What is the context?
At Bahurim, Shimei, a man from Saul’s family, curses David and throws stones at him and his servants. He calls David a man of bloodshed and interprets Absalom’s rise as the LORD repaying him for the blood of Saul’s house.
Abishai offers to kill Shimei, but David refuses. With his own son seeking his life, he will not answer this abuse by another immediate killing. He speaks of accepting what the LORD has allowed and hopes that God will see his affliction and repay him with good.
Shimei continues alongside them, cursing and throwing stones and dust. David and his people eventually stop to recover from exhaustion. The refusal to retaliate does not make the treatment painless or cause it to stop at once.
How is this passage commonly understood?
Henry contrasts David’s patience under abuse with his readiness to believe Ziba’s flattering report. David is capable of responding well to an openly hostile man even after making a rash judgment about an absent friend.
Which events Shimei means by Saul’s blood is not settled by the speech. Wesley discusses Abner and Ish-bosheth as well as Saul’s descendants in chapter 21; the USCCB Bible notes favor the latter connection. Shimei is giving his interpretation of David’s troubles, not delivering a new prophetic verdict endorsed by the narrator.
Wesley and Gill understand David’s statement about the LORD telling Shimei to curse in terms of God’s rule over the circumstances, while keeping responsibility for the wrongdoing with Shimei. They distinguish what God allows and uses from a command making the abuse morally right.
Where does this fit in God's plan?
Henry compares David’s restraint with Christ’s response to those who mistreated Him. The fuller account appears in 1 Peter 2:21–25: Jesus does not retaliate under abuse, but entrusts Himself to the One who judges justly.
The comparison has an important limit. David has wrongs of his own to face; Peter expressly describes Jesus as sinless and speaks of Him bearing our sins. Christ’s patience belongs to His saving work as well as providing an example for His followers.
This is a supported parallel, not a rule that anyone being abused has caused it through their own sin. It points to trust in God’s judgment rather than the desire to make every insult end in vengeance.
What is our position?
We don't have a position on this passage yet. When our study reaches a conclusion the text supports, it will appear here.