2Sa 16:5-8 | KingComments | STEP | After the meeting with Ziba David has another meeting. In that meeting we see David again at a spiritual climax. Shimei comes to David. The man is full of hatred toward David. He is of the family of Saul and sees David as the cause of misery. From the mouth and from the hands of Shimei come the proofs of his contempt for David. He makes his disgust clearly heard through the curses he pronounces about David. He underlines his hateful words by throwing stones at him. Shimei justifies his behavior by referring to the fact that David is under the LORD’s judgment. According to Shimei, David is in this misery because the LORD avenges Himself about what David has done to Saul. Therefore also the kingdom is given by the LORD to Absalom. How unfounded these accusations are, we know from the histories in the first book of Samuel. We read several times that David has saved Saul ( ; ). We also know of his deep sorrow about the death of Saul and Jonathan ( ). Shimei’s accusations are somewhat similar to the accusations made by the three friends of Job against Job, to whom they say he is in misery through his own fault. There is this difference, however, that Shimei is driven by hatred and aversion, while the three friends speak from the wrong perspective of Jobs suffering. Whoever is somehow under the discipline of God, must take into account the fact that people make suffering even greater by noticing that they themselves are the cause of their misery. Shimei is not bothered by the heroes surrounding David. Whoever is caught by a spirit of contempt for God’s anointed king, will not be impressed by anything. He even is so audacious to accuse David of Saul’s death and to name the Name of the LORD as the One Who gave the kingship to Absalom. This is a foolish and slanderous statement.

‏ 2 Samuel 16:5-8

Shimei Curses David

After the meeting with Ziba David has another meeting. In that meeting we see David again at a spiritual climax. Shimei comes to David. The man is full of hatred toward David. He is of the family of Saul and sees David as the cause of misery. From the mouth and from the hands of Shimei come the proofs of his contempt for David. He makes his disgust clearly heard through the curses he pronounces about David. He underlines his hateful words by throwing stones at him.

Shimei justifies his behavior by referring to the fact that David is under the LORD’s judgment. According to Shimei, David is in this misery because the LORD avenges Himself about what David has done to Saul. Therefore also the kingdom is given by the LORD to Absalom. How unfounded these accusations are, we know from the histories in the first book of Samuel. We read several times that David has saved Saul (1Sam 24:4-8; 1Sam 26:4-12). We also know of his deep sorrow about the death of Saul and Jonathan (2Sam 1:1-12).

Shimei’s accusations are somewhat similar to the accusations made by the three friends of Job against Job, to whom they say he is in misery through his own fault. There is this difference, however, that Shimei is driven by hatred and aversion, while the three friends speak from the wrong perspective of Jobs suffering. Whoever is somehow under the discipline of God, must take into account the fact that people make suffering even greater by noticing that they themselves are the cause of their misery.

Shimei is not bothered by the heroes surrounding David. Whoever is caught by a spirit of contempt for God’s anointed king, will not be impressed by anything. He even is so audacious to accuse David of Saul’s death and to name the Name of the LORD as the One Who gave the kingship to Absalom. This is a foolish and slanderous statement.