Who was Shimei in the Bible?
David's adversary, during the united monarchy
Shimei was a Benjamite from the family of Saul who encountered King David during Absalom's rebellion (2Sa. 16:5). Shimei appears in 19 verses across 6 books of the Bible.
The Bible uses the name Shimei for 2 different people. All 2 are below, each with its own passages.
Shimei in 1 Kings
Shimei was a Benjamite from the family of Saul who encountered King David during Absalom's rebellion (2Sa. 16:5). As David fled Jerusalem, Shimei cursed him, threw stones at him, and accused him of being a murderer and a wicked man (2Sa. 16:7, 13). After Absalom's defeat, Shimei met David at the Jordan River, seeking forgiveness for his actions (2Sa. 19:16, 18). Although Abishai, one of David's men, wanted to kill Shimei, David spared his life (2Sa. 19:21, 23). However, on his deathbed, David instructed his son Solomon to deal with Shimei, suggesting that he should not be left unpunished (1Ki. 2:8-9). Solomon later confined Shimei to Jerusalem and warned him that leaving the city would result in his death, a condition Shimei initially accepted (1Ki. 2:36-38). However, when Shimei violated this agreement by leaving Jerusalem to retrieve his runaway servants, Solomon ordered his execution (1Ki. 2:39-46).
Definition text: STEPBible · Tyndale House Cambridge. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Lightly edited for length and formatting.
Compiled by Protos: the verse list on this page. Where one name belongs to more than one person or place, each of them gets a separate entry.
Shimei, son of Gershon
Shimei was the son of Gershon and the grandson of Levi (Num. 3:18; Ex. 6:17; 1Ch. 6:17). He was one of the three main divisions of the Levites, along with the descendants of Kohath and Merari. The Shimites, his descendants, formed a clan within the Levites (Num. 3:21) and were responsible for various duties in the tabernacle and temple service. In the time of David, the Shimites were among the Levites appointed to serve in the house of the Lord (1Ch. 23:7, 10). The clan of Shimei is also mentioned in the prophetic vision of Zechariah, where they are listed among the Levitical families that will mourn and seek cleansing from sin (Zec. 12:13).
6 verses: 1 Chronicles 6:17, 1 Chronicles 23:7, 1 Chronicles 23:10, Exodus 6:17, Numbers 3:18, Zechariah 12:13
Definition text: STEPBible · Tyndale House Cambridge. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Lightly edited for length and formatting.
Where does Shimei appear in the Bible?
Shimei is referenced in 19 verses across 6 books. Every passage below is about this one, not just every verse the word turns up in.
- 1 Kings 2:8
- 1 Kings 2:36
- 1 Kings 2:38
- 1 Kings 2:39
- 1 Kings 2:40
- 1 Kings 2:41
- 1 Kings 2:42
- 2 Samuel 16:7
- 2 Samuel 16:13
- 2 Samuel 19:16
- 2 Samuel 19:18
- 2 Samuel 19:21
- 2 Samuel 19:23
Showing the first 13 of 19.
Open all 19 references in ProtosWhat else appears in these passages?
These turn up in the same passages as Shimei.
Common questions
How many people in the Bible are called Shimei?
Shimei refers to 2 different people in the Bible: Shimei in 1 Kings; Shimei, son of Gershon.
How many times does the Bible mention Shimei?
Shimei appears in 19 verses across 6 books, most often in 1 Kings, which accounts for 7 of them.
Which books of the Bible mention Shimei?
1 Kings, 2 Samuel, 1 Chronicles, Exodus, Numbers, Zechariah.
Where can I read every verse about Shimei?
This page lists 13 of them. Protos carries all 19, and opens this entry on the verse you are reading rather than in a separate tab.
