1 Kings 2:8

2:5-11 These dying counsels concerning Joab and Shimei, did not come from personal anger, but for the security of Solomon's throne, which was the murders he had committed, but would readily repeat them to carry any purpose; though long reprieved, he shall be reckoned with at last. Time does not wear out the guilt of any sin, particularly of murder. Concerning Shimei, Hold him not guiltless; do not think him any true friend to thee, or thy government, or fit to be trusted; he has no less malice now than he had then. David's dying sentiments are recorded, as delivered under the influence of the Holy Ghost,

And behold thou hast with thee Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim,.... Of whom, and of his native place; see Gill on 2 Samuel 16:5 ; he was now at Jerusalem, and so with Solomon, or near at hand; and was on his side, and of his party; see 1 Kings 1:8 ; but not to be trusted, or looked upon as a real friend: which cursed me with a grievous curse, when I went to Mahanaim; a place on the other side Jordan, of which place, and the curses this man cursed David, with, see 2 Samuel 16:7; but he came down to me at Jordan; after the defeat of Absalom, and when David was returning, and humbled himself to him, and begged his pardon: and I sware unto him by the Lord, saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword; but this oath was not binding upon his successor, and especially should he commit a new crime.

1 Kings 2:8 . Behold thou hast with thee Shimei, &c., which cursed me with a grievous curse — “David,” says Delaney, “when he was importuned to punish Shimei, ( 2 Samuel 16:9 ; 2 Samuel 19:21 ,) imitated the mercy of God, who waits that he may be gracious. Had he copied after any lower pattern, he had not spared Shimei, in the very instant of passion and provocation; nor would he afterward have forgiven him, in the fulness of prosperity and power. He very well knew how much the remission of personal injuries became the kingly character, and, therefore, he gave Shimei his life, and confirmed the grant by an oath. But then it must be remembered, that the obligation of the oath was purely personal; for so he himself explains it, saying, I sware unto him by the Lord, I will not put thee to death by the sword. And, therefore, though David was bound, Solomon was at full liberty to vindicate the majesty of kings, in chastising this high insult upon his father in such a manner as he thought fit: nor was there any danger of doing this to excess, when the chastisement was deferred to the calm and cool season of dispassionate justice; when neither passion nor personal resentment could inflame the vengeance. David well knew how much it became the piety of his character to submit himself and his concerns to the divine disposal, throughout the whole course of his life; but could he, for this reason, wholly renounce the interest of justice?

Or, if he could, he very well knew how dangerous an example it might be to his successors, to suffer such injuries and insults upon majesty to pass unpunished: and, therefore, when he had acted up to the piety and dignity of his own character, he very wisely admonished his son to act up to the wisdom of his.”

(8) Thou hast with thee Shimei .—The most ungenerous charge is the virtual withdrawal of the pardon, freely granted to Shimei long before ( 2Samuel 19:18-23 ). It is, perhaps, partly dictated by policy; for the notice of Shimei ( 2Samuel 16:5-8 ; 2Samuel 19:17 ) shows that he was powerful, and that he assumed a dangerous championship of the fallen house of Saul. But there are unmistakable traces of the old grudge rankling in David’s heart, reminding us of the bitterness of such psalms as Psalms 69.

8 . thou hast with thee Shimei ] Shimei was not at present living in Jerusalem (see 1 Kings 2:36 ), but that his conduct might be more closely watched Solomon compelled him to come and dwell in the city. Bahurim ] Besides its connexion with the story of Shimei, this place is mentioned ( 2 Samuel 17:18 ) as the spot where Jonathan and Ahimaaz were concealed in the well, or cistern, to avoid the pursuit of Absalom’s servants; and in the account of Phaltiel’s separation from Michal when she was sent back to David ( 2 Samuel 3:16 ) by Ishbosheth. It must have been situate near the road from Jerusalem to the fords of the Jordan, but it is not mentioned in Joshua, nor has its situation been identified. Mahanaim ] was on the east of Jordan, and was so named by Jacob ( Genesis 32:2 ) because he there saw the host ( Mahaneh ) of God. Abner made his head-quarters there while he was supporting Ishbosheth against David ( 2 Samuel 2:8 ). Its strong position and fortification, which are specially dwelt on by Josephus (Ant. vii. 9, 8) no doubt led Abner to choose it, as did David likewise in his flight before Absalom. came down to meet me ] Shimei makes a merit of being among the first to give the king welcome on his return ( 2 Samuel 19:20 ). And though Abishai urged that he should straightway be put to death, David refused to have the day of his restoration stained by the blood of any man.

