Poole on 2 Samuel 19:16-23: The Pardon of Shimei

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Verse 16:[1]  And (2 Sam. 16:5; 1 Kings 2:8) Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.

[Now, Shimei hasted, etc., and came down, etc.]  That is, he came down with haste and speed (Vatablus).

Verse 17:[2]  And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and (2 Sam. 9:2, 10; 16:1, 2) Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went over Jordan before the king.

[With a thousand men, etc.]  So that he might appear dutiful to the King; or he was a tribune among his own, and so he brought the soldiers subject to himself (Menochius); or, he brought those as intercessors (Martyr).

A thousand men of Benjamin with him; whom he brought, partly to show his power and interest in the people, whereby he was able to do David either great service or great disservice; and partly as intercessors on his behalf, and as witnesses of David’s clemency or severity, that in him they might see what the rest of them might expect.  And Ziba; who, being conscious of his former abuse of David, and of his master Mephibosheth, which he knew the king would understand, designed to sweeten David’s spirit towards him, by his great officiousness and forwardness in meeting him, and congratulating his return.

[And rushing upon Jordan before the King, ‎וְצָלְח֥וּ הַיַּרְדֵּ֖ן לִפְנֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ [3]]  They crossed over (they went over [Jonathan], they prepared, or they crossed over prepared [Dutch], they crossed over triumphantly [Munster, Tigurinus, Montanus]) Jordan before the King (Pagnine, Vatablus, Strigelius); that is, so that they might go before the face of the King, who was on the farther bank of Jordan (Malvenda out of Vatablus).  Or, before the King went to the Jordan (Malvenda out of Junius).  Rushing into, not without the greatest danger, etc. (Osiander).  That is, the Men of Judah, who had come so that they might bring the King back, testing the fords, perhaps sitting on horses, so that neither the King nor his family might experience any danger in crossing Jordan (Menochius).  They raised a bridge for Jordan before the king (Syriac, similarly the Arabic, Josephus in Martyr).  Perhaps he understands rafts (Martyr).  And they forced passage, that is, they crossed on mules and horses (Vatablus).  They went across (Junius and Tremellius, Piscator).  צָלַח denotes motion, spirited and forceful (Piscator).

They went over Jordan before the king; they did not tarry on this side Jordan, waiting till the king came over, as the most of the men of Judah did; but went over Jordan to pay their respects and duty to the king there, to express their eager and impatient desire to see the king.

Verse 18:[4]  And there went over a ferry boat to carry over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good (Heb. the good in his eyes[5]).  And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was come over Jordan…

[They crossed the fords, etc., ‎וְעָבְרָ֣ה הָעֲבָרָ֗ה לַֽעֲבִיר֙ אֶת־בֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ]  And a light boat (or ship [Munster, Tigurinus]) went over, so that they might bring the royal family across (Pagnine, Montanus, etc.); that ferry boat went over (Junius and Tremellius), which the tribe of Judah had sent ahead to bring the King back (Malvenda out of Junius).  I would prefer, a certain ferry boat; because there is no previous mention of a ferry boat (Piscator).  A Singular is put in the place of the Plural; for many ferry boats and small vessels appear to have been necessary (Malvenda).  Light boats went over (Jonathan).  [Others otherwise:]  And they prepared fords (Syriac); they also brought piles for bridges (Arabic).

A ferry boat, made by the men of Judah for the king’s proper use; besides which there were doubtless many boats ready for the use of others.

[The house of the king]  That is, David’s wives, maidservants, and children (Malvenda out of Vatablus):  for the others crossed at a ford on horses, etc., or on foot (Malvenda).

As he was come over Jordan, or rather, as he was passing, or about to pass, over Jordan; but this was beyond Jordan; for as he went over Jordan to the king, verse 17, so doubtless he fell down before him at his first coming into his presence there.

Verse 19:[6]  And said unto the king, (1 Sam. 22:15) Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember (2 Sam. 16:5, 6, etc.) that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should (2 Sam. 13:33) take it to his heart.

[Impute not]  Μὴ δὴ λογισάσθω, do not at all reckon (Septuagint in Grotius).  In this sense λογίζεσθαι (to impute or to reckon) is contrary to ἀφιέναι (to remit), Romans 4:7.[7]  The same is elsewhere κρατεῖν, to retain sin[8] (Grotius).

[Iniquity]  Understanding, my iniquity (Vatablus).

