³⁶Then the king sent for Shimei. He said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem. Live there. Don’t go anywhere else. ³⁷You must not leave the city and go across the Kidron Valley. If you do, you can be sure you will die. And it will be your own fault.”

³⁸Shimei replied to the king, “You are my king and master. What you say is good. I’ll do it.” Shimei stayed in Jerusalem for a long time.

³⁹Three years after Solomon had talked with Shimei, two of Shimei’s slaves ran off. They went to Achish, the king of Gath. He was the son of Maacah. Shimei was told, “Your slaves are in Gath.” ⁴⁰When Shimei heard that, he put a saddle on his donkey. Then he went to Achish at Gath to look for his slaves. Shimei found them and brought them back from Gath.

⁴¹Solomon was told that Shimei had left Jerusalem. He was told he had gone to Gath and had returned.

⁴²So the king sent for Shimei. He said to him, “Didn’t I make you take an oath in the name of the Lord? Didn’t I warn you? I said, ‘You must not leave the city and go somewhere else. If you do, you can be sure you will die.’ At that time you said to me, ‘What you say is good. I’ll obey your command.’ ⁴³So why didn’t you keep your oath to the Lord? Why didn’t you obey the command I gave you?”

⁴⁴The king continued, “You know all of the wrong things you did to my father David. In your heart you know them. Now the Lord will pay you back for what you did. ⁴⁵But I will be blessed. The Lord will make David’s kingdom secure forever.”

⁴⁶Then the king gave the order to Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada. Benaiah left the palace and struck Shimei down. And he killed him.

So the kingdom was now made secure in Solomon’s hands.

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