Shimei was a Benjamite who cursed David during Absalom's rebellion but later sought the king's forgiveness.
of the house of Saul (2SA 16:5) who threw stones at King David
Lineage: God › Adam › Seth › Enos › Cainan › Mahalaleel › Jared › Enoch › Methuselah › Lamech › Noah › Shem › Arphaxad › Cainan › Salah › Eber › Peleg › Reu › Serug › Nahor › Terah › Abraham › Isaac › Jacob › Benjamin › Bela › Gera › Shimei
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en
Shimei
Shimi, that hears or obeys; my reputation; my fame
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en
Shimei
· Also called · H8096 none · 2SA 16:5 y-h-v-h has heard' or 'famous'
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he
שִׁמְעִי
shiməiy · H8096 · 2SA 16:5 y-h-v-h has heard' or 'famous'
- he שִׁמְעִי · H8096H
- el Σεμεϊ Semeï · none · 2SA 16:5
- bg Семей
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Conditional birth estimate
Conditional birth bounds under generation assumptions; not attested parental ages, biological limits or a lifespan.
The anchors give incompatible conditional intervals. This calculation establishes no birth year.
Below are relatives with a selected birth year, the generations separating them, and the interval allowed by each anchor. Each relative’s page shows available dates and sources. The overall estimate uses the intersection of the allowed intervals.
| Relative / anchor year | Generations | Conditional interval |
|---|---|---|
| Benjamin · 1740 BC Ancestor |
3 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1680 BC – 1605 BC |
| Jacob · 1835 BC Ancestor |
4 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1755 BC – 1655 BC |
| Isaac · 1895 BC Ancestor |
5 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1795 BC – 1670 BC |
| Rebekah · 1876 BC Ancestor |
5 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1776 BC – 1651 BC |
| Abraham · 1995 BC Ancestor |
6 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1875 BC – 1725 BC |
| Sarah · 1985 BC Ancestor |
6 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1865 BC – 1715 BC |
| Terah · 2125 BC Ancestor |
7 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1950 BC – 1215 BC |
| Nahor · 2156 BC Ancestor |
8 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1956 BC – 1116 BC |
| Haran · 2056 BC Ancestor |
8 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1856 BC – 1016 BC |
| Serug · 2186 BC Ancestor |
9 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1961 BC – 1016 BC |
| Reu · 2218 BC Ancestor |
10 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1968 BC – 918 BC |
| Peleg · 2248 BC Ancestor |
11 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1973 BC – 818 BC |
| Eber · 2282 BC Ancestor |
12 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1982 BC – 722 BC |
| Salah · 2312 BC Ancestor |
13 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1987 BC – 622 BC |
| Arphaxad · 2347 BC Ancestor |
15 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1972 BC – 397 BC |
| Shem · 2447 BC Ancestor |
16 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2047 BC – 367 BC |
| Noah · 2948 BC Ancestor |
17 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2523 BC – 738 BC |
| Lamech · 3130 BC Ancestor |
18 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2680 BC – 790 BC |
| Methuselah · 3317 BC Ancestor |
19 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2842 BC – 847 BC |
| Enoch · 3382 BC Ancestor |
20 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2882 BC – 782 BC |
| Jared · 3544 BC Ancestor |
21 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3019 BC – 814 BC |
| Mahalaleel · 3609 BC Ancestor |
22 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3059 BC – 749 BC |
| Cainan · 3679 BC Ancestor |
23 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3104 BC – 689 BC |
| Cain · 4004 BC Ancestor |
23 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3429 BC – 1014 BC |
| Enos · 3769 BC Ancestor |
24 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3169 BC – 649 BC |
| Adam · 4004 BC Ancestor |
24 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3404 BC – 884 BC |
| Eve · 4005 BC Ancestor |
24 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3405 BC – 885 BC |
| Seth · 3874 BC Ancestor |
25 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3249 BC – 624 BC |
- Father: Gera
- Mother: Unknown
Shimei was a Benjamite from the family of Saul who encountered King David during Absalom's rebellion (2Sa. 16:5). As David fled Jerusalem, Shimei cursed him, threw stones at him, and accused him of being a murderer and a wicked man (2Sa. 16:7, 13). After Absalom's defeat, Shimei met David at the Jordan River, seeking forgiveness for his actions (2Sa. 19:16, 18). Although Abishai, one of David's men, wanted to kill Shimei, David spared his life (2Sa. 19:21, 23). However, on his deathbed, David instructed his son Solomon to deal with Shimei, suggesting that he should not be left unpunished (1Ki. 2:8-9). Solomon later confined Shimei to Jerusalem and warned him that leaving the city would result in his death, a condition Shimei initially accepted (1Ki. 2:36-38). However, when Shimei violated this agreement by leaving Jerusalem to retrieve his runaway servants, Solomon ordered his execution (1Ki. 2:39-46).
A Benjamite of the house of Saul, who stoned and cursed David when he reached Bahurim in his flight from Jerusalem on the occasion of the rebellion of Absalom (2 Sam. 16:5-13). After the defeat of Absalom he “came cringing to the king, humbly suing for pardon, bringing with him a thousand of his Benjamite tribesmen, and representing that he was heartily sorry for his crime, and had hurried the first of all the house of Israel to offer homage to the king” (19:16-23). David forgave him; but on his death-bed he gave Solomon special instructions regarding Shimei, of whose fidelity he seems to have been in doubt (1 Kings 2:8, 9). He was put to death at the command of Solomon, because he had violated his word by leaving Jerusalem and going to Gath to recover two of his servants who had escaped (36-46).
Sources: BibleData (CC BY 4.0, Shimei_2) · STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0, Shimei@2Sa.16.5-1Ki) · Theographic Bible Metadata (CC BY-SA 4.0, shimei_2684)