2 Samuel 16:11
ESV
And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, "Behold, my own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Leave him alone, and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to.
NIV
David then said to Abishai and all his officials, "My son, my own flesh and blood, is trying to kill me. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone; let him curse, for the Lord has told him to.
NASB
Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, 'Behold, my son who came out of my own body seeks my life; how much more now this Benjaminite? Leave him alone and let him curse, for the Lord has told him.
CSB
Then David said to Abishai and all his servants, "Look, my own son, my own flesh and blood, intends to take my life —how much more now this Benjaminite! Leave him alone and let him curse me; the Lord has told him to.
NLT
Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, 'My own son is trying to kill me. Doesn’t this relative of Saul have even more reason to do so? Leave him alone and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to do it.
KJV
And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the Lord hath bidden him.
NKJV
And David said to Abishai and all his servants, “See how my son who came from my own body seeks my life. How much more now may this Benjamite? Let him alone, and let him curse; for so the Lord has ordered him.
What does 2 Samuel 16:11 mean?
David is caught between two men who want to avenge their relative and king. Shimei is from Saul's family. He sees David fleeing Absalom and believes the rebellion is God's judgment against David for taking Saul's kingdom, so he throws curses and stones at David and his fleeing servants (2 Samuel 16:5–8). Abishai is David's nephew and the leader of his elite "might men." He wants to take Shimei's head off (2 Samuel 16:9).David isn't worried about Shimei's accusations. He knows that God took the kingdom from Saul because of Saul's continued disobedience. Saul spread the message that David wanted to usurp Saul, but nothing could be further from the truth. David continually refused to fight Saul. Instead, he waited for God to give him what He promised.
Abishai is reacting as he's trained. They're in Benjamin, surrounded by Saul's tribe. Abishai's job is to protect David and fight his battles. If he can't fight real war, yet, he can at least defend his uncle's honor.
David knows that in the larger picture, Shimei's display isn't about Saul. Absalom's rebellion is part of God's judgment for David's sins of adultery and murder (2 Samuel 12:10–11). David reasons that Shimei's shouted curses might also be part of God's punishment for his sin. If so, David will not avoid God's judgment. He will trust God to make everything right in the end (2 Samuel 16:12), even if it means his death (2 Samuel 15:25–26).
