TRV
See on the biblical-era map
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers 2 Samuel 16:5–14. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
We here find how David bore Shimei's curses much better than he had borne Ziba's flatteries. By the latter he was brought to pass a wrong judgment on another, by the former to pass a right judgment on himself. The world's smiles are more dangerous than its frowns. Observe here,
I.How insolent and furious Shimei was, and how his malice took occasion from David's present distress to be so much the more outrageous.
David, in his flight, had come to Bahurim, a city of Benjamin in or near which this Shimei lived, who, being of the house of Saul (with the fall of which all his hopes of preferment fell), had an implacable enmity to David, unjustly looking upon him as the ruin of Saul and his family only because, by the divine appointment, he succeeded Saul. While David was in prosperity and power, Shimei hated him as much as he did now, but he durst not then say anything against him. God knows what is in the hearts of those that are disaffected to him and his government, but earthly princes do not. Now he came forth, and cursed David with all the bad words and wishes he could invent, Sa2 16:5. Observe,
1.Why he took this opportunity to give vent to his malice.
(1.)Because now he thought he might do it safely; yet, if David had thought proper to resent the provocation, it would have cost Shimei his life.
(2.)Because now it would be most grievous to David, would add affliction to his grief, and pour vinegar into his wounds. He complains of those as most barbarous who talk to the grief of those whom God has wounded, Psa 69:26. So Shimei did, loading him with curses whom no generous eye could look upon without compassion.
(3.)Because now he thought that Providence justified his reproaches, and that David's present afflictions proved him to be as bad a man as he was willing to represent him. Job's friends condemned him upon this false principle. Those that are under the rebukes of a gracious God must not think it strange if these bring upon them the reproaches of evil men. If once it be said, God hath forsaken him, presently it follows, Persecute and take him, Psa 71:11. But it is the character of a base spirit thus to trample upon those that are down, and insult over them.
2.How his malice was expressed. See,
(1.)What this wretched man did: He cast stones at David (Sa2 16:6), as if his king had been a dog, or the worst of criminals, whom all Israel must stone with stones till he die. Perhaps he kept at such a distance that the stones he threw could not reach David, nor any of his attendants, yet he showed what he would have done if it had been in his power. He cast dust (Sa2 16:13), which, probably, would blow into his own eyes, like the curses he threw, which, being causeless, would return upon his own head. Thus, while his malice made him odious, the impotency of it made him ridiculous and contemptible. Those that fight against God cannot hurt him, though they hate him. If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him? Job 35:6. It was an aggravation of his wickedness that David was attended with his mighty men on his right hand and on his left, so that he was not in so forlorn a condition as he thought (persecuted but not forsaken), and that he continued to do it, and did it the more passionately, for David's bearing it patiently.
(2.)What he said. With the stones he shot his arrows, even bitter words (Sa2 16:7, Sa2 16:8), in contempt of that law, Thou shalt not curse the gods, Exo 22:28. David was a man of honour and conscience, and in great reputation for every thing that was just and good; what could this foul mouth say against him? Why, truly, what was done long since to the house of Saul was the only thing which he could recollect, and with this he upbraided David because it was the thing that he himself was a loser by. See how apt we are to judge of men and their character by what they are to us, and to conclude that those are certainly evil men that have ever so justly been, or that we ever so unjustly think have been, instruments of evil to us. So partial are we to ourselves that no rule can be more fallacious than this. No man could be more innocent of the blood of the house of Saul than David was. Once and again he spared Saul's life, while Saul sought his. When Saul and his sons were slain by the Philistines, David and his men were many miles off; and, when they heard it, they lamented it. From the murder of Abner and Ish-bosheth he had sufficiently cleared himself; and yet all the blood of the house of Saul must be laid at his door. Innocency is no fence against malice and falsehood; nor are we to think it strange if we be charged with that from which we have been most careful to keep ourselves. It is well for us that men are not to be our judges, but he whose judgment is according to truth. The blood of the house of Saul is here most unjustly charged upon David,
[1.]As that which gave him his character, and denominated him a bloody man and a man of Belial, Sa2 16:7. And, if a man of blood, no doubt a man of Belial, that is, a child of the devil, who is called Belial (Co2 6:15), and who was a murderer from the beginning. Bloody men are the worst of men.
[2.]As that which brought the present trouble upon him: "Now that thou art dethroned, and driven out to the wilderness, the Lord has returned upon thee the blood of the house of Saul." See how forward malicious men are to press God's judgments into the service of their own passion and revenge. If any who have, as they think, wronged them, should come into trouble, the injury done to them must be made the cause of the trouble. But we must take heed lest we wrong God by making his providence thus to patronise our foolish and unjust resentments. As the wrath of man works not the righteousness of God, so the righteousness of God serves not the wrath of man.
