1 Kings 2 38

1 Kings 2:38 kjv

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.

1 Kings 2:38 nkjv

And Shimei said to the king, "The saying is good. As my lord the king has said, so your servant will do." So Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days.

1 Kings 2:38 niv

Shimei answered the king, "What you say is good. Your servant will do as my lord the king has said." And Shimei stayed in Jerusalem for a long time.

1 Kings 2:38 esv

And Shimei said to the king, "What you say is good; as my lord the king has said, so will your servant do." So Shimei lived in Jerusalem many days.

1 Kings 2:38 nlt

Shimei replied, "Your sentence is fair; I will do whatever my lord the king commands." So Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time.

1 Kings 2 verses

1 Kings 2 38 Meaning

This verse details the deliberate actions of Shimei, who transgressed the direct command of King Solomon. By traveling from Jerusalem, crossing the symbolic Kidron Valley, and establishing a dwelling in Gath, a Philistine city, Shimei intentionally violated the clear boundaries and conditions set upon him. His extended stay of three years in this forbidden territory sealed his fate and brought about the consequences foretold by Solomon, confirming the king's authority and the stability of his newly established kingdom.

1 Kings 2 38 Context

King Solomon, following the dying instructions of his father David (1 Ki 2:8-9), had confined Shimei to Jerusalem under threat of death if he ever left. Shimei, who had cursed King David during Absalom's rebellion (2 Sam 16), accepted these terms, swearing an oath by the LORD (1 Ki 2:37-38). The immediate context of 1 Kings 2 details Solomon's establishment of his reign by dealing with all potential threats and unfulfilled promises. Shimei's banishment and the conditions set upon him were a direct test of his loyalty and a means to secure Solomon's throne. This verse specifically records Shimei's deliberate and blatant act of disobedience after three years, which provided the just cause for Solomon to execute him and thereby further solidify the Davidic monarchy against any remaining adversaries from the previous era or Saul's house.

1 Kings 2 38 Word analysis

• So Shimei (שִׁמְעִי - Shima'i): His name means "my fame" or "renowned," ironically given his disgraceful end. He was a Benjamite, of Saul’s kin (2 Sam 16:5), possibly still harboring allegiance to Saul's defunct dynasty, which is why David distrusted him. His character is marked by impulsiveness and disrespect for divine authority through his cursing of God's anointed king, David.
• went down (יָרַד - yarad): This signifies not only a literal physical descent from Jerusalem's higher elevation but can also carry a symbolic sense of moral or spiritual decline. From the holy city, he "went down" to paganism and ultimately, judgment.
• from Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם - Yerushalaim): The capital, the city of the Great King, the designated place of worship, and the boundary within which Shimei was to remain. Leaving Jerusalem represented a deliberate breaking of a divinely sanctioned boundary and an oath.
• and crossed the Kidron Valley (נַחַל קִדְרוֹן - Nachal Kidron): The Kidron Valley was geographically situated between Jerusalem and the wilderness. It was historically associated with impurity, judgment, and ritual cleansing. Idolatrous altars were often defiled here, and refuse from the temple was disposed of there. For Shimei to cross it from the direction of Jerusalem implies a definitive step away from the holy city, purity, and the terms of his dwelling, toward the unclean and foreign. David crossed this valley in tears when fleeing Absalom, marking a time of great distress and uncertain authority; Shimei crosses it here to reassert a rebellious heart.
• and built his house for himself in Gath (גַּת - Gat):
  • built his house (וַיִּבֶן־לוֹ בַּיִת - vayyiven-lo bayit): This indicates establishing a permanent residence, not merely visiting. It demonstrates an intentional and sustained violation of Solomon's decree and a clear rejection of his oath. He settled in, revealing his true heart.
  • in Gath: One of the five primary Philistine city-states (e.g., Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Ekron), a traditional enemy of Israel. It was the hometown of Goliath (1 Sam 17:4) and a place where David himself had once feigned madness to escape Saul (1 Sam 21:10-15). Gath represents a place of paganism, idolatry, and hostility to God's people. To settle there signifies Shimei’s alignment with enemies of Israel and, by extension, God's anointed king.
• And Shimei stayed in Gath for three years (שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים - shalom shanim): The duration of "three years" is significant. It's a sufficient period to demonstrate settled intent rather than an accidental or short visit. In biblical narrative, "three" often represents completeness, revelation, or a decisive period. Shimei's actions over three years removed any ambiguity regarding his intent and ensured that his disobedience was not a hasty mistake but a calculated disregard for his oath and the king's command. This prolonged stay provides undeniable evidence of his transgression.

1 Kings 2 38 Bonus section

Shimei's actions and fate illustrate a crucial aspect of Solomon's early reign: the establishment of secure and legitimate rule. David's final instructions to Solomon were to handle figures like Joab and Shimei, who represented residual challenges or threats from previous political arrangements. Solomon’s handling of Shimei, not immediately but after his self-incriminating act, showcases wise governance. It highlights that Solomon did not act out of personal vengeance, but exercised righteous judgment rooted in Shimei's own deliberate transgression and oath-breaking, which ultimately served to consolidate peace and justice within the kingdom. The narrative implies that divine judgment, though often delayed, will eventually come to fruition for those who deliberately defy established and legitimate authority.

1 Kings 2 38 Commentary

1 Kings 2:38 succinctly describes Shimei’s defiant act of breaking the solemn oath and explicit command given to him by King Solomon. Solomon's instruction was a clear test: staying in Jerusalem indicated loyalty and obedience, while leaving meant forfeiture of his life. Shimei's movement from Jerusalem across the Kidron Valley to build a permanent home in Gath was not an accidental straying but a deliberate act of rebellion. The Kidron Valley often symbolizes a boundary between holiness and the mundane or unclean, and Gath represents enemy territory—a clear contrast to the "holy city" of Jerusalem. The passage of "three years" underscores Shimei's sustained and intentional violation, making his transgression undeniable and premeditated. This act confirmed his character as a potential threat to the kingdom's stability, justifying Solomon's swift and just judgment upon him, which ultimately secured and established the Davidic throne in accordance with David's final charge. This account serves as a potent reminder of the consequences of rejecting authority, breaking oaths, and ignoring divinely established boundaries.