1 Kings 2:1-9 ▼

1 And drew near the days of David to die, and he commanded Solomon his son, saying,

2 “I am going the way of all the earth. And you shall be strong and you shall become a man.

3 And you shall keep the charge of YHWH your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, and His ordinances, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do, and all wherever you turn in it,

4 so that YHWH may fulfill His word that He spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul,’ He said, ‘Shall not be cut off to you a man on the throne of Israel.’

5 And also you know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two commanders of the hosts of Israel, to Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. And he killed them and made the blood of war in peacetime, and he put the blood of war on his belt that was around his waist, and on his sandal that was on his feet.

6 And you shall do according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray hair go down in peace to Sheol.

7 And to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite show loving devotion, and let them be among those who eat at your table; for so they drew near to me when I fled from Absalom your brother.

8 And behold, with you is Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim. And he cursed me with a bitter curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim. And he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by YHWH, saying, ‘I will not put you to death by the sword.’

9 And now do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man, and you will know what you ought to do to him, and you shall bring down his gray hair in blood to Sheol.”