5 “Moreover, you also know what Joab the son of Zeruiah ^vdid to me, how he dealt with the two commanders of the armies of Israel, ^wAbner the son of Ner, ^xand Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, avenging¹ in time of peace for blood that had been shed in war, and putting the blood of war² on the belt around his³ waist and on the sandals on his feet. 6 Act therefore ^yaccording to your wisdom, but do not let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace. 7 But deal loyally with the sons of ^zBarzillai the Gileadite, and let them be ^aamong those who eat at your table, ^bfor with such loyalty⁴ they met me when I fled from Absalom your brother. 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.’ 9 Now therefore do not hold him guiltless, ^ffor you are a wise man. You will know what you ought to do to him, and you shall ^gbring his gray head down with blood to Sheol.”