[Neither remember the injuries, ‎אֵ֚ת אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֶעֱוָ֣ה]  That which he iniquitously did (Pagnine, similarly Junius and Tremellius, Vatablus), that is, the injury inflicted upon thee (Vatablus).

[Nor put it on thine heart]  Hebrew:  that he might put it upon his heart.[9]  A Hebraism, in the place of, that the King take notice of the injury received (Vatablus).  But let him pay no attention to it as if nothing at all (Menochius).

That the king should take it to his heart:  that is, Be affected with it, or excited to revenge it.

Verse 20:[10]  For thy servant doth know that I have sinned:  therefore, behold, I am come the first this day of all (see 2 Sam. 16:5) the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.

[I know, etc.]  Hebrew:  thy servant (that is, I [Piscator]) doth know that I have sinned[11] (Junius and Tremellius).  Hebrew:  that I have sinned.  כִּי is used εἰδικῶς (specificatively), not αἰτιολογικῶς (causally).  Moreover, that change of person was common (Piscator).

Thy servant doth know that I have sinned; I do not excuse my sin, but with grief and shame confess it; in which case the Lord thy God is ready to pardon offenders, and so I trust wilt thou be.

[First of all the house of Joseph (thus Munster, Tigurinus, Piscator, similarly Pagnine), ‎רִאשׁוֹן֙ לְכָל־בֵּ֣ית יוֹסֵ֔ף]  First to all the house, etc. (Montanus).  Question:  How does Shimei say these things, who was of the tribe of Benjamin?  Response:  By the name of Joseph he understands, either, 1.  all Israel (Vatablus, Tirinus out of Sanchez, Martyr), thus in Psalm 80:1, who leadest Joseph like a sheep; and in Psalm 81:5, a testimony in Joseph; and in Psalm 77:15, thou hast redeemed...the sons of Jacob and Joseph.  It appears that the reason for this appellation is this, that Joseph was as a father to his brethren in Egypt, and also obtained the primogeniture in the place of Reuben, 1 Chronicles 5 (Sanchez).  2.  Or all the tribes except Judah, because the prerogatives of primogeniture were divided between Judah and Joseph.  See 1 Chronicles 5:1, 2 (Menochius nearly out of Lapide).  Or, 3.  these three tribes, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh (Munster, a great many interpreters in Munster).  The tribe of Benjamin, when it marched to make war, went under the banner of Joseph.  He does not reckon himself in the tribes of Joseph, but reckons himself with those with whom he was otherwise serving as a soldier (Martyr).  Benjamin was fighting under the banner of Ephraim (Vatablus).  The tribes of Joseph and Benjamin are understood conjointly, because they were uterine brothers[12] (Piscator, similarly Martyr).  4.  [Others translate the passage otherwise:]  Ahead of the whole family of Joseph (Syriac, similarly Jonathan, Arabic, Junius and Tremellius); that is to say, I have hurried to thee with such diligence, that I have even gotten ahead of all the posterity of Joseph, whose territory, next to Jordan from Mahanaim, is closer to thee coming here to the ford, Joshua 16:1; for the territory of the Benjamites was more remote, Joshua 18:11 (Malvenda out of Junius).  Prior to all Israel and the house of Joseph (Septuagint).  [But this opinion does not satisfy (Piscator).]  For ‎רִאשׁוֹן/ first/former does not govern the preposition מִן/from/than, but ל/to/for (Piscator).  He was aiming at the favor of the returning King; that is to say, by this my coming I have set an example for the others what they ought to do.  Or thus:  See, I am the first to come to thee; the eyes of the Hebrews have been cast upon thee, and see what thou art going to do to me:  thou wilt give here a specimen either of severity or of mercy.  Hence others will know what awaits them.  Thus the Hebrews.  It does not displease (Martyr).

