Poole on 1 Kings 2:36-46: The Execution of Shimei

Verse 36:[1]  And the king sent and called for (2 Sam. 16:5; 1 Kings 2:8) Shimei, and said unto him, Build thee an house in Jerusalem, and dwell there, and go not forth thence any whither.

[He called Shimei, etc.]  He wanted him to remain in Jerusalem.  For there all his deeds and words were able easily to be observed:  Thus an occasion for his execution was able readily to be obtained, which the king was especially seeking (Martyr).  It is likely, that a man contumacious, and wanting all things to be lawful for himself, would not comply for long with the precept.  This is the very punishment that Marcianus, “On Exile, Interdicts, and Relegations”,[2] listed among the others, where a person is forbidden from all places except one, very suitable for restraining men that could stir up disturbances in a crowd (Grotius).  The man, if left free, was able to undertake many things, either with the Philistines, or with the Israelites (Martyr).  It was no slight punishment to go from the place where he had family, and ample possessions, and power and dignity; and to dwell in an alien tribe and city (as if in a certain sort of looser detention), in which he was not able not to be odious on account of his former impudence (Sanchez).

Build thee an house in Jerusalem, etc.:  This Solomon ordered, partly, for his own security, that being removed from that place where his kindred, and estate, and interest lay, to a place where he was but a stranger, and sufficiently odious for his former and never-to-be-forgotten insolency towards his lord and king, he might be incapable of raising any tumults and seditions; partly, as a penalty for his former wickedness, wherein yet there was more mercy than justice, and from which David had not promised him any security, but only given him his life; and partly, that being in this public theatre, all his words and actions might be narrowly observed; which, considering his busy, and covetous, and wicked temper, was likely to give Solomon the advantage which he sought for; and this very prohibition would probably inflame his desire of transgressing it, as the manner of men is.

Verse 37:[3]  For it shall be, that on the day thou goest out, and passest over (2 Sam. 15:23) the brook Kidron, thou shalt know for certain that thou shalt surely die:  (Lev. 20:9; Josh. 2:19; 2 Sam. 1:16) thy blood shall be upon thine own head.

[And thou shalt have passed over the brook Kidron]  It appeared that this was able to be less heeded by Shimei, because through Kidron was opening the way to his ancestral city, Bahurim (Sanchez).  From the city it was distant about an Italian mile.[4]  Thus some space was given to him, so that he might have room to walk for refreshment (Martyr).  He named Kidron; but it is a (general) sentence, if he should go from the city even such a small space as it is to Kidron; for when he went to Gath, he did not actually pass over this brook; for the brook was to the east of the city, but Gath to the west (Menochius).  It is called the brook קִדְרוֹן/ Kidron; that is, of obscurity,[5] because it was situated in a place shaded, dark, shadowy (Vatablus).

The brook Kidron; a brook nigh unto Jerusalem, of which see 2 Samuel 15:23; 2 Kings 23:4; which he particularly names, because that was the way to Bahurim, his former and settled habitation:  but this is not to be understood exclusively to other ways and places; for the restraint was general, that he should not go forth thence any whither, 1 Kings 2:36, to wit, as far any other way as Cedron was:  which also appears from the following history; for when he went to Gath, he went not over Cedron, (which lay eastward from the city,) but westward, as Gath lay.

[Thy blood shall be upon thine own head]  That is, thy head shall be defiled and soaked in thine own blood; that is to say, I will command that thou be executed, and thou shalt be the cause of thine own death (Vatablus).

Thy blood shall be upon thine own head; the blame and guilt of thy blood shall lie upon thyself only.

Verse 38:[6]  And Shimei said unto the king, The saying is good:  as my lord the king hath said, so will thy servant do.  And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days.

[And Shimei said]  With an oath added, as it is evident from verse 43 (Junius, Piscator, Malvenda, Martyr).

[The saying is good]  It is a Hebraism:  What thou sayest is pleasing to me.  It is a concise form of speech (Vatablus).  He commended the condition, because he feared harsher things for himself, since he was seeing capital punishment exacted of Adonijah and Joab (Martyr).

The saying is good; thy sentence is much more merciful than I expected or deserved.  So will thy servant do; and Shimei did not only promise it, but also swore to it; being required by Solomon to do so, as is manifest from verses 42, 43.

[1011 BC]  Verse 39:[7]  And it came to pass at the end of three years, that two of the servants of Shimei ran away unto (1 Sam. 27:2) Achish son of Maachah king of Gath.  And they told Shimei, saying, Behold, thy servants be in Gath.

[That they fled…to Achish king of Gath]  Either the very same to whom David had previously fled (Tostatus in Menochius, Martyr); or his son (Martyr).  Perhaps the servants were Philistines, and of Gath (Menochius).

Achish son of Maachah king of Gath; a king, but subject and tributary, first to David, and then to Solomon.  This might be either that Achish who showed so much kindness to David, 1 Samuel 27; 28, or his son; who, in requital of this kindness, was still permitted to enjoy the title and honour of a king, but not the full power; whence it was that Achish could not, or durst not, keep these servants, though they had fled to him for protection, but suffered Shimei to take them away from his royal city.

