II Samuel 16:11 · Bible study
2 Samuel 16:11 Commentary: David and Shimei
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore how David sees God's hand even in Shimei's curses. A study on divine sovereignty, humility, and trusting God in unjust suffering.
Research Summary
- Meaning: David accepts Shimei’s cursing as divinely permitted discipline, reasoning that if his own son seeks his life, a Benjamite’s curse is no surprise.
- Key words: ‘amar (H0559): can mean “said, commanded, permitted, intended”; the Hebrew idiom often conflates permission with command in describing God’s action.
- Main debate: Whether God directly “bade” Shimei to curse (seems to endorse sin) or sovereignly permitted it (consistent with God’s justice).
- Theological theme: Divine sovereignty and human responsibility; suffering as chastening; trusting God’s purposes in unjust treatment.
- Best use: Pastoral counseling for those facing undeserved criticism, teaching on God’s providence in the midst of personal failure and its consequences.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my own son, my own flesh and blood, seeks my life. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone and let him curse me, for the LORD has told him so.
WEB World English Bible 2000
David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my son, who came out of my bowels, seeks my life. How much more this Benjamite, now? Leave him alone, and let him curse; for Yahweh has invited him.
KJV King James Version 1769
And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the Lord hath bidden him.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, who came forth from my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more may this Benjamite now do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for Jehovah hath bidden him.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And David saith unto Abishai, and unto all his servants, `Lo, my son who came out of my bowels is seeking my life, and also surely now the Benjamite; leave him alone, and let him revile, for Jehovah hath said so to him;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, who came forth of my bowels, seeks my life: how much more now a Benjaminite? let him alone and let him curse; for Jehovah has bidden him.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And the king said to Abisai, and to all his servants: Behold my son, who came forth from my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now a son of Jemini? let him alone that he may curse as the Lord hath bidden him.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y dijo David á Abisai y á todos sus siervos: He aquí, mi hijo que ha salido de mis entrañas, acecha á mi vida: ¿ cuánto más ahora un hijo de Benjamín? Dejadle que maldiga, que Jehová se lo ha dicho.
E disse Davi a Abisai e a todos os seus servos: Eis que, meu filho que saiu de minhas entranhas, busca à minha vida: quanto mais agora um filho de Benjamim? Deixai-lhe que amaldiçoe, que o SENHOR se o disse.
Et David dit à Abischaï et à tous ses serviteurs: Voici, mon fils, qui est sorti de mes entrailles, en veut à ma vie; à plus forte raison ce Benjamite! Laissez-le, et qu’ il maudisse, car l’ Éternel le lui a dit.
Und David sprach zu Abisai und zu allen seinen Knechten: Siehe, mein Sohn, der von meinem Leibe gekommen ist, steht mir nach meinem Leben; warum nicht auch jetzt der Benjaminiter? Laßt ihn, daß er fluche; denn der HERR hat's ihn geheißen.
Voorts zeide David tot Abisai en tot al zijn knechten: Ziet, mijn zoon, die van mijn lijf is voortgekomen, zoekt mijn ziel; hoeveel te meer dan nu deze zoon van Jemini? Laat hem geworden, dat hij vloeke, want de HEERE heeft het hem gezegd.
Poi Davide disse ad Abishai e a tutti i suoi i servi: “Ecco, il mio figliuolo, uscito dalle mie viscere, cerca di togliermi la vita! Quanto più lo può fare ora questo Beniaminita! Lasciate ch’ei maledica, giacché glielo ha ordinato l’Eterno.
Nadto rzekł Dawid do Abisajego i do wszystkich sług swoich: Oto syn mój, który wyszedł z żywota mego, szuka duszy mojej, jakoż daleko więcej teraz syn Jemini? Zaniechajcie go, niech złorzeczy; boć mu Pan rozkazał.
И сказал Давид Авессе и всем слугам своим: вот, если мой сын, который вышел из чресл моих, ищет души моей, тем больше сын Вениамитянина; оставьте его, пусть злословит, ибо Господь повелел ему;
大衛 又對 亞比篩 和 眾 臣僕 說：「 我親 生 的 兒子 尚且尋索 我的性命，何況 這便雅憫人呢？由 他 咒罵吧！因為 這是耶和華 吩咐 他的。
And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, You see how my son, the offspring of my body, has made designs against my life: how much more then may this Benjamite do so? Let him be, and let him go on cursing; for the Lord has given him orders.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · II Samuel 16:11
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that David is not claiming God directly commanded Shimei to sin, but rather that God sovereignly permitted the cursing as part of His chastening of David. Adam Clarke notes a characteristic of Hebrew: the language often attributes to God what He merely permits. The Cambridge Bible adds that God makes use of evil passions to work out His purposes, yet those passions are not excused.
