Subject: May 5 - Sincerity: Speak with integrity

Biblical Character Illustrated Emails | May 5
God enables me to speak with integrity
King Solomon followed through on the promise that King David had made to Shimei.
1 Kings 2:8-10, 36-46
And, behold, thou hast with thee Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim, which cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim: but he came down to meet me at Jordan, and I sware to him by the LORD, saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword.
 
“Now therefore hold him not guiltless: for thou art a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; but his hoar head bring thou down to the grave with blood.

“And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Build thee an house in Jerusalem, and dwell there, and go not forth thence any whither.

“For it shall be, that on the day thou goest out, and passest over the brook Kidron, thou shalt know for certain that thou shalt surely die: thy blood shall be upon thine own head.

“And Shimei said unto the king, The saying is good: as my lord the king hath said, so will thy servant do. And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days.

“And it came to pass at the end of three years, that two of the servants of Shimei ran away unto Achish son of Maachah king of Gath. 

“And they told Shimei, saying, Behold, thy servants be in Gath.

“And Shimei arose, and saddled his ass, and went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants: and Shimei went, and brought his servants from Gath.

“And it was told Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and was come again.

“And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Did I not make thee to swear by the LORD, and protested unto thee, saying, Know for a certain, on the day thou goest out, and walkest abroad any whither, that thou shalt surely die? and thou saidst unto me, The word that I have heard is good.

“Why then hast thou not kept the oath of the LORD, and the commandment that I have charged thee with?

“The king said moreover to Shimei, Thou knowest all the wickedness which thine heart is privy to, that thou didst to David my father: therefore the LORD shall return thy wickedness upon thine own head;

“And king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the LORD for ever.

“So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; which went out, and fell upon him, that he died. And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.