1 Kings 2:28-38

28 The news came to Yo'av; for Yo'av had turned after Adoniyahu, though he didn't turn after Avshalom. Yo'av fled to the Tent of the LORD, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.

29 It was told king Shlomo, Yo'av is fled to the Tent of the LORD, and, behold, he is by the altar. Then Shlomo sent Benayah the son of Yehoiada, saying, Go, fall on him.

30 Benayah came to the Tent of the LORD, and said to him, Thus says the king, Come forth. He said, No; but I will die here. Benayah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Yo'av, and thus he answered me.

31 The king said to him, Do as he has said, and fall on him, and bury him; that you may take away the blood, which Yo'av shed without cause, from me and from my father's house.

32 The LORD will return his blood on his own head, because he fell on two men more righteous and better than he, and killed them with the sword, and my father David didn't know it, [to wit], Aviner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Yisra'el, and `Amasa the son of Yeter, captain of the host of Yehudah.

33 So shall their blood return on the head of Yo'av, and on the head of his seed forever: but to David, and to his seed, and to his house, and to his throne, shall there be shalom for ever from the LORD.

34 Then Benayah the son of Yehoiada went up, and fell on him, and killed him; and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.

35 The king put Benayah the son of Yehoiada in his room over the host; and Tzadok the Kohen did the king put in the room of Avyatar.

36 The king sent and called for Shim`i, and said to him, Build yourself a house in Yerushalayim, and dwell there, and don't go forth from there any where.

37 For on the day you go out, and pass over the brook Kidron, know you for certain that you shall surely die: your blood shall be on your own head.

38 Shim`i said to the king, The saying is good: as my lord the king has said, so will your servant do. Shim`i lived in Yerushalayim many days.

1 Kings 2:28-38 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.