The Meaning of 1 Kings 2:44 Explained

1 Kings 2:44

KJV: 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;

YLT: And the king saith unto Shimei, 'Thou hast known all the evil that thy heart hath known, which thou didst to David my father, and Jehovah hath turned back thine evil on thy head,

Darby: And the king said to Shimei, Thou knowest all the wickedness of which thy heart is conscious, which thou didst to David my father; and Jehovah returns thy wickedness upon thine own head;

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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; 

What does 1 Kings 2:44 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 This canceled the first offer of pardon and it was withdrawn.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 2:44 mean?

And moreover said the king to Shimei You know - all the wickedness as acknowledges your heart that you did to David my father therefore will return Yahweh - your wickedness on your own head
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶל־ שִׁמְעִ֗י אַתָּ֤ה יָדַ֙עְתָּ֙ אֵ֣ת כָּל־ הָרָעָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר יָדַע֙ לְבָ֣בְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִׂ֖יתָ לְדָוִ֣ד אָבִ֑י וְהֵשִׁ֧יב יְהוָ֛ה אֶת־ רָעָתְךָ֖ בְּרֹאשֶֽׁךָ

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר  And  moreover  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
שִׁמְעִ֗י  Shimei 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שִׁמְעִי  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Gera of the house of Saul in the time of David.
יָדַ֙עְתָּ֙  know 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
אֵ֣ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָרָעָ֗ה  the  wickedness 
Parse: Article, Adjective, feminine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
יָדַע֙  acknowledges 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
לְבָ֣בְךָ֔  your  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: לֵבָב  
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, soul, understanding.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
עָשִׂ֖יתָ  you  did 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
לְדָוִ֣ד  to  David 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
אָבִ֑י  my  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
וְהֵשִׁ֧יב  therefore  will  return 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
יְהוָ֛ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
רָעָתְךָ֖  your  wickedness 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
בְּרֹאשֶֽׁךָ  on  your  own  head 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.