5 And king David hath come in unto Bahurim, and lo, thence a man is coming out, of the family of the house of Saul, and his name 'is' Shimei, son of Gera, he cometh out, coming out and reviling; 6 and he stoneth David with stones, and all the servants of king David, and all the people, and all the mighty men on his right and on his left. 7 And thus said Shimei in his reviling, 'Go out, go out, O man of blood, and man of worthlessness! 8 Jehovah hath turned back on thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned, and Jehovah doth give the kingdom in to the hand of Absalom thy son; and lo, thou 'art' in thine evil, for a man of blood thou 'art'.' 9 And Abishai son of Zeruiah saith unto the king, 'Why doth this dead dog revile my lord the king? let me pass over, I pray thee, and I turn aside his head.' 10 And the king saith, 'What—to me and to you, O sons of Zeruiah? for—let him revile; even because Jehovah hath said to him, Revile David; and who saith, Wherefore hast Thou done so?' 11 And David saith unto Abishai, and unto all his servants, 'Lo, my son who came out of my bowels is seeking my life, and also surely now the Benjamite; leave him alone, and let him revile, for Jehovah hath said 'so' to him; 12 it may be Jehovah doth look on mine affliction, and Jehovah hath turned back to me good for his reviling this day.' 13 And David goeth with his men in the way, and Shimei is going at the side of the hill over-against him, going on, and he revileth, and stoneth with stones over-against him, and hath dusted with dust. 14 And the king cometh in, and all the people who 'are' with him, wearied, and they are refreshed there.
15 And Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, have come in to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him, 16 and it cometh to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, hath come unto Absalom, that Hushai saith unto Absalom, 'Let the king live! let the king live!' 17 And Absalom saith unto Hushai, 'This thy kindness with thy friend! why hast thou not gone with thy friend?' 18 And Hushai saith unto Absalom, 'Nay, for he whom Jehovah hath chosen, and this people, even all the men of Israel, his I am, and with him I abide; 19 and secondly, for whom do I labour? is it not before his son? as I served before thy father so am I before thee.'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Samuel 16:5-19
Commentary on 2 Samuel 16:5-14
(Read 2 Samuel 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.
Commentary on 2 Samuel 16:15-23
(Read 2 Samuel 16:15-23)
The wisest counsellors of that age were Ahithophel and Hushai: Absalom thinks himself sure of success, when he has both; on them he relies, and consults not the ark, though he had that with him. But miserable counsellors were they both. Hushai would never counsel him to do wisely. Ahithophel counselled him to do wickedly; and so did as effectually betray him, as he did, who was designedly false to him: for they that advise men to sin, certainly advise them to their hurt. After all, honesty is the best policy, and will be found so in the long run. Ahithophel gave wicked counsel to Absalom; to render himself so hateful to his father, that he would never be reconciled to him; this cursed policy was of the devil. How desperately wicked is the human heart!