As 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.
Parallel translations
- WEB When king David came to Bahurim, behold, a man of the family of Saul’s house came out, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera. He came out and cursed as he came.
- KJV 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.
- NKJV Now when King David came to Bahurim, there was a man from the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei the son of Gera, coming from there. He came out, cursing continuously as he came.
- NASB When King David came to Bahurim, behold, a man was coming out from there from the family of the house of Saul, and his name was Shimei, the son of Gera; he was coming out, cursing as he came.
- NLT As King David came to Bahurim, a man came out of the village cursing them. It was Shimei son of Gera, from the same clan as Saul’s family.
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
At Bahurim, Shimei of Saul's clan comes out cursing David. The king now faces personal abuse on top of his flight.
Overview
As David reaches Bahurim, Shimei, a relative of Saul, emerges to curse the fleeing king. His hostility reflects lingering resentment from Saul's house over David's rise. This added humiliation deepens David's trial, yet his response will reveal remarkable humility under affliction.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- 2 Sam 3:16Her husband followed her, weeping all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go back.” So he returned home.
- 1 Kgs 2:8–9Keep an eye on Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim who is with you. He called down bitter curses against me on the day I went to Mahanaim, but when he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the LORD: ‘I will never put you to the sword.’
- Exod 22:28You must not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people.
- 1 Sam 17:43“Am I a dog,” he said to David, “that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
- 1 Kgs 2:36–46Then the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Build a house for yourself in Jerusalem and live there, but do not go anywhere else.
- 2 Sam 17:18But a young man did see them and told Absalom. So the two left quickly and came to the house of a man in Bahurim. He had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it.
- Isa 8:21They will roam the land, dejected and hungry. When they are famished, they will become enraged; and looking upward, they will curse their king and their God.
- Prov 26:2Like a fluttering sparrow or darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.
- Ps 109:16–19For he never thought to show kindness, but pursued the poor and needy and brokenhearted, even to their death.
- Ps 109:28Though they curse, You will bless. When they rise up, they will be put to shame, but Your servant will rejoice.
- Matt 5:11–12Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.
- Ps 69:26For they persecute the one You struck and recount the pain of those You wounded.
- 2 Sam 19:16–23Then Shimei son of Gera, a Benjamite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David,
- Eccl 10:20Do not curse the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich even in your bedroom, for a bird of the air may carry your words, and a winged creature may report your speech.
- 2 Sam 16:14Finally, the king and all the people with him arrived, exhausted. And there he refreshed himself.
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Christ at the center
God's covenant with David — a son whose throne and kingdom would last forever (7:12–16) — finds its yes in Jesus, the Son of David who reigns without end.
How 2 Samuel 16:5 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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