2 Samuel 16 7

2 Samuel 16:7 kjv

And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial:

2 Samuel 16:7 nkjv

Also Shimei said thus when he cursed: "Come out! Come out! You bloodthirsty man, you rogue!

2 Samuel 16:7 niv

As he cursed, Shimei said, "Get out, get out, you murderer, you scoundrel!

2 Samuel 16:7 esv

And Shimei said as he cursed, "Get out, get out, you man of blood, you worthless man!

2 Samuel 16:7 nlt

"Get out of here, you murderer, you scoundrel!" he shouted at David.

2 Samuel 16 verses

2 Samuel 16 7 Meaning

This verse captures the bitter and intensely personal curse uttered by Shimei, a Benjaminite and relative of King Saul, against King David as David flees Jerusalem from Absalom's rebellion. Shimei aggressively dismisses David, branding him a "man of blood" and a "worthless fellow," thereby accusing David of being morally bankrupt and responsible for various killings, likely alluding to the demise of Saul's house and David's more recent sin with Uriah. For Shimei, David's flight signifies divine judgment and proof of his wickedness and unworthiness to rule.

2 Samuel 16 7 Context

The setting for 2 Samuel 16:7 is a desperate moment in David's life. He has been forced to flee Jerusalem due to Absalom's cunning rebellion, a significant uprising that successfully displaced David from his throne temporarily. David, accompanied by a loyal remnant, including his household and faithful commanders, is crossing the Kidron Valley and ascending the Mount of Olives. This flight is a scene of profound humiliation and vulnerability for the once powerful king. In this highly charged atmosphere, Shimei, a man from the clan of Saul and of the tribe of Benjamin, confronts David. Shimei’s motivation stems from deep-seated animosity, seeing David as the usurper of Saul’s throne and blaming him for perceived wrongs against the house of Saul. His outburst is an act of defiance and bitter satisfaction, believing David’s current calamity is deserved divine punishment for past misdeeds. David’s measured response, particularly his refusal to allow Abishai to retaliate, shows a king humbled by his circumstances and contemplative of God's sovereign hand, even in his suffering. This immediate chapter paints a vivid picture of the consequences of David's sins (foretold in 2 Sam 12) playing out in the public arena, stripping David of his dignity and exposing him to the scorn of his enemies.

2 Samuel 16 7 Word analysis

• "Thus" (Hebrew: koh, כֹּה): Signifies introduction, indicating the exact words and manner of what follows. It emphasizes the direct and specific nature of Shimei's immediate verbal assault.

• "Shimei" (Hebrew: Shimeʿi, שִׁמְעִי): A specific individual identified by his tribal affiliation (Benjamite, from Saul's clan). His identity underscores the political and historical resentment underlying his personal venom against David, representing those who felt displaced by the rise of David's kingdom.

• "said" (Hebrew: ʾamar, אָמַר): The verb of speech. Here, it is explicitly qualified by "when he cursed," underscoring that his words were not casual remarks but deliberate utterances intended to bring malediction and harm.

• "when he cursed" (Hebrew: bqallēlō, בְּקַלְלוֹ): From qālāl (קָלַל), meaning "to be light, insignificant," but here in its intensive, causative form, meaning "to revile, to curse." This isn't just an insult, but a solemn invocation of evil, intending to diminish David and call down misfortune upon him, reflecting ancient Near Eastern cultural beliefs in the power of spoken words and curses.

• "Out! Out!" (Hebrew: tse', tse', צֵא צֵא): An imperative form of yatsa (יָצָא), meaning "to go forth" or "exit." The repetition of the word (a common Hebrew emphatic device) heightens the scorn and forceful demand for David's immediate removal or banishment. It signifies a desire to expel David both physically and from his position of power, conveying utter contempt and rejection.

• "you man of blood" (Hebrew: ʾish haddāmim, אִישׁ הַדָּמִים):

  • ish (אִישׁ): "man."
  • dāmim (דָּמִים): Plural of dam ("blood"), frequently referring to blood-guilt, bloodshed, or murders. Shimei's accusation asserts that David is culpable for widespread bloodshed. This weighty charge could refer to Uriah, or more pertinently from a Benjamite perspective, to the casualties of the transition of power from Saul’s house (e.g., Ish-Bosheth, Abner), though David was exonerated for many of these by biblical narrative. This accusation implies moral and divine accountability for deaths attributed to him.

• "you worthless fellow!" (Hebrew: u-baʿal beliyaʿal, וּבַעַל בְּלִיַּעַל):

  • u-: "and," serving as an emphatic marker "even."
  • baʿal (בַּעַל): Literally "owner" or "master," but in construct phrases, means "one characterized by" or "given to." So, "a master of worthlessness."
  • beliyyaʿal (בְּלִיַּעַל): "worthlessness, uselessness, wickedness." This term has strong theological connotations, often translated as "scoundrel" or "evil person," used to describe those who act without divine or moral restraint (e.g., Belial is contrasted with Christ in the New Testament). It marks David as utterly vile and unworthy.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "Out! Out, you man of blood, you worthless fellow!": This progression forms a crescendo of contempt and denunciation. The initial repeated "Out!" delivers a sharp, imperative rejection. "Man of blood" then levels a grave and specific charge of murder and blood-guilt. Finally, "worthless fellow" (literally, a "master of Belial") expands the accusation to encompass fundamental moral and spiritual depravity, depicting David as completely wicked and undeserving of his kingship or any respect.

2 Samuel 16 7 Bonus section

• Divine Sovereignty and Permitted Evil: David’s reaction in subsequent verses (2 Sam 16:10-11) is pivotal. He recognizes that God might have permitted or even "told" Shimei to curse him. This illustrates a profound theological truth: God can use even the evil intentions and actions of individuals to fulfill His greater purposes, whether for discipline, testing, or shaping character. This does not absolve Shimei of his sin but speaks to God’s overarching control.
• Tribal Divisions and Historical Grievances: Shimei’s Benjamite identity is crucial. He embodies the continued tribal loyalties and bitter memory of the kingdom shifting from Saul, a Benjamite, to David, a Judahite. This reflects the political fragility and deep-seated grudges that continued to plague the unified monarchy David established.
• Foreshadowing of Christ: David’s experience of being unjustly cursed and suffering humiliation at the hands of his own people, yet enduring patiently, subtly foreshadows Christ's ultimate suffering. Jesus, too, was slandered and reviled, despite being perfectly righteous, offering no reviling in return (1 Pet 2:23).

2 Samuel 16 7 Commentary

2 Samuel 16:7 portrays Shimei’s malicious and scathing denunciation of David during a moment of profound personal crisis for the king. This outburst, rather than a mere insult, is a deliberate curse delivered by a specific antagonist from Saul’s clan, highlighting the lingering resentment against David's reign. Shimei's accusations of "blood-guilt" and "worthlessness" (beliya'al) carry significant weight, portraying David as a wicked usurper receiving divine judgment for his actions (specifically Uriah, but also perhaps perceived wrongs against Saul's house). David's remarkably restrained and humble response to this intense provocation (2 Sam 16:10-12) suggests a man broken and introspective, perhaps even accepting the possibility that Shimei's cursing is a divine chastisement for his sins. This incident underscores that even God's anointed can face intense humiliation and false accusation, and the righteous response often involves patient endurance and trust in divine sovereignty.