2 Samuel 16:11

11 Then David addressed Abishai and all his servants: "Listen! My own son, one of my very own children, wants me dead. This Benjaminite can only feel the same—only more! Leave him alone. And let him curse, because the LORD told him to.

2 Samuel 16:11 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 16:11

And David said to Abishai, and all his servants
In order to make them easy, and reconcile them to this usage of him:

behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life;
meaning Absalom:

how much more now [may this] Benjamite [do it]?
who was not only of the same tribe that Saul was, but of the same family, and so bore an ill will to David because of his succession in the throne:

let him alone, and let him curse;
do nothing to restrain him, not even by words, and much less by any violent actions, and still less by taking away his life:

for the Lord hath bidden him;
in the sense explained in ( 2 Samuel 16:10 ) .

2 Samuel 16:11 In-Context

9 Zeruiah's son Abishai said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my master the king? Let me go over and cut his head off!"

10 But the king said, "My problems aren't yours, you sons of Zeruiah. If he is cursing because the LORD told him to curse David, then who is to question, ‘Why are you doing this?'"

11 Then David addressed Abishai and all his servants: "Listen! My own son, one of my very own children, wants me dead. This Benjaminite can only feel the same—only more! Leave him alone. And let him curse, because the LORD told him to.

12 Perhaps the LORD will see my distress; perhaps the LORD will repay me with good for this cursing today."

13 So David and his men kept walking, while Shimei went along on the hillside next to him, cursing as he went, throwing rocks and dirt at him.