1 Kings 2:8

8 `And lo, with thee [is] Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite of Bahurim, and he reviled me -- a grievous reviling -- in the day of my going to Mahanaim; and he hath come down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swear to him by Jehovah, saying, I do not put thee to death by the sword;

1 Kings 2:8 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 2:8

And behold [thou hast] with thee Shimei the son of Gera, a
Benjamite of Bahurim
Of whom, and of his native place, (See Gill on 2 Samuel 16:5); he was now at Jerusalem, and so with Solomon, or near at hand; and was on his side, and of his party; see ( 1 Kings 1:8 ) ; but not to be trusted, or looked upon as a real friend:

which cursed me with a grievous curse, when I went to Mahanaim;
a place on the other side Jordan, of which place, and the curses this man cursed David, with, see ( 2 Samuel 16:7 2 Samuel 16:8 ) ( 17:24 ) ;

but he came down to me at Jordan;
after the defeat of Absalom, and when David was returning, and humbled himself to him, and begged his pardon:

and I sware unto him by the Lord, saying, I will not put thee to death
with the sword;
but this oath was not binding upon his successor, and especially should he commit a new crime.

1 Kings 2:8 In-Context

6 and thou hast done according to thy wisdom, and dost not let his old age go down in peace to Sheol.

7 `And to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite thou dost do kindness, and they have been among those eating at thy table, for so they drew near unto me in my fleeing from the face of Absalom thy brother.

8 `And lo, with thee [is] Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite of Bahurim, and he reviled me -- a grievous reviling -- in the day of my going to Mahanaim; and he hath come down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swear to him by Jehovah, saying, I do not put thee to death by the sword;

9 and now, acquit him not, for a wise man thou [art], and thou hast known that which thou dost to him, and hast brought down his old age with blood to Sheol.'

10 And David lieth down with his fathers, and is buried in the city of David,