David’s logic moves from the greater to the lesser: if his own son Absalom, flesh of his flesh, seeks his life, how much more may a Benjamite from the hostile house of Saul curse him. Gill and Matthew Henry both stress that David restrains Abishai because he recognizes the Lord’s hand in his humiliation, recalling the prophecy of Nathan (2 Samuel 12:11, 12). David’s hope in verse 12, that Yahweh may look on his affliction and repay good, shows he trusts God’s mercy even while accepting the rod.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: High
Main views:
- Direct divine command: A strict reading of 'Yahweh has bidden him' could imply God commanded Shimei to curse. However, most commentators reject this because it would make God the author of sin.
- Divine permission via providence: God sovereignly permitted Shimei’s sinful curse as an instrument of discipline for David’s good, consistent with 2 Samuel 12:11–12 and the Hebrew idiom of attributing permission as command.
- David's subjective interpretation: David, in his repentance, may have been over-crediting God with Shimei’s malice. God did not actually 'bid' him; David’s faith saw purpose in the suffering, but the act was entirely Shimei’s sin.
What is clear: David refused retaliation and humbly accepted the curse as part of God’s dealing with him, trusting that Yahweh would ultimately bring good out of the evil.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of God's 'bidding' Shimei | All traditions agree that God is sovereign over Shimei's curse and that David is not attributing sin to God. | Some (e.g., Reformed) emphasize God's decretive will permitting the curse as part of His plan. Others (e.g., Wesleyan) highlight the Hebrew idiom of permission vs. command, stressing that God does not will sin but works through it. |
| David's guilt and the justice of Shimei's charge | David's sin with Bathsheba and Uriah is recognized as part of the background; God's discipline is just. | Is Shimei's specific accusation (blood of Saul's house) valid? Some say no, David did not kill Saul's family. Others see it as a general charge of bloodshed that finds some ground in David's actions (e.g., Uriah, Ish-bosheth's death). |
| Application for Christian response to persecution | Believers should not take personal vengeance and should trust God's justice. | Catholic and Orthodox traditions often connect this to the command to turn the other cheek and see suffering as participation in Christ. Protestants sometimes stress that civil authorities have a role in justice, so this passage is about personal, not governmental, response. |
Historical & Cultural Context
David is fleeing Jerusalem after Absalom’s coup. As he passes Bahurim, Shimei, a relative of Saul, comes out cursing, throwing stones and dust. This is no casual insult; Shimei publicly accuses David of being a “man of blood” who usurped Saul’s throne. Abishai, David’s nephew and a seasoned warrior, offers to kill Shimei on the spot, an act considered justifiable in ancient Near Eastern honor culture.
David’s refusal is remarkable. Earlier, Nathan had prophesied that evil would rise against David from his own house (2 Samuel 12:11). Now that prophecy is unfolding: his son Absalom is hunting him, and a Benjamite curses him. Rather than seeing Shimei as a random enemy, David interprets the moment as divine discipline. The phrase “Yahweh has bidden him” (אָֽמַר־לוֹ יְהוָה) uses the verb ‘amar, which can mean “said, commanded, or intended.” Commentators from the Geneva Bible to Keil and Delitzsch read this as David acknowledging God’s sovereign permission, not a direct command to curse.
The cultural context deepens the shame: a king being pelted with stones and dirt while his own men look on would usually demand immediate retribution. David’s humility, refusing to defend his honor, points to a deeper trust in Yahweh’s justice. He even hopes that God will repay good for the curse (v. 12). This is not fatalism; it is repentant faith.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for 2 Samuel 16:11 itself. The Masoretic Text is stable for this verse. A minor variant in verse 12 (be‘oni vs. be‘eyni) is mentioned by Keil and Delitzsch but does not affect verse 11.
Reception History
Early Christian interpreters saw David’s patient endurance as a type of Christ, who suffered unjust abuse without retaliation. Matthew Henry (1710) emphasized that David’s “frowns” of Shimei were better handled than Ziba’s flatteries. Charles Wesley, the Methodist hymn writer, composed a poetic paraphrase of this scene, included in Adam Clarke’s commentary, where David says: “Let Shimei curse: the rod he bears / For sins which mercy had forgiven; / And in the wrongs of man reveres / The awful righteousness of heaven.” This captures how the verse has been read across traditions: as a model of humble submission to God’s hand even through unjust human instruments.
In more recent pastoral application, this verse is often cited in discussions about responding to criticism and trusting God’s purposes in seasons of failure or discipline.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The depth of David’s humiliation. His own son seeks his life; now a Benjamite curses him. The greater-to-lesser argument shows David has hit bottom, yet he does not fight back.
- The sovereignty of God over all. “Yahweh has bidden him.” David sees the curse as permitted by God for his good. This is not a command to sin, but ordination of circumstances.
