1 Kings 2:8

1 Kings 2:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)“And remember, you have with you Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, who called down bitter curses on me the day I went to Mahanaim. When he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the Lord: ‘I will not put you to death by the sword.’
• English Standard Version (ESV)And there is also with you Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse on the day when I went to Mahanaim. But 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.'
• New King James Version (NKJV)“And see, you have with you Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a malicious curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim. But he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by the Lord, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’

Context of 1 Kings 2:8

6Use your wisdom. Don’t let that gray-haired, old man go to his grave peacefully. 7“Be kind to the sons of Barzillai from Gilead. Let them eat at your table. They helped me when I was fleeing from your brother Absalom. “Shimei, son of Gera from Bahurim in Benjamin, is still with you. He cursed me repeatedly when I went to Mahanaim. But when he came to meet me at the Jordan River, I took an oath by the Lord and said, ‘As long as I’m king, I won’t have you killed.’ 9Now, don’t let him go unpunished. You are wise and know what to do to him: Put that gray-haired, old man into his grave by slaughtering him.” 10David lay down in death with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David.

1 Kings 2:8 word by word

וְהִנֵּ֣ה עִ֠מְּךָ שִֽׁמְעִ֨י בֶן־גֵּרָ֥א בֶן־הַיְמִינִי֮ מִבַּחֻרִים֒ וְה֤וּא קִֽלְלַ֙נִי֙ קְלָלָ֣ה נִמְרֶ֔צֶת בְּי֖וֹם לֶכְתִּ֣י מַחֲנָ֑יִם וְהֽוּא־יָרַ֤ד לִקְרָאתִי֙ הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן וָאֶשָּׁ֨בַֽע ל֤וֹ בַֽיהוָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר אִם־אֲמִֽיתְךָ֖ בֶּחָֽרֶב׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• with thee Shimeiשִׁמְעִיshim‛îy · ShimeiH8096
• the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of Geraגֵּרָאgêrâ' · GeraH1617
• a Benjamiteבֶּן־יְמִינִיben-yemîynîy ben-ha-yemînîy ben-'îysh yemîynîy · BenjaminiteH1145
• of Bahurimבַּחֻרִיםbachûrîym bachûrîym · BahurimH980
• which cursedקָלַלqâlal · to lightenH7043
• me with a grievousמָרַץmârats · be sickH4834
• curseקְלָלָהqelâlâh · curseH7045
• in the dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• when I wentיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• to Mahanaimמַחֲנַיִםmachănayim · MahanaimH4266
• but he came downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
• to meetקִרְאָהqir'âh · befallH7125
• me at Jordanיַרְדֵּןyardên · JordanH3383
• and I swareשָׁבַעshâba‛ · to swearH7650
• to him by the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• I will not put thee to deathמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• with the swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719

Cross-references for 1 Kings 2:8

• 1 Kings 2:24The Lord set me on my father David’s throne and gave me a dynasty as he promised. So I solemnly swear, as the Lord who has established me lives, that Adonijah will be put to death today.”
• 2 Samuel 16:5When King David came to Bahurim, a man who was a distant cousin of Saul came out cursing. His name was Shimei, son of Gera.
• 2 Samuel 19:16Shimei, Gera’s son from the tribe of Benjamin and the town of Bahurim, hurried down with the people of Judah to meet King David.
• Jeremiah 4:2if you take the oath, ‘As the Lord lives …’ in an honest, fair, and right way, then the nations will be blessed, and they will be honored by me.”

Commentaries on 1 Kings 2:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Thou hast with thee Shimei - See on 2 Samuel 16:5; (note), etc., and the notes on 2 Samuel 19:18-23; (note).Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-11Verses 5-11 These dying counsels concerning Joab and Shimei, did not come from personal anger, but for the security of Solomon's throne, which was the murders he had committed, but would readily repeat them to carry any purpose; though long reprieved, he shall be reckoned with at last. Time does not wear out the guilt of any sin, particularly of murder. Concerning Shimei, Hold him not guiltless; do not think him any true friend to thee, or thy government…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8Mahanaim was where David found safety during Absalom's rebellion (2 Samuel 17:24). The Egyptian pharaoh, Shishak, attacked it when Rehoboam was king (see 1 Kings 14:25).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. thou hast with thee Shimei--Though David promised him a pardon, which being enforced by the presence of a thousand followers, could not have been well refused, he warned his son against Shimei as a turbulent and dangerous character. It must not be supposed that in these dying instructions David was evincing a fierce, vindictive spirit. He is rather to be considered as acting in the character of a king and magistrate, in noticing crimes which he had not…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Kings 2:8

• Bahurim
• David
• Death
• Forgiveness
• Gera
• Mahanaim
• Malice
• Retaliation
• Will

In the dictionaries

• Jordan
• Shimei
• Curse
• Fail
• Gone
• Return
• Solomon
• Abishag
• Adonijah
• Bahurim

Commentaries on 1 Kings 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings