2 Samuel 16:8

The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

16:5-14 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 affliction. We may depend upon God to repay, not only our services, but our sufferings.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

All the blood of the house of Saul - Shimei probably put to David's account the death of Saul, and Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Melchishua, slain in battle by the Philistines with whom David was in league; of Ish-bosheth, slain in consequence of David's league with Abner; that of Abner himself, which he attributed to David's secret orders; and all the 360 slain in the battle between Joab and Abner 2 Samuel 2:31. Some, too, think that the death of seven men of Saul's immediate family 2 Samuel 21:8 had occurred before David's flight, and was referred to by Shimei. Shimei's hatred and virulence is an indication that the Benjamites resented the loss of royalty in their tribe, even in the palmiest days of David's monarchy.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2Sa 16:5-19. Shimei Curses David.

5-12. when king David came to Bahurim—a city of Benjamin (2Sa 3:16; 19:16). It is, however, only the confines of the district that are here meant.

Shimei, … a man of the family of Saul—The misfortune of his family, and the occupation by David of what they considered their rightful possessions, afforded a natural, if not a justifiable cause for this ebullition of rude insults and violence. He upbraided David as an ambitious usurper, and charged him, as one whose misdeeds had recoiled upon his own head, to surrender a throne to which he was not entitled. His language was that of a man incensed by the wrongs that he conceived had been done to his house. David was guiltless of the crime of which Shimei accused him; but his conscience reminded him of other flagrant iniquities; and he, therefore, regarded the cursing of this man as a chastisement from heaven. His answer to Abishai's proposal evinced the spirit of deep and humble resignation—the spirit of a man who watched the course of Providence, and acknowledged Shimei as the instrument of God's chastening hand. One thing is remarkable, that he acted more independently of the sons of Zeruiah in this season of great distress than he could often muster courage to do in the days of his prosperity and power.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

All the blood of the house of Saul; either,

1. The blood of Abner and Ish-bosheth; which he maliciously imputes to David, as if they had been killed by David’s contrivance; especially the former, because David did only give Joab hard words, as in policy he was obliged to do; but instead of punishing him, did reward and prefer him. Or,

2. The death of Saul’s seven sons, 2 Samuel 21:8, which, though related after this, seems to have been done before; of which See Poole on "2 Samuel 15:7".

In thy mischief: the same mischief thou didst bring upon others, is now returned upon thy own head. Or, thy sin hath found thee out, and thou art now receiving the just punishment of it.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

The Lord hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul,.... Which he would suggest was shed by David, or, however, that he was the cause of its being shed; as if he had stirred up the Philistines to that battle in which Saul and his sons were slain, and had an hand secretly in the deaths of Ishbosheth and Abner, all which were false insinuations; and it may be the seven sons of Saul before this time, though after related, were delivered into the hands of the Gibeonites to be hanged, to which respect may be had:

in whose stead thou hast reigned; not by right, but by usurpation he suggests:

and the Lord hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son; in this he seems to contradict himself; for if David had got the kingdom by usurpation, it would rather have, been delivered by the Lord into the hand of one of Saul's family, and not of David's:

and behold, thou art taken in thy mischief; punished for his sins; the mischief he had brought on others was retaliated to him:

because thou art a bloody man; guilty of slaying, as the Targum of shedding innocent blood, and so worthy of death.

Geneva Study Bible

The LORD hath returned upon thee all the {e} blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man.

(e) Reproaching him, as though by his means Ishbosheth and Abner were slain.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

8. all the blood of the house of Saul] Shimei probably refers to the deaths of Saul and his sons at Gilboa, of Abner and Ish-bosheth by treacherous murder, charging David with the guilt of crimes which he had repudiated and punished: possibly also he regarded the execution of Saul’s sons (ch. 2 Samuel 21:1-9), which in all probability had taken place before this time, as a judicial murder. Shimei would not intend to refer to Uriah, though David would feel that it was for his death that the curse was not undeserved.

behold, thou art taken to thy mischief] Rather, behold, thou art in thy calamity. To is the original reading of 1611; in of ordinary editions first appeared in the edition of 1629. To thy mischief = to thy hurt, a free paraphrase of the Vulg. premunt te mala tua.

2 Samuel 16:8

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Shimei cursed thus: "Out, out (away, away), thou man of blood, and worthless man! Jehovah hath repaid thee (now) for all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast become king, and hath given the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son. Behold, now thou art in thy misfortune, for thou art a man of blood." דּמים אישׁ, a man of drops of blood, i.e., one who has shed blood or committed murder. What Shimei meant by "all the blood of the house of Saul," which David had shed, and because of which he was a man of blood, it is impossible to determine with certainty. He may possibly have attributed to David the murder of Ishbosheth and Abner, notwithstanding the fact that David was innocent of the death of both (see 2 Samuel 3:27., and 2 Samuel 4:6.). By "in whose stead thou hast reigned," he meant whose throne thou hast forcibly usurped; and by בּרעתך הנּך, "it is for this that punishment hat overtaken thee now."