Shimei

Biblical Account

Shimei was a Benjamite who appears in 2 Samuel and 1 Kings. He was the son of Gera and a kinsman of the house of Saul. Several men in the Old Testament bear the same name; this article concerns Shimei the son of Gera.

• Cursing David (2 Samuel 16:5-14): When David fled Jerusalem during the rebellion of Absalom, Shimei came out from Bahurim, threw stones and dust, and cursed him, calling him a "bloody man." When Abishai offered to kill him, David restrained him, suggesting that it might be "because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David."
• Seeking Forgiveness (2 Samuel 19:16-23): After the rebellion was put down, Shimei came down to the Jordan River with a thousand men of Benjamin to meet the returning David and confessed his sin. David again restrained Abishai and swore that he would not put Shimei to death.
• David's Charge and Shimei's Death (1 Kings 2:8-9, 36-46): Before his death, David charged Solomon to "hold him not guiltless." Solomon ordered Shimei to build a house in Jerusalem and live there without leaving the city, warning that "on the day thou goest out, and passest over the brook Kidron," he would surely die. Three years later Shimei went to Achish, king of Gath in the land of the Philistines, to retrieve his runaway servants. Solomon judged that he had broken his oath and had Benaiah execute him.

Significance Within Scripture

The Shimei narrative reflects the tension between the house of Saul and the Davidic dynasty. It figures both in the scene in which David, when cursed, refuses to retaliate and instead leaves the matter to God, and in the account of Solomon consolidating his royal authority early in his reign. The New Testament does not mention Shimei the son of Gera directly.

Interpretation and Points of Discussion

• David's Attitude: David's forbearance in the face of cursing is commonly read as an example of humility and patience. Interpretations differ, however, regarding his deathbed instruction that Shimei be punished. Some view it as personal retribution, while others see it as a political judgment made for the stability of the kingdom and the cause of justice.
• Solomon's Execution of Shimei: In 1 Kings 2:44, Solomon also cites the wickedness Shimei had done to David. For this reason, there is discussion over whether the grounds for the execution were the broken oath or the earlier cursing. Gath, where Shimei went, lies to the west rather than to the east, where the brook Kidron is located. Solomon's prohibition, however, barred him from leaving the city at all.
• Additional Traditions: There is reportedly a Jewish tradition that identifies the "Shimei" in the genealogy of Mordecai (Esther 2:5) with this man. The text itself, however, does not make this identification.

In the Korean Church

In Korean church preaching, the Shimei passages are cited mainly when addressing how David responded to unjust accusation. In this context they are sometimes read together with Romans 12:17-21 or 1 Peter 2:23. The account from Solomon's reign is also used as a lesson on keeping promises and observing boundaries.