1 Kings 2:37

³⁵ And the king appointed Benaiah son of Jehoiada in Joab’s place over the army, and he appointed Zadok the priest in Abiathar’s place.

³⁶ Then the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Build a house for yourself in Jerusalem and live there, but do not go anywhere else.

On the day you go out and cross the Kidron Valley, know for sure that you will die; your blood will be on your own head.”

³⁸ “The sentence is fair,” Shimei replied. “Your servant will do as my lord the king has spoken.” And Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time.

³⁹ After three years, however, two of Shimei’s slaves ran away to Achish son of Maacah, king of Gath. And Shimei was told, “Look, your slaves are in Gath.”

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: On the day you go out and cross the Kidron Valley, know for sure that you will die; your blood will be on your own head.”
KJV: For it shall be, that on the day thou goest out, and passest over the brook Kidron, thou shalt know for certain that thou shalt surely die: thy blood shall be upon thine own head.
WEB: For on the day you go out and pass over the brook Kidron, know for certain that you will surely die. Your blood will be on your own head.”
ASV: For on the day thou goest out, and passest over the brook Kidron, know thou for certain that thou shalt surely die: thy blood shall be upon thine own head.
DARBY: And it shall be that on the day thou goest forth, and passest over the torrent of Kidron, know for certain that thou shalt surely die: thy blood shall be upon thine own head.
BLB: For it will come to pass on the day you go out and pass over the Kidron Brook, [that] you will surely know that you will surely die; your blood will be on your own head.”

ÅB: For det skal du vite for visst, at den dag du går ut og går over bekken Kidron, skal du dø; ditt blod skal komme på ditt eget hode.
OTB: For den dagen du går ut og krysser Kedronbekken, skal du vite for sikkert at du sannelig vil dø; ditt blod skal være på ditt eget hode."
B1930: For det skal du vite for visst, at den dag du går ut og går over bekken Kidron, skal du dø; ditt blod skal komme på ditt eget hode.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

2 Samuel 1:16
For David had said to the Amalekite, “Your blood be on your own head because your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I killed the LORD’s anointed.’”
Read in context
2 Samuel 15:23
Everyone in the countryside was weeping loudly as all the people passed by. And as the king crossed the Kidron Valley, all the people also passed toward the way of the wilderness.
Read in context
Joshua 2:19
If anyone goes out the door of your house into the street, his blood will be on his own head, and we will be innocent. But if a hand is laid on anyone with you in the house, his blood will be on our heads.
Read in context
John 18:1
After Jesus had spoken these words, He went out with His disciples across the Kidron Valley, where they entered a garden.
Read in context
Leviticus 20:9
If anyone curses his father or mother, he must be put to death. He has cursed his father or mother; his blood shall be upon him.
Read in context
Ezekiel 18:13
He engages in usury and takes excess interest. Will this son live? He will not! Since he has committed all these abominations, he will surely die; his blood will be on his own head.
Read in context
2 Kings 23:6
He brought the Asherah pole from the house of the LORD to the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem, and there he burned it, ground it to powder, and threw its dust on the graves of the common people.
Read in context
Jeremiah 31:40
The whole valley of the dead bodies and ashes, and all the fields as far as the Kidron Valley, to the corner of the Horse Gate to the east, will be holy to the LORD. It will never again be uprooted or demolished.”
Read in context