2 Samuel 16:7 Meaning: When Words Cut Deep
Shimei said when he cursed, “Be gone, be gone, you man of blood, and wicked fellow!
And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial:
And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Begone, begone, thou man of blood, and base fellow:
And thus said Shimei in his reviling, `Go out, go out, O man of blood, and man of worthlessness!
And thus said Shimei as he cursed: Away, away, thou man of blood and man of Belial!
Meaning in one sentence
Shimei called David a 'man of blood' as he fled Absalom.
Context
David is fleeing Jerusalem. His son Absalom has stolen the hearts of Israel, and the king has left the city on foot, weeping, his head covered. As he passes through Bahurim, a village near the border of Benjamin, a man named Shimei comes out. He is from the family of Saul, the house David replaced. Shimei walks along the hillside opposite David, throwing stones and dirt, and he shouts curses. This is no quiet muttered complaint. It is a public, violent, intended humiliation. Shimei tells David to get out, get out, to go into exile, as if he has no right even to live in the land.
Key Words
The Hebrew behind "man of blood" is 'ish damim, literally "man of bloods." The plural damim suggests violent bloodshed, a life stained by multiple acts of killing. Shimei may have had Uriah in mind (2 Samuel 11), or perhaps the deaths of Saul's family, Abner, Ishbosheth, deaths David did not commit but that served his rise to power. The phrase "wicked fellow" translates 'ish beliya'al, a compound that means "man of worthlessness." In the Old Testament, sons of Belial are those who reject God's authority and corrupt others. The repeated command tze' ("get out") is a harsh dismissal, an order to leave the land as if David were an outlaw. What stings most is the grain of truth: David had shed innocent blood. But Shimei's curse mixes fact with falsehood, and David, rather than argue, receives it as something God might use to humble him.
How Christians Read This Verse
Commentators differ on what Shimei meant by "blood of the house of Saul." Some (Barnes, Cambridge, Gill) think he referred primarily to Uriah, that David's known sin gave Shimei a weapon. Others (Keil & Delitzsch) point out that David was innocent of the deaths of Abner and Ishbosheth, which Shimei seems to blame on him. The same passage has been read both as a false accusation from a bitter man and as a rough-edged warning God allowed to reach David's ears. Christians across traditions have focused less on parsing Shimei's guilt and more on David's response: he refuses to retaliate, saying "Yahweh has told him to curse." Whether or not Shimei was right about the facts, David leaves the verdict to God.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers assume Shimei was a prophet speaking God's judgment, after all, David was a man of bloodshed (1 Chronicles 22:8). But the text presents Shimei as a man from the house of Saul, nursing a family grievance. His curse is not a prophecy but a bitter tirade. David himself later recognizes Shimei's malice, ordering Solomon to hold him accountable (1 Kings 2:8, 9). In fact, Shimei's words contain truth twisted into a weapon, which makes them harder to answer, but they are not God's verdict.
Living This Out
Someone may bring up a real failure from your past not to help you heal but to wound you. They may even be partly right. Shimei's curse reminds you that you do not have to defend yourself to everyone who throws stones. David walked on, refusing to let Abishai silence the man with a sword. He took the shame and trusted God to sort out what was true, what was false, and what he needed to learn. This week, when an old sin is thrown in your face, you can ask God: Is there something here You want me to see? Then leave the rest with Him.
Main takeaway: When others curse us with words that mix truth and malice, we can entrust our reputation to God and wait for his vindication.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
King David was running away, and a man named Shimei yelled mean things at him. David did not yell back. He trusted God to take care of him.
For ages 9, 12
Shimei was from Saul's family, and he blamed David for things that went wrong. Some of what he said was true, David had done wrong things. But Shimei was not trying to help David; he just wanted to hurt him. David knew that God sees everything, so he did not try to prove himself. He kept walking and left the judgment to God. That is hard to do, but it is the way of faith.
Questions People Ask
Why did Shimei curse David in 2 Samuel 16:7?
Shimei was a relative of Saul, the previous king. He saw David fleeing from Absalom as an opportunity to vent his family's bitterness. He accused David of being a 'man of blood', someone who had shed innocent blood to take the throne.
Was Shimei right about David being a 'man of blood'?
David had indeed shed innocent blood in the case of Uriah (2 Samuel 11). But Shimei also blamed David for the deaths of Saul's family, Abner and Ishbosheth, which David did not commit. So the charge was a mixture of truth, falsehood, and exaggeration.
Why didn't David defend himself against Shimei's curse?
David said, 'Yahweh has told him to curse.' He did not mean God literally commanded Shimei to sin, but that God was allowing this affliction. David humbly accepted that the Lord might use even a false accusation to humble him and teach him something.
What does 'man of Belial' mean?
'Belial' comes from a Hebrew word meaning worthlessness or wickedness. A 'man of Belial' is a base, worthless person, someone who rebels against God and does evil. In the Old Testament, it is used of men who lead others into sin (Deuteronomy 13:13, 1 Samuel 2:12).
Is Shimei's curse in 2 Samuel 16:7 a prophecy from God?
No. The text calls it a curse, not a prophecy. Shimei was a bitter man from the house of Saul, David's rival. Later, David told Solomon to hold Shimei accountable (1 Kings 2:8, 9). God can use even evil words to accomplish His purposes, but Shimei's words were not a divine oracle.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study