2 Samuel 16:11

11 Then David said to Abishai and all his servants, "Look, my own son, my own flesh and blood,^[a] intends to take my life^[b]-how much more now this Benjaminite! Leave him alone and let him curse [me]; the Lord has told him to.

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 son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut his head off!"

10 The king replied, "Sons of Zeruiah, do we agree on anything? He curses [me] this way because the Lord told him, 'Curse David!' Therefore, who can say, 'Why did you do that?' "

11 Then David said to Abishai and all his servants, "Look, my own son, my own flesh and blood, intends to take my life-how much more now this Benjaminite! Leave him alone and let him curse [me]; the Lord has told him to.

12 Perhaps the Lord will see my affliction and restore goodness to me instead of Shimei's curses today."

13 So David and his men proceeded along the road as Shimei was going along the ridge of the hill opposite him. As Shimei went, he cursed [David], and threw stones and dirt at him.

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit son who came from my belly
• [b]. 2 Sm 12:10