The story of Shimei is found in 2 Samuel16 and 19. In a nut shell, Shimei is the classic “follow the winner, fair weather fan-type” character. When David was fleeing from Jerusalem under the threat of his son, Absalom, Shimei was flanking him. Shimei was a relative of Saul, for the record. And as David was fleeing in disgrace, Shim-ol-boy was piling on. He cursed David, even throwing rocks and dust at him–from a distance, brave soul that he was. And for his trouble, he was threatened by Abishai, one of David’s warriors.
David magnanimously deferred Abishi’s defense, stating that if God had told Shimei to curse him, then why resist? And maybe God would see David’s mistreatment and turn the curse around. Then after Absalom was defeated and David was being escorted back to Jerusalem, the first one to meet David as he crossed the Jordan River was, you guessed it, Shimei. He was now, well, toadying up to the “new” winner.
Abishai again offered to lop off his head, and David wisely ruled that no one should die on this happy day. Was this just a passing episode in the life of David, or was there some long term significance? There is a genealogical tie-in. David spared Shimei’s life and he went on to live for a while. Shimei’s duplicity is another story, which you can explore later. (1 Kings 2) The key ingredient here is that Shimei had some children. And we encounter one of them in a very unusual setting.
Look at Esther 2:5.
Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite;
One of the descendants of Shimei was in Shushan, which is in Persia. This is possibly 500 or so years later. Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom of Babylon had been overthrown by the Medes and Persians and Xerxes is now the ruler of the combined kingdoms. One of the royal advisors (of some sort or another) was Mordecai.
We all recall the story of Mordecai’s guidance for Esther and how it was instrumental in the saving of the Jewish nation from the intended genocide of Haman. Now for the implication.
David did not know that he was saving the nation when he spared Shimei. He was just being charitable to a very vexing and difficult person. But here, roughly 400-500 hundred years later, his largess is rewarded in the salvation of the Jews. God knew that Shimei’s great great (or more) grandson would be His tool for delivering His people. The Lord directed David’s decision, even if David was unaware of it.
God rules in the affairs of men. If any doubt remains, just read on in the Scripture. And now you know why the genealogical references are included. They are an important part of the story for us. We can see God’s hand at work, even in these seemingly minor details.
Read on. (And don’t skip the genealogies.)
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