The king also said, “You know in your heart all the evil that you did to my father David. Therefore the LORD will bring your evil back upon your head.
Parallel translations
- WEB The king said moreover to Shimei, “You know in your heart all the wickedness that you did to David my father. Therefore Yahweh will return your wickedness on your own head.
- KJV The king said moreover to Shimei, Thou knowest all the wickedness which thine heart is privy to, that thou didst to David my father: therefore the LORD shall return thy wickedness upon thine own head;
- NKJV The king said moreover to Shimei, “You know, as your heart acknowledges, all the wickedness that you did to my father David; therefore the Lord will return your wickedness on your own head.
- NASB The king also said to Shimei, “You yourself know all the evil that you acknowledge in your heart, which you did to my father David; therefore the Lord will return your evil on your own head.
- NLT The king also said to Shimei, “You certainly remember all the wicked things you did to my father, David. May the Lord now bring that evil on your own head.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Solomon reminds Shimei of his earlier wickedness toward David, declaring that God will repay it on his own head. Past sin and present disobedience together bring his judgment.
Overview
Solomon links Shimei's broken oath with his old crime of cursing David, which Shimei's own conscience knew. The king declares that the LORD will return that wickedness upon Shimei himself, the recurring principle of sin recoiling on the sinner. Judgment long delayed by David's mercy now arrives through Solomon's justice.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- 2 Sam 16:5–13As King David approached Bahurim, a man from the family of the house of Saul was just coming out. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and as he approached, he kept yelling out curses.
- Ps 7:16His trouble recoils on himself, and his violence falls on his own head.
- 1 Sam 25:39On hearing that Nabal was dead, David said, “Blessed be the LORD, who has upheld my cause against the reproach of Nabal and has restrained His servant from evil. For the LORD has brought the wickedness of Nabal down upon his own head.” Then David sent word to Abigail, asking for her in marriage.
- Ezek 17:19Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘As surely as I live, I will bring down upon his head My oath that he despised and My covenant that he broke.
- 1 Jn 3:20Even if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and He knows all things.
- 1 Kgs 2:32–33The LORD will bring his bloodshed back upon his own head, for without the knowledge of my father David he struck down two men more righteous and better than he when he put to the sword Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army.
- John 8:9When they heard this, they began to go away one by one, beginning with the older ones, until only Jesus was left, with the woman standing there.
- Hos 4:9And it shall be like people, like priest. I will punish both of them for their ways and repay them for their deeds.
- Prov 5:22The iniquities of a wicked man entrap him; the cords of his sin entangle him.
- Rom 2:15So they show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts either accusing or defending them
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Christ at the center
Solomon's glory, wisdom, and temple where God's presence dwells are a shadow of the greater Son of David — 'one greater than Solomon is here' — and of the true Temple, Christ himself.
How 1 Kings 2:44 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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