Discovery Box1 Kings 2:32-46
Context2:32 May the Lord punish him for the blood he shed; 1 behind my father David’s back he struck down and murdered with the sword two men who were more innocent and morally upright than he 2 – Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army. 2:33 May Joab and his descendants be perpetually guilty of their shed blood, but may the Lord give perpetual peace to David, his descendants, his family, 3 and his dynasty.” 4 2:34 So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up and executed Joab; 5 he was buried at his home in the wilderness. 2:35 The king appointed Benaiah son of Jehoiada to take his place at the head of 6 the army, and the king appointed Zadok the priest to take Abiathar’s place. 7
2:36 Next the king summoned 8 Shimei and told him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem 9 and live there – but you may not leave there to go anywhere! 10 2:37 If you ever do leave and cross the Kidron Valley, know for sure that you will certainly die! You will be responsible for your own death.” 11 2:38 Shimei said to the king, “My master the king’s proposal is acceptable. 12 Your servant will do as you say.” 13 So Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time. 14
2:39 Three years later two of Shimei’s servants ran away to King Achish son of Maacah of Gath. Shimei was told, “Look, your servants are in Gath.” 2:40 So Shimei got up, saddled his donkey, and went to Achish at Gath to find his servants; Shimei went and brought back his servants from Gath. 2:41 When Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had then returned, 2:42 the king summoned 15 Shimei and said to him, “You will recall 16 that I made you take an oath by the Lord, and I solemnly warned you, ‘If you ever leave and go anywhere, 17 know for sure that you will certainly die.’ You said to me, ‘The proposal is acceptable; I agree to it.’ 18 2:43 Why then have you broken the oath you made before the Lord and disobeyed the order I gave you?” 19 2:44 Then the king said to Shimei, “You are well aware of the way you mistreated my father David. 20 The Lord will punish you for what you did. 21 2:45 But King Solomon will be empowered 22 and David’s dynasty 23 will endure permanently before the Lord.” 2:46 The king then gave the order to Benaiah son of Jehoiada who went and executed Shimei. 24
So Solomon took firm control of the kingdom. 25
[2:32] 1 tn Heb “The
[2:32] 2 tn Heb “because he struck down two men more innocent and better than he and he killed them with the sword, and my father David did not know.”
[2:34] 5 tn Heb “struck him and killed him.” The referent (Joab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[2:35] 7 tc The Old Greek translation includes after v. 35 some fourteen verses that are absent from the MT.
[2:36] 8 tn Heb “sent and summoned.”
[2:36] 9 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[2:36] 10 tn Heb “and you may not go out from there here or there.”
[2:37] 11 tn Heb “your blood will be upon your head.”
[2:38] 12 tn Heb “Good is the word, as my master the king has spoken.”
[2:38] 13 tn Heb “so your servant will do.”
[2:42] 15 tn Heb “sent and summoned.”
[2:42] 16 tn Heb “Is it not [true]…?” In the Hebrew text the statement is interrogative; the rhetorical question expects the answer, “Of course it is.”
[2:42] 17 tn Heb “here or there.”
[2:42] 18 tn Heb “good is the word; I have heard.”
[2:43] 19 tn Heb “Why have you not kept the oath [to] the
[2:44] 20 tn Heb “You know all the evil, for your heart knows, which you did to David my father.”
[2:44] 21 tn Heb “The
[2:46] 24 tn “The king commanded Benaiah son of Jehoiada and he went out and struck him down and he died.”
[2:46] 25 tn “And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.”
