2 Samuel 19:16–23

¹⁶Shimei son of Gera,^h the Benjaminite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David. ¹⁷There were a thousand men from Benjamin with him. Ziba, an attendant from the house of Saul,ⁱ with his fifteen sons and twenty servants also rushed down to the Jordan ahead of the king. ¹⁸They forded the Jordan to bring the king’s household across and do whatever the king desired.^B

When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell facedown before the king ¹⁹and said to him, “My lord, don’t hold me guilty, and don’t remember your servant’s wrongdoing on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem.^j May the king not take it to heart. ²⁰For your servant knows that I have sinned. But look! Today I am the first one of the entire house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.”

²¹Abishai son of Zeruiah asked, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord’s anointed?”^k

²²David answered, “Sons of Zeruiah, do we agree on anything?^l Have you become my adversary today? Should any man be killed in Israel today? Am I not aware that today I’m king over Israel?” ²³So the king said to Shimei, “You will not die.” Then the king gave him his oath.^m