With thee, i.e. in thy power, as that phrase is oft used. Cursed me with a grievous curse; or, reproached me with bitter reproaches , 2 Samuel 16:7,8 ; which David could not but deeply resent from him, though, as it was an affliction sent from God, he patiently submitted to it. I will not put thee to death with the sword. Quest. How then could David lawfully engage Solomon to punish him for it? And did David upon his death-bed bear malice against Shimei? Answ. First, David was not a private person, which might remit such offences without any inconvenience; but a public magistrate, who for the honour and maintenance of government was obliged to punish such insolent and opprobrious speeches, if the necessity of his affairs had not then engaged him to pass it by. Otherwise it appears from divers passages of the Psalms, and of this history, how free David was from a rancorous and revengeful spirit, even towards his enemies.

Secondly, The following advice is not contrary to David’s oath, both because that was only personal, that David would not kill him either at that time, as Abishai desired him, or whilst he lived, and did not oblige his successors; and especially, because it was not David’s mind that Shimei should be put to death for that fault, (as is evident; for then there was no need of Solomon’s wisdom to find out an occasion, but only of his justice to punish him for the old crime,) but for some other competent crime, which Solomon’s wisdom, narrowly prying into all his actions, would easily find out. And if the condition which Solomon imposed upon Shimei, 1 Kings 2:36,37 , seem hard, it must be remembered that David only swore that he would pardon him as to life, but not that he would exempt him from all punishment or confinement.

8. thou hast with thee Shimei—Though David promised him a pardon, which being enforced by the presence of a thousand followers, could not have been well refused, he warned his son against Shimei as a turbulent and dangerous character. It must not be supposed that in these dying instructions David was evincing a fierce, vindictive spirit. He is rather to be considered as acting in the character of a king and magistrate, in noticing crimes which he had not been in a condition to punish, and pointing out persons of whom Solomon would be under a necessity to rid himself as dangerous to the state. The grateful mention of Barzillai's kindness [1Ki 2:7] was, however, a personal feeling that does honor to the warmth of his heart; and his silence as to Mephibosheth, the son of his beloved Jonathan, would imply the previous death of that prince.

Verse 8. - And, behold, thou hast with thee [Bahr understands by עִמְּך , "near thee," ( in deiner Nahe ) because Bahurim was near Jerusalem. Keil gathers from this word that Shimei "was living at that time in Jerusalem," and refers to ver. 36, which, if anything, implies that he was not. But it is worth suggesting whether Shimei may not be the Shimei to whom reference is made in 1 Kings 1:8 . (Dean Stanley notices this as a possibility, but alleges nothing in support of it: "Jewish Church," vol. 2 p. 171, note.) We there find Shimei and Rei mentioned as firm adherents of Solomon at the time of Adonijah's rising, and in these words, they "were not with Adonijah." Surely it is not an unfair presumption - if there is nothing to rebut it - that the Shimei subsequently mentioned as "with" Solomon is the same person. But it has been objected ( e.g. , by Kitto) that the false part that Shimei played at the time of Absalom's revolt would have forever prevented his being recognized and mentioned as one of Solomon's supporters. I very much doubt it. The great influence which Shimei possessed must be taken into account. Nothing shows that influence more clearly than the fact that on the day of David's restoration, despite the part he had taken, and the possible disgrace and danger that awaited him, he could still command the attendance of one thousand men of Benjamin ( 2 Samuel 19:17 ).