2 Samuel 16:13

_AND AS DAVID AND HIS MEN WENT BY THE WAY, SHIMEI WENT ALONG ON THE HILL'S SIDE OVER AGAINST HIM, AND CURSED AS HE WENT, AND THREW STONES AT HIM, AND CAST DUST._ Went along on the hill's side over against him - as he descended the rough road on the eastern side of the mount of Olives; 'went along the side,' literally, the rib, of the hill. THREW STONES AT HIM - as a mark of contempt and insult. CAST DUST. As if to add insult to injury, clouds of dust were thrown by this disloyal subject in the path of his unfortunate sovereign. But the throwing of dust is a significant mode, used in the East, of demanding public justice on a criminal (cf. Acts 22:23)....

5-14 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 afflictio...

EXPOSITION 2 SAMUEL 16:1 ZIBA THE SERVANT OF MEPHIBOSHETH. It is the misfortune of troubled times like those in which David found himself, that unscrupulous men use them for selfish purposes. For those in danger have no time for careful examination, nor are their minds sufficiently calm for impartial judgment, but they act on first impressions, and catch at every straw. Ziba's present would naturally raise everybody's spirits, and be taken as a good omen; for it showed that David had adherents in unlikely quarters, when thus a servant of the house of Saul of his own accord brought so timely an offering. The asses saddled for riding contradict the idea that Ziba met David by chance as he was bringing the produce of the farm for the use of Mephibosheth's household. More probably the asses had been saddled for Mephibosheth's own use, and

AND AS DAVID AND HIS MEN WENT BY THE WAY,.... In the high road that led to Bahurim, taking no notice of the cursing of Shimei, which made him bolder and more impudent; here is a large pause in the Hebrew text, in the midst of this verse: SHIMEI WENT ALONG ON THE HILL SIDE OVER AGAINST HIM; as David and his men walked in the plain, he went on a range of hills that ran along right against them: AND CURSED AS HE WENT; continued his curses and imprecations, to which he was the more emboldened by the behaviour of David and his men: AND THREW STONES AT HIM, AND CAST DUST; in a way of contempt, though the stones recoiled on his own head, and the dust flew in his own face, as the consequence of things showed; and now David composed and penned the seventh psalm, Psalms 7:1....

6. THE SORROWS AND TESTINGS OF THE KING CHAPTER 16 _ 1. Lying Ziba (2 Samuel 16:1)_ 2. Shimei curses and stones David (2 Samuel 16:5) 3. Absalom enters Jerusalem (2 Samuel 16:15) 4. Ahitophel's wicked counsel (2 Samuel 16:20) Ziba in great craftiness meets the exiled king with provisions and acts as the false accuser of Mephibosheth. And David hastily puts all that belongs to Mephibosheth into his hands. Strange that David could believe in the falsehood of Ziba. How could one who was a helpless cripple aspire to possess a kingdom? Mephibosheth had been deceived ...

Soon after passing the summit of the Mt. of Olives David is met by Ziba, the servant of Meri-baal (2 Samuel 4:4), with a present of two asses laden with provisions. Ziba, representing that Meri-baal has turned traitor, obtains a grant of his property. 2 SAMUEL 16:5. At Bahurim, somewhere on the way to the Jordan, Shimei, a kinsman of Saul, follows David, uttering curses and throwing stones. David refuses to retaliate, feeling that his sufferings may move Yahweh to pity him. 2 SAMUEL 16:14. It is probable that the name of some place has dropped out. 1 Samuel 16:15 to...

MEN. Hebrew. _'enosh._ App-14. CAST DUST. Hebrew "dusted him with dust". Figure of speech _Polyptoton_ (App-6): i.e. cast much dust....

David cursed by Shimei 5. _Bahurim_ See note on ch. 2 Samuel 3:16. _Shimei_ See ch. 2 Samuel 19:16-23; 1 Kings 2:8-9. His connexion with the clan of Saul accounts for the virulence of his hatred....

WHEN KING DAVID CAME TO BAHURIM, BEHOLD, THENCE CAME OUT—SHIMEI—AND CURSED.— This vile and calumnious treatment of Shimei was one of the severest trials of patience that ever human magnanimity endured. The accusation, 2 Samuel 16:8 was notoriously false, and the king for that reason could bear it the better. But his servants saw it not in the light of their master's equanimity, but of his enemy's insolence. Abishai, David's nephew, could not bear it, but begged the king's permission to _take off_ the traitor's _head_ that uttered it, 2 Samuel 16:9 which David absolutely refused; adding a rebuke to his refusal, 2 Samuel 16:10. _What have I to do with you,_ &c.?—So let him curse, because the Lord

2. The Role of Absalom in Jerusalem, 2 Samuel 16:1-23. _The People Divided._ 2 Samuel 16:1-14 And when David was a little past the top _of the hill,_ behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred _loaves_ of bread, and a hundred bunches of raisins, and a hundred summer fruits, and a bottle of wine. 2 And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses _be_ for the king's household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink. 3 And the king said, And where _is_ thy master's son? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, Today shall the h