1 Kings 2:1-11
David’s Command to Solomon
2Then David’s 1,atime to die drew near, so he commanded Solomon his son, saying, 2“aI am going the way of all the earth. bSo you shall be strong, and be a man. 3“And you shall keep the responsibility given by Yahweh your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, aaccording to what is written in the Law of Moses, that byou may be prosperous in all that you do and wherever you turn, 4so that aYahweh may establish His promise which He spoke concerning me, saying, ‘bIf your sons keep their way, cto walk before Me in 1truth with all their heart and with all their soul, He said, 2,dyou shall not have a man cut off from the throne of Israel.’
5“Now you also know what Joab the ason of Zeruiah did to me, what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to bAbner the son of Ner, and to cAmasa the son of Jether, whom he killed; he also 1shed the blood of war in peace. And he put the blood of war on his belt 2about his 3waist, and on his sandals 4on his feet. 6“aSo act according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray hair go down to Sheol in peace. 7“But ashow lovingkindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and blet them be among those who eat at your table; cfor they 1assisted me when I fled from Absalom your brother. 8“Behold, athere is with you Shimei the son of Gera the Benjamite, of Bahurim; now it was he who cursed me with a 1violent curse on the day I went to Mahanaim. But when bhe came down to me at the Jordan, I swore to him by Yahweh, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’ 9“So now, do not let him go unpunished, afor you are a wise man; and you will know what you ought to do to him, and you will bring his gray hair down to Sheol with blood.”