³⁶Next the king sent for Shimei. Solomon said to him, “Build a house for yourself in Jerusalem and live there. Don’t leave the city. ³⁷The very day you leave and cross the Kidron Valley, someone will kill you, and it will be your own fault.”

³⁸So Shimei answered the king, “I agree with what you say. I will do what you say, my master and king.” So Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time.

³⁹But three years later two of Shimei’s slaves ran away to Achish king of Gath, who was the son of Maacah. Shimei heard that his slaves were in Gath, ⁴⁰so he put his saddle on his donkey and went to Achish at Gath to find them. Then he brought them back from Gath.

⁴¹Someone told Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned. ⁴²So Solomon sent for Shimei and said, “I made you promise in the name of the Lord not to leave Jerusalem. I warned you if you went out anywhere you would die, and you agreed to what I said. ⁴³Why did you break your promise to the Lord and disobey my command?” ⁴⁴The king also said, “You know the many wrong things you did to my father David, so now the Lord will punish you for those wrongs. ⁴⁵But the Lord will bless me and make the rule of David safe before the Lord forever.”

⁴⁶Then the king ordered Benaiah to kill Shimei, and he did. Now Solomon was in full control of his kingdom.

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