David's adversary living at the time of United Monarchy
Shimei was a Benjamite who cursed David during Absalom's rebellion but later sought the king's forgiveness.
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Shimei was a Benjamite from the family of Saul who encountered King David during Absalom's rebellion (2Sa. 16:5). As David fled Jerusalem, Shimei cursed him, threw stones at him, and accused him of being a murderer and a wicked man (2Sa. 16:7, 13). After Absalom's defeat, Shimei met David at the Jordan River, seeking forgiveness for his actions (2Sa. 19:16, 18). Although Abishai, one of David's men, wanted to kill Shimei, David spared his life (2Sa. 19:21, 23). However, on his deathbed, David instructed his son Solomon to deal with Shimei, suggesting that he should not be left unpunished (1Ki. 2:8-9). Solomon later confined Shimei to Jerusalem and warned him that leaving the city would result in his death, a condition Shimei initially accepted (1Ki. 2:36-38). However, when Shimei violated this agreement by leaving Jerusalem to retrieve his runaway servants, Solomon ordered his execution (1Ki. 2:39-46).
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15 verses in 2 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H8096
As King David approached Bahurim, a man from the family of the house of Saul was just coming out. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and as he approached, he kept yelling out curses.
And as he yelled curses, Shimei said, “Get out, get out, you worthless man of bloodshed!
So David and his men proceeded along the road as Shimei went along the ridge of the hill opposite him. As Shimei went, he yelled curses, threw stones, and flung dust at David.
Then Shimei son of Gera, a Benjamite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David,
and crossed at the ford to carry over the kingʼs household and to do what was good in his sight. When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell down before the king
But Abishai son of Zeruiah said, “Shouldnʼt Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORDʼs anointed?”
So the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king swore an oath to him.
Keep an eye on Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim who is with you. He called down bitter curses against me on the day I went to Mahanaim, but when he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the LORD: ‘I will never put you to the sword.’
Then the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Build a house for yourself in Jerusalem and live there, but do not go anywhere else.
“The sentence is fair,” Shimei replied. “Your servant will do as my lord the king has spoken.” And Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time.
After three years, however, two of Shimeiʼs slaves ran away to Achish son of Maacah, king of Gath. And Shimei was told, “Look, your slaves are in Gath.”
So Shimei saddled his donkey and set out to Achish at Gath in search of his slaves, and he brought them back from Gath.
When Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned,
the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the LORD and warn you, ‘On the day you leave and go elsewhere, know for sure that you will die’? And you told me, ‘The sentence is fair; I will comply.’
The king also said, “You know in your heart all the evil that you did to my father David. Therefore the LORD will bring your evil back upon your head.
Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.