2 Samuel 16:11

11 And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, You see how my son, the offspring of my body, has made designs against my life: how much more then may this Benjamite do so? Let him be, and let him go on cursing; for the Lord has given him orders.

2 Samuel 16:11 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 16:11

And David said to Abishai, and all his servants
In order to make them easy, and reconcile them to this usage of him:

behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life;
meaning Absalom:

how much more now [may this] Benjamite [do it]?
who was not only of the same tribe that Saul was, but of the same family, and so bore an ill will to David because of his succession in the throne:

let him alone, and let him curse;
do nothing to restrain him, not even by words, and much less by any violent actions, and still less by taking away his life:

for the Lord hath bidden him;
in the sense explained in ( 2 Samuel 16:10 ) .

2 Samuel 16:11 In-Context

9 Then Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, said to the king, Is this dead dog to go on cursing my lord the king? let me go over and take off his head.

10 And the king said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Let him go on cursing, for the Lord has said, Put a curse on David, and who then may say, Why have you done so?

11 And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, You see how my son, the offspring of my body, has made designs against my life: how much more then may this Benjamite do so? Let him be, and let him go on cursing; for the Lord has given him orders.

12 It may be that the Lord will take note of my wrongs, and give me back good in answer to his cursing of me today.

13 So David and his men went on their way: and Shimei went by the hillside parallel with them, cursing and sending stones and dust at him.