And, behold, thou hast with thee Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim, which cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim: but he came down to meet me at Jordan, and I sware to him by the LORD, saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword.
And look, you have with you Shimei, the son of Gera, a man from the tribe of Benjamin who lives in Bahurim. He cursed me with terrible curses on the day I fled to Mahanaim. But when he came down to meet me at the Jordan River, I made a promise to him before the LORD, saying, 'I will not kill you with the sword.'
David is reminding Solomon about Shimei, a man who cursed David during his flight from Absalom, but to whom David had sworn an oath not to kill him.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical narrative, King David is on his deathbed and giving final instructions to his son Solomon as he prepares to pass on the throne. He references Shimei, a Benjamite who cursed David during his flight from Absalom's rebellion, an event that highlighted the dangers David faced from Saul's supporters. David had sworn an oath to spare Shimei's life with the sword, but he subtly advises Solomon to address the matter, reflecting the complexities of justice and loyalty in ancient Israelite kingship.
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