1Now King David was old, advanced in years; and they covered him with clothes, for he could not get warm. 2Therefore his servants said to him, Let a young woman, a virgin, be sought for our lord the king, and let her stand before the king, and serve him; and let her lie in your bosom, that our lord the king may be warm. 3So they sought for a beautiful girl throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 4The girl was very beautiful; and she served the king, and ministered to him; but the king did not know her. 5Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king; and he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. 6(Now his father had not hurt him at any time by saying, Why have you done so? He was also very good in appearance. And his mother had borne him after Absalom.) 7And he spoke with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they went after Adonijah and helped him. 8But Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and the mighty men who belonged to David were not with Adonijah. 9And Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fatlings by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En Rogel; he also invited all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the men of Judah, the king's servants. 10But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, or Solomon his brother. 11So Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king, and David our lord does not know it? 12Come now, please let me counsel you with advice, that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. 13Depart and go to King David and say to him, Have you not sworn to your maidservant, my lord, O king, saying, Surely your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne? Why then has Adonijah become king? 14Then, while you are still speaking with the king, I also will come in after you and confirm your words. 15So Bathsheba came into the chamber to the king. (Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was ministering to the king.) 16And Bathsheba bowed and did homage to the king. And the king said, What can I do for you? 17And she said to him, My lord, you have sworn by Jehovah your God to your maidservant, saying, Surely Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne. 18So now, behold, Adonijah has become king; and now, my lord the king, you have not known about it. 19He has sacrificed oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army; but Solomon your servant he has not invited. 20And as for you, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon you, to tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 21Otherwise it will happen, when my lord the king lies down with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be counted as offenders. 22And behold, while she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in. 23And they reported to the king, saying, Behold, Nathan the prophet. And when he came in before the king, he bowed down to the king with his face to the ground. 24And Nathan said, My lord, O king, have you said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne? 25For he has gone down today, and has sacrificed oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king's sons, and the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest; and behold, they are eating and drinking before him; and they said, Long live King Adonijah! 26But he has not invited me; me your servant, nor Zadok the priest, nor Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, nor your servant Solomon. 27Has this thing been brought about by my lord the king, and you have not declared to your servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him? 28Then King David answered and said, Summon Bathsheba to me. So she came before the king and stood before the king. 29And the king swore and said, As Jehovah lives, who has redeemed my life from every distress, 30just as I have sworn to you by Jehovah the God of Israel, saying, Surely Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place, thus I shall do this day. 31And Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did homage to the king, and said, Let my lord King David live forever! 32And King David said, Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came in before the king. 33And the king said to them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and have Solomon my son ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon. 34There let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel; and blow the shofar, and say, Long live King Solomon! 35And when you have come up after him, he shall come and sit on my throne, and he shall be king in my place. For I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah. 36And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, Amen! Thus says Jehovah the God of my lord the king. 37As Jehovah has been with my lord the king, even so shall He be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David. 38So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David's mule, and brought him to Gihon. 39And Zadok the priest took a horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon. And they blew the shofar, and all the people said, Long live King Solomon! 40And all the people went up after him; and the people played the flutes and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth was rent with their sound. 41And Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they had finished eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the shofar, he said, Why is the city in such a commotion? 42And while he was still speaking, behold Jonathan, the son of Abiathar the priest came in. And Adonijah said to him, Come in, for you are a mighty man, and bring good news. 43And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, No rather, our lord King David has made Solomon king. 44The king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites; and they have made him ride on the king's mule. 45And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon; and they have gone up from there rejoicing, so that the city is all stirred up. This is the sound that you have heard. 46Also Solomon has sat down on the throne of the kingdom. 47And moreover the king's servants have gone to bless our lord King David, saying, May God make the name of Solomon better than your name, and may He make his throne greater than your throne. And the king bowed himself on the bed. 48Also the king has said, Blessed is Jehovah the God of Israel, who has given one to sit on my throne this day, with my eyes seeing it! 49So all the guests who were with Adonijah trembled, and rose up, and each one went his way. 50And Adonijah was afraid of Solomon; so he arose, and went and took hold of the horns of the altar. 51And it was reported to Solomon, saying, Behold Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon; for behold, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, Let King Solomon swear to me this day that he will not put his servant to death with the sword. 52And Solomon said, If he is a son of worth, not one hair of him shall fall to the earth; but if evil is found in him, he shall die. 53So King Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and prostrated himself to King Solomon; and Solomon said to him, Go to your house.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 ABISHAG CHERISHES DAVID IN HIS EXTREME AGE. (
1Kgs 1:1-4)
Now king David was old--He was in the seventieth year of his age (
2Sam 5:4-5). But the wear and tear of a military life, bodily fatigue, and mental care, had prematurely, if we may say it, exhausted the energies of David's strong constitution (
1Sam 16:12). In modern Palestine and Egypt the people, owing to the heat of the climate, sleep each in a "separate" bed. They only depart from this practice for medical reasons (
Eccl 4:11). The expedient recommended by David's physicians is the regimen still prescribed in similar cases in the East, particularly among the Arab population, not simply to give heat, but "to cherish," as they are aware that the inhalation of young breath will give new life and vigor to the worn-out frame. The fact of the health of the young and healthier person being, as it were, stolen to support that of the more aged and sickly is well established among the medical faculty. And hence the prescription for the aged king was made in a hygienic point of view for the prolongation of his valuable life, and not merely for the comfort to be derived from the natural warmth imparted to his withered frame [PORTER, Tent and Khan]. The polygamy of the age and country may account for the introduction of this practice; and it is evident that Abishag was made a concubine or secondary wife to David (see on
1Kgs 2:22).
