2Sa 16:5-8 | KD | STEP | Shimei’s cursing. - , 2Sa 16:6. When the king had come to Bahurim , on the other side of the Mount of Olives, but not far off (see at ), there came out of that place a man of the family of the house of Saul, i.e., a distant relation of Saul, cursing him; and he pelted David and all his servants with stones, although all the people and all the heroes (the household troops and body-guard: ) were (marking) on the right and left of the king. The words “all the people,” etc., are a circumstantial clause.

‏ 2 Samuel 16:5-8

2Sa 16:5-6 Shimei’s cursing. - 2Sa 16:5, 2Sa 16:6. When the king had come to Bahurim, on the other side of the Mount of Olives, but not far off (see at 2Sa 3:16), there came out of that place a man of the family of the house of Saul, i.e., a distant relation of Saul, cursing him; and he pelted David and all his servants with stones, although all the people and all the heroes (the household troops and body-guard: 2Sa 15:17-18) were (marking) on the right and left of the king. The words “all the people,” etc., are a circumstantial clause. 2Sa 16:7-8

Shimei cursed thus: “Out, out (away, away), thou man of blood, and worthless man! Jehovah hath repaid thee (now) for all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast become king, and hath given the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son. Behold, now thou art in thy misfortune, for thou art a man of blood.” דּמים אישׁ, a man of drops of blood, i.e., one who has shed blood or committed murder. What Shimei meant by “all the blood of the house of Saul,” which David had shed, and because of which he was a man of blood, it is impossible to determine with certainty. He may possibly have attributed to David the murder of Ishbosheth and Abner, notwithstanding the fact that David was innocent of the death of both (see 2Sa 3:27., and 2Sa 4:6.). By “in whose stead thou hast reigned,” he meant whose throne thou hast forcibly usurped; and by בּרעתך הנּך, “it is for this that punishment hat overtaken thee now.”