1 Kings 2 · Verse 9

1 Kings 2:9

Now therefore hold him not guiltless: for thou art a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; but his hoar head bring thou down to the grave with blood.
1 Kings 2:9, King James Version

1 Kings 2:9 in other translations

BSBNow therefore, do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man. You know what you ought to do to him to bring his gray head down to Sheol in blood.”
WEBNow therefore don’t hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man; and you will know what you ought to do to him, and you shall bring his gray head down to Sheol with blood.”
ASVNow therefore hold him not guiltless, for thou art a wise man; and thou wilt know what thou oughtest to do unto him, and thou shalt bring his hoar head down to Sheol with blood.
YLTand now, acquit him not, for a wise man thou art, and thou hast known that which thou dost to him, and hast brought down his old age with blood to Sheol.'
DARBYAnd now hold him not guiltless; for thou art a wise man, and thou shalt know what thou oughtest to do to him; but bring his hoar head down to Sheol with blood.
BBEBut do not let him be free from punishment, for you are a wise man; and it will be clear to you what you have to do with him; see that his white head goes down to the underworld in blood.
WebsterNow therefore hold him not guiltless: for thou art a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do to him; but his hoary head do thou bring down to the grave with blood.

What does 1 Kings 2:9 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
9. for thou art a wise man--Solomon had given early indications of wisdom before his miraculous endowment with the heavenly gift (see 1Ki 3:11), and his own sagacity would dictate the course that should be followed in any new offense that Shimei might commit.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 9 Hold him not guiltless - Do not consider him as an innocent man, though I have sworn to him that I would not put him to death by the sword; yet as thou art a wise man, and knowest how to treat such persons, treat him as he deserves; only as I have sworn to him, and he is an aged man, let him not die a violent death; bring not down his hoary head to the grave with blood. So Solomon understood David, and so I think David should be understood; for the negative particle לא lo, in the former clause, hold him Not guiltless, should be repeated in this latter clause, though not expressed, his hoary head bring thou Not down; instances of which frequently occur in the Hebrew Bible. See Dr. Kennicott's note at the end of this chapter, 1Kgs 2:46 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Kings 2:5-11

These dying counsels concerning Joab and Shimei, did not come from personal anger, but for the security of Solomon's throne, which was the murders he had committed, but would readily repeat them to carry any purpose; though long reprieved, he shall be reckoned with at last. Time does not wear out the guilt of any sin, particularly of murder. Concerning Shimei, Hold him not guiltless; do not think him any true friend…

Read the full comment on 1 Kings 2:5-11 →

1 Kings 2:9 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְעַתָּה֙ve.'a.Tahand thereforeH6258
אַל\־'al-may notH408
תְּנַקֵּ֔הוּte.na.Ke.huyou leave unpunished himH5352
כִּ֛יkiforH3588
אִ֥ישׁ'ish[are] a manH376
חָכָ֖םcha.KhamwiseH2450
אָ֑תָּה'A.tahyouH859
וְיָֽדַעְתָּ֙ve.ya.da'.Taand you will knowH3045
אֵ֣ת'et<obj.>H853
אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.Sher[that] whichH834
תַּֽעֲשֶׂה\־ta.'a.seh-you will doH6213
לּ֔וֹloto him
וְהוֹרַדְתָּ֧ve.ho.rad.Taand you will bring downH3381
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
שֵׂיבָת֛וֹsei.va.Togrey hair hisH7872
בְּדָ֖םbe.Damin bloodH1818
שְׁאֽוֹל\׃she.'olSheolH7585

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Kings 2:9

  • 1 Kings 2:6

    Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace.

  • Genesis 44:31

    It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave.

  • Genesis 42:38

    And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.

  • Exodus 22:28

    Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.

  • Numbers 32:23

    But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out.

  • Exodus 20:7

    Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

  • 1 Kings 3:28

    And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment.

  • 1 Kings 3:12

    Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

  • Job 9:28

    I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
hold him.Do not consider him as an innocent man; for, as thou art a wise man, and knowest how to treat such persons, treat him as he deserves; only, as I have sworn to him that I would not put him to death, "bring not his hoar head down to the grave with blood." So Solomon understood David; for, after he had commanded Joab to be slain, in obedience to his father, he sent for Shimei, and knowing he ought to be well watched, he confined him to Jerusalem for the rest of his life: and so it appears David should be understood; for the negative particle {lo,} in the former clause, "hold him not guiltless," should be repeated in the latter clause, though not expressed; instances of which frequently occur in the Hebrew Scriptures. (See Jud 5:30. 1Sa 2:3. Ps 1:5; 9:18; 38:1; 75:5. Pr 5:16; 24:12, etc.) This is the view taken of the subject by Dr. Kennicott, and it seems the best and most correct mode of interpreting the text.
Ex 20:7; 22:28; Job 9:28
wise.
3:12,28
his.
6; Ge 42:38; 44:31
with.
Nu 32:23

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Kings 2:8

    And, behold, thou hast with thee Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim, which cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim: but he came down to meet me at Jordan, and I sware to him by the Lord, saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword.

  • 1 Kings 2:9

    Now therefore hold him not guiltless: for thou art a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; but his hoar head bring thou down to the grave with blood.

  • 1 Kings 2:10

    So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.

Read all of 1 Kings 2

1 Kings 2:9 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Empero ahora no lo absolverás: que hombre sabio eres, y sabes cómo te has de haber con él: y harás descender sus canas con sangre á la sepultura.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et maintenant, ne le tiens pas pour innocent, car tu es un homme sage, et tu sais ce que tu as à lui faire; mais fais descendre, dans le sang, ses cheveux blancs au shéol.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Nun aber halte ihn nicht für schuldlos, denn du bist ein weiser Mann und wirst wissen, was du ihm tun sollst; und laß sein graues Haar mit Blut in den Scheol hinabfahren.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		tu noli pati eum esse innoxium. Vir autem sapiens es, ut scias quæ facies ei: deducesque canos ejus cum sanguine ad inferos.