1 Kings 2:9
ESV
Now therefore do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man. You will know what you ought to do to him, and you shall bring his gray head down with blood to Sheol."
NIV
But now, do not consider him innocent. You are a man of wisdom; you will know what to do to him. Bring his gray head down to the grave in blood."
NASB
But now do not leave him unpunished, for you are a wise man; and you will know what to do to him, and you will bring his gray hair down to Sheol with blood.'
CSB
So don’t let him go unpunished, for you are a wise man. You know how to deal with him to bring his gray head down to Sheol with blood."
NLT
But that oath does not make him innocent. You are a wise man, and you will know how to arrange a bloody death for him. '
KJV
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.
NKJV
Now therefore, do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man and know what you ought to do to him; but bring his gray hair down to the grave with blood.”
What does 1 Kings 2:9 mean?
David's instructions to Solomon began with noble, father-to-son advice about being strong enough to fully obey God's commands as a king. Then David gave specific instructions for Solomon about how to resolve unfinished business with three separate men.With the caveat that Solomon should act wisely, David urged Solomon to hold Joab accountable for past crimes and not to allow him to live out his days in peace. On the other hand, David asked his son to provide for the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, continuing to reward him for helping David in a crucial season (1 Kings 2:5–7).
David's final bit of counsel is to prevent another civil war. He recounts the time he promised not to execute a man named Shimei who aggressively cursed him when he was running for his life from Absalom (2 Samuel 16:5–8). David suspected Shimei was God's tool to humiliate David. When Absalom was dead, and David was returning to Jerusalem, David forgave everyone he could to restore the goodwill of the people (2 Samuel 19:16–23).
Now, though, David reveals that he never forgot the offense. Shimei had apologized, and David had told him, "You shall not die" (2 Samuel 19:18–23). Apparently, David's oath had some unrecorded—or unspoken—caveats, such as "today" or "by me." Even so, David tells Solomon that Shimei deserves to die and leaves it to Solomon to decide how.
Solomon shows wisdom even before he receives God's gift (1 Kings 3:6–14). Though he executes Joab and Shimei for past crimes, he doesn't act until they have offended him. He tells Shimei he must stay in Jerusalem and never leave the city. That way, he can't return to the Benjaminites and start a coup. Shimei agrees until his servants run away to Gath. As Shimei returns to Jerusalem after retrieving his servants, Solomon has him executed for disobeying the king's order (1 Kings 2:26–46).
David is doing more than just hoping Solomon will settle old scores. He probably saw Joab and Shimei as threats to Solomon's power and position as Israel's new king.
