He threw stones at David and at all the servants of the king, though the troops and all the mighty men were on David’s right and left.
Parallel translations
- WEB 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.
- KJV 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.
- NKJV And he threw 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.
- NASB He also threw stones at David and all the servants of King David; and all the people and all the warriors were on his right and on his left.
- NLT He threw stones at the king and the king’s officers and all the mighty warriors who surrounded him.
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
Shimei pelts David and his men with stones despite the guards around the king. His reckless rage shows the depth of his contempt.
Overview
Shimei dares to hurl stones at the king and his mighty men, an act that could have cost him his life. His brazen assault underscores how low David's fortunes have sunk that a single foe feels free to attack. The scene tests whether David will respond with vengeance or with patient submission to God.
Cross-references & the web
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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 16:6 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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