[3.]As that which would now be his utter ruin; for he endeavours to make him despair of ever recovering his throne again. Now they said, There is no help for him in God (Psa 3:2), the Lord hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom (not Mephibosheth - the house of Saul never dreamed of making him king, as Ziba suggested), and thou art taken in thy mischief, that is, "the mischief that will be thy destruction, and all because thou art a bloody man." Thus Shimei cursed.
II.See how patient and submissive David was under this abuse.
The sons of Zeruiah, Abishai particularly, were forward to maintain David's honour with their swords; they resented the affront keenly, as well they might: Why should this dead dog be suffered to curse the king? Sa2 16:9. If David will but give them leave, they will put these lying cursing lips to silence, and take off his head; for his throwing stones at the king was an overt act, which abundantly proved that he compassed and imagined his death. But the king would by no means suffer it: What have I to do with you? So let him curse. Thus Christ rebuked the disciples, who, in zeal for his honour, would have commanded fire from heaven on the town that affronted him, Luk 9:55. Let us see with what considerations David quieted himself.
1.The chief thing that silenced him was that he had deserved this affliction. This is not mentioned indeed; for a man may truly repent, and yet needs not, upon all occasions, proclaim his penitent reflections. Shimei unjustly upbraided him with the blood of Saul: from that his conscience acquitted him, but, at the same time, it charged him with the blood of Uriah. "The reproach is too true" (thinks David), "though false as he means it." Note, A humble tender spirit will turn reproaches into reproofs, and so get good by them, instead of being provoked by them.
2.He observes the hand of God in it: The Lord hath said unto him, Curse David (Sa2 16:10), and again, So let him curse, for the Lord hath bidden him, Sa2 16:11. As it was Shimei's sin, it was not from God, but from the devil and his own wicked heart, nor did God's hand in it excuse or extenuate it, much less justify it, any more than it did the sin of those who put Christ to death, Act 2:23, Act 4:28. But, as it was David's affliction, it was from the Lord, one of the evils which he raised up against him. David looked above the instrument of his trouble to the supreme director, as Job, when the plunderers had stripped him, acknowledged, The Lord hath taken away. Nothing more proper to quiet a gracious soul under affliction than an eye to the hand of God in it. I opened not my mouth, because thou didst it. The scourge of the tongue is God's rod.
3.He quiets himself under the less affliction with the consideration of the greater (Sa2 16:11): My son seeks my life, much more may this Benjamite. Note, Tribulation works patience in those that are sanctified. The more we bear the better able we should be to bear still more; what tries our patience should improve it. The more we are inured to trouble the less we should be surprised at it, and not think it strange. Marvel not that enemies are injurious, when even friends are unkind; nor that friends are unkind, when even children are undutiful.
4.He comforts himself with hopes that God would, in some way or other, bring good to him out of his affliction, would balance the trouble itself, and recompense his patience under it: "The Lord will requite me good for his cursing. If God bid Shimei grieve me, it is that he himself may the more sensibly comfort me; surely he has mercy in store for me, which he is preparing me for by this trial." We may depend upon God as our pay-master, not only for our services, but for our sufferings. Let them curse, but bless thou. David, at length, is housed at Bahurim (Sa2 16:14), where he meets with refreshment, and is hidden from this strife of tongues.
Continue studying 2 Samuel 16:5 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
Summary
As King David fled Jerusalem amidst the rebellion of his son Absalom, he reached Bahurim, a village on the outskirts. There, he was confronted by Shimei, a man from the house of Saul, who emerged to hurl bitter curses and stones at the distressed monarch and his entourage. This humiliating encounter underscored David's profound vulnerability and the deep-seated resentment that still simmered among those loyal to the former dynasty, revealing the raw political and personal cost of his current crisis.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is situated at a pivotal and deeply humiliating moment in David's reign, immediately following Absalom's successful coup in Jerusalem. The preceding chapter, detailing David's reluctant but necessary flight from his capital, his decision to leave the Ark of the Covenant, and his strategic deployment of Hushai to counter Ahithophel's counsel, is found throughout 2 Samuel 15. As David and his loyalists make their sorrowful exodus, they encounter Shimei at Bahurim, a brief but potent scene that intensifies the narrative of David's suffering and vulnerability before the detailed accounts of Absalom's rule and eventual defeat in 2 Samuel 17. The incident serves as a stark illustration of David's fallen state, a king stripped of his dignity and subject to public scorn, setting the stage for his remarkable response in 2 Samuel 16:10-12.
