David Pardons His Enemies

16 And ^dShimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, from Bahurim, hurried to come down with the men of Judah to meet King David.

8 And there is also with you ^cShimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse on the day ^dwhen I went to Mahanaim. ^eBut when he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the Lord, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’

36 Then the king sent and summoned ⁿShimei and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and dwell there, and do not go out from there to any place whatever. 37 For on the day you go out and cross ^othe brook Kidron, know for certain that you shall die. ^pYour blood shall be on your own head.” 38 And Shimei said to the king, “What you say is good; as my lord the king has said, so will your servant do.” So Shimei lived in Jerusalem many days.

39 But it happened at the end of three years that two of Shimei’s servants ran away to ^qAchish, son of Maacah, king of Gath. And when it was told Shimei, “Behold, your servants are in Gath,” 40 Shimei arose and saddled a donkey and went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants. Shimei went and brought his servants from Gath. 41 And when Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and returned, 42 the king sent and summoned Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the Lord and solemnly warn you, saying, ‘Know for certain that on the day you go out and go to any place whatever, you shall die’? And you said to me, ‘What you say is good; I will obey.’ 43 Why then have you not kept your oath to the Lord and the commandment with which I commanded you?” 44 The king also said to Shimei, “You know in your own heart ^rall the harm that you did to David my father. So the Lord will ^sbring back your harm on your own head. 45 But King Solomon shall be blessed, ^tand the throne of David shall be established before the Lord forever.” 46 Then the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck him down, and he died.

^uSo the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.