Standing before King David, a man guilty of grave treason begs for his life. Shimei son of Gera approaches the king not merely to save himself, but to initiate a move with sweeping national consequences. He begins with a complete admission of his guilt and profound regret [מצודת דוד]. The sheer weight of recognizing the magnitude of his betrayal serves as its own form of punishment, propelling him to step forward and take responsibility [מלבי״ם]. By being the very first to surrender, he displays ultimate submission to the king [מצודת דוד].
Beyond personal surrender, this early arrival is a calculated strategy meant to set a precedent for the entire nation. Shimei understands that he is viewed as the worst of the offenders, and the rest of the people are waiting in suspense to see how the king will react. If David accepts his plea for forgiveness, it will give the entire nation the security and confidence to come forward and make peace. Conversely, if the king rejects him, it will strike fear into the hearts of the people and prevent them from returning [רש״י, רד״ק, אברבנאל, מלבי״ם]. Because of this, Shimei argues that his pioneering step to be the first to submit earns him the reward of forgiveness and atonement [אברבנאל].
In his plea, Shimei identifies himself as representing the house of Joseph, which raises a question since he actually belongs to the tribe of Benjamin. Commentators offer several ways to understand this connection. One approach explains that he is referring to a specific alliance of tribes, namely Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh, who considered Joseph their leader [רד״ק, אברבנאל]. Alternatively, it refers to all the tribes of Israel with the exception of Judah [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. However, the primary approach among commentators is that the name Joseph is used here as a broad title for the entire nation of Israel [רש״י, רד״ק, מצודת דוד, רלב״ג, אברבנאל, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This title honors Joseph because he was the one who sustained the people during their time in Egypt [מצודת דוד], or because his descendants were so numerous and provided most of the leaders for the Israelites [רלב״ג].
Alongside these historical explanations, there is a deeper moral layer to the mention of Joseph. By invoking this name, Shimei is drawing a deliberate parallel to the famous story of Joseph and his brothers. He is subtly hinting to David that just as Joseph's brothers treated him terribly and he responded by treating them with kindness, so too has Shimei committed a great evil against the king. He now asks David to follow Joseph's example, to repay his evil with goodness, and to grant him full forgiveness [רד״ק, אברבנאל].