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Saturday, August 2nd, 2025
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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Read the Bible

Revised Standard Version

2 Samuel 19:21

Abi'shai the son of Zeru'iah answered, "Shall not Shim'e-i be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD'S anointed?"

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Abishai;   Amnesty;   Anointing;   Clemency;   David;   Treason;   Thompson Chain Reference - Abishai;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Anointing, Sacred;   Kings;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Shimel;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Abishai;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - David;   Samuel, First and Second, Theology of;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Prophet;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Abishai;   Court Systems;   Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Joram;   Names and Titles of Christ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Abishai ;   Shimei ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Abishai;   Shimei;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Abishai;   Messiah;   Samuel, Books of;   Shimei;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Benjamin;   Messiah;   Shimei;   Treason;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Abishai son of Zeruiah asked, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord’s anointed?”
Hebrew Names Version
But Avishai the son of Tzeru'yah answered, Shall Shim`i not be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD's anointed?
King James Version
But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord 's anointed?
Lexham English Bible
Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah responded and said, "Because of this, should not Shimei be put to death, for he cursed the anointed one of Yahweh?"
English Standard Version
Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, "Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord 's anointed?"
New Century Version
But Abishai son of Zeruiah said, "Shimei should die because he cursed you, the Lord 's appointed king!"
New English Translation
Abishai son of Zeruiah replied, "For this should not Shimei be put to death? After all, he cursed the Lord 's anointed!"
Amplified Bible
But Abishai the son of Zeruiah said, "Should not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD'S anointed?"
New American Standard Bible
But Abishai the son of Zeruiah responded, "Should Shimei not be put to death for this, the fact that he cursed the LORD'S anointed?"
Geneva Bible (1587)
But Abishai the sonne of Zeruiah answered, and said, Shal not Shimei die for this, because he cursed the Lordes anoynted?
Legacy Standard Bible
But Abishai the son of Zeruiah said, "Should not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the anointed of Yahweh?"
Contemporary English Version
But Abishai shouted, "You should be killed for cursing the Lord 's chosen king!"
Complete Jewish Bible
For your servant knows that I have sinned. Therefore, look — I am the first one of all the house of Yosef to come today and go down to meet my lord the king."
Darby Translation
And Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Should not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed Jehovah's anointed?
Easy-to-Read Version
Abishai son of Zeruiah said, "Let's kill him for all the bad things he said about the Lord 's chosen king."
George Lamsa Translation
But Abishai the son of Zoriah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORDS anointed?
Good News Translation
Abishai son of Zeruiah spoke up: "Shimei should be put to death because he cursed the one whom the Lord chose as king."
Literal Translation
And Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the anointed of Jehovah?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Neuertheles Abisai the sonne of Zeru Ia answered and sayde: And shulde not Semei dye therfore, seynge he hath cursed ye anoynted of ye LORDE?
American Standard Version
But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed Jehovah's anointed?
Bible in Basic English
But Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, said, Is not death the right fate for Shimei, because he has been cursing the one marked by the holy oil?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
But Abisai the sonne of Zaruia aunswered, and sayd: Shall not Simei dye for this, because he cursed the Lordes annoynted?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
For thy servant doth know that I have sinned; therefore, behold, I am come this day the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.'
King James Version (1611)
But Abishai the sonne of Zeruiah answered, and sayd, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because hee cursed the Lords Anointed?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Abessai the son of Saruia answered and said, Shall not Semei therefore be put to death, because he cursed the Lord’s anointed?
English Revised Version
But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD’S anointed?
Berean Standard Bible
But Abishai son of Zeruiah said, "Shouldn't Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD's anointed?"
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe Abisai, the sone of Saruye, answeride and seide, Whether Semei, that curside the crist of the Lord, schal not be slayn for these wordis?
Young's Literal Translation
And Abishai son of Zeruiah answereth and saith, `For this is not Shimei put to death -- because he reviled the anointed of Jehovah?'
Update Bible Version
But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed Yahweh's anointed?
Webster's Bible Translation
But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD'S anointed?
World English Bible
But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, Shall Shimei not be put to death for this, because he cursed Yahweh's anointed?
New King James Version
But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, "Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD's anointed?"
New Living Translation
Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said, "Shimei should die, for he cursed the Lord 's anointed king!"
New Life Bible
But Zeruiah's son Abishai answered, "Should not Shimei be put to death for this? He spoke against the Lord's chosen one."
New Revised Standard
Abishai son of Zeruiah answered, "Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord 's anointed?"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then responded Abishai, son of Zeruiah, and said, For this, shall not Shimei be put to death, for that he cursed the Anointed of Yahweh?
Douay-Rheims Bible
But Abisai the son of Sarvia answering, said: Shall Semei for these words not be put to death, because he cursed the Lord’s anointed?
THE MESSAGE
Abishai son of Zeruiah interrupted, "Enough of this! Shouldn't we kill him outright? Why, he cursed God 's anointed!"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
But Abishai the son of Zeruiah said, "Should not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD'S anointed?"

