2 Samuel 16:12

12 Perhaps the Lord will notice my misery and give me some blessings to take the place of his curse."

2 Samuel 16:12 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 16:12

It may be that the Lord will look on mine affliction
Through the rebellion of his son, and now aggravated by the cursing of Shimei; that is, with an eye of pity and commiseration, and deliver him out of it: or "look upon my eye" ^F24; for there is a various reading; the tear of mine eye, as the Targum; so Jarchi and R. Isaiah; the tears in it, which fell plentifully from it, on account of his troubles, and particularly the curses and reproaches of Shimei:

and that the Lord will requite me good for his cursing this day;
he does not speak with assurance, yet with hope; he knew his sins deserved such treatment, but also that God was gracious and merciful, and pitied his children, and resented all ill usage of them; and therefore hoped he would favour him with such intimations of his love as would support him, comfort, refresh him, and do him good, see ( Romans 8:28 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F24 (ynyeb) "in oculum meum", Montanus; "oculum meum lachrymantem", Munster.

2 Samuel 16:12 In-Context

10 "This is none of your business," the king said to Abishai and his brother Joab. "If he curses me because the Lord told him to, who has the right to ask why he does it?"

11 And David said to Abishai and to all his officials, "My own son is trying to kill me; so why should you be surprised at this Benjaminite? The Lord told him to curse; so leave him alone and let him do it.

12 Perhaps the Lord will notice my misery and give me some blessings to take the place of his curse."

13 So David and his men continued along the road. Shimei kept up with them, walking on the hillside; he was cursing and throwing stones and dirt at them as he went.

14 The king and all his men were worn out when they reached the Jordan, and there they rested.

Footnotes

• [a]. [Some ancient translations] misery; [Hebrew] wickedness.