Verse 40:[8]  And Shimei arose, and saddled his ass, and went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants:  and Shimei went, and brought his servants from Gath.

[And Shimei arose, etc.]  Rashly and incited by a perturbed mind and avarice; while that man wished to recover his servants, he lost his property and life (Martyr).

Went to Gath; which, though highly dangerous, he attempted, partly, because he was blinded with covetousness and rage against his servants, which two lusts have done, and daily do, engage men to such courses and actions as are no less dangerous to their lives than this is; partly, because he thought length of time had worn this out of Solomon’s mind, and other men’s thoughts; and that this being done secretly and speedily, would never have come to Solomon’s ears; or that Solomon would not be severe in this case, where it was not wantonness nor contempt of his authority, but the necessity of his household concerns, which put him upon it; and partly, because God withdrew from him the light of common prudence, and wholly left him to his own mistakes, and folly, and lusts; and withal, to the instigation of the devil, whose cunning and powerful artifices and insinuations he could not resist without Divine help.

Verse 41:[9]  And it was told Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and was come again.

[It was told]  Because (as it is likely) he had secretly appointed spies to him (Martyr).

It was told Solomon, who doubtless had his spies appointed to observe him in all his motions.

Verse 42:[10]  And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Did I not make thee to swear by the LORD, and protested unto thee, saying, Know for a certain, on the day thou goest out, and walkest abroad any whither, that thou shalt surely die? and thou saidst unto me, The word that I have heard is good.

[Did I not testify? ‎הִשְׁבַּעְתִּיךָ]  I adjured thee, that is, I bound thee with an oath (Vatablus).

[And I warned thee, ‎וָאָעִ֤ד בְּךָ֙ [11]]  And I protested unto thee (Pagnine, Vatablus), that is, with witnesses employed (Vatablus).

Verse 43:[12]  Why then hast thou not kept the oath of the LORD, and the commandment that I have charged thee with?

Why then? Etc.:  He was guilty both of rebellion against the express, and just, and (as himself called it) good command of the king, and of perjury against God; which were two high and heinous crimes.  His oath he calls the oath of the Lord, because it was taken in God’s presence, and he was called upon as a witness of it, and as the avenger of all violations of it, and because the law of God obliged him to the performance of it.

Verse 44:[13]  The king said moreover to Shimei, Thou knowest (2 Sam. 16:5) all the wickedness which thine heart is privy to, that thou didst to David my father:  therefore the LORD shall (Ps. 7:16; Ezek. 17:19) return thy wickedness upon thine own head…

Thou knowest all the wickedness which thine heart is privy to; for which thy own conscience accuseth thee, and there is no need of other witnesses.

[The Lord hath returned thy malice, etc.]  Solomon added these things, showing that he was not punishing him because of the former sin; but so that he might refer the government of human affairs to God, who procured the occasion, that he might suffer the punishment of his former crimes.  Then, by commemorating those things, he was urging him to repentance, and by the same means fulfilled the charge of his father (Martyr).  For the punishment of the former sin, God permitted thee to fall into this latter sin, so that both might now be punished with one and the same act of vengeance (Menochius).

Shall return; Hebrew, hath returned,[14] which seems most proper.  God hath punished thee for thy former wickedness, by suffering thee to fall into further crimes, and expose thyself to thy deserved death.

Verse 45:[15]  And king Solomon shall be blessed, and (Prov. 25:5) the throne of David shall be established before the LORD for ever.

[The throne shall be established]  When just punishments are exacted upon the guilty, kingdoms are strengthened (Martyr).  It signifies that his kingdom was going to be shaken, unless he turned his attention toward Shimei (Menochius).

The throne of David; that royal power and dignity conferred upon David to him and his heirs for ever.  Shall be established by the execution of such righteous judgments as this is.  Before the Lord; in the presence of that God who is both an observer and rewarder of all such righteous actions; or under God’s inspection, and by his blessing.

Verse 46:[16]  So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; which went out, and fell upon him, that he died.  And the (1 Kings 2:12; 2 Chron. 1:1) kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

[Who, going out, smote him]  For it was not fitting that anyone be killed in the sight of the King (Martyr).  It was a just punishment, 1.  because his former crime had not been pardoned, except under condition, which he did not meet; and, 2.  because it was capital to violate the specific precept of the King, no less than if one had abandoned his post (Grotius).  He transgressed a precept given under penalty of death, and accepted by himself (Theodoret and Josephus and Serarius in Lapide).  Solomon was especially intending to punish the former crime, according to the command of his father; yet he was unwilling simply to change the pardon granted by his father,[17] but to limit it with an honest condition; because Shimei violated it, Solomon withdrew the pardon of his father, and revived Shimei’s guilt and punishment (Lapide).

Which went out; carrying Shimei along with him to the place of execution, which was not fit to be in the king’s presence.

[It was confirmed]  With his domestic enemies removed (Sanchez).

The kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon; his secret and worst enemies being taken out of the way.

