2 Samuel 16:7-8 And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial: The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man.
David is on his homecoming tour. Absalom is dead. The people want David back. Who shows up again? Yep, you got it: Shimei.
The entrance is grand; the tribe of Judah is coming to get the king. (19:15) The men of Judah are going to lead the King across the river.
Shimei knows this. He comes with the men of Judah. He wants to meet the king. (16) He brought a 1035 of his friends (17). He brought Ziba, Saul's servant. He took the ferry over before David could cross this river of such heritage.
Shimei falls before the king. (18) He asks for forgiveness, pardon, and for the king to remember know more his sin. (19,20) He invokes the name of Joseph. He mentions, “I am here before you even arrive to make this request.” He called David his king and his lord. (20)
Abishai, David's bodyguard and nephew, wants to decapitate him.
David speaks to Abishai:
1. Seek no revenge. Forgive often and you'll change a generation.
2. Don't let retaliation get the better of you. Stay focused on God's plan.
3. Withhold not good to him to whom it is due. His son, Solomon would write later.
Psalm 94:1 O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself.
David shows his understanding of revenge:
2 Samuel 19:21-23 “But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD’S anointed? And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel? Therefore, the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him.”