Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Samuel 16:11
And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now [may this] Benjamite [do it]? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him.
11. this Benjamite ] Who has some plausible ground for spite against a king who has succeeded to the honours once held by his family.
the Lord hath bidden him ] David recognises Shimei as the divinely appointed instrument for his chastisement, and therefore he can say, “the Lord hath bidden him.” But Shimei’s cursing was on his part sinful, and God commands no man to sin. God makes use of the evil passions of men to work out His purposes, but those evil passions are not thereby excused or justified. See for example, Gen 45:5; Act 2:23. Since He is the Author and Cause of all things, and in a certain sense nothing can be done without His Will, He is sometimes said to do what He permits to be done, to command what He does not forbid. See note on 1Sa 26:19: and 2Sa 24:1.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
2Sa 16:11-12
Let him alone, let him curse, for the Lord hath bidden him.
The grounds of Davids forbearance towards Shimei
David, in his adversity, receives from Shimei an undeserved, cruel, and most irritating provocation; he reviles him, and curses him, and casts stones at him; but the afflicted monarch bears all his insults with silent meekness; he, forgives and protects his railing enemy; and here in the text he discloses to his wondering attendants the feelings which actuated his conduct towards him. His words evidently direct our attention to the grounds of his forbearance towards Shimei; and they convince us at once that this forbearance did not proceed from a want of feeling. Some men appear to bear provocations, as a stone may be said to bear them: they excite no resentment, for they give no pain. But this insensibility is not Christian meekness. We must feel before we can forgive; and that forgiveness is the most exalted in its nature, which is accompanied with the keenest sense of the injuries it pardons. Neither was this insensibility the meekness of David. His was one of the warmest hearts that ever beat in a human breast. Every act of kindness had power to move it, and he himself tells us that reproach could almost break it.
I. His forbearance must be traced partly to the softening influence of affliction. David here reminds his servants of the trials under which he was suffering; and intimates to them that the father, who had to bear with the cruelty of a beloved son, could find but little difficulty in pardoning the insults of a reviling enemy; that the greater affliction had prepared his mind for the less, and enabled him to be submissive under it. Tribulation, says the apostle, worketh patience. It calls the patience of the Christian into exercise, and consequently strengthens it. Who are the proud and revengeful among mankind? They who have known but little of the calamities of life, and been tossed by few of its storms.
II. David was assisted in overcoming his resentment by tracing the persecution he received to god. The ill-treatment of the ungodly, as well as the natural evils of life, must be ascribed, in some degree, to a chastising God. The malice and cruelty of the world are no less the instruments of working his will than the diseases which assail our bodies, or the storms which lay waste our dwellings.
III. Hence the forbearance of David may be ascribed also to a sense of sin. He says nothing indeed of his sinfulness, but the abrupt language which he uses evidently implies that it was in his mind. And what provocation is there which a deep sense of guilt will not enable us to bear? Go to the man whom a heavenly instructor has made acquainted with the hidden depravity of his nature; who is day by day retiring to his closet to mourn over his sins, and who often waters his couch with tears by night as he thinks of his transgressions–try the patience of the stricken penitent by insults and revilings; and what is the result? Says the wounded Christian, I am a sinner, and wrath must not lodge in a sinners heart. I may be reviled, but what a miracle of mercy is it that I am not consumed! Men may reproach me, but how ought I to wonder that my God forbears to curse and destroy me!
IV. The forbearance of David proceeded from an humble expectation of a recompense from god. Though he had sinned against him and was suffering under his righteous displeasure, he knew that the Lord had not utterly taken away his loving-kindness from trim. What a powerful motive to forbearance and patience! When we are persecuted, the Lord looks on our afflictions. He knows our reproach, and our shame, and our dishonour; our adversaries are all before him. In conclusion:
1. David was not of a revengeful disposition. A mind so softened by affliction, so fixed on God, so full of contrition and faith, could not be revengeful.
2. We may infer also from the text, the reason why so much importance is attached in thee Scriptures to a forgiving spirit. (C. Bradley, M. A.)
No resentment
Sir Matthew Hale, the celebrated judge, had so completely gained the government of his passions that, though naturally of a quick temper, he was never seen in a passion, nor did he ever resent injuries. One day a person who had clone him a great injury came to him for his advice in the settlement of his estate, which he very readily gave him, but would accept no fee for it. When he was asked how be could behave so kindly to a man wire bad wronged him so much, his answer was, I thank God I have learned to forgive and forget injuries. (Quiver.)