Contextual Overview

16 And Shim'e-i the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, from Bahu'rim, made haste to come down with the men of Judah to meet King David; 17 and with him were a thousand men from Benjamin. And Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, with his fifteen sons and his twenty servants, rushed down to the Jordan before the king, 18 and they crossed the ford to bring over the king's household, and to do his pleasure. And Shim'e-i the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was about to cross the Jordan, 19 and said to the king, "Let not my lord hold me guilty or remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem; let not the king bear it in mind. 20 For your servant knows that I have sinned; therefore, behold, I have come this day, the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king." 21 Abi'shai the son of Zeru'iah answered, "Shall not Shim'e-i be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD'S anointed?" 22 But David said, "What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeru'iah, that you should this day be as an adversary to me? Shall any one be put to death in Israel this day? For do I not know that I am this day king over Israel?" 23 And the king said to Shim'e-i, "You shall not die." And the king gave him his oath.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Shall not: Exodus 22:28, 1 Kings 21:10, 1 Kings 21:11

cursed: 2 Samuel 16:5, 2 Samuel 16:7, 2 Samuel 16:13, 1 Samuel 24:6, 1 Samuel 26:9

Reciprocal: 1 Chronicles 18:12 - Moreover Job 31:31 - the men Job 34:17 - wilt Lamentations 4:20 - the anointed James 3:9 - therewith curse

Cross-References

Genesis 4:7
If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is couching at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it."
Genesis 12:2
And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.
Genesis 18:24
Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; wilt thou then destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it?
Genesis 19:8
Behold, I have two daughters who have not known man; let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please; only do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof."
Genesis 19:9
But they said, "Stand back!" And they said, "This fellow came to sojourn, and he would play the judge! Now we will deal worse with you than with them." Then they pressed hard against the man Lot, and drew near to break the door.
Genesis 19:15
When morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, "Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city."
Genesis 19:16
But he lingered; so the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him forth and set him outside the city.
Psalms 34:15
The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous, and his ears toward their cry.
Psalms 102:17
he will regard the prayer of the destitute, and will not despise their supplication.
Psalms 145:19
He fulfils the desire of all who fear him, he also hears their cry, and saves them.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said,.... The same person that would have taken off the head of Shimei at the time he cursed David, if he would have given him leave, 2 Samuel 16:9;

shall not Shimei be put to death for this? this humiliation and acknowledgment he has made, shall he be forgiven on that account? shall so small a matter as this atone for so great a crime he has been guilty of, as that he shall not die?

because or "though" l

he cursed the Lord's anointed; is asking pardon sufficient to expiate so foul an offence, for which according to the law he ought to die? or for this action which he has done, as the Arabic version, in cursing the Lord's anointed.

l כי, "quamvis, vel cum tamen", Piscator.


 
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