2 Samuel 19:23
New International Version
So the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king promised him on oath.

New Living Translation
Then, turning to Shimei, David vowed, “Your life will be spared.”

English Standard Version
And the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king gave him his oath.

Berean Standard Bible
So the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king swore an oath to him.

King James Bible
Therefore the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him.

New King James Version
Therefore the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king swore to him.

New American Standard Bible
So the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” The king also swore to him.

NASB 1995
The king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” Thus the king swore to him.

NASB 1977
And the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” Thus the king swore to him.

Legacy Standard Bible
And the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” Thus the king swore to him.

Amplified Bible
Therefore the king said to Shimei, “You shall not be put to death.” And so the king gave him his promise.

Christian Standard Bible
So the king said to Shimei, “You will not die.” Then the king gave him his oath.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So the king said to Shimei, “You will not die.” Then the king gave him his oath.

American Standard Version
And the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
The King said to Shemei: “Surely, you shall not die!” And the King swore to him

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the king said to Semei, Thou shalt not die: and the king swore to him.

Contemporary English Version
Then David promised Shimei that he would not be killed.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the king said to Semei: Thou shalt not die. And he swore unto him.

English Revised Version
And the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The king promised Shimei, "You won't die," and the king swore to it.

Good News Translation
And he said to Shimei, "I give you my word that you will not be put to death."

International Standard Version
Then the king addressed Shimei, "You won't die!" affirming his promise with an oath.

JPS Tanakh 1917
And the king said unto Shimei: 'Thou shalt not die.' And the king swore unto him.

Literal Standard Version
And the king says to Shimei, “You do not die”; and the king swears to him.

Majority Standard Bible
So the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king swore an oath to him.

New American Bible
Then the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king gave him his oath.

NET Bible
The king said to Shimei, "You won't die." The king vowed an oath concerning this.

New Revised Standard Version
The king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king gave him his oath.

New Heart English Bible
The king said to Shimei, "You shall not die." The king swore to him.

Webster's Bible Translation
Therefore the king said to Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king swore to him.

World English Bible
The king said to Shimei, “You will not die.” The king swore to him.

Young's Literal Translation
And the king saith unto Shimei, 'Thou dost not die;' and the king sweareth to him.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Shimei Pardoned
22And David replied, “Sons of Zeruiah, what have I to do with you, that you should be my adversaries today? Should any man be put to death in Israel today? Am I not indeed aware that today I am king over Israel?” 23So the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king swore an oath to him.

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 19:24
Then Mephibosheth, Saul's grandson, went down to meet the king. He had not cared for his feet or trimmed his mustache or washed his clothes from the day the king had left until the day he returned safely.


Treasury of Scripture

Therefore the king said to Shimei, You shall not die. And the king swore to him.

Thou shalt

1 Kings 2:8,9,37,46
And, behold, thou hast with thee Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim, which cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim: but he came down to meet me at Jordan, and I sware to him by the LORD, saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword…

sware

1 Samuel 28:10
And Saul sware to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing.

1 Samuel 30:15
And David said to him, Canst thou bring me down to this company? And he said, Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee down to this company.

Hebrews 6:16
For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.

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2 Samuel 19
1. Joab causes the king to cease his mourning
9. The Israelites are earnest to bring the king back
11. David sends to the priest to incite them of Judah
18. Shimei is pardoned
24. Mephibosheth excused
32. Barzillai dismissed, and Chimham his son taken into the king's family
41. The Israelites expostulate with Judah for bringing home the king without them














(23) The king sware unto him.--This oath of David assuring immunity to Shimei brings to mind his dying charge to Solomon concerning him (1Kings 2:8-9): "His hoar head bring thou down to the grave with blood." The whole transaction is to be viewed from a political point. Shimei had been guilty of high treason in David's distress; at his return he had confessed his fault, and exerted himself to help on David's restoration to the throne. He had accordingly been pardoned, and David, somewhat rashly, had confirmed this pardon with an oath, in such a way that he was unable to punish any subsequent treasonable tendencies showing themselves in Shimei. From the character of the man, however, and from Solomon's address to him in 1Kings 2:44, it is plain that he remained thoroughly disloyal. David saw this, and hindered by his oath from treating him as he deserved, pointed out the case to Solomon. Solomon settled the matter by a compact (into which Shimei willingly entered), that his life should be forfeited whenever he should go out of Jerusalem. There he was under supervision; elsewhere he could not be trusted. After a few years he violated this condition, and was executed. David had made a rash oath, and observed it to the letter, but no farther, towards a thorough traitor.

Verse 23. - The king sware unto him. David's magnanimity was not the result merely of policy, but also of joyful feeling at seeing all the tribes so readily welcome him back to the throne. But in spite of his oath, he orders Solomon to execute him, regarding what he had done as a sin past forgiveness. In so doing we can hardly acquit David of breaking his oath, even granting that Shimei's repentance was insincere, and that the motive of his actions was the desire simply to save his life. But we must remember that our Lord described his injunction, "that ye love one another," as "a new commandment" (John 13:34); and the utmost that can be said in David's favour is that his character was generous and full of chivalry. A half excuse may be found for his order in the supposition that Shimei was an inveterate conspirator, and dangerous to Solomon's peace. This view seems confirmed by the command given to Shimei to build a house at Jerusalem (1 Kings 2:36), where he would always be under surveillance. But had not David himself praised the man who "sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not" (Psalm 15:4)?

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
So the king
הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

said
וַיֹּ֧אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Shimei,
שִׁמְעִ֖י (šim·‘î)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 8096: Shimei -- the name of a number of Israelites

“You shall not
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

die.”
תָמ֑וּת (ṯā·mūṯ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

Then the king
הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

swore an oath
וַיִּשָּׁ֥בַֽע (way·yiš·šā·ḇa‘)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7650: To seven oneself, swear

to him.
ל֖וֹ (lōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew


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OT History: 2 Samuel 19:23 The king said to Shimei You shall (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
2 Samuel 19:22
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