I am come the first; the sense of my former sin now hath, and whilst I live will, make me the first and most forward in all acts of duty and service to thy majesty.  Of all the house of Joseph.  Objection:  He was a Benjamite, 2 Samuel 16:5.  How then doth he make himself one of the house of Joseph?  Answer:  The house of Joseph is here put, either, 1.  For the ten tribes, which are oft distinguished from Judah, and then they are called the house of Joseph, as Zechariah 10:6.  But this distinction was not made before the division of the people into two kingdoms; and even after that division Benjamin was constantly reckoned with Judah, and not with Joseph or Ephraim.  Or, 2.  For all the tribes of Israel, who are called the children of Joseph, Psalm 77:15; compare Psalm 80:1; 81:5; as well they might, not only because of Joseph’s eminency, (the most eminent persons and things being oft put for the rest of the kind,) and because the rights of primogeniture were in a great part devolved upon him, 1 Chronicles 5:1; but also because Joseph had been as a father to them, and had nourished them all like children, as is expressed in the Hebrew text, Genesis 47:12.[13]  But in this sense this was not true, for the house of Judah came before him, 2 Samuel 19:15.  Or rather, 3.  For all the tribes except Judah, which are conveniently called the house of Joseph for the reasons now mentioned, and are fitly distinguished from Judah, because the rights of the first-born were divided between Judah and Joseph, 1 Chronicles 5:2.  And though Benjamin, after the division of the kingdoms, was fitly joined with Judah, because then they adhered to that tribe; yet before that time it was more conveniently joined with Joseph, because they marched under the standard of the house of Joseph, or of Ephraim, Numbers 10:22-24; whence it is that Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh are put together, Psalm 80:2.

Verse 21:[14]  But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he (Ex. 22:28) cursed the LORD’S anointed?

[Shall he not be put to death for these words? וגו״ ‎הֲתַ֣חַת זֹ֔את]  Shall he not because of this? (Pagnine, Vatablus), because of this humiliation? (Kimchi in Munster), or supplication (Vatablus, similarly Piscator, Menochius).

[Because he cursed, ‎כִּ֥י קִלֵּ֖ל]  Since (or although or while yet [Piscator]) he cursed (Vatablus, Junius and Tremellius).

[The Lord’s Christ]  David, a Prophet anointed as King (Menochius).

The LORD’S anointed:  that is, The king.  By this expression he minds David of his former zeal against those who offered any injury to Saul, because he was the Lord’s anointed, 1 Samuel 24:6; 26:9; and therefore demands the same justice against Shimei for his cursing of the king, which was so expressly forbidden, Exodus 22:28, and by the analogy of that law, Exodus 21:17, might seem punishable with death.

Verse 22:[15]  And David said, (2 Sam. 16:10) What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? (1 Sam. 11:13) shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel?

[What to me and to you?]  Is it your office to direct me continually? (Martyr).

What have I to do with you?  I do not ask, neither will I take, your advice in this matter.  Ye sons of Zeruiah; implying that Joab’s hand was in this contrivance, or that he suspected it.

[Why are ye made a Satan to me?]  See Matthew 16:23 (Grotius).  Hebrew:  into an adversary?[16] (Junius, Piscator, Martyr).  Ye pretend to serve my interests, but ye do not.  An importunate friend sometimes does more harm than an enemy.  What things Abishai was saying were not contrary to reason, but to the time:  that moment was requiring something else; that is to say, with matters not yet settled, why do ye excite new commotions? (Martyr).  Counsel of this sort was actually the counsel of an enemy; indeed, the death of Shimei would have rendered all the tribes hostile to David, since they would have despaired of forgiveness, and would have dreaded like punishments for themselves (Menochius, similarly Lyra).

That ye should this day be adversaries unto me, that is, that you put me upon things unfit for me to do, and contrary to my present interest; for it was David’s interest at this time to appease the people, and reconcile them to him, and not now to give them any new distaste by acts of severity; for this would make others jealous, that David will not forgive them neither, but would watch an opportunity to be revenged on them.  You pretend friendship herein, and would have me take it for an effect of your zeal for my service; but in truth you give me such counsel as my enemies would wish me to follow, that thereby I might awaken the fears and jealousies of my people which are now asleep, and cast them into a second rebellion:  which either Joab and Abishai really designed by this advice, that so Joab might recover his place again, and be made necessary for the king’s service; or David suspected that they did so.

[Shall a man be killed today, etc.?]  Compare 1 Samuel 11:13 (Piscator).  A day made joyful on account of the recovery of the kingdom demands examples of mercy, rather than of severity (Grotius, similarly Menochius, Martyr).

[That I have been made King?]  That is, that the kingdom has been restored to me (Vatablus).  In his reckoning, he was being inaugurated on that day; he was unwilling that the kingdom begin in blood.  He was thinking that the injury was to be covered, not to be brought into the light.  David was prone to forgive injury, because he had been afflicted.  The afflicted soul appears to be made closer to God.  When the pious feel that their sins have been forgiven, they themselves are also prompt to forgive (Martyr).

