2 Samuel 16:5–13

David Is Cursed

⁵When King David came to ^aBahurim, behold, there came out from there a man of the family of the house of Saul ^bwhose name was Shimei, the son of Gera; he came out ^ccursing continually as he came.

⁶He threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David; and all the people and all the mighty men were at his right hand and at his left.

⁷Thus Shimei said when he cursed, “Get out, get out, ^ayou man of bloodshed, and worthless fellow!

⁸“^aThe Lord has returned upon you all ^bthe bloodshed of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. And behold, you are taken in your own evil, for you are a man of bloodshed!”

⁹Then ^aAbishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should ^bthis dead dog ^ccurse my lord the king? Let me go over now and ¹cut off his head.”

¹⁰But the king said, “^aWhat have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah? ^bIf he curses, and if the Lord has told him, ‘Curse David,’ ^cthen who shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’ ”

¹¹Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, ^amy son who came out from ¹me seeks my life; how much more now this Benjamite? Let him alone and let him curse, ^bfor the Lord has told him.

¹²“Perhaps the Lord will look on my affliction and ^1areturn good to me instead of his cursing this day.”

¹³So David and his men went on the way; and Shimei went along on the hillside parallel with him and as he went he cursed and cast stones and threw dust at him.