Historical & Cultural Context
Bahurim was a village located east of Jerusalem, likely on the route David took across the Kidron Valley and towards the Jordan River. Its location made it a strategic point for an ambush or confrontation. The act of publicly cursing a king, especially one in flight, was an extreme act of defiance and disrespect, punishable by death in most ancient Near Eastern cultures. Shimei's identity as a Benjamite from the family of Saul is crucial; it highlights the lingering political and tribal animosity towards David, who had supplanted Saul's dynasty. Despite David's long and successful reign, pockets of loyalty to the former king, particularly within Saul's own tribe of Benjamin, persisted. Shimei's actions reflect a deep-seated grievance, possibly viewing David as a usurper or even holding him responsible for the tragic demise of Saul and his house (compare 1 Samuel 31). This incident underscores the fragile nature of political unity and the enduring power of tribal loyalties in ancient Israel.
Key Themes
The encounter with Shimei at Bahurim powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within the book of 2 Samuel. Firstly, it highlights the theme of divine sovereignty and human suffering. David, God's anointed king, is experiencing profound humiliation, which he later interprets as potentially permitted by God, as seen in 2 Samuel 16:10-12. Secondly, it underscores the consequences of sin, as David's current distress is often viewed as a divine judgment for his past transgressions, particularly the Bathsheba affair and the murder of Uriah, prophesied in 2 Samuel 12:10-12. Thirdly, the scene vividly portrays David's vulnerability and humility, contrasting sharply with his earlier triumphs and demonstrating his willingness to endure personal shame for the sake of God's will. Finally, it illustrates the lingering political and tribal divisions within Israel, revealing that even after years of David's reign, deep-seated resentments against his dynasty, particularly from the house of Saul, continued to fester and emerge in moments of weakness.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This name, derived from a word meaning "young men," identifies a specific place in Palestine. It was a village in Benjamin, east of Jerusalem, on the road leading down to the Jordan Valley. Its proximity to Saul's tribal territory (Benjamin) is key, making it a natural place for a loyalist of Saul's house like Shimei to reside or intercept David.
This individual's name, meaning "famous," ironically contrasts with his ignoble actions here. Identified as "the son of Gera" and "of the family of the house of Saul," Shimei is explicitly linked to the former royal dynasty. This lineage immediately establishes his motive: he represents the enduring resentment and opposition from those who felt disenfranchised or wronged by David's ascension to the throne. His specific identification grounds the abstract "house of Saul" in a concrete, hostile individual.
This primitive root means "to be (causatively, make) light," literally or figuratively, encompassing concepts like "easy, trifling, vile." In the Piel stem, as used here, it specifically signifies "to bring into contempt," "to curse," "to despise," or "to make vile." This is not a casual insult but a deliberate, severe act of verbal abuse, designed to treat David with utter contempt and make him appear vile. The repetition implied by "cursed still as he came" suggests a continuous, escalating stream of vitriol, not just a single utterance, indicating Shimei's deep-seated hatred and determination to inflict maximum psychological harm.
Verse Breakdown
"And when king David came to Bahurim"
This clause sets the scene, emphasizing David's physical journey away from Jerusalem, a journey of forced exile rather than triumphant procession. The mention of "king David" juxtaposed with his flight underscores the profound irony and humiliation of his situation. He is still king, but his circumstances are anything but kingly.
"behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul"
The phrase "behold, thence came out" highlights the sudden and deliberate appearance of Shimei. He is not merely encountered; he "comes out," implying a purposeful confrontation. His identification as "a man of the family of the house of Saul" immediately reveals the political and dynastic nature of his animosity, linking his actions to the historical power struggle between David and the former king's lineage.
"whose name [was] Shimei, the son of Gera"
This provides the specific identity of David's antagonist, personalizing the conflict. Naming him grounds the incident in reality and allows for future narrative developments concerning Shimei.
"he came forth, and cursed still as he came."
This final clause describes Shimei's active and continuous aggression. "Came forth" reiterates his deliberate intent. "Cursed still as he came" (or "kept on cursing as he went along") portrays a relentless, vocal assault, not a fleeting outburst. This sustained verbal attack, accompanied by stone-throwing (as subsequent verses reveal), was designed to publicly shame and degrade David, adding to the king's already immense burden of grief and humiliation.
Literary Devices
The narrative of 2 Samuel 16:5 is rich with Irony, as the anointed king of Israel is seen fleeing his capital, vulnerable and subjected to the curses of a commoner from the very house he replaced. This starkly contrasts with David's former glory and power. The scene also employs Foreshadowing, hinting at the deeper theological meaning David will later attribute to this suffering, suggesting it is part of God's permissive will or even a divine test. Shimei himself functions as a Symbol of the lingering opposition and tribal resentments that continued to plague David's unified kingdom, representing the unresolved tensions from the transition of power from Saul to David. Furthermore, the detailed description of Shimei's active and continuous cursing ("cursed still as he came") uses Repetition to emphasize the intensity and persistence of the verbal assault, amplifying David's humiliation and the audacity of Shimei's defiance.