Do not I know that I am this day king over Israel? is not my kingdom, which for my sins was in a manner wholly lost, just now restored and assured to me?  And when God hath been so merciful to me in forgiving my sin, shall I now show myself revengeful to Shimei?  Shall I sully the public joy and glory of this day with an act of such severity? or shall I alienate the hearts of my people from me, now when they are returning to me?

Verse 23:[17]  Therefore (1 Kings 2:8, 9, 37, 46) the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die.  And the king sware unto him.

[Thou shalt not die:  And he swore to him]  But it appears that David violated this oath, 1 Kings 2:9, hold him not guiltless (Estius).  Response 1:  Thou shalt not die, that is, by my hand, or as long as I live (Menochius, similarly Osiander); not at my command (Junius, Malvenda, Piscator).  See 1 Kings 2:8.  I swore…saying, I will not put thee to death.  Behold, here he clearly explains what he swore, namely, that he himself would not put him to death, etc. (Lapide).  Moreover, David did not express this condition, but had it in his mind.  Therefore, it is to be observed, how an oath ought to be interpreted; whether according to the sense of the one swearing, or of him to whom it is sworn.  Response:  If it be taken in the civil forum, the words of those swearing are to be taken as they are commonly understood.  But if it be taken in the realm of conscience, he that swears candidly and simply is only bound to keep what he contemplated; he that swears fraudulently knows that he is bound to the sense of him whom he wants to deceive (Martyr).  David did not swear on behalf of his successors (Osiander).  An oath, when no other cause is present, does not go beyond the person of the one swearing, neither does it obliged an heir.  See 1 Kings 2:8, 46 (Grotius).  Whenever the legal right of a person does not arise…but fidelity is bound to God, the heir of the one swearing is not bound.  Because, just as to the heir goods pass, which are in the commercial domain of men; so also the burdens of the goods:  not likewise others things that one owed by duty of, for example, loyalty, gratitude, fidelity.  For these things do not pertain to that which is strictly called a legal right or title among men:  as we have elsewhere been careful to show (Grotius’ Concerning the Law of War and Peace 2:13:17).  Response 2:  Thou shalt not die, that is, today, or now (Sanchez out of Tostatus, Piscator, Lapide, Lyra).  David has regard to Abishai, who was wanting to kill him on the spot; whence he, restraining him, says, Shall he then be put to death today, etc.?  David was able to limit his grace and forgiveness as his own pleasure.  That in life he spared him, was a work of great clemency:  but that in death he commanded him to be put to death, was a work of justice (Lapide).  Response 3:  Thou shalt not die, namely, for this reason (Estius, thus Lyra); neither did he command Solomon, that he should punish him on account of it, but he merely says, Do not allow him to pass unharmed, that is, unpunished:  but in what way he might be able to do that justly, he commits to the prudence of Solomon.  That is, princes are wont to pass by sins, especially of the seditious, in such a way that, if it happens that they sin again, the former sin is punished together with the latter; and so it happened in the case of Shimei (Estius).  David did not command, that he should inflict death upon Shimei, even if he was living innocently; but, if Shimei should perpetrate anything new, then he would pay with his life (Osiander).  Response 4:  What things are sworn in error ought not to be fulfilled.  David had promised a thing neither lawful nor just, namely, that pardon would be bestowed upon a wicked criminal, who had violated that law, thou shalt not curse the ruler of thy people.[18]  Therefore, it is not strange, if afterwards David advised Solomon, that he should correct this evil (Martyr).  Such a brazen cursing of a King ought not to be left unpunished, as an example to others (Lapide, similarly Osiander).

Thou shalt not die, to wit, this day, as Abishai desireth; nor whilst I live, nor by my hands, as it is repeated and explained, 1 Kings 2:8; nor for this cause alone.  For though David gave order to Solomon for his punishment after his death; nor was it fit for the public good that such a horrid crime should go unpunished; yet he would not have him punished for this fault alone, but for some other capital crime, which he presumed Shimei’s temper would easily betray him to, and Solomon’s deep wisdom would easily find out, 1 Kings 2:9.  The king sware unto him, that he would not put him to death with the sword, as it is expressed, 1 Kings 2:8.