[1] Hebrew: ‎וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ וַיִּקְרָ֣א לְשִׁמְעִ֔י וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ בְּֽנֵה־לְךָ֥ בַ֙יִת֙ בִּיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם וְיָשַׁבְתָּ֖ שָׁ֑ם וְלֹֽא־תֵצֵ֥א מִשָּׁ֖ם אָ֥נֶה וָאָֽנָה׃

[2] Digest 48:22.  Ælius Marcianus (third century AD) was a Roman jurist, active under the Emperors Caracalla (who reigned from 198 to 217) and Alexander Severus (who reigned from 222 to 235).

[3] Hebrew:  ‎וְהָיָ֣ה׀ בְּי֣וֹם צֵאתְךָ֗ וְעָֽבַרְתָּ֙ אֶת־נַ֣חַל קִדְר֔וֹן יָדֹ֥עַ תֵּדַ֖ע כִּ֣י מ֣וֹת תָּמ֑וּת דָּמְךָ֖ יִהְיֶ֥ה בְרֹאשֶֽׁךָ׃

[4] About nine tenths of a modern mile.

[5] קָדַר/kadar signifies to be dark.

[6] Hebrew: ‎וַיֹּ֙אמֶר שִׁמְעִ֤י לַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ ט֣וֹב הַדָּבָ֔ר כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר דִּבֶּר֙ אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ כֵּ֖ן יַעֲשֶׂ֣ה עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ וַיֵּ֧שֶׁב שִׁמְעִ֛י בִּירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם יָמִ֥ים רַבִּֽים׃ ס

[7] Hebrew: ‎ויְהִ֗י מִקֵּץ֙ שָׁלֹ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֔ים וַיִּבְרְח֤וּ שְׁנֵֽי־עֲבָדִים֙ לְשִׁמְעִ֔י אֶל־אָכִ֥ישׁ בֶּֽן־מַעֲכָ֖ה מֶ֣לֶךְ גַּ֑ת וַיַּגִּ֤ידוּ לְשִׁמְעִי֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הִנֵּ֥ה עֲבָדֶ֖יךָ בְּגַֽת׃

[8] Hebrew:  ‎וַיָּ֣קָם שִׁמְעִ֗י וַֽיַּחֲבֹשׁ֙ אֶת־חֲמֹר֔וֹ וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ גַּ֙תָה֙ אֶל־אָכִ֔ישׁ לְבַקֵּ֖שׁ אֶת־עֲבָדָ֑יו וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ שִׁמְעִ֔י וַיָּבֵ֥א אֶת־עֲבָדָ֖יו מִגַּֽת׃

[9] Hebrew:  ‎וַיֻּגַּ֖ד לִשְׁלֹמֹ֑ה כִּי־הָלַ֙ךְ שִׁמְעִ֧י מִירוּשָׁלִַ֛ם גַּ֖ת וַיָּשֹֽׁב׃

[10] Hebrew: ‎וַיִּשְׁלַ֙ח הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ וַיִּקְרָ֣א לְשִׁמְעִ֗י וַיֹּ֙אמֶר אֵלָ֜יו הֲל֧וֹא הִשְׁבַּעְתִּ֣יךָ בַֽיהוָ֗ה וָאָעִ֤ד בְּךָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר בְּי֣וֹם צֵאתְךָ֗ וְהָֽלַכְתָּ֙ אָ֣נֶה וָאָ֔נָה יָדֹ֥עַ תֵּדַ֖ע כִּ֣י מ֣וֹת תָּמ֑וּת וַתֹּ֧אמֶר אֵלַ֛י ט֥וֹב הַדָּבָ֖ר שָׁמָֽעְתִּי׃

[11] עוּד, in the Hiphil, signifies to bear witness, or to protest or warn.

[12] Hebrew:  ‎וּמַדּ֕וּעַ לֹ֣א שָׁמַ֔רְתָּ אֵ֖ת שְׁבֻעַ֣ת יְהוָ֑ה וְאֶת־הַמִּצְוָ֖ה אֲשֶׁר־צִוִּ֥יתִי עָלֶֽיךָ׃

[13] Hebrew: ‎וַיֹּ֙אמֶר הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶל־שִׁמְעִ֗י אַתָּ֤ה יָדַ֙עְתָּ֙ אֵ֣ת כָּל־הָרָעָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר יָדַע֙ לְבָ֣בְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִׂ֖יתָ לְדָוִ֣ד אָבִ֑י וְהֵשִׁ֧יב יְהוָ֛ה אֶת־רָעָתְךָ֖ בְּרֹאשֶֽׁךָ׃

[14] Hebrew:  ‎וְהֵשִׁיב.

[15] Hebrew:  ‎וְהַמֶּ֥לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה בָּר֑וּךְ וְכִסֵּ֣א דָוִ֗ד יִהְיֶ֥ה נָכ֛וֹן לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃

[16] Hebrew:  ‎וַיְצַ֣ו הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ אֶת־בְּנָיָ֙הוּ֙ בֶּן־יְה֣וֹיָדָ֔ע וַיֵּצֵ֕א וַיִּפְגַּע־בּ֖וֹ וַיָּמֹ֑ת וְהַמַּמְלָכָ֥ה נָכ֖וֹנָה בְּיַד־שְׁלֹמֹֽה׃

[17] 2 Samuel 19:16-23.