1 Kings 2 42

1 Kings 2:42 kjv

And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Did I not make thee to swear by the LORD, and protested unto thee, saying, Know for a certain, on the day thou goest out, and walkest abroad any whither, that thou shalt surely die? and thou saidst unto me, The word that I have heard is good.

1 Kings 2:42 nkjv

Then the king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, "Did I not make you swear by the LORD, and warn you, saying, 'Know for certain that on the day you go out and travel anywhere, you shall surely die'? And you said to me, 'The word I have heard is good.'

1 Kings 2:42 niv

the king summoned Shimei and said to him, "Did I not make you swear by the LORD and warn you, 'On the day you leave to go anywhere else, you can be sure you will die'? At that time you said to me, 'What you say is good. I will obey.'

1 Kings 2:42 esv

the king sent and summoned Shimei and said to him, "Did I not make you swear by the LORD and solemnly warn you, saying, 'Know for certain that on the day you go out and go to any place whatever, you shall die'? And you said to me, 'What you say is good; I will obey.'

1 Kings 2:42 nlt

So the king sent for Shimei and demanded, "Didn't I make you swear by the LORD and warn you not to go anywhere else or you would surely die? And you replied, 'The sentence is fair; I will do as you say.'

1 Kings 2 verses

1 Kings 2 42 Meaning

King Solomon confronts Shimei, recalling the explicit and formal oath Shimei swore by the LORD (YHWH) and the solemn warning given to him: if he ever crossed the Kidron Valley and left Jerusalem, he would surely die. Solomon highlights that Shimei had fully acknowledged and agreed to these terms at the time, indicating his culpability and absence of excuse for his recent transgression.

1 Kings 2 42 Context

1 Kings chapter 2 details King Solomon's consolidation of power and justice at the beginning of his reign. Having received final instructions from his father David (1 Kgs 2:1-9), Solomon systematically removes potential threats to his throne, whether real or perceived, and rewards loyalists. Earlier in the chapter, Solomon had shown leniency towards Shimei, who had cursed King David during Absalom's rebellion (2 Sam 16:5-13). As part of a peace agreement or parole, Shimei was permitted to live in Jerusalem on the strict condition, backed by a sworn oath, that he must not leave the city, specifically by crossing the Kidron Valley (1 Kgs 2:36-38). This current verse, 1 Kgs 2:42, describes Solomon calling Shimei to account for breaking this binding condition by traveling to Gath to retrieve his runaway slaves (1 Kgs 2:39-40), an act which sealed Shimei's fate as a breaker of oaths and a continued threat. The historical context reflects ancient Near Eastern kings' practice of purging threats to solidify their rule, often linking political action with divine endorsement or oath-keeping.

1 Kings 2 42 Word analysis

• Then the king sent and called for Shimei: Solomon is proactive and methodical in his administration of justice, asserting his authority. "King" (מֶלֶךְ, melech) signifies supreme earthly authority.
• and said to him: Direct confrontation, no ambiguity.
• Did I not make you swear: The Hebrew is הִשְׁבַּעְתִּיךָ֙ (hishba'tīkhā), a causative form of "to swear." It emphasizes that Solomon initiated the oath, binding Shimei under its terms, implying a legal or covenantal obligation.
• by the LORD: בַּֽיהוָה֙ (ba-YHWH), using God's covenant name. This transforms a simple promise into a solemn, divinely witnessed covenant, making its violation a serious theological offense, not merely a breach of human contract. Swearing by YHWH invoked divine judgment upon failure to keep the oath.
• and solemnly warn you: וָאָעִד בְּךָ֙ (wa'ā'īd beḵā), from ע֫וּד ('ūd), meaning "to warn, bear witness, testify solemnly." It indicates that the warning was explicit, unambiguous, and formally stated, possibly with witnesses, leaving no room for Shimei to claim ignorance.
• saying: Introducing the precise content of the warning.
• 'On the day you go out and cross the brook Kidron,': This defines the geographical and temporal boundary.
  • brook Kidron: נַ֣חַל קִדְרֹ֑ון (naḥal Qidrôn). The Kidron Valley marked a specific eastern boundary of Jerusalem. Crossing it represented leaving the holy city and, symbolically, Solomon's domain of specified protection and terms. It was also historically significant as David's escape route (2 Sam 15:23) and a place where idols were later purged (2 Kgs 23:4-6). For Shimei, it represented his bound limits.
• 'know for certain that you shall surely die': This is a powerful Hebrew emphatic construction: יָדֹ֙ועַ֙ תֵּדַ֔ע כִּ֣י מֹ֤ות תָּמוּת֙ (yāḏōa' tēḏa' kî môt tāmût), literally "knowing, you shall know, for dying, you shall die." This double infinitive absolute ("knowing you will know," "dying you will die") leaves no doubt about the certainty and severity of the consequence. It highlights absolute, irreversible judgment, devoid of negotiation or mitigation.
• 'And you said to me, 'What I have heard is good.' ': Solomon reminds Shimei of his explicit and verbal consent (ט֕וֹב הַדָּבָ֖ר (ṭôḇ ha-dāḇār), "the word is good" or "the matter is good"). This admission removes any defense, as Shimei willingly accepted the terms, confirming the justice of Solomon's subsequent actions based on Shimei's own agreement.

1 Kings 2 42 Bonus section

• The incident with Shimei, along with the fate of Adonijah and Joab in the preceding verses, portrays Solomon as a ruler determined to secure his kingdom, executing judgments promised by David or necessary for stability. Some scholars view this as consolidating power rather than pure vindictive retribution.
• Shimei's nonchalance in crossing the Kidron for a seemingly trivial matter (recovering slaves) demonstrates his contempt for the sacred oath and the authority of the king, highlighting a fatal miscalculation of the seriousness of his parole.
• The specific mention of the Kidron Valley also holds a symbolic meaning: it separates Jerusalem, the city of God and seat of the Davidic king, from the wilderness. Crossing it could signify a turning away from the order established by YHWH and David.

1 Kings 2 42 Commentary

1 Kings 2:42 encapsulates Solomon's method of establishing control by meticulously referencing and enforcing sworn covenants. The verse highlights Shimei's deliberate transgression against an explicit divine oath and a formal, non-negotiable warning. Solomon’s careful recounting of the terms, including Shimei’s full consent ("What I have heard is good"), leaves Shimei with no defense. The use of "by the LORD" elevates the agreement beyond a mere royal decree, implying a covenant whose breach warrants divine judgment and allowing Solomon to act as God's instrument. The geographical specificity of the "brook Kidron" serves as a tangible line whose crossing would indicate direct defiance. The repeated "surely die" (an emphatic Hebrew construction) underlines the absolute certainty and severity of the promised consequence, reinforcing the solemnity and the finality of the king's original edict. This was not a moment of political expediency disguised as justice; it was a firm enforcement of a binding agreement.