Tracing trouble to its fountain head
As children will thank the tailor, and think they owe their new clothes to him rather than to their parents bounty, so we look to the next hand, and set up that instead of God. Second causes must never be made to stand before the first cause. Friends and helpers are all very well as servants of our Father, but our Father must have all our praise. There is a like evil in the matter of trouble. We are apt to be angry with the instrument of our affliction, instead of seeing the hand of God over all, and meekly bowing before it. It was a great help to David in bearing wits railing Shimei, when he saw that God had appointed this provocation as a chastisement. He would not suffer his hasty captains to take the scoffers head, but meekly said, Let him alone and let him curse, for the Lord hath bidden him. A dog when he is struck will bite the stick; if he were wise, he would observe that the stick only moves as the hand directs it. When we discern God in our tribulations we are helped to be quiet, and endure with patience. Let us not act like silly children, but trace matters to their fountain-head, and act accordingly. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 11. Let him curse; for the Lord hath bidden him.] No soul of man can suppose that ever God bade one man to curse another, much less that he commanded such a wretch as Shimei to curse such a man as David; but this is a peculiarity of the Hebrew language, which does not always distinguish between permission and commandment. Often the Scripture attributes to God what he only permits to be done; or what in the course of his providence he does not hinder. David, however, considers all this as being permitted of God for his chastisement and humiliation. I cannot withhold from my readers a very elegant poetic paraphrase of this passage, from the pen of the Rev. Charles Wesley, one of the first of Christian poets: –
“Pure from the blood of Saul in vain,
He dares not to the charge reply:
Uriah’s doth the charge maintain,
Uriah’s doth against him cry!
Let Shimei curse: the rod he bears
For sins which mercy had forgiven:
And in the wrongs of man reveres
The awful righteousness of heaven.
Lord, I adore thy righteous will,
Through every instrument of ill
My Father’s goodness see;
Accept the complicated wrong
Of Shimei’s hand and Shimei’s tongue
As kind rebukes from THEE.”
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And David said to Abishai, and all his servants,…. In order to make them easy, and reconcile them to this usage of him:
behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life; meaning Absalom:
how much more now [may this] Benjamite [do it]? who was not only of the same tribe that Saul was, but of the same family, and so bore an ill will to David because of his succession in the throne:
let him alone, and let him curse; do nothing to restrain him, not even by words, and much less by any violent actions, and still less by taking away his life:
for the Lord hath bidden him; in the sense explained in 2Sa 16:10.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
David said still further to Abishai and all his servants: “Behold, my own son seeketh after my life; how much more then the Benjaminite! (who belongs to a hostile race.) Let him curse, for Jehovah hath bidden him. Perhaps Jehovah will look upon my guilt, and Jehovah will requite me good for the curse which befals me this day.” ( Chethib) has been altered by the Masoretes into o , “upon mine eye,” probably in the sense of “upon my tears;” and into , – from pure misapprehension. does not mean “upon my misery,” for never has this meaning, but upon the guilt which really belongs to me, in contrast with that with which Shimei charges me; and is the curse that has come upon me. Although David had committed no murder upon the house of Saul, and therefore Shimei’s cursing was nothing but malicious blasphemy, he felt that it came upon him because of his sins, though not for the sin imputed to him. He therefore forbade their putting the blasphemer to death, and said Jehovah had commanded him to curse; regarding the cursing as the consequence of the wrath of God that was bringing him low (comp. the remarks on 1Sa 26:19). But this consciousness of guilt also excited the assurance that the Lord would look upon his sin. When God looks upon the guilt of a humble sinner, He will also, as a just and merciful God, avert the evil, and change the suffering into a blessing. David founded upon this the hope, that the Lord would repay him with good for the curse with which Shimei was pursuing him now.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(11) How much more now may this Benjamite.The Benjamite is in contrast to his own son, because he represents the adherent of another and rival dynasty. It is noticeable that David accuses Absalom not only of seeking his throne, but his life.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2Sa 16:11 And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now [may this] Benjamite [do it]? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him.
Ver. 11. Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels. ] If we can therefore suffer because we have suffered, as David did from Shimei, but first from Absalom, then we have profited by our afflictions: then “patience hath her perfect work.” Jam 1:4 A weak heart faints with every addition of succeeding sorrow: the strong re-collecteth itself, and, like an old beaten porter to the cross, tolerare mavult guam deplorare, rather carrieth it, than crieth out of it. See Job 23:2 . See Trapp on “ Job 23:2 “
Seeketh my life.
For the Lord hath bidden him.
a Cominaeus.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6.
life = soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13.
how much. ? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Behold: 2Sa 12:11, 2Sa 12:12
came forth: 2Sa 7:2, Gen 15:4
seeketh: 2Sa 17:1-4, 2Ki 19:37, 2Ch 32:21, Mat 10:21
the Lord: Isa 10:5-7, Eze 14:9, Eze 20:25
Reciprocal: 1Sa 26:19 – stirred 2Sa 10:12 – the Lord 2Sa 18:5 – Deal gently 1Ki 11:23 – God 1Ki 12:16 – So Israel 1Ch 19:13 – let the Lord 2Ch 10:16 – So all Israel Est 2:21 – and sought Psa 25:19 – Consider Psa 27:10 – When Psa 109:16 – slay Psa 131:2 – quieted Jer 34:22 – I will command Jer 50:21 – and do Mic 7:6 – son Mic 7:9 – bear Mat 10:36 – General 1Ti 1:9 – murderers Phm 1:12 – mine
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
CURSING TO GODS ORDER
Let him curse, for the Lord hath bidden him.
