Bible Strands
2 Samuel 19:18
and crossed at the ford to carry over the king’s household and to do what was good in his sight. When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell down before the king
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Shimei son of Gera crosses the Jordan at the ford to transport the king’s household and perform services for David. This action occurs immediately after the arrival of Ziba and the Benjaminites, and directly precedes Shimei’s spoken plea for forgiveness.
The words — The Hebrew לַֽ/עֲבִיר (la./'a.Vir) means "to bring over," describing the physical act of ferrying the royal retinue across the river. The phrase הַ/טּ֖וֹב (ha./Tov), "the good," denotes concrete actions performed to demonstrate favor or loyalty in the king’s presence.
The thread — The logistical crossing to secure royal favor continues the narrative thread begun in 2 Samuel 19:17 and aligns with the biblical pattern of submission to Davidic authority referenced in Psalms 66:3 and Revelation 3:9.
Why it lands — The text records a calculated political gesture rather than a spiritual confession, establishing the factual sequence before any moral assessment. It asks the reader to distinguish between proximity-driven compliance and genuine repentance when evaluating appeals for grace.
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 there went over a ferry boat to carry over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was come over Jordan;
Cross-references
- Psalms 66:3 Say to God, “How awesome are Your deeds! So great is Your power that Your enemies cower before You.
- Psalms 81:15 Those who hate the LORD would feign obedience, and their doom would last forever.
- Revelation 3:9 As for those who belong to the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews but are liars instead, I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and they will know that I love you.