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SHIMEI’S RANT. II Samuel 16:5-14. 8/22/2021. #36.
2 Samuel 16:5-14 [New King James Version]
5 Now when King David came to Bahurim, there was a man from the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei the son of Gera, coming from there. He came out, cursing continuously as he came. 6 And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David. And all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. 7 Also Shimei said thus when he cursed: “Come out! Come out! You bloodthirsty man, you rogue! 8 The Lord has brought upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the Lord has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son. So now you are caught in your own evil, because you are a bloodthirsty man!” 9 Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please, let me go over and take off his head!” 10 But the king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? So let him curse, because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David.’ Who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’ ” 11 And David said to Abishai and all his servants, “See how my son who came from my own body seeks my life. How much more now may this Benjamite? Let him alone, and let him curse; for so the Lord has ordered him. 12 It may be that the Lord will look on my affliction, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing this day.” 13 And as David and his men went along the road, Shimei went along the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went, threw stones at him and kicked up dust. 14 Now the king and all the people who were with him became weary; so they refreshed themselves there.
1. Shimei’s rash act
a. Shimei was a relative of Saul
b. When David flees from Jerusalem, Shimei comes out to curse David
a1. Shimei sought revenge for taking Saul’s throne
a2. Shimei thought that this was God’s judgment
c. Shimei does a foolish thing
a1. David is still king and God’s anointed
a2. David is traveling with an army
a3. It was not Shimei’s place to chastise David
a4. Vengeance belongs to God alone
d. We almost never prosper when we act rashly
a1. Nothing could accomplish nothing by ranting
a2. When we are upset, it is not time to send anemail, text, or phone call
a3. A. Lincoln used to write letters when angry & then tear them up without sending them
e. We are to refrain from assigning God’s judgment on people
a1. It is not up to us declare if any event a judgment of God (disease, fires, earthquakes, disasters…)
a2. David’s judgment = from his sin, not Saul’s fall
a3. Pv. 24:17-19 God will stop punishing if you gloat
f. It is ironic that Shimei called David “a man of bloodshed”
a1. Saul was far bloodier than David, even having Doeg kill the priests & their family
a2. Shimei was not David’s judge
2. Off with his head
a. Abishai, brother of Joab, wanted to take off Shimei’s head
a1. Why should this dog live?
a2. Abishai was offended by what Shimei did
b. “What am I to do with you sons of Zeruiah?”
a1. Joab had murdered Abner & Amasa as revenge
a2. Joab knew all about Bathsheba & Uriah & other indiscretions of David
a3. David’s nephews were impulsive (Asahel died through pursuing Abner in battle)
a4. David could not control his nephews, but he could not get away from them
b1. David needed Joab’s skills & insight
b2. Joab was popular among the troops
3. David’s humility of the moment
a. David shows grace by instructing Abishai to leave Shimei alone, for God may have told him to curse David
a1. David felt that he probably deserved to be rebuked
a2. At this point, David felt humbled
b. David receives the rebuke, but later tells Solomon to make sure that Shimei does not go down into the grave in peace
a1. David’s momentary humility is not forgiveness
a2. David does not transfer Shimei to God’s accountability where it belonged
a3. David carried the hurt of Shimei’s rebuke to grave
c. David stops at this spot to rest
d. David is a mixed bag
a1. He is gracious to Shimei at one moment & not later
a2. He is foolish with his sons & family
a3. He is foolish with how he handled Joab & army
a4. David does not seem to learn these lessons
e. By not learning from our errors we are repeat the errors