2Sa 16:11
Shimei called abusive names, he hurled wicked charges against David; he declared that God was fighting against him, and fighting justly against such a man of blood, such a man of Belial. And, as if this were not enough, he stung him in the most sensitive part of his nature, reproaching him with the fact that it was his son that now reigned instead of him, because the Lord had delivered the kingdom into his hand. But even all this accumulation of coarse and shameful abuse failed to ruffle Davids equanimity.
I. What was done long since to the house of Saul is the only thing which Shimei can recall, and with which he upbraids David, because that was the thing that he himself was a loser by. No man could be more innocent of the blood of the house of Saul than David was. Once and again he spared Sauls life, while Saul sought his. When Saul and his sons were slain by the Philistines, David and his men were many miles off; and when they heard it lamented it. From the murder of Abner and Ish-bosheth he had sufficiently cleared himself; and yet all the blood of the house of Saul must be laid at his door; innocency is no fence against malice and falsehood.
II. David observes the hand of God in it.The Lord hath said unto him, Curse David, and again, So let him curse, for the Lord hath bidden him. As it was Shimeis sin, it was not from God but from his own wicked heart; nor did Gods hand in it excuse or extenuate it, much less justify it, any more than it did their sin who put Christ to death. But as it was Davids affliction, it was from the Lord, one of the evils which He raised up against him. David looked above the instrument of his trouble to the supreme Director, as Job, when the plunderers had stripped him, acknowledges, The Lord hath taken away. Nothing more proper to quiet a soul under affliction than an eye to the hand of God in it: I opened not my mouth, because Thou didst it. The scourge of the tongue is Gods rod. As Bishop Hall has put it, The sin of Shimeis curse was his own; the smart of the curse was Gods. God wills that as Davids chastisement, which he hates as Shimeis wickedness. Wicked men are never the freer from guilt or punishment for that hand which the holy God hath in their offensive actions. Yet David can say, Let him alone, and let him curse, for the Lord hath bidden him; as meaning to give a reason of his own patience, rather than Shimeis impunity. The issue showed how well David could distinguish betwixt the act of God and of a traitor.
III. It may be the duty of one who is maligned to repel falsehood and vindicate truth in the world; but all thoughts of vengeance are absolutely forbidden by the law of Christ.Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. This is not only a prohibition, it is also a privileged exemption. From this rough and dangerous work the Son makes his people free. When a neighbour assails our good name, our own hearts too readily prompt to vengeance. A son of Zeruiah is ready within us to say, Let me go over and take off his head. But, beware! like David, see rather Gods hand permitting the trial to come, and adjust yourself to meet it so that it will press you nearer to your Lord, and keep you closer in His steps.
Illustrations
(1) The fortitude of the soldiers heart was almost second nature to David. He was not at all the man to pale before scenes of martial conflict or the agonies of wounds and death. But here are far other ingredients of grief and woe. David saw in this cursing, and, indeed, in this whole conspiracy, the Lords rebuke of his own great sins. He could bear any and every trial involved in it save this onethe frown of his own holy Lord God! We see yet more of Davids heart in those Psalms (42 and 43) which obviously relate to this period of his history.
(2) What is to be done when, on account of our sins, God leads us by a path that is full of thorns and thistles? The history of David answers the question: he bends, he prays, he acts. He neglects no legitimate means to maintain himself as much as possible in his difficult position; but above all, he humbles himself under the mighty hand of God, and bears what he has merited with patience. He who knows thus to bear his cross, is evidently already on the road to win the lost crown. While we follow in his footsteps of trust and submission, yet when heart and flesh faint and fail, let us rest upon the Greater than David, Who trod this same path through the valley of Kedron for our deliverance.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
2Sa 16:11. Behold, my son seeketh my life Which is a much greater mischief than to reproach me with words. How much more may this Benjamite do it? One of that tribe and family from which God hath taken away the kingdom, and given it to me. Let him curse Do not now hinder him by violence from doing it, nor punish him for it. It is meet I should bear the indignation of the Lord, and submit to his pleasure. For the Lord hath bidden him Not by the word of his precept, or by any powerful influence upon his mind impelling him to it; but by the word of his providence, placing me in such circumstances that he conceives he can curse me with impunity, and by suffering the malignity of his heart to take its natural course, and work without restraint.