In brief
Shimei is a Benjamite of Bahurim, of the family of Saul. When David flees from Absalom, he comes out to meet him, cursing him and throwing stones at him, calling him a man of blood and a worthless man. David refuses to let him be killed and leaves the matter to the Lord (2 Samuel 16:5-13). On the king’s return, Shimei bows down and confesses his sin; David swears not to put him to death (2 Samuel 19:16-23). Confined to Jerusalem by Solomon, Shimei breaks his oath by going to Gath and dies at the king’s command (1 Kings 2:36-46).
What does the name Shimei mean?
Shimei, sometimes spelled Semei, is a Hebrew name generally linked to the root meaning to hear, hence a sense such as the Lord has heard or renowned. The Bible does not explain it. Several men bear this name, including a Shimei loyal to David at the time of Adonijah’s revolt (1 Kings 1:8), who is distinct from this one.
The story of Shimei
The curses of Bahurim
2 Samuel 16:5-8At Bahurim, a man of the house of Saul, Shimei son of Gera, comes forward cursing and throws stones at David and his servants. He calls David a man of blood and a worthless man. He accuses David of the blood of the house of Saul and sees in Absalom’s revolt the just return of his crimes.
Let him alone, and let him curse
2 Samuel 16:9-13Abishai wants to go and cut off Shimei’s head. David refuses: if he curses, it is because the Lord has told him to curse David. If his own son seeks his life, how much more this Benjamite. Perhaps the Lord will look on his affliction and repay him with good for the cursing of today. Shimei keeps cursing as he walks along the hillside.
Repentance at the Jordan
2 Samuel 19:16-20After Absalom’s death, Shimei hurries down with a thousand men of Benjamin to meet David. He bows down before the king and begs that his lord not hold his iniquity against him, for his servant knows that he has sinned. He presents himself as the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to welcome the king.
You shall not die
2 Samuel 19:21-23Abishai again asks for his death, saying Shimei should be put to death for cursing the Lord’s anointed. David rebuffs his critics and asks whether any man should be put to death in Israel today. He tells Shimei that he shall not die, and swears it to him. The day of the king’s return is a day of grace.
David’s last instructions
1 Kings 2:8-9Before dying, David reminds Solomon of Shimei’s violent curses and of the oath he swore not to put him to death by the sword. He adds that Solomon must not hold him guiltless, for he is a wise man and knows what to do to him. David kept his oath, but he entrusts the judgment to the new king.
Confined to Jerusalem, then judged
1 Kings 2:36-46Solomon orders Shimei to build a house in Jerusalem and never to cross the brook Kidron, on pain of death. Shimei agrees. Three years later, he goes to Gath to look for two runaway servants. Solomon reminds him of his oath and says the Lord will bring his wickedness back on his own head. Benaiah strikes him down, and the kingdom is established.
What Shimei teaches us
- When you are insulted unjustly, David’s example invites you to commit the matter to God rather than take revenge.
- David sees in the trial an occasion for the Lord to look on his affliction; a humiliation accepted before God can become a blessing.
- Shimei received immense grace at the Jordan, but he did not keep his word; grace received calls for lasting faithfulness.
- An oath taken before the Lord is binding; do not take lightly the commitments you have made before God.
Key verses
David hopes that the Lord will look on his affliction and repay him with good for the curses of that day. He commits the insult to God instead of avenging it.
David swears to Shimei that he will not die. The restored king chooses grace for the man who had cursed him on the day of his distress.
Solomon reminds Shimei of the wrong done to David and declares that the Lord brings his wickedness back on his own head. The judgment that was delayed is finally carried out.
Bible verses to meditate on
Sermons about Shimei
Frequently asked questions
Who was Shimei in the Bible?
Shimei, son of Gera, is a Benjamite of Bahurim, a relative of Saul. He curses David and throws stones at him during his flight from Absalom (2 Samuel 16:5-13). When the king returns, he repents and David swears to spare him (2 Samuel 19:16-23). Under Solomon, confined to Jerusalem, he breaks his oath by going to Gath and is put to death (1 Kings 2:36-46).
Why did David not punish Shimei?
David refuses to let Abishai kill him, because if he curses, it is because the Lord has told him to curse David (2 Samuel 16:10). He hopes that the Lord will look on his affliction and do him good in return. At the Jordan, he swears not to put him to death (2 Samuel 19:23). Before his death, however, he entrusts to Solomon the task of judging Shimei (1 Kings 2:8-9).
Where can I find the story of Shimei in the Bible?
The story of Shimei unfolds in three stages: 2 Samuel 16:5-14, the curses at Bahurim; 2 Samuel 19:16-23, his repentance and David’s oath at the Jordan; 1 Kings 2:8-9 and 2:36-46, David’s instructions to Solomon, the confinement to Jerusalem, the journey to Gath and his death.