Then the days of king David drew near that he should die. Among his instructions to the king his son, King Solomon, is the fate of Shimei the Benjamite.
“…And see, you have with you Shimei the Benjamite, who cursed me with a malicious curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim. But he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by the Lord saying, ” I will not put you to death with the sword.”
Now therefore, DO NOT HOLD HIM GUILTLESS, for you are a wise man and know what you ought to do to him; BUT BRING HIS GREY HAIR DOWN TO THE GRAVE WITH BLOOD.”
Shimei the Benjamite Executed
King Solomon sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and dwell there, and do not go out from there anywhere. For it shall be, on the day you go out and cross the Brook Kidron, know for certain you shall surely die; your blood shall be on you own head.”
And Shimei said to the king, “The saying is good. As my lord the king has said, so your servant will do.” So Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days.
Now it happened at the end of three years, that two slaves of Shimei ran away to Gath. So Shimei went to Achish at Gath to seek his slaves. And Shimei went and brought his slaves from Gath.
King Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had come back. Then the king sent and called for Shimei.
“Why have you not kept the oath of the Lord and the commandment that I gave you?”
The king said moreover to Shimei, You know as your heart acknowledges, all the wickedness that you did to my father David; therefore the Lord will return your wickedness on your own head.”
So the king commanded Benaiah; and he went out and struck him down, and Shimei died.
Short Stories on Bible Figures 