“Avishai the son of Tz’ruyah answered, ‘Shouldn’t Shim‘i be put to death for this? After all, he cursed Adonai’s anointed ruler!’ But David said, ‘What do I have in common with you, you sons of Tz’ruyah? Why have you become my adversaries today? Should anyone in Isra’el be put to death today? Don’t I know that today I am king over Isra’el?’ Then the king said to Shim‘i, ‘You will not be put to death,’ and the king swore it to him.”-2 Samuel 19:22-24
Shimei is asking the king to be forgiven for the unforgivable.
One question that arises is why didn’t Shimei try to hightail it out of the area rather than risk execution by presenting himself to David?
That’s a good question, and there’s a perfectly good answer.
The fact of the matter is, Shimei timed this event perfectly.
It all has to do with a practice that was common in the ancient Middle East.
On the day of a king’s coronation, it was customary for a king to issue pardons and gifts to his subjects to start things off on a positive note.
For instance, in America, presidents often wait until their last days in office to pardon people.
It’s the perfect timing to clean up the messes they couldn’t touch while in power.
But in the Biblical era, it was the opposite.
Such pardons happened when the king was assuming his throne, not when he was leaving it.
The new incoming king was expected to show mercy.
For sure, Shimei was gambling with his life.
Yet, he was hoping he could squeeze a pardon out of David by asking for his forgiveness on the day of his coronation.
However, Avishai, one of David’s commanders, didn’t think Shimei was being sincere and that he should be executed.
David responded as follows:
“What does this have to do
with you, you sons of Zeruiah?
What right do you have to interfere?
Should anyone be put to
death in Israel today?
Don’t I know that today
I am king over Israel?“
-2 Samuel 19:22
Then David vowed to Adonai that he would not be put to death.
When David says, “today I’m king over Israel,” he meant it literally.
He made this promise to Shimei immediately before or after his re-coronation ceremony.
But there was a catch.
Shimei may have been breathing a huge sigh of relief.
Yet, unbeknownst to him, David had inserted a sneaky loophole into his vow
Let’s fast forward to the Book of 1st Kings to show you what I mean.
The scene is that David is on his deathbed, and he is giving his final instructions to his son Solomon, who is about to take over as king.
Here are the words David told Solomon concerning Shimei hours before he took his last breath:
“And remember,
you have with you Shimei son of Gera,
the Benjamite from Bahurim,
who called down bitter curses on me
the day I went to Mahanaim.
When he came down to meet
me at the Jordan,
I swore to him by the Lord:
‘I will not put you to death
by the sword.’
But now, do not consider him innocent.
You are a man of wisdom;
you will know what to do to him.
Bring his gray head
down to the grave in blood.”
-1 Kings 2:8-9
So there you have it.
David made a smart political move the day he pardoned Shimei.
He swore by Adonai that he would not put Shimei to death.
But sneakily, he didn’t make any promises that nobody else in his kingdom wouldn’t.
At the end of the day, David made Shimei pay for cursing him by ordering his son to avenge him, which Solomon did.
So what’s the takeaway to be had here?
First, let me ask you a question.
Do you think Shimei was sincere when he asked David for forgiveness?
Or do you think he just wanted to hang onto his life now that Absalom, whom he had so vigorously supported, was dead?
I think the answer to that question is obvious.
Shimei’s slanderous attitude towards the Son of God (David) was set in stone in his heart when he so violently cursed David.
He despised David with all his heart and desired his utter destruction.
Unfortunately, for Shimei, at the very end, he received the destruction he so desired for God’s anointed.
David knew what was in Shimei’s heart, and that if this bitter old man could’ve had his way, he would’ve been none too happy to see David’s demise.
So in the end, the Father had the Son execute his furious judgment on Shimei.
And that’s how it will be for all those who go against or curse God’s son before his restoration.
Don’t think asking for forgiveness after he returns in his glory, might, and power is gonna get you a pardon.
It’ll be too late then.
God knows what was in your heart based on the decisions you made before His Son’s final and ultimate restoration.
So if you haven’t already.
I desperately urge you to sincerely repent and seek forgiveness NOW while you can, before it’s too late.
Be blessed!
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“And so I tell you,
every kind of sin and slander
can be forgiven,
but blasphemy against
the Spirit will not be forgiven.”
-Matthew 12:31
“It is impossible for those
who have once been enlightened,
who have tasted the heavenly gift,
who have shared in the Holy Spirit,
who have tasted the goodness
of the word of God
and the powers of the coming age
and who have fallen away,
to be brought back to repentance.
To their loss they are crucifying
the Son of God all over again
and subjecting him to public disgrace.
Land that drinks in the rain
often falling on it and that
produces a crop useful to those
for whom it is farmed receives
the blessing of God.
But land that produces thorns and
thistles is worthless and is in
danger of being cursed.
In the end it will be burned.”
-Hebrews 6:4-7
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