5 When king David came to Bahurim, behold, a man of the family of the house of Saul came out, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera. He came out, and cursed still as he came.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
Bahurim - See 2-Samuel 3:16 note. It seems to have lain off the road, on a ridge 2-Samuel 16:13, separated from it by a narrow ravine, so that Shimei was out of easy reach though within hearing, and within a stone's throw 2-Samuel 16:6, 2-Samuel 16:9.
Shimei, the son of Gera - In the title to Ps. 7 he is apparently called "Cush the Benjamite." On Gera, see Judges 3:15 note.
David came to Bahurim - This place lay northward of Jerusalem, in the tribe of Benjamin. It is called Almon, Joshua 21:18; and Alemeth, 1-Chronicles 6:60. Bahurim signifies youths, and Almuth youth; so the names are of the same import.
Cursed still as he came - Used imprecations and execrations.
And when king David came to (c) Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name [was] Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he came.
(c) Which was a city in the tribe of Benjamin.
And when King David came to Bahurim,.... The Targum is, Alemath, perhaps the same that is said to be a city of the Levites, given unto them out of the tribe of Benjamin, 1-Chronicles 6:60 for the man next described, who was of this place, was a Benjaminite, 2-Samuel 19:16; See Gill on 2-Samuel 3:16; David was not yet come to the city itself, but into the neighbourhood of it, the fields adjacent to it: and
behold, thence came out a man of the family of Saul; a descendant of a branch of his family, who had entertained a private grudge and secret enmity against David, to whom he imputed the fall of the family of Saul:
whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: which might be a name common in the tribe of Benjamin, one of Benjamin's sons being named Gera, Genesis 46:21. Some say (s) he was the same with Nebat, the father of Jeroboam; but he was of the tribe of Ephraim, this of Benjamin:
he came forth, and cursed still as he came; he came out of Bahurim, of which place he was, and all the way he came continued cursing David, until he came near unto him.
(s) Hieron. Trad. Helb. in 2. Reg. fol. 79. B.
David bore Shimei's curses much better than Ziba's flatteries; by these he was brought to pass a wrong judgment on another, by those to pass a right judgment on himself: the world's smiles are more dangerous than its frowns. Once and again David spared Saul's life, while Saul sought his. But innocence is no defence against malice and falsehood; nor are we to think it strange, if we are charged with that which we have been most careful to keep ourselves from. It is well for us, that men are not to be our judges, but He whose judgment is according to truth. See how patient David was under this abuse. Let this remind us of Christ, who prayed for those who reviled and crucified him. A humble spirit will turn reproaches into reproofs, and get good from them, instead of being provoked by them. David the hand of God in it, and comforts himself that God would bring good out of his affliction. We may depend upon God to repay, not only our services, but our sufferings.
SHIMEI CURSES DAVID. (2-Samuel 16:5-19)
when king David came to Bahurim--a city of Benjamin (2-Samuel 3:16; 2-Samuel 19:16). It is, however, only the confines of the district that are here meant.
Shimei, . . . a man of the family of Saul--The misfortune of his family, and the occupation by David of what they considered their rightful possessions, afforded a natural, if not a justifiable cause for this ebullition of rude insults and violence. He upbraided David as an ambitious usurper, and charged him, as one whose misdeeds had recoiled upon his own head, to surrender a throne to which he was not entitled. His language was that of a man incensed by the wrongs that he conceived had been done to his house. David was guiltless of the crime of which Shimei accused him; but his conscience reminded him of other flagrant iniquities; and he, therefore, regarded the cursing of this man as a chastisement from heaven. His answer to Abishai's proposal evinced the spirit of deep and humble resignation--the spirit of a man who watched the course of Providence, and acknowledged Shimei as the instrument of God's chastening hand. One thing is remarkable, that he acted more independently of the sons of Zeruiah in this season of great distress than he could often muster courage to do in the days of his prosperity and power.
Shimei's cursing. - 2-Samuel 16:5, 2-Samuel 16:6. When the king had come to Bahurim, on the other side of the Mount of Olives, but not far off (see at 2-Samuel 3:16), there came out of that place a man of the family of the house of Saul, i.e., a distant relation of Saul, cursing him; and he pelted David and all his servants with stones, although all the people and all the heroes (the household troops and body-guard: 2-Samuel 15:17-18) were (marking) on the right and left of the king. The words "all the people," etc., are a circumstantial clause.
*More commentary available at chapter level.