The Meaning of 1 Kings 2:39 Explained

1 Kings 2:39

KJV: 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.

YLT: And it cometh to pass, at the end of three years, that flee do two of the servants of Shimei unto Achish son of Maachah, king of Gath, and they declare to Shimei, saying, 'Lo, thy servants are in Gath;'

Darby: And it came to pass at the end of three years, that two servants of Shimei's ran away to Achish son of Maachah, king of Gath. And they told Shimei saying, Behold, thy servants are in Gath.

ASV: And it came to pass at the end of three years, that two of the servants of Shimei ran away unto Achish, son of Maacah, king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, Behold, thy servants are in Gath.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 1 Kings 2:39 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 2:36-46 - Presuming And Perishing Therefore
Shimei broke the one condition on which his life had been given back to him, and could have no just cause of complaint against the king. It may be argued that his offense was a trifling and excusable one, but we must remember that it was committed not only against the royal commandment, but against the oath of God, 1 Kings 2:43. By this one act he forfeited all claim upon Solomon's clemency.
We are here reminded of the parable of the two debtors in Matthew 18:28, etc. The debtor who owed the most had been released, and we naturally look to see the forgiven man's glad forgiveness of his brother, who was, in turn, indebted to him. But, so far from forgiveness, there was rough retaliation. This canceled the first offer of pardon and it was withdrawn. So this act on the part of Shimei was fatal in its effect. The Jews were doubtful as to the forgivableness of presumptuous sins, and our Lord also taught that there is a sin against the Holy Spirit which cannot be forgiven. May God's Holy Spirit Himself preserve us from this!
1 Kings 2:1-46 - Breaking Three Commandments
From a worldly point of view Naboth might have done a good stroke of business by selling his estate to. Ahab. A royal price and assured favor might have been his-but he had a conscience! Above the persuasive tones of the monarch's offer sounded the voice of God: "The land shall not be sold for ever, for the land is mine." See Leviticus 25:23; Numbers 36:7; Ezekiel 46:18.
Ahab knew perfectly well that Jezebel could not give him the property of another except by foul means, but he took pains not to inquire. Though the direct orders for Naboth's death did not come from him, yet, by his silence, he was an accomplice and an accessory; and divine justice penetrates all such specious excuses. God holds us responsible for wrongs which we do not arrest, though we have the power. The crime was blacker because of the pretext of religion, as suggested by a fast. See also 2 Kings 9:26. The blood of murdered innocence cries to God, and his requital, though delayed, is inevitable. See Revelation 6:9-10. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Kings 2

1  David, having given a charge to Solomon
3  of Reverence
5  of Joab
7  of Barzillai
8  of Shimei
10  Solomon succeeds
12  Adonijah, moving Bathsheba to ask unto Solomon for Abishag,
13  is put to death
26  Abiathar, having his life given him, is deprived of the priesthood
28  Joab fleeing to the horns of the altar, is there slain
35  Benaiah is put in Joab's room, and Zadfok in Abiathar's
36  Shimei, confined to Jerusalem, by occasion of going to Gath, is put to death

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 2:39 mean?

And it came to pass at the end of three years that ran away two slaves of Shimei to Achish son of Maachah king of Gath And they told Shimei saying Look your slaves [are] in Gath
וַיְהִ֗י מִקֵּץ֙ שָׁלֹ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֔ים וַיִּבְרְח֤וּ שְׁנֵֽי־ עֲבָדִים֙ לְשִׁמְעִ֔י אֶל־ אָכִ֥ישׁ בֶּֽן־ מַעֲכָ֖ה מֶ֣לֶךְ גַּ֑ת וַיַּגִּ֤ידוּ לְשִׁמְעִי֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הִנֵּ֥ה עֲבָדֶ֖יךָ בְּגַֽת

וַיְהִ֗י  And  it  came  to  pass 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
מִקֵּץ֙  at  the  end 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קֵץ  
Sense: end.
שָׁלֹ֣שׁ  of  three 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: מִשְׁלֹשׁ 
Sense: three, triad.
שָׁנִ֔ים  years 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
וַיִּבְרְח֤וּ  that  ran  away 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בָּרַח 
Sense: to go through, flee, run away, chase, drive away, put to flight, reach, shoot (extend), hurry away.
שְׁנֵֽי־  two 
Parse: Number, mdc
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
עֲבָדִים֙  slaves 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
לְשִׁמְעִ֔י  of  Shimei 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שִׁמְעִי  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Gera of the house of Saul in the time of David.
אָכִ֥ישׁ  Achish 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָכִישׁ  
Sense: Philistine king of Gath.
בֶּֽן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
מַעֲכָ֖ה  of  Maachah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַעֲכָה 
Sense: father of Achish, king of Gath at the beginning of Solomon’s reign.
מֶ֣לֶךְ  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
גַּ֑ת  of  Gath 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: גַּת  
Sense: one of the five royal or chief cities of the Philistines and the native city of Goliath.
וַיַּגִּ֤ידוּ  And  they  told 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נָגַד  
Sense: to be conspicuous, tell, make known.
לְשִׁמְעִי֙  Shimei 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שִׁמְעִי  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Gera of the house of Saul in the time of David.
לֵאמֹ֔ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הִנֵּ֥ה  Look 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
עֲבָדֶ֖יךָ  your  slaves  [are] 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
בְּגַֽת  in  Gath 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: גַּת  
Sense: one of the five royal or chief cities of the Philistines and the native city of Goliath.

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