1 Kings 2:39

And it came to pass at the end of three years, that two of the servants of Shimei ran away unto Achish son of Maachah king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, Behold, thy servants be in Gath.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(39) Achish son of Maachah.—In 1Samuel 27:2 we read of Achish son of Maoch, king of Gath; but chronology makes it most unlikely that the same person should here be referred to. The name may have been hereditary.

Benson Commentary

1 Kings 2:39-40. Achish king of Gath — A king, but subject and tributary, first to David, and then to Solomon: permitted to enjoy the title and honour of a king, but not the full power: whence it was, that Achish could not keep these servants, though they had fled to him for protection; but suffered Shimei to take them away from his royal city. Shimei arose and went to Gath to seek his servants — In three years’ time he thought Solomon might have forgotten his injunction, or he presumed he would not hold him strictly to it, especially since he did not go from Jerusalem for his pleasure, but to recover what he had lost, which he thought was pardonable, these servants being probably worth a great deal of money. “By seeking his servants,” says Bishop Hall, “he lost himself. These earthly things either are, or should be, our servants. How commonly do we see men run out of the bounds set by God’s laws, to hunt after them, till their souls incur a fearful judgment!”

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

2:35-46 The old malignity remains in the unconverted heart, and a watchful eye should be kept on those who, like Shimei, have manifested their enmity, but have given no evidence of repentance. No engagements or dangers will restrain worldly men; they go on, though they forfeit their lives and souls. Let us remember, God will not accommodate his judgment to us. His eye is over us; and let us strive to walk as in his presence. Let our every act, word, and thought, be governed by this great truth, that the hour is quickly coming when the smallest circumstances of our lives shall be brought to light, and our eternal state be fixed by a righteous and unerring God. Thus Solomon's throne was established in peace, as the type of the Redeemer's kingdom of peace and righteousness. And it is a comfort, in reference to the enmity of the church's enemies, that, how much soever they rage, it is a vain thing they imagine. Christ's throne is established, and they cannot shake it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Achish - Possibly the Achish of the marginal reference, but more probably the grandson of the former Achish.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

36. the king sent and called for Shimei—He was probably residing at Bahurim, his native place. But, as he was a suspicious character, Solomon condemned him henceforth to live in Jerusalem, on the penalty of death, for going without the gates. He submitted to this confinement for three years, when, violating his oath, he was arrested and put to death by Solomon for perjury, aggravated by his former crime of high treason against David [1Ki 2:42-44].

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Achish son of Maachah king of Gath; a king, but subject and tributary, first to David, and then to Solomon. This might be either that Achish who showed so much kindness to David, 1Sa 27,1Sa 28, or his son; who, in requital of this kindness, was still permitted to enjoy the title and honour of a king, but not the full power; whence it was that Achish could not, or durst not, keep these servants, though they had fled to him for protection, but suffered Shimei to take them away from his royal city.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And it came to pass, at the end of three years,.... He had dwelt at Jerusalem:

that two of the servants of Shimei ran away to Achish the son of Maachah king of Gath; and they told Shimei, saying, behold, thy servant be in Gath; he being a churlish, ill-natured man, always cursing or beating them, or imposing too hard service upon them, or not allowing them the necessaries of life; wherefore they broke away from him, and fled to Gath, and put themselves under the protection of the king of that place, who was now at peace with Israel, and a tributary to them: if this Achish was the same that was David's friend, who sheltered him when persecuted by, Saul, he must be an old man; for that was between forty or fifty years ago; and as he seems to be, since he is called the son of Maoch, 1 Samuel 27:2; which may be thought to be the same with Maachah here.

Geneva Study Bible

And it came to pass at the end of three years, that two of the {s} servants of Shimei ran away unto Achish son of Maachah king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, Behold, thy servants be in Gath.

(s) Thus God appoints the ways and means to bring his just judgments on the wicked.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

39. two of the servants of Shimei] Shimei appears to have been a man of wealth, both from this circumstance, and from his ability to establish himself in Jerusalem as soon as Solomon commanded him. The servants may have been Philistines.

Achish son of Maachah king of Gath] The Achish to whom David fled on two occasions (1 Samuel 21:10; 1 Samuel 27:2) is called the son of Maoch, which may be only another form of Maachah. But the time which elapsed between David’s flight and the death of Shimei makes it doubtful whether the same man was king still. The same royal names were so frequently carried on in alternate generations that the similarity need not surprise us. So Hannibal was the son of Hamilcar, and Hamilcar the son of a former Hannibal.

they told Shimei] i.e. Some persons who had come to know of the whereabouts of the servants.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 39. - And it came to pass at the of three years that two of the servants of Shimei ran away [it has been thought by some that their flight was preconcerted with their master. But the narrative does not favour this supposition] to Achish, son of Maachah, king of Gath. [This may well have been the "Achish, son of Maoch" (1 Samuel 21:11; 1 Samuel 27:2), to whom David fled fifty years before. Longer reigns than this are not unknown to history. Or it may have been his grandson]. And they told Shimei, saying, Behold, thy servants be in Gath. 1 Kings 2:39

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

But after the lapse of three years, when two slaves fled to Gath to king Achish, with whom David had also sought and found refuge (1 Samuel 27:2, compare 1 Kings 21:11.), he started for Gath as soon as he knew this, and fetched them back.