1 Kings 2 37

1 Kings 2:37 kjv

For it shall be, that on the day thou goest out, and passest over the brook Kidron, thou shalt know for certain that thou shalt surely die: thy blood shall be upon thine own head.

1 Kings 2:37 nkjv

For it shall be, on the day you go out and cross the Brook Kidron, know for certain you shall surely die; your blood shall be on your own head."

1 Kings 2:37 niv

The day you leave and cross the Kidron Valley, you can be sure you will die; your blood will be on your own head."

1 Kings 2:37 esv

For on the day you go out and cross the brook Kidron, know for certain that you shall die. Your blood shall be on your own head."

1 Kings 2:37 nlt

On the day you so much as cross the Kidron Valley, you will surely die; and your blood will be on your own head."

1 Kings 2 verses

1 Kings 2 37 Meaning

This verse presents King Solomon's solemn and absolute warning to Shimei, stating the non-negotiable condition for his survival. Solomon swore to Shimei that if he ever left Jerusalem and crossed over the Kidron Valley, he would assuredly die. Furthermore, the verse emphasizes that Shimei alone would bear the full responsibility for his death, thereby absolving the king of any bloodguilt for the execution. It outlines a clear boundary and an unyielding consequence for its transgression.

1 Kings 2 37 Context

This verse is pivotal in the early reign of King Solomon, as he consolidates his power. His father, King David, on his deathbed, had advised Solomon regarding Shimei (1 Kgs 2:8-9), who had cursed David vehemently during Absalom's rebellion (2 Sam 16:5-13). David, having sworn not to kill Shimei himself (2 Sam 19:23), subtly implied that Shimei was not innocent and should eventually face justice, but left the method to Solomon's wisdom.

Solomon, displaying strategic prudence rather than immediate vengeance, summoned Shimei and confined him to Jerusalem. The Kidron Valley (Hebrew: Nachal Qidron - "dark/somber valley") formed a clear geographical boundary on the eastern side of Jerusalem. It was often a place where refuse and idolatrous objects were discarded, signifying an external boundary to the city. Solomon’s command was not an arbitrary cruelty but a direct test of Shimei’s obedience and a pragmatic means of ensuring national security. By specifying the Kidron and requiring an oath, Solomon offered Shimei a chance at life while legally protecting the king should Shimei transgress. This setting the boundaries and consequences forges the narrative leading to Shimei's ultimate demise when he disobeys (1 Kgs 2:39-46).

1 Kings 2 37 Word analysis

• "And the king": Refers to Solomon, recently established as monarch. This highlights his nascent but firm authority in setting decree and administering justice as per divine mandate.
• "swore unto him": Hebrew: vaYishmaʿ lo. Literally "and he swore to him". This indicates a solemn oath, not just a promise. Such an oath in ancient Israel invoked the divine name, binding the speaker to the words with sacred consequence. It added absolute certainty and weight to Solomon's pronouncement.
• "and said": Direct communication, leaving no room for misunderstanding.
• "If thou once goest out": Hebrew: im tse’kha tetse. The phrasing emphasizes the immediacy and consequence of even a single transgression. The word im ('if') introduces a conditional clause, while tse’kha tetse (an infinitive absolute followed by a finite verb of the same root) powerfully conveys "if you truly, certainly go out."
• "of the brook Kidron": Hebrew: Nachal Qidron (נַחַל קִדְרוֹן). The Kidron Valley is a specific ravine to the east of Jerusalem, separating the city from the Mount of Olives. It was a well-known geographical feature and symbolic boundary, often associated with going outside the sanctity of Jerusalem. By specifying this exact landmark, Solomon established an unambiguous physical limit.
• "and crossest over it": Hebrew: veʿavarta oto. This phrase further defines the transgression, meaning to intentionally pass over the Kidron Valley, explicitly going beyond the established boundary. It signifies a deliberate act of defiance.
• "know for a certain, that thou shalt surely die": Hebrew: yadoa' teda' ki mot tamut. The repetition of the verb "know" (yadoa' teda') in the infinitive absolute form emphasizes absolute certainty: "you will know, yes, certainly know." Similarly, "surely die" (mot tamut) uses the infinitive absolute with the verb "die," making the outcome undeniable. There is no doubt, no negotiation.
• "thy blood shall be upon thine own head": Hebrew: damkha b'roshekha. This is a profound idiom common in the ancient Near East and throughout the Bible. It signifies that the responsibility and guilt for the resulting death rest entirely on the individual who broke the command. The king, by giving a clear warning and making a covenant with Shimei, legally and morally absolves himself from bloodguilt. Shimei’s death would be an act of self-condemnation, a consequence of his own choice, not the king’s malice.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And the king swore unto him, and said": This group highlights the formal, binding, and authoritative nature of Solomon's pronouncement. It's a legal and royal decree, not merely a suggestion.
• "If thou once goest out of the brook Kidron, and crossest over it": This clearly defines the specific geographical boundary and the single, defining act of transgression that will incur the stated penalty. It emphasizes both proximity to the boundary and the act of crossing.
• "know for a certain, that thou shalt surely die": This phrase combines extreme emphasis ("for a certain," "surely die") to convey the absolute irrevocability of the consequence for breaking the command. It eliminates any claim of ignorance or misunderstanding.
• "thy blood shall be upon thine own head": This powerful legal and theological idiom assigns full culpability to Shimei, shifting all moral and legal responsibility for his potential death from the executing authority (Solomon) directly onto the one who disobeys.

1 Kings 2 37 Bonus section

This incident showcases Solomon's methodical consolidation of power. He learned from David's legacy and ensured no unresolved threats remained. The Kidron Valley, aside from its physical reality, held symbolic significance as a place for purging impurities from Jerusalem (e.g., idolatrous items taken out and burned here in later accounts). Transgressing this boundary might thus be seen as returning to or aligning with a polluted, disloyal outside world. The episode serves as a legal precedent: a sovereign provides explicit warning and conditions; disobedience of those terms then makes the disobedient party solely accountable for the consequences. It’s a classic example of setting clear divine-human boundaries and the grave implications of willful transgression, reflecting a principle of personal responsibility woven throughout scripture.

1 Kings 2 37 Commentary

This verse illustrates Solomon's calculated justice and wisdom in establishing his kingdom. Instead of immediate vengeance for Shimei's past treachery against David, Solomon offers a conditional mercy, placing Shimei under a form of house arrest within Jerusalem. The choice of the Kidron Valley as the boundary is strategic and symbolic, marking a clear line between Jerusalem's relative safety and the external world. The repeated infinitive absolute constructions ("goest out... go," "know... know," "surely die") underscore the absolute certainty of both the condition and the consequence. The phrase "thy blood shall be upon thine own head" is a definitive legal pronouncement. It legally and morally clears the executing party by demonstrating that the accused was fully aware of the penalty for their self-chosen action. Solomon sets a clear test of loyalty and obedience, fully disclosing the high stakes. Shimei was given freedom within defined limits, with his life contingent upon respecting those limits, placing the burden of responsibility entirely upon him.