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(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)
2 Samuel 19:16–23, “And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David. And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went over Jordan before the king. And there went over a ferry boat to carry over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was come over Jordan; And said unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart. For thy servant doth know that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king. But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD’S anointed? And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel? Therefore the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him.”
When David left Jerusalem, to avoid destroying the city in battle, Shimei had cursed him. Shimei belonged to the tribe of Benjamin and accused David of stealing Saul’s throne and being responsible for the former king’s death. When Shimei realised that David had won the battle he rushed down to the Jordan River to meet the king and beg for his forgiveness. Ziba was looking for some personal advantage himself as well so he went to meet David with his sons and his servants to show David what an important man he was and that he would make a great ally. Abishai, Joab’s brother, was a cruel and unforgiving man. He told the king that Shimei deserved to die for his actions. However, David was a forgiving man who trusted the Lord in everything. He forgave Shimei as he had refused to let Abishai kill him earlier. David believed that the Lord was in control when he was leaving Jerusalem and didn’t want to punish Shimei then in case the Lord had told Shimei to curse David. David maintained his recored of consistency, in both defeat and victory.
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