Bible Strands
2 Samuel 19:16
Then Shimei son of Gera, a Benjamite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David,
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — King David is returning across the Jordan after his flight, and the men of Judah are gathering at Gilgal to escort him back. Shimei joins this group to approach the king at the river crossing.
The words — וַ/יְמַהֵ֗ר (va/y.ma.Her) translates literally as "and he hurried," describing Shimei's swift descent. שִׁמְעִ֤י (shim.'I) identifies the subject as Shimei, son of Gera, a Benjamite from Bahurim.
The thread — The narrative tracks Shimei's movements from his cursing of David at Bahurim (2 Samuel 16:5) to his eventual house arrest in Jerusalem under Solomon's command (1 Kings 2:8; 1 Kings 2:36).
Why it lands — The text records a political maneuver where a former enemy rapidly joins the returning king's escort to secure favor. A reader must note the immediate alignment of tribal factions and the tactical timing of Shimei's approach.
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
King James Version
And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.
Cross-references
- 1 Kings 2:8 Keep an eye on Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim who is with you. He called down bitter curses against me on the day I went to Mahanaim, but when he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the LORD: ‘I will never put you to the sword.’
- 2 Samuel 16:5 As King David approached Bahurim, a man from the family of the house of Saul was just coming out. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and as he approached, he kept yelling out curses.
- 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.
- Job 2:4 “Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give up all he owns in exchange for his life.
- Proverbs 6:4 Allow no sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids.
- Matthew 5:25 Reconcile quickly with your adversary, while you are still on the way to court. Otherwise, he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.