- The hope of restoration. Verse 12: “Maybe Yahweh will look on my affliction and repay me good.” Humble acceptance of discipline opens the door for mercy.
Five-point outline
- The setting: David in flight, Absalom on the throne, Shimei cursing.
- The temptation: Abishai offers swift vengeance, culturally expected and militarily possible.
- The restraint: David stops him, using his son’s betrayal as the first evidence that God is at work.
- The theology: “Yahweh has bidden him.” God’s permission, not command; God’s sovereignty, not Shimei’s exoneration.
- The forward look: David trusts that the same God who brought this trial can turn it into blessing.
Illustration hooks
- A worker receives unfair criticism from a colleague. The natural reaction is to defend oneself or retaliate. But pausing to ask, “Is God using this to teach me something?” changes the response.
- A parent whose child has rebelled experiences added pain from a stranger’s judgment. The greater betrayal makes the lesser insult easier to bear, and reveals how much we need grace.
- An athlete who has made past mistakes faces public booing. Owning the past while trusting the coach’s plan allows him to endure the crowd’s noise.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If God is sovereign, why does He allow unjust suffering?
- How do I know when suffering is discipline and when it is just random evil?
- Does this passage mean I should never defend myself against false accusations?
Leading a Discussion
This passage confronts us with a hard question: how can a good God be involved in something as ugly as cursing? David’s response models humility without passivity, trust without fatalism. As you discuss, remember that the same David who wrote many psalms is living out faith in real-time pain.
Discussion questions
- Read 2 Samuel 16:5, 14. What emotions do you see in David, Abishai, and Shimei? Put yourself in David’s sandals, how would you feel?
- David says, “Behold, my son, who came out of my bowels, seeks my life.” Why does he mention Absalom before responding to Shimei? What does that comparison reveal about his perspective?
- The phrase “Yahweh has bidden him” is striking. Based on the commentaries, how do you understand God’s role in Shimei’s cursing? Does God ever command sin? (See also Genesis 45:5 and Acts 2:23.)
- How does David’s response differ from what most ancient kings (or modern people) would do when publicly insulted? What does this teach us about humility?
- In verse 12, David expresses hope that God will repay good for the curse. Is this healthy faith or wishful thinking? How does this hope affect his ability to endure?
- When have you experienced a situation where someone wronged you, but you sensed God might be using it for your growth? How did you respond?
- How can we hold together God’s sovereignty and human responsibility in difficult relationships? What safeguards keep us from blaming God for others’ sin, or from ignoring His hand in our trials?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 15:4 | Behold, Yahweh’s word came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir, but he who will come out of your own body will be your heir.” |
| Genesis 45:5 | Now don’t be grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. |
| II Samuel 7:2 | the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but God’s ark dwells within curtains.” |
| II Samuel 12:11 | “This is what Yahweh says: ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he will lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. |
| II Samuel 12:12 | For you did this secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.’” |
| II Samuel 17:1 | Moreover Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me now choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David tonight. |
| II Samuel 17:4 | The saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel. |
| II Kings 19:37 | As he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god, Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Ararat. Esar Haddon his son reigned in his place. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke clarifies that the Hebrew phrase "the Lord hath bidden him" means God permitted Shimei's cursing, not commanded it. He explains that Scripture sometimes attributes to God what He only allows in His providence, and David accepted this as divine chastisement for his own sins.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
David's recognition that the Lord bade Shimei curse him does not mean God commanded sin. The commentator explains that God permits evil passions to serve His purposes without excusing them, and Scripture sometimes speaks of God doing what He merely permits.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
David's reasoning here is that God has sovereignly allowed Shimei's curse, and he accepts it with humility. The note emphasizes how David draws a line from his own son's betrayal to a stranger's insult: if the closer relationship cannot protect him, the farther one has no reason to hold back.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights David's argument from the greater to the lesser: if his own son Absalom seeks his life, then a Benjamite from Saul's hostile family is even more likely to curse him. David therefore lets Shimei alone, interpreting the curse as something the Lord has permitted or even appointed.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch highlights David's distinction between Shimei's false accusation and his own actual guilt before God. David accepts the curse not for the specific sin charged against him, but because he knows his own real sins deserve God's discipline, and this humility kindles hope that God will repay the curse with blessing.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that David handled Shimei's curses better than he handled Ziba's flatteries. The curses forced David to pass a right judgment on himself, whereas the flatteries had led him into a wrong judgment on another. The world's frowns, he concludes, are less dangerous than its smiles.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that David considers Shimei's curse a greater harm than mere words because it comes from a Benjamite, the tribe that lost the kingdom to him. David refuses to punish or stop him, recognizing that the Lord has allowed this indignation and that he must submit to God's pleasure.