3 a Shunammite--Shunem, in the tribe of Issachar (
Josh 19:18), lay on an eminence in the plain of Esdraelon, five miles south of Tabor. It is now called Sulam.
5 ADONIJAH USURPS THE KINGDOM. (1Ki. 1:5-31)
Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself--Nothing is said as to the origin or rank of Haggith, so that it is probable she was not distinguished by family descent. Adonijah, though David's fourth son (
2Sam 3:4;
1Chr 3:2), was now the oldest alive; and his personal attractions and manners (
1Sam 9:2) not only recommended him to the leading men about court, but made him the favorite of his father, who, though seeing him assume an equipage becoming only the heir-presumptive to the throne (
2Sam 15:1), said nothing; and his silence was considered by many, as well as by Adonijah, to be equivalent to an expression of consent. The sinking health of the king prompted him to take a decisive step in furtherance of his ambitious designs.
7 he conferred with Joab--The anxiety of Adonijah to secure the influence of a leader so bold, enterprising, and popular with the army was natural, and the accession of the hoary commander is easily accounted for from his recent grudge at the king (see on
2Sam 19:13).
and with Abiathar the priest--His influence was as great over the priests and Levites--a powerful body in the kingdom--as that of Joab over the troops. It might be that both of them thought the crown belonged to Adonijah by right of primogeniture, from his mature age and the general expectations of the people (
1Kgs 2:15).
8 But Zadok the priest--He had been high priest in the tabernacle at Gibeon under Saul (
1Chr 16:39). David, on his accession, had conjoined him and Abiathar equal in the exercise of their high functions (
2Sam 8:17;
2Sam 15:24,
2Sam 15:29,
2Sam 15:35). But it is extremely probable that some cause of jealousy or discord between them had arisen, and hence each lent his countenance and support to opposite parties.
Benaiah--Distinguished for his bravery (
1Sam 23:20), he had been appointed captain of the king's bodyguard (
2Sam 8:18;
2Sam 20:23;
1Chr 18:17), and was regarded by Joab as a rival.
Nathan the prophet--He was held in high estimation by David, and stood on the most intimate relations with the royal family (
2Sam 12:25).
Shimei--probably the person of this name who was afterwards enrolled among Solomon's great officers (
1Kgs 4:18).
Rei--supposed to be the same as Ira (
2Sam 20:26).
and the mighty men--the select band of worthies.
9 En-rogel--situated (
Josh 15:7-
Josh 15:10) east of Jerusalem, in a level place, just below the junction of the valley of Hinnom with that of Jehoshaphat. It is a very deep well, measuring one hundred twenty-five feet in depth; the water is sweet, but not very cold, and it is at times quite full to overflowing. The Orientals are fond of enjoying festive repasts in the open air at places which command the advantage of shade, water, and verdure; and those fetes champetres are not cold collations, but magnificent entertainments, the animals being killed and dressed on the spot. Adonijah's feast at En-rogel was one of this Oriental description, and it was on a large scale (
2Sam 3:4-5;
2Sam 5:14-16;
1Chr 14:1-7). At the accession of a new king there were sacrifices offered (
1Sam 11:15). But on such an occasion it was no less customary to entertain the grandees of the kingdom and even the populace in a public manner (1Ch. 12:23-40). There is the strongest probability that Adonijah's feast was purely political, to court popularity and secure a party to support his claim to the crown.
