2 Samuel 16:11

11 And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, "Behold, ¹my own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Leave him alone, and let him curse, for 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 the son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head."

10 But the king said, "What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the LORD has said to him, 'Curse David,' who then shall say, 'Why have you done so?'"

11 And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, "Behold, my own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Leave him alone, and let him curse, for the LORD has told him to.

12 It may be that the LORD will look on the wrong done to me, and that the LORD will repay me with good for his cursing today."

13 So David and his men went on the road, while Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went and threw stones at him and flung dust.

Cross References

• 1. 2 Samuel 12:11