1 Kings 2:42-46: a reflection

42The king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, “Didn’t I adjure you by the LORD and warn you, saying, ‘Know for certain that on the day you go out and walk anywhere else, you shall surely die’? You said to me, ‘The saying that I have heard is good.’ 43Why then have you not kept the oath of the LORD and the commandment that I have instructed you with?” 44The king said moreover to Shimei, “You know in your heart all the wickedness that you did to David my father. Therefore the LORD will return your wickedness on your own head. 45But King Solomon will be blessed, and David’s throne will be established before the LORD forever.” 46So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he went out, and fell on him, so that he died. The kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

When Shimei, who had been placed under a solemn restriction and had agreed to it, breaks his word and leaves the bounds set for him, the consequence follows; and the account underscores that he had known and agreed to the terms. Didn't I make you swear by the LORD, Solomon asks, and warn you, saying, on the day you go out anywhere else, you shall surely die? And you said to me, the saying is good. Shimei had been clearly warned, had agreed to the terms, had said the condition was good; and yet he broke it. The account stresses that he knew the terms and had accepted them, and still did not keep his word. This is a sober reminder of the seriousness of keeping the word and commitments we have made. Shimei knew and agreed to the terms, yet broke his word. A commitment agreed to is serious to keep. Breaking a word we knew and accepted is a real failure. The seriousness of keeping our agreed word.

Notice how the account stresses Shimei's own agreement to the terms. He had not been trapped by conditions he did not know; he had been clearly warned, told exactly what would happen if he crossed the boundary, and had himself said, the saying is good. He knew and accepted the terms. And yet, when it suited him, he broke his word and crossed the boundary he had agreed to keep. The seriousness of this lies partly in that he had knowingly agreed and still failed to keep his word. This is a sober reminder for us about the weight of our own commitments and given word. When we make a commitment, agree to terms, give our word, knowing what we are agreeing to, we take on a real responsibility to keep it. To break a word we knowingly gave is a real failure, not a small thing. We do well to take seriously the commitments and promises we make, to keep the word we have given, mindful that our agreements bind us. Keeping our knowingly given word is a serious responsibility. To break a commitment we understood and accepted is a real failure. Take seriously the word and commitments you have given. Our given word binds us; keeping it matters.

That is worth taking to heart, for keeping the word and commitments we have knowingly given is a serious responsibility, as Shimei knew and agreed to the terms yet broke his word. We can treat our commitments and given word lightly, breaking them when they no longer suit us; but Shimei had been clearly warned, had accepted the terms, had said the condition was good, and still failed to keep his word. Our given word binds us. Take seriously the commitments and promises you make; keep the word you have knowingly given, rather than breaking it when it suits you. Take seriously the word and commitments you have knowingly given, keeping them rather than breaking them when they no longer suit you, as Shimei, who had been clearly warned of the terms and had himself said the condition was good, still broke his word and crossed the boundary he had agreed to keep; for we can treat our commitments and given word lightly, breaking them when convenient, but when we make a commitment, agree to terms, or give our word knowing what we are agreeing to, we take on a real responsibility to keep it, and to break a word we knowingly gave is a real failure and not a small thing, so that we do well to take seriously the commitments and promises we make and to keep the word we have given, mindful that our agreements bind us.

Lord, when Shimei, who had been placed under a solemn restriction and had agreed to it, breaks his word and leaves the bounds set for him, the consequence follows; and the account underscores that he had known and agreed to the terms. Didn't I make you swear by the LORD, Solomon asks, and warn you, saying, on the day you go out anywhere else, you shall surely die? And you said to me, the saying is good. Shimei had been clearly warned, had agreed to the terms, had said the condition was good; and yet he broke it. The account stresses that he knew the terms and had accepted them, and still did not keep his word. This is a sober reminder of the seriousness of keeping the word and commitments I have made. Show me how the account stresses Shimei's own agreement to the terms. He had not been trapped by conditions he did not know; he had been clearly warned and had himself said, the saying is good. And yet, when it suited him, he broke his word. The seriousness of this lies partly in that he had knowingly agreed and still failed to keep his word. This is a sober reminder for me about the weight of my own commitments and given word. When I make a commitment, agree to terms, give my word, knowing what I am agreeing to, I take on a real responsibility to keep it. To break a word I knowingly gave is a real failure, not a small thing. Take that to my heart, for keeping the word and commitments I have knowingly given is a serious responsibility. Keep me from treating my commitments and given word lightly, breaking them when they no longer suit me; help me take seriously the commitments and promises I make, Lord, and keep the word I have given, mindful that my agreements bind me.