Shimei

A man walked along a hillside beside the king, throwing stones and curses at him. That is Shimei in 2 Samuel 16, a relative of Saul’s house, blaming David for bloodshed. Abishai wanted to silence him. David would not allow it: “let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David.” He even wondered whether God might “look on mine affliction” and answer the cursing with good. Shimei appears again in 2 Samuel 19, hurrying down to meet David. The name is also borne by a son of Gershon, listed in Exodus, Numbers and 1 Chronicles. Start with 2 Samuel 16:5-13.

13 verses

Exodus

Exodus 6:17

The sons of Gershon; Libni, and Shimi, according to their families.

Numbers

Numbers 3:18

And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families; Libni, and Shimei.

2 Samuel

2 Samuel 16:5

And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he came.

2 Samuel 16:6

And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left.

2 Samuel 16:7

And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial:

2 Samuel 16:8

The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man.

2 Samuel 16:9

Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head.

2 Samuel 16:10

And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?

2 Samuel 16:11

And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him.

2 Samuel 16:12

It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day.

2 Samuel 16:13

And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill's side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust.

2 Samuel 19:16

And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.

1 Chronicles

1 Chronicles 6:17

And these be the names of the sons of Gershom; Libni, and Shimei.

From Easton's Bible Dictionary

Matthew George Easton, 1897

Famous. (1.) A son of Gershon, and grandson of Levi (Num. 3:18; 1 Chr. 6:17, 29); called Shimi in Ex. 6:17.

(2.) A Benjamite of the house of Saul, who stoned and cursed David when he reached Bahurim in his flight from Jerusalem on the occasion of the rebellion of Absalom (2 Sam. 16:5-13). After the defeat of Absalom he “came cringing to the king, humbly suing for pardon, bringing with him a thousand of his Benjamite tribesmen, and representing that he was heartily sorry for his crime, and had hurried the first of all the house of Israel to offer homage to the king” (19:16-23). David forgave him; but on his death-bed he gave Solomon special instructions regarding Shimei, of whose fidelity he seems to have been in doubt (1 Kings 2:8,9). He was put to death at the command of Solomon, because he had violated his word by leaving Jerusalem and going to Gath to recover two of his servants who had escaped (36-46).

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(3.) One of David’s mighty men who refused to acknowledge Adonijah as David’s successor (1 Kings 1:8). He is probably the same person who is called elsewhere (4:18) “the son of Elah.”

(4.) A son of Pedaiah, the brother of Zerubbabel (1 Chr. 3:19).

(5.) A Simeonite (1 Chr. 4:26, 27).

(6.) A Reubenite (1 Chr. 5:4).

(7.) A Levite of the family of Gershon (1 Chr. 6:42).

(8.) A Ramathite who was “over the vineyards” of David (1 Chr. 27:27).

(9.) One of the sons of Heman, who assisted in the purification of the temple (2 Chr. 29:14).

(10.) A Levite (2 Chr. 31:12, 13).

(11.) Another Levite (Ezra 10:23). “The family of Shimei” (Zech. 12:13; R.V., “the family of the Shimeites”) were the descendants of Shimei (1).

From Smith's Bible Dictionary

William Smith, 1884

(renowned).

(1.) Son of Gershon the son of Levi, (Numbers 3:18; 1 Chronicles 6:17,29; 23:7,9,10; Zechariah 12:13) called SHIMI in (Exodus 6:17) (B.C. after 1706.)

(2.) Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of the house of Saul, who lived at Bahurim. (B.C. 1023.) When David and his suite were seen descending the long defile, on his flight from Absolom, (2 Samuel 16:5-13) the whole feeling of the clan of Benjamin burst forth without restraint in the person of Shimei. He ran along the ridge, cursing and throwing stones at the king and is companions. The next meeting was very different. The king was now returning from his successful campaign. Just as he was crossing the Jordan, (2 Samuel 19:18) the first person to welcome him was Shimei who threw himself at David’s feet in abject penitence. But the king’s suspicions were not set at rest by this submission; and on his death-bed he recalls the whole scene to the recollection of his son Solomon. Solomon gave Shimei notice that from henceforth he must consider himself confined to the walls of Jerusalem, on pain of death. (1 Kings 3:36,37) For three years the engagement was kept. At the end of that time for the purpose of capturing two slaves who had escaped to Gath, he went out on his ass, and made his journey successfully. Ibid. (1 Kings 2:40) On his return the king took him at his word, and he was slain by Benaiah. Ibid. (1 Kings 2:41-46)

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(3.) One of the adherents of Solomon at the time of Adonjah’s usurpation. (1 Kings 1:8) (B.C.1015.)

(4.) Solomon’s commissariat officer in Benjamin. (1 Kings 4:18)

(5.) Son of Pedaiah, and brother of Zerubbabel. (1 Chronicles 3:19) (B.C. 536.)

(6.) A Simeonite, son of Zacchur. (1 Chronicles 4:26,27)

(7.) Son of Gog, a Reubenite. (1 Chronicles 5:4)

(8.) A Gershonite Levite, son of Jahath. (1 Chronicles 6:42)

(9.) Son of Jeduthun, and chief of the tenth division of the singers. (1 Chronicles 25:17)

(10.) The Ramathite who was over David’s vineyards. (1 Chronicles 27:27)

(11.) A Levite of the sons of Heman, who took part in the purification of the temple under Zedekiah. (2 Chronicles 29:14) (B.C. 726.)

(12.) The brother of Cononiah the Levite, in the reign of Hezekiah. (2 Chronicles 31:12,13) Perhaps the same as the preceding.

(13.) A Levite in the time of Ezra who had married a foreign wife. (Ezra 10:23)

(14.) One of the family of Hashum, who put away his foreign wife at Ezra’s command. (Ezra 10:33)

(15.) A son of Bani, who had also married a foreign wife, and put her away. (Ezra 10:38) (B.C. 459.)

(16.) Son of Kish, a Benjamite, and ancestor of Mordecai. (Esther 2:5) (B.C. before 479).