“Shemei Cursing”
“Shemei Cursing”
Blessings folk!
What do you do when people speak against you?
What do you do when people curse you?
What do you do when people “throw things at you”?
We have an interesting example of such in the continued story of David fleeing Jerusalem.
Read.
Learn.
2 Sa 16:5-14
When King David came to Bahurim, behold, there came out from there a man of the family of the house of Saul whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera;
he came out cursing continually as he came.
He threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David;
and all the people and all the mighty men were at his right hand and at his left.
Thus Shimei said when he cursed,
“Get out, get out, you man of bloodshed, and worthless fellow!
“The LORD has returned upon you all the bloodshed of the house of Saul,
in whose place you have reigned;
and the LORD has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom.
And behold, you are taken in your own evil, for you are a man of bloodshed!”
Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king,
“Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king?
Let me go over now and cut off his head.”
But the king said,
“What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah?
If he curses, and if the LORD has told him, ‘Curse David,’ then who shall say,
‘Why have you done so?’”
Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants,
“Behold, my son who came out from me seeks my life; how much more now this Benjamite? Let him alone and let him curse, for the LORD has told him.
“Perhaps the LORD will look on my affliction
and return good to me instead of his cursing this day.”
So David and his men went on the way; and Shimei went along on the hillside parallel with him and as he went he cursed and cast stones and threw dust at him.
The king and all the people who were with him arrived weary and he refreshed himself there.
Shimei was of the house of Saul.
When he saw David, he came forth cursing David and throwing stones at David.
Such was not done to the king.
Note who was with the King.
The servants.
The people.
The mighty men.
Shimei called for David to “get out”.
He called David a “man of bloodshed”.
He called David a “worthless fellow”.
Shimei told David that is was the Lord that
- “returned upon you all the bloodshed of the house of Saul”
- “has given your kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom”
Shimei declared that David was taking in his own evil…repeating what he had sowed.
Abishai had had enough.
He requested of the king to kill Shimei.
David’s response?
No.
Why?
For the Lord had told him to curse.
David knew that “this Benjamite” was no serious threat.
He was simply the voice of the Lord.
David declared…
- Let him alone
- Let him curse
- Perhaps the Lord would look upon David’s affliction and return good rather than cursing
David rest in the Lord.
David trusted in the Lord.
Even when the Lord sent word of cursing.
Even as Shimei followed parallel with the entourage…cursing, throwing rocks, casting dust.
As the accuser ranted, David trusted and awaited the Lord.
Do we?
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