When Joab heard about what had happened, he was afraid. He had supported Adonijah but not Absalom. So Joab ran to the Tent of the LORD and took hold of the corners of the altar. Someone told King Solomon that Joab had run to the Tent of the LORD and was beside the altar. Then Solomon ordered Benaiah to go and kill him.
Benaiah went into the Tent of the LORD and said to Joab, “The king says, ‘Come out!’ ”
But Joab answered, “No, I will die here.”
So Benaiah went back to the king and told him what Joab had said. Then the king ordered Benaiah, “Do as he says! Kill him there and bury him. Then my family and I will be free of the guilt of Joab, who has killed innocent people. Without my father knowing it, he killed two men who were much better than he was—Abner son of Ner, the commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa son of Jether, the commander of Judah’s army. So the LORD will pay him back for those deaths. Joab and his family will be forever guilty for their deaths, but there will be peace from the LORD for David, his descendants, his family, and his throne forever.”
So Benaiah son of Jehoiada killed Joab, and he was buried near his home in the desert. The king then made Benaiah son of Jehoiada commander of the army in Joab’s place. He also made Zadok the new high priest in Abiathar’s place.
Next the king sent for Shimei. Solomon said to him, “Build a house for yourself in Jerusalem and live there. Don’t leave the city. The very day you leave and cross the Kidron Valley, someone will kill you, and it will be your own fault.”
So Shimei answered the king, “I agree with what you say. I will do what you say, my master and king.” So Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time.
But three years later two of Shimei’s slaves ran away to Achish king of Gath, who was the son of Maacah. Shimei heard that his slaves were in Gath, so he put his saddle on his donkey and went to Achish at Gath to find them. Then he brought them back from Gath.
Someone told Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned. So Solomon sent for Shimei and said, “I made you promise in the name of the LORD not to leave Jerusalem. I warned you if you went out anywhere you would die, and you agreed to what I said. Why did you break your promise to the LORD and disobey my command?” The king also said, “You know the many wrong things you did to my father David, so now the LORD will punish you for those wrongs. But the LORD will bless me and make the rule of David safe before the LORD forever.”
Then the king ordered Benaiah to kill Shimei, and he did. Now Solomon was in full control of his kingdom.
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