16 and Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite, who 'is' from Bahurim, hasteth, and cometh down with the men of Judah, to meet king David, 17 and a thousand men 'are' with him from Benjamin, and Ziba servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him, and they have gone prosperously over the Jordan before the king. 18 And passed over hath the ferry-boat to carry over the household of the king, and to do that which 'is' good in his eyes, and Shimei son of Gera hath fallen before the king in his passing over into Jordan, 19 and saith unto the king, 'Let not my lord impute to me iniquity; neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely in the day that my lord the king went out from Jerusalem,—for the king to set 'it' unto his heart; 20 for thy servant hath known that I have sinned; and lo, I have come to-day, first of all the house of Joseph, to go down to meet my lord the king.' 21 And Abishai son of Zeruiah answereth and saith, 'For this is not Shimei put to death—because he reviled the anointed of Jehovah?' 22 And David saith, 'What—to me and to you, O sons of Zeruiah, that ye are to me to-day for an adversary? to-day is any man put to death in Israel? for have I not known that to-day I 'am' king over Israel?' 23 And the king saith unto Shimei, 'Thou dost not die;' and the king sweareth to him.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Samuel 19:16-23
Commentary on 2 Samuel 19:16-23
(Read 2 Samuel 19:16-23)
Those who now slight and abuse the Son of David, would be glad to make their peace when he shall come in his glory; but it will be too late. Shimei lost no time. His abuse had been personal, and with the usual right feeling of good men, David could more easily forgive it.