I want you to notice something interesting.
When Shimei first enters into an agreement with Solomon, the following exchange takes place:
“The king summoned Shim‘i and said to him, ‘Build yourself a house in Yerushalayim, and live there; don’t go outside the city walls. Know for a fact that on the day you go out and cross Vadi Kidron, you will certainly die; your blood will be on your own head.’ Shim‘i answered the king, ‘What you have said is good; as my lord the king has said, so will your servant do.’ So Shim‘i lived in Yerushalayim for a long time.”-1 Kings 2:36-38
However, look at Solomon’s words to Shimei after he disobeyed and left Jerusalem:
“The king summoned Shim‘i and said to him, ‘Didn’t I have you swear by Adonai and forewarn you by telling you, ‘Know for a fact that on the day you leave and go anywhere outside the city, you will certainly die’? and you answered me, ‘What you’re saying is good; I hear it.’”-1 Kings 2:42
Notice something interesting?
In the first exchange, we’re never told that Solomon swore by Adonai.
In other words, there’s no indication that an officially religiously sanctioned vow was established between Solomon and Shimei.
However, that’s not how Solomon framed it when he called out Shimei for leaving Jerusalem later.
Remember, for a vow or an oath to be made, the Lord’s name must be invoked.
In Scripture, to achieve this purpose, phrases such as “before the Lord” or “as Adonai lives” are used.
Again, Solomon said nothing like this in verses 36-38.
Ya feel me here, man?
This is important.
My point is, it appears that a vow was never made.
I think Solomon was being devious here.
He decided to declare their agreement a vow when a vow per Torah protocol was never really established.
Why?
So that Solomon would have a God-sanctioned and legal reason to put Shimei to death.
Breaking a vow in God’s name would certainly suffice for that purpose.
You might think I’m making a big deal out of nothing.
Or reading too much into the text.
I’m not homies.
And this kind of goes back to what I said yesterday about having a frivolous attitude towards obeying the Lord’s commandments.
God’s commandments are important.
Not eating unclean foods is important.
And a vow or an oath made in the Lord’s holy name is doubly important.
Ya feel me?
However, what do you think about my take on Solomon’s exchange with Shimei?
I believe that Solomon was being sneaky here, and that he never established a vow with Shimei initially.
But later framed it as a vow.
What do you think?
Agree or disagree?
Would love to hear your thoughts.
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“Again, you have heard it said
Do not break your oath
Keep your vows to Adonai
But I tell you this
Do not swear at all
Not by heaven above
It is God’s throne
Not by the earth below
It is His footstool
Not by Yerushalayim
City of the Great King
Do not swear by your head
You cannot change one hair
Not make it white or black
Let your yes be yes
Let your no be no
Anything more than this
Comes from evil.”
-Matthew 5:33-37
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