1 Kings 2:41

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Contextual Overview

³⁵And the king appointed Benaiah son of Jehoiada in Joab's place over the army, and he appointed Zadok the priest in Abiathar's place. ³⁶Then the king summoned Shimei and said to him, "Build a house for yourself in Jerusalem and live there, but do not go anywhere else. ³⁷On the day you go out and cross the Kidron Valley, know for sure that you will die; your blood will be on your own head." ³⁸"The sentence is fair," Shimei replied. "Your servant will do as my lord the king has spoken." And Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time. ³⁹After three years, however, two of Shimei's slaves ran away to Achish son of Maacah, king of Gath. And Shimei was told, "Behold, your slaves are in Gath." ⁴⁰So Shimei saddled his donkey and set out to Achish at Gath in search of his slaves, and he brought them back from Gath. ⁴¹When it was reported to Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned,⁴²the king summoned Shimei and said to him, "Did I not make you swear by the LORD and warn you, 'On the day you leave and go elsewhere, know for sure that you will die'? And you told me, 'The sentence is fair; I will comply.' ⁴³So why have you not kept your oath to the LORD and the command that I gave you?" ⁴⁴The king also said, "You know in your heart all the evil that you did to my father David. Therefore the LORD will bring your evil back upon your head.

Bible Verse Review
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Gill's Notes on the Bible

And it was told Solomon,.... By the spies he set to watch and observe his motions, or by some others who had seen him go out and return, and knew that it was contrary to the king's orders:

that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and was come again; which was thirty four miles from Jerusalem h; whereas his utmost bounds, whither he might go, was the brook Kidron, about half a mile from it.

h Bunting's Travels, &c. p. 124.