David made a serious blunder in his hasty decision to seek personal revenge. He had yet to learn the lesson of patience. This valuable trait was later acquired. Observe the contrast between his attitude here and later, when Absalom tried to usurp the kingdom. In David’s flight from Jerusalem, Shimei, of the house of Saul, threw stones at him and cursed him. When one of his men wanted to kill the offender, David said, “Let him alone, and let him curse.... It may be that ... the Lord will requite me good for his cursing this day” (2 Sam 16:11, 12).