1 Kings 2:38

38 And Shimei said to the king, The word of the king is good; as my lord the king spake, so thy servant shall do. And so Shimei dwelled in Jerusalem many days.

1 Kings 2:38 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 2:38

And Shimei said unto the king, the saying [is] good
It was an act of goodness in the king, and what was good, grateful, and acceptable to him; for being sent for by him, and knowing how he had used his father, and hearing of several traitors being put to death, he expected this would have been his case; and wherefore, instead of being put to death, was only obliged to leave his habitation in the country, and come and live at Jerusalem, a pleasant and delightful city, and the metropolis of the nation, it was very agreeable to him:

as my lord the king hath said, so will thy servant do;
and he not only promised, but swore to it, which Solomon obliged him to, ( 1 Kings 2:42 ) ;

and Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days;
he accordingly built or purchased a house in Jerusalem, and removed from Bahurim to it, where he lived for the space of three years, as follows.

1 Kings 2:38 In-Context

36 Also the king sent, and called (for) Shimei, and said to him, Build to thee an house in Jerusalem, and dwell thou there (Build a house for thyself in Jerusalem, and live thou in it), and thou shalt not go out from thence hither and thither;

37 for in whatever day thou goest out, and passest [over] the strand of Kidron, know thou thee worthy to be slain; thy blood shall be on thine head. (for in whatever day thou goest out, and passest over the Kidron Stream/and passest over the Kidron Gorge, know thou that thou shalt be killed; thy blood shall be upon thy own head.)

38 And Shimei said to the king, The word of the king is good; as my lord the king spake, so thy servant shall do. And so Shimei dwelled in Jerusalem many days.

39 But it was done after three years, that the servants of Shimei fled to Achish, the son of Maachah, king of Gath; and it was told to Shimei, that his servants had gone into Gath.

40 And Shimei rose up, and saddled his ass (and saddled up his donkey), and went to Achish, into Gath, to seek his servants; and he brought them (back) again from Gath.