G4190 G4487 against G2596 you G5216 falsely, G5574 for my sake. G1752 G1700 Rejoice, G5463 and G2532 be exceeding glad: G21 for G3754 great G4183 is your G5216 reward G3408 in G1722 heaven: G3772 for G1063 so G3779 persecuted they G1377 the prophets G4396 which G3588 were before G4253 you. G5216
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Samuel 16
Commentary on 2 Samuel 16 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 16
In the close of the foregoing chapter we left David flying from Jerusalem, and Absalom entering into it; in this chapter,
2Sa 16:1-4
We read before how kind David was to Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, how he prudently entrusted his servant Ziba with the management of his estate, while he generously entertained him at his own table, ch. 9:10. This matter was well settled; but, it seems, Ziba is not content to be manager, he longs to be master, of Mephibosheth's estate. Now, he thinks, is his time to make himself so; if he can procure a grant of it from the crown, whether David or Absalom get the better it is all one to him, he hopes he shall secure his prey, which he promises himself by fishing in troubled waters. In order hereunto,
2Sa 16:5-14
We here find how David bore Shimei's curses much better than he had borne Ziba's flatteries. By the latter he was brought to pass a wrong judgment on another, by the former to pass a right judgment on himself. The world's smiles are more dangerous than its frowns. Observe here,
2Sa 16:15-23
Absalom had notice sent him speedily by some of his friends at Jerusalem that David had withdrawn, and with what a small retinue he had gone; so that the coasts were clear, Absalom might take possession of Jerusalem when he pleased. The gates were open, and there was none to oppose him. Accordingly he came without delay (v. 15), extremely elevated, no doubt, with this success at first, and that that in which, when he formed his design, he probably apprehended the greatest difficulty, was so easily and effectually done. Now that he is master of Jerusalem he concludes all his own, the country will follow of course. God suffers wicked men to prosper awhile in their wicked plots, even beyond their expectation, that their disappointment may be the more grievous and disgraceful. The most celebrated politicians of that age were Ahithophel and Hushai. The former Absalom brings with him to Jerusalem (v. 15), the other meets him there (v. 16), so that he cannot but think himself sure of success, when he has both these to be his counsellors; on them he relies, and consults not the ark, though he has that with him. But miserable counsellors were they both; for,