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1 Kings 2:38-46

Listen to 1 Kings 2:38-46
38 And Shimei said to the king, ā€œWhat you say is good; as my lord the king has said, so will your servant do. ā€ 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 1Achish, son of Maacah, king of Gath. And when it was told Shimei, ā€œBehold, your servants are in Gath, ā€
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, ā€œDid I not make you swear by the Lord and solemnly warn you, saying, ā€˜Know for certain that on the day you go out and go to any place whatever, you shall die’? And you said to me, ā€˜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? ā€
44 The king also said to Shimei, ā€œYou know in your own heart 2all the harm that you did to David my father. So the Lord will 3bring back your harm on your own head.
45 But King Solomon shall be blessed, 4and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord forever. ā€
46 Then the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck him down, and he died. 5So the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

1 Kings 2:38-46 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST KING 2

This chapter gives an account of the charge David gave to his son Solomon, a little before his death, to walk in the ways of the Lord, 1Ki 2:1-4; and of some instructions delivered to him concerning some particular persons he should either show favour to, or execute justice on, 1Ki 2:5-9; and the next account in it is concerning his death and burial, and the years of his reign, 1Ki 2:10,11; after which it relates an address of Bathsheba to Solomon in favour of Adonijah, which was refused, and the issue of it was his death, 1Ki 2:12-25; and the deposition of Abiathar from the priesthood, 1Ki 2:26,27; and the putting of Joab to death for his treason and murders, 1Ki 2:28-34; in whose post Benaiah was put, as Zadok was in the place of Abiathar, 1Ki 2:35; and lastly the confinement of Shimei in Jerusalem, who had cursed David, 1Ki 2:36-38; who upon transgressing the orders given him was put to death, 1Ki 2:39-46.

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Cross References 5

  • 1. 2:39 [1 Sam. 27:2]
  • 2. 2:44 See 2 Sam. 16:5-14
  • 3. 2:44 See 1 Sam. 25:39
  • 4. 2:45 [Prov. 25:5]
  • 5. 2:46 ver. 12; [2 Chr. 1:1]
The Holy Bible, English Standard VersionĀ® (ESVĀ®) Ā© 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025

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