2 Samuel 16:5

5 When King David arrived at Bahurim, one of Saul's relatives, Shimei son of Gera, came out to meet him, cursing him as he came.

2 Samuel 16:5 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 16:5

And when King David came to Bahurim
The Targum is, Alemath, perhaps the same that is said to be a city of the Levites, given unto them out of the tribe of Benjamin, ( 1 Chronicles 6:60 ) for the man next described, who was of this place, was a Benjaminite, ( 2 Samuel 19:16 ) ; (See Gill on 2 Samuel 3:16); David was not yet come to the city itself, but into the neighbourhood of it, the fields adjacent to it: and

behold, thence came out a man of the family of Saul;
a descendant of a branch of his family, who had entertained a private grudge and secret enmity against David, to whom he imputed the fall of the family of Saul:

whose name [was] Shimei, the son of Gera:
which might be a name common in the tribe of Benjamin, one of Benjamin's sons being named Gera, ( Genesis 46:21 ) . Some say F19 he was the same with Nebat, the father of Jeroboam; but he was of the tribe of Ephraim, this of Benjamin:

he came forth, and cursed still as he came;
he came out of Bahurim, of which place he was, and all the way he came continued cursing David, until he came near unto him.


FOOTNOTES:

F19 Hieron. Trad. Helb. in 2. Reg. fol. 79. B.

2 Samuel 16:5 In-Context

3 "Where is Mephibosheth, the grandson of your master Saul?" the king asked him. "He is staying in Jerusalem," Ziba answered, "because he is convinced that the Israelites will now restore to him the kingdom of his grandfather Saul."
4 The king said to Ziba, "Everything that belonged to Mephibosheth is yours." "I am your servant," Ziba replied. "May I always please Your Majesty!"
5 When King David arrived at Bahurim, one of Saul's relatives, Shimei son of Gera, came out to meet him, cursing him as he came.
6 Shimei started throwing stones at David and his officials, even though David was surrounded by his men and his bodyguards.
7 Shimei cursed him and said, "Get out! Get out! Murderer! Criminal!
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.