1 Kings 2:42

the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the LORD and warn you, ‘On the day you leave and go elsewhere, know for sure that you will die’? And you told me, ‘The sentence is fair; I will comply.’

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Solomon summons Shimei immediately after learning he violated his banishment order by traveling to Gath and returning. The king confronts him directly to demand accountability for his broken vow.

The words — הִשְבַּעְתִּי/ךָ (hish.ba'.Ti./kha) translates literally as "did I make swear you," emphasizing the binding nature of the royal oath. הֲ/ל֧וֹא (ha./Lo') functions as a rhetorical "did I not," underscoring the undeniable reality of Solomon's prior warning.

The thread — This confrontation echoes the original decree in 1 Kings 2:36 and aligns with the principle of honoring binding vows found in Psalms 15:4. The narrative trajectory moves toward Solomon's execution of Shimei in 1 Kings 2:46.

Why it lands — The text demands recognition that sworn commitments carry irreversible consequences. It requires readers to examine the weight of their own promises and the accountability that follows their breach.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיִּשְׁלַ֨חva/i.yish.Lachand/ he sent הַמֶּ֜לֶךְha./Me.lekhthe/ king וַיִּקְרָ֣אva/i.yik.Ra'and/ he summoned לְשִׁמְעִ֗יle./shim.'I<to>/ Shimei וַיֹּ֨אמֶרva/i.Yo.merand/ he said אֵלָ֜יו'e.La/vto/ him הֲל֧וֹאha./Lo'¿/ not הִשְׁבַּעְתִּ֣יךָhish.ba'.Ti./khadid I make swear/ you בַֽיהוָ֗הba./Yah.wehby/ Yahweh וָאָעִ֤דva./'a.'Idand/ did I warn?בְּךָ֙be./Kha<in>/ youלֵאמֹ֔רle./Mor<to>/ saying בְּי֣וֹםbe./Yomon/ [the] day צֵאתְךָ֗tze.te./Khagoing out/ you וְהָֽלַכְתָּ֙ve./ha.lakh.Taand/ you will go אָ֣נֶה'A.nehwhere?וָאָ֔נָהva./'A.nahand/ where?יָדֹ֥עַya.Do.a'certainly <to know>תֵּדַ֖עte.Da'you will know כִּ֣יkithat מ֣וֹתMotcertainly <to die>תָּמ֑וּתta.Mutyou will die וַתֹּ֧אמֶרva./To.merand/ you said אֵלַ֛י'e.La/ito/ me ט֥וֹבTov[is] good הַדָּבָ֖רha./da.Varthe/ word שָׁמָֽעְתִּי׃sha.Ma.'e.tiI have heard

King James Version

And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Did I not make thee to swear by the Lord, and protested unto thee, saying, Know for a certain, on the day thou goest out, and walkest abroad any whither, that thou shalt surely die? and thou saidst unto me, The word that I have heard is good.

Cross-references

1 Kings 2:36 Then the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Build a house for yourself in Jerusalem and live there, but do not go anywhere else.
Psalms 15:4 who despises the vile but honors those who fear the LORD, who does not revise a costly oath,
Luke 15:22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
Luke 19:22 His master replied, ‘You wicked servant, I will judge you by your own words. So you knew that I am a harsh man, withdrawing what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow?

People named

Shimei