Shimei (Gera’s son) fell onto his knees in front of the king when he crossed the Yordan 19 and begged the king, “May my master not consider me guilty, and don’t keep thinking about the terrible thing your servant dig on the day that my master the king left Jerusalem—don’t brood over it 20 because your servant knows that I myself have sinned, and look, I have come today, first of all the Yosef’s clans to come down to meet my master, the king.”

21 But Abishai (Tseruyah’s son) answered instead, “Rather than that, shouldn’t Shimei be killed because he cursed Yahweh’s anointed one?”

22 “You sons of Tseruyah!” David responded. “Who asked you two to accuse others to me today? Should today be a time to kill other Israelis? Actually, I think it might be me who’s Israel’s king?” 23 Then the king promised Shimei, “You won’t die for that.”