1 Kings 2:38Shimei said to the king, "The saying is good. As my lord the king has said, so will your servant do." Shimei lived in Jerusalem many days.
The setting
Jerusalem, ~970 BC. Solomon's palace. Shimei, who once cursed King David, now stands before Solomon accepting house arrest in Jerusalem, Israel...
The emotion here: relieved but trapped, choosing survival over pride
The original word
טוֹב (tov) — good, agreeable, but also resigned acceptance rather than joy
Why it matters
Shimei was from the tribe of Benjamin, Saul's tribe, making him politically dangerous
Read with care
What most readers miss in 1 Kings 2:38
This is house arrest disguised as mercy — Solomon is neutralizing a political threat
Common misconceptionPeople see this as Shimei being grateful for mercy, but he's actually accepting political exile. Solomon isn't being kind — he's being shrewd.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 1 Kings 2:38
Bible Genome reading
1 Kings 2:38 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
1 Kings 2:38 comes from the book of 1 Kings, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Shimei. The dominant emotion in this verse is deciding, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include obedience, submission. Notable phrases: the saying is good; as my lord the king has said. This verse contains a promise of God.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same deciding
“"You shall have no other gods before me.”
— Deuteronomy 5:7
“"You shall not murder.”
— Exodus 20:13
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
— Matthew 23:12
“For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”
— 2 Timothy 1:7
“But Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"”
— Acts 3:6
Your reflection
What does 1 Kings 2:38 mean to you, today?
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