Presuming And Perishing Therefore. So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck down Shimei, and he died. So the kingdom was established in the hands of Solomon. 1Ki 2:46
National Development under the Monarchy
INTRODUCTION
Originally Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles were regarded as one series, and called the Books of Kings. In the Septuagint (the Greek version of the Old Testament, made during the period between the Testaments), each of these books was divided into two parts; and what we term First Kings was called the Third Book of Kings.
It is impossible to fix accurately either the date when this book was compiled, or the name of the writer. From the fact that the last chapter of II Kings records the release of Jehoiachin from captivity, which took place B.C. 562, but makes no mention of the decree of Cyrus, B.C. 538, with which the return of the Jews from captivity began, it is concluded that the book was compiled sometime between these dates.
The sources from which the compiler drew were three: the Book of the Acts of Solomon, 1Ki_11:41; the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah, 1Ki_14:29, etc.; and the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel, 1Ki_14:19. The Chronicles here referred to are not the books called Chronicles in the Bible, but separate works which are now lost.
The history of the nation is recorded from the close of the reign of David to the middle of the reign of Ahaziah. In its highest glory under Solomon, the kingdom foreshadows the millennial kingdom of our Lord. The prosperity of the nation rises or falls according to the character of the ruler and his people, illustrating for us the important truth that obedience is the condition of blessing.
I .THE UNITED KINGDOM, I Kings 1-11
1. The Rebellion of Adonijah and the Coronation of Solomon, 1Ki_1:1-53
8. How did Shimei forfeit his life?
PRESUMING AND PERISHING THEREFORE.
Now the king sent word and called for Shimei and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and live there. Do not go from there to any other place.
For on the day you leave and cross over the Brook Kidron, know for certain that you shall surely die; your blood shall be on your own head.”
Shimei said to the king, “The word (ruling) is good. As my lord the king has said, so will your servant do.” So Shimei lived in Jerusalem for many days.
But it happened after three years, that two of Shimei’s servants ran away to Achish the son of Maacah, the king of Gath. And Shimei was told, “Behold, your [runaway] servants are in Gath.”
So Shimei arose, saddled his donkey, and went to Gath to [King] Achish to look for his servants. And Shimei went and brought them back from Gath.
Now Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and had returned.
So the king sent word and called for Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the LORD and solemnly warn you, saying, ‘Know for certain that on the day you leave [Jerusalem] and go anywhere, you shall surely die’? And you said to me, ‘The word (ruling) I have heard is good.’
Why then have you not kept the oath of the LORD, and the command which I gave you?”
The king also said to Shimei, “You are aware in your own heart of all the evil you did to my father David; so the LORD shall return your evil on your own head.
But King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the LORD forever.”
So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck down Shimei, and he died. So the kingdom was established in the hands of Solomon.
PRESUMING AND PERISHING THEREFORE
Shimei broke the one condition on which his life had been given back to him, and could have no just cause of complaint against the king. It may be argued that his offense was a trifling and excusable one, but we must remember that it was committed not only against the royal commandment, but against the oath of God, 1Ki_2:43. By this one act he forfeited all claim upon Solomon’s clemency.
We are here reminded of the parable of the two debtors in Mat_18:28, etc. The debtor who owed the most had been released, and we naturally look to see the forgiven man’s glad forgiveness of his brother, who was, in turn, indebted to him. But, so far from forgiveness, there was rough retaliation. This canceled the first offer of pardon and it was withdrawn. So this act on the part of Shimei was fatal in its effect. The Jews were doubtful as to the forgivableness of presumptuous sins, and our Lord also taught that there is a sin against the Holy Spirit which cannot be forgiven. May God’s Holy Spirit Himself preserve us from this!
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