Shimei Curses David

⁵ As King David came to Bahurim, a man came out and cursed him. He was from Saul’s family group, and his name was Shimei son of Gera. ⁶ He threw stones at David and his officers, but the people and soldiers gathered all around David. ⁷ Shimei cursed David, saying, “Get out, get out, you murderer, you troublemaker. ⁸ The Lord is punishing you for the people in Saul’s family you killed! You took Saul’s place as king, but now the Lord has given the kingdom to your son Absalom! Now you are ruined because you are a murderer!”

⁹ Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse you, the king? Let me go over and cut off his head!”

¹⁰ But the king answered, “This does not concern you, sons of Zeruiah! If he is cursing me because the Lord told him to, who can question him?”

¹¹ David also said to Abishai and all his officers, “My own son is trying to kill me! This man is a Benjaminite and has more right to kill me! Leave him alone, and let him curse me because the Lord told him to do this. ¹² Maybe the Lord will see my misery and repay me with something good for Shimei’s curses today!”

¹³ So David and his men went on down the road, but Shimei followed on the nearby hillside. He kept cursing David and throwing stones and dirt at him.

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 the king. ¹⁸ The people went across the Jordan to help bring 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 in front of the king. ¹⁹ He said to the king, “My master, don’t hold me guilty. Don’t remember the wrong I did when you left Jerusalem! Don’t hold it against me. ²⁰ I know I have sinned. That is why I am the first person from Joseph’s family to come down and meet you today, my master and king!”

²¹ But Abishai son of Zeruiah said, “Shimei should die because he cursed you, the Lord’s appointed king!”

²² David said, “This does not concern you, sons of Zeruiah! Today you’re against me! No one will be put to death in Israel today. Today I know I am king over Israel!” ²³ Then the king promised Shimei, “You won’t die.”