Daily Tanach Sunday Sefer Melachim 1 – The king instructs Shimi ben Geira to not leave the city

* The article below is an excerpt from the above Sefer

1.     The king instructs Shimi ben Geira to not leave the city:

  • The king sent messengers to bring to him Shimi, and the king said to him, “build for yourself a home in Jerusalem and dwell there and do not leave from there at all to one direction or another. The day that you leave and pass the Kidron River, be aware that you will be liable for death and your blood will be on your own head.” Shimi responded to the king, “I accept the condition that my master the king has spoken to me and so your servant shall do.”
  • Shimi dwelled in Jerusalem for many days.
  • Shimi leaves the city to retrieve two slaves who ran away: After three years, two slaves of Shimi ran away to Akish the son of Macha, the king of Gath. Shimi was then informed that his slaves have run away to Gath. So, Shimi got up and saddled his donkey and traveled towards Gath to Akish to retrieve his slaves, and indeed he was successful in doing so and he brought back his slaves from Gath.
  • King Shlomo confronts Shimi: Shlomo was informed that Shimi had left Jerusalem to Gath and had returned. The king sent emissaries to call Shimi to come to him and said to him as follows, “Have I not sworn to you by the name of G-d and testified before you and the day that you leave the city to one direction or another that you should know that you will be put to death, and you responded to me that you accept the conditions. Now, why did you not guard the swear that you accepted towards G-d and the command that I commanded you? The king then said to Shimi, “In your heart, you are fully aware of the evil that you did to my father Dovid, and now G-d has pursued retribution from your head for the evil that you did.” King Shlomo is blessed and the throne of Dovid is established before G-d forever.
  • Shimi is put to death: The king instructed Benayahu Ben Yehoyada and he went up to meet Shimi, and he met him and killed him.
  • The kingdom was established in the hands of Shlomo [and he was not punished for any of the above actions being that it was justified[1]].

 

[1] Rashi 2:46

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