Shimei Apologizes At The Jordan; David Grants Mercy

16Then the king returned and came as far as the Jordan, and Judah came to Gilgal to go to meet the king, to bring the king across the Jordan.

17Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, hurried and went down with the men of Judah to meet King David.

18and a thousand men from Benjamin with him, and Ziba, the servant of Saul’s house, with his fifteen sons and his twenty servants; they crossed the Jordan before the king.

19The ferryboat crossed over to bring the king’s household across and to do what was good in his sight, and Shimei son of Gera fell before the king as he was crossing the Jordan.

20And he said to the king, “Do not let my lord count me guilty, and do not remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king went out from Jerusalem, so that the king should take it to heart.”

21For your servant knows that I have sinned. And look, I have come today as the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.

22But Abishai son of Zeruiah answered and said, “Should Shimei not be put to death for this, because he cursed Yahweh’s anointed?”

23And David said, “What have I to do with you, sons of Zeruiah, that you should be an adversary to me today? Shall any man be put to death in Israel today? For do I not know that today I am king over Israel?”

24And the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king swore to him.