11 Nathan spake unto Bath-sheba . . . let me . . . give thee counsel, &c.--The revolt was defeated by this prophet, who, knowing the Lord's will (
2Sam 7:12;
1Chr 22:9), felt himself bound, in accordance with his character and office, to take the lead in seeing it executed. Hitherto the succession of the Hebrew monarchy had not been settled. The Lord had reserved to Himself the right of nomination (
Deut 17:15), which was acted upon in the appointments both of Saul and David; and in the case of the latter the rule was so far modified that his posterity were guaranteed the perpetual possession of the sovereignty (
2Sam 7:12). This divine purpose was known throughout the kingdom; but no intimation had been made as to whether the right of inheritance was to belong to the oldest son. Adonijah, in common with the people generally, expected that this natural arrangement should be followed in the Hebrew kingdom as in all others. Nathan, who was aware of the old king's solemn promise to Solomon, and, moreover, that this promise was sanctioned by the divine will, saw that no time was to be lost. Fearing the effects of too sudden excitement in the king's feeble state, he arranged that Bath-sheba should go first to inform him of what was being transacted without the walls, and that he himself should follow to confirm her statement. The narrative here not only exhibits the vivid picture of a scene within the interior of a palace, but gives the impression that a great deal of Oriental state ceremonial had been established in the Hebrew court.
20 the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the throne--When the kings died without declaring their will, then their oldest son succeeded. But frequently they designated long before their death which of their sons should inherit the throne. The kings of Persia, as well as of other Eastern countries, have exercised the same right in modern and even recent times.
21 I and my son . . . shall be counted offenders--that is, slain, according to the barbarous usage of the East towards all who are rivals to the throne.
28 Then king David answered and said, Call me Bath-sheba--He renews to her the solemn pledge he had given, in terms of solemnity and impressiveness which show that the aged monarch had roused himself to the duty the emergency called for.
33 SOLOMON, BY DAVID'S APPOINTMENT, IS ANOINTED KING. (1Ki. 1:32-49)
cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule--Directions were forthwith given for the immediate coronation of Solomon. A procession was to be formed by the "servants of their lord"--that is, the king's bodyguard. Mules were then used by all the princes (
2Sam 13:29); but there was a state mule of which all subjects were forbidden, under pain of death, to make use, without special permission; so that its being granted to Solomon was a public declaration in his favor as the future king (see on
Esth 6:8-
Esth 6:9).
bring him down to Gihon--a pool or fountain on the west of Jerusalem (see on
2Chr 32:30), chosen as equally public for the counter proclamation.
34 anoint him--done only in the case of a new dynasty or disputed succession (see on
1Sam 16:13;
2Sam 2:1).
35 Then ye shall come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my throne--The public recognition of the successor to the throne, during the old king's lifetime, is accordant with the customs of the East.
39 an horn of oil out of the tabernacle--It was the sacred oil (
Exod 30:25) with which the kings were anointed.
40 all the people came up after him--that is, from the valley to the citadel of Zion.
41 Adonijah and all the guests that were with him heard it as they had made an end of eating--The loud shouts raised by the populace at the joyous proclamation at Gihon, and echoed by assembled thousands, from Zion to En-rogel, were easily heard at that distance by Adonijah and his confederates. The arrival of a trusty messenger, who gave a full detail of the coronation ceremony [
1Kgs 1:43-48], spread dismay in their camp. The wicked and ambitious plot they had assembled to execute was dissipated, and every one of the conspirators consulted his safety by flight.
50 ADONIJAH, FLEEING TO THE HORNS OF THE ALTAR, IS DISMISSED BY SOLOMON. (
1Kgs 1:50-53)
Adonijah . . . went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar--most probably the altar of burnt offering which had been erected on Mount Zion, where Abiathar, one of his partisans, presided as high priest. The horns or projections at the four corners of the altar, to which the sacrifices were bound, and which were tipped with the blood of the victim, were symbols of grace and salvation to the sinner. Hence the altar was regarded as a sanctuary (
Exod 21:14), but not to murderers, rebels, or deliberate perpetrators. Adonijah, having acted in opposition to the will of the reigning king, was guilty of rebellion, and stood self-condemned. Solomon spared his life on the express condition of his good behavior--living in strict privacy, leading a quiet, peaceable life, and meddling with the affairs of neither the court nor the kingdom.
53 they brought him down from the altar--from the ledge around the altar on which he was standing.
he bowed himself--that is, did homage to Solomon as king.