Theological and Thematic Connections
This encounter with Shimei at Bahurim serves as a powerful illustration of the theological principle that God can use even the most painful and unjust human actions as instruments in His sovereign plan. David's willingness to endure Shimei's curses, seeing them potentially as God's allowance or even a divine discipline, demonstrates a profound trust in God's ultimate justice and a recognition of his own accountability before the Lord. It highlights the theme of suffering as a refining process and the humility required to accept adversity, even when it feels undeserved. The incident also underscores the reality of human animosity and the enduring nature of resentment, reminding us that opposition, even from unexpected sources, is often part of the journey of faith and leadership.
Reflection and Application
The scene at Bahurim offers profound lessons on how to respond to unjust criticism and adversity. David, a mighty king, found himself in a position of extreme vulnerability, subjected to public humiliation and verbal abuse from someone who harbored deep-seated resentment. His initial response, as seen in the subsequent verses, is not one of immediate retaliation but of remarkable patience and trust in God's sovereign hand. This teaches us that true strength is often found not in asserting power or seeking vengeance, but in humility, endurance, and a willingness to commit our cause to God. When we face undeserved attacks, whether verbal or otherwise, this narrative encourages us to pause, to consider if God might be allowing the situation for a greater purpose, and to trust that He will ultimately bring justice or refinement. It challenges us to examine our own hearts for lingering resentments and to choose forgiveness and reliance on divine strength over bitterness and retaliation.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why was Shimei so hostile towards David?
Shimei's intense hostility stemmed primarily from his deep loyalty to the fallen house of Saul. As a Benjamite and a relative of Saul, he likely viewed David as a usurper who had displaced Saul's dynasty and possibly held him responsible for the misfortunes that befell Saul's family. David's flight from Absalom provided Shimei with a perceived moment of weakness and divine judgment against David, which he seized to express his long-held resentment and contempt. His cursing was a public act of defiance and an attempt to shame the king, reflecting the lingering tribal and political divisions that persisted in Israel even after David had established his reign (compare 2 Samuel 2:8-10).
Did David retaliate against Shimei immediately?
No, David did not retaliate immediately. Although his mighty men, particularly Abishai, urged him to allow them to kill Shimei for his insolence, David famously restrained them. His response, found in 2 Samuel 16:10-12, reveals a remarkable humility and trust in God's sovereignty. He suggested that if the Lord had commanded Shimei to curse him, then he would endure it, seeing it as a potential discipline or a path through which God might bring him good. This moment highlights David's profound spiritual maturity and his willingness to submit to God's permissive will, even in the face of extreme provocation.
What happened to Shimei later in the narrative?
After Absalom's rebellion was crushed and David returned to Jerusalem, Shimei quickly came to meet David, along with a thousand Benjamites, to beg for forgiveness and pledge his loyalty (2 Samuel 19:16-23). David, in a moment of magnanimity, swore an oath that he would not put Shimei to death. However, on his deathbed, David instructed his son Solomon to deal with Shimei, reminding him of the curses at Bahurim (1 Kings 2:8-9). Solomon later confined Shimei to Jerusalem and eventually had him executed when Shimei violated the terms of his confinement (1 Kings 2:36-46).
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
The humiliating encounter between King David and Shimei at Bahurim serves as a poignant foreshadowing of the ultimate suffering and unjust treatment endured by the true King, Jesus Christ. David, God's anointed, was reviled and cursed by one from his own people, in a moment of profound vulnerability and perceived weakness, as he fled from a rebellious son. This mirrors the experience of Jesus, the Son of David, who, though innocent, was subjected to far greater scorn, false accusations, and physical abuse by those He came to save. Just as Shimei cursed David, so too did the crowds and the religious leaders hurl insults and curses at Jesus during His passion, mocking Him on the cross (Matthew 27:39-44). David's humble acceptance of the cursing, seeing it as potentially allowed by God, finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ, who "when he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously" (1 Peter 2:23). Jesus, the Lamb of God, silently endured the curses and the cross, not because of His own sin, but for ours, demonstrating perfect obedience and humility even unto death (Philippians 2:8). His suffering at the hands of His own people, like David's, was part of God's sovereign plan to bring about salvation, making Him the ultimate King who conquers not through power, but through sacrificial love and enduring humiliation (Hebrews 12:2).