[1] Hebrew:  ‎וַיְמַהֵ֗ר שִׁמְעִ֤י בֶן־גֵּרָא֙ בֶּן־הַיְמִינִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֖ר מִבַּֽחוּרִ֑ים וַיֵּ֙רֶד֙ עִם־אִ֣ישׁ יְהוּדָ֔ה לִקְרַ֖את הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ דָּוִֽד׃

[2] Hebrew: ‎וְאֶ֙לֶף אִ֣ישׁ עִמּוֹ֘ מִבִּנְיָמִן֒ וְצִיבָ֗א נַ֚עַר בֵּ֣ית שָׁא֔וּל וַחֲמֵ֙שֶׁת עָשָׂ֥ר בָּנָ֛יו וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים עֲבָדָ֖יו אִתּ֑וֹ וְצָלְח֥וּ הַיַּרְדֵּ֖ן לִפְנֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

[3] צָלַח signifies to rush, or to advance or prosper.

[4] Hebrew: ‎וְעָבְרָ֣ה הָעֲבָרָ֗ה לַֽעֲבִיר֙ אֶת־בֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְלַעֲשׂ֥וֹת הַטּ֖וֹב בְּעֵינָ֑ו וְשִׁמְעִ֣י בֶן־גֵּרָ֗א נָפַל֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ בְּעָבְר֖וֹ בַּיַּרְדֵּֽן׃

[5] Hebrew:  הַטּ֖וֹב בְּעֵינָ֑ו.

[6] Hebrew:  ‎וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֶל־הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ אַל־יַחֲשָׁב־לִ֣י אֲדֹנִי֘ עָוֹן֒ וְאַל־תִּזְכֹּ֗ר אֵ֚ת אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֶעֱוָ֣ה עַבְדְּךָ֔ בַּיּ֕וֹם אֲשֶׁר־יָ֗צָ֥֗א֗ אֲדֹנִֽי־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ מִירֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם לָשׂ֥וּם הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֶל־לִבּֽוֹ׃

[7] Romans 4:7, 8:  “Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven (ἀφέθησαν), and whose sins are covered.  Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute (λογίσηται) sin.”

[8] John 20:23:  “Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained (ἄν τινων ἀφῆτε τὰς ἁμαρτίας, ἀφίενται αὐτοῖς· ἄν τινων κρατῆτε, κεκράτηνται).”

[9] Hebrew:  ‎לָשׂ֥וּם הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֶל־לִבּֽוֹ׃.

[10] Hebrew: ‎כִּ֚י יָדַ֣ע עַבְדְּךָ֔ כִּ֖י אֲנִ֣י חָטָ֑אתִי וְהִנֵּֽה־בָ֣אתִי הַיּ֗וֹם רִאשׁוֹן֙ לְכָל־בֵּ֣ית יוֹסֵ֔ף לָרֶ֕דֶת לִקְרַ֖את אֲדֹנִ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ ס

[11] Hebrew:  ‎יָדַ֣ע עַבְדְּךָ֔ כִּ֖י אֲנִ֣י חָטָ֑אתִי.

[12] Joseph and Benjamin were the two sons of his beloved wife Rachel.  See Genesis 30:22-24; 35:16-19.

[13] Genesis 47:12:  “And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his father’s household, with bread, according to their families (‎לְפִ֥י הַטָּֽף׃, according to the mouth of the children).”

[14] Hebrew:  ‎ויַּ֙עַן אֲבִישַׁ֤י בֶּן־צְרוּיָה֙ וַיֹּ֔אמֶר הֲתַ֣חַת זֹ֔את לֹ֥א יוּמַ֖ת שִׁמְעִ֑י כִּ֥י קִלֵּ֖ל אֶת־מְשִׁ֥יחַ יְהוָֽה׃ ס

[15] Hebrew: ‎וַיֹּ֣אמֶר דָּוִ֗ד מַה־לִּ֤י וְלָכֶם֙ בְּנֵ֣י צְרוּיָ֔ה כִּי־תִֽהְיוּ־לִ֥י הַיּ֖וֹם לְשָׂטָ֑ן הַיּ֗וֹם י֤וּמַת אִישׁ֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כִּ֚י הֲל֣וֹא יָדַ֔עְתִּי כִּ֥י הַיּ֖וֹם אֲנִי־מֶ֥לֶךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

[16] Hebrew:  ‎לְשָׂטָן.

[17] Hebrew:  ‎וַיֹּ֧אמֶר הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ אֶל־שִׁמְעִ֖י לֹ֣א תָמ֑וּת וַיִּשָּׁ֥בַֽע ל֖וֹ הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ ס

[18] Exodus 22:28.