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Texts -- 1 Kings 1:1-25 (NET)

Context
Adonijah Tries to Seize the Throne
1:1 King David was very old ; even when they covered him with blankets , he could not get warm . 1:2 His servants advised him, “A young virgin must be found for our master , the king , to take care of the king’s needs and serve as his nurse . She can also sleep with you and keep our master , the king , warm .” 1:3 So they looked through all Israel for a beautiful young woman and found Abishag , a Shunammite , and brought her to the king . 1:4 The young woman was very beautiful ; she became the king’s nurse and served him, but the king did not have sexual relations with her. 1:5 Now Adonijah , son of David and Haggith , was promoting himself, boasting , “I will be king !” He managed to acquire chariots and horsemen , as well as fifty men to serve as his royal guard . 1:6 (Now his father had never corrected him by saying , “Why do you do such things ?” He was also very handsome and had been born right after Absalom .) 1:7 He collaborated with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest , and they supported him . 1:8 But Zadok the priest , Benaiah son of Jehoiada , Nathan the prophet , Shimei , Rei , and David’s elite warriors did not ally themselves with Adonijah . 1:9 Adonijah sacrificed sheep , cattle , and fattened steers at the Stone of Zoheleth near En Rogel . He invited all his brothers , the king’s sons , as well as all the men of Judah , the king’s servants . 1:10 But he did not invite Nathan the prophet , Benaiah , the elite warriors , or his brother Solomon . 1:11 Nathan said to Bathsheba , Solomon’s mother , “Has it been reported to you that Haggith’s son Adonijah has become king behind our master David’s back ? 1:12 Now let me give you some advice as to how you can save your life and your son Solomon’s life . 1:13 Visit King David and say to him, ‘My master , O king , did you not solemnly promise your servant , “Surely your son Solomon will be king after me; he will sit on my throne ”? So why has Adonijah become king ?’ 1:14 While you are still there speaking to the king , I will arrive and verify your report .” 1:15 So Bathsheba visited the king in his private quarters . (The king was very old , and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king .) 1:16 Bathsheba bowed down on the floor before the king . The king said , “What do you want?” 1:17 She replied to him, “My master , you swore an oath to your servant by the Lord your God , ‘Solomon your son will be king after me and he will sit on my throne .’ 1:18 But now , look , Adonijah has become king ! But you, my master the king , are not even aware of it! 1:19 He has sacrificed many cattle , steers , and sheep and has invited all the king’s sons , Abiathar the priest , and Joab , the commander of the army , but he has not invited your servant Solomon . 1:20 Now, my master , O king , all Israel is watching anxiously to see who is named to succeed my master the king on the throne . 1:21 If a decision is not made, when my master the king is buried with his ancestors , my son Solomon and I will be considered state criminals .” 1:22 Just then , while she was still speaking to the king , Nathan the prophet arrived . 1:23 The king was told , “Nathan the prophet is here.” Nathan entered and bowed before the king with his face to the floor . 1:24 Nathan said , “My master , O king , did you announce , ‘Adonijah will be king after me; he will sit on my throne ’? 1:25 For today he has gone down and sacrificed many cattle , steers , and sheep and has invited all the king’s sons , the army commanders , and Abiathar the priest . At this moment they are having a feast in his presence , and they have declared , ‘Long live King Adonijah !’

Pericope

NET
  • 1Ki 1:1-27 -- Adonijah Tries to Seize the Throne

Bible Dictionary

  • Adonijah

    [ebd] my Lord is Jehovah. (1.) The fourth son of David (2 Sam. 3:4). After the death of his elder brothers, Amnon and Absalom, he became heir-apparent to the throne. But Solomon, a younger brother, was preferred to him. Adonijah, ...
    [isbe] ADONIJAH - ad-o-ni'-ja ('adhoniyahu or 'adhoniyah, "my lord is Yahweh"): (1) The son of David and Haggith, the forth of David's sons, born in Hebron after David became king of Judah, principally known for his attempt to beco...
    [smith] (my Lord is Jehovah). The fourth son of David by Haggith, born at Hebron while his father was king of Judah. (2 Samuel 3:4) (B.C. about 1050.) After the death of his three brothers, Amnon, Chileab and Absalom, he became e...
    [nave] ADONIJAH 1. Son of David and Haggith, 2 Sam. 3:4; 1 Kin. 1:5, 6; 1 Chr. 3:2. Usurpation of, and downfall, 1 Kin. 1. Executed by Solomon, 1 Kin. 2:13; 25. 2. A Levite, 2 Chr. 17:8. 3. See: Adonikam.

  • David

    [ebd] beloved, the eighth and youngest son of Jesse, a citizen of Bethlehem. His father seems to have been a man in humble life. His mother's name is not recorded. Some think she was the Nahash of 2 Sam. 17:25. As to his personal ...
    [isbe] DAVID - da'-vid (dawidh, or dawidh, "beloved"; Daueid, also in New Testament, Dauid, Dabid; see Thayer's Lexicon): I. NAME AND GENEALOGY II. EARLY YEARS 1. Shepherd 2. Slinger 3. Harpist 4. Poet 5. Psalmist 6. Tribesman III....
    [smith] (well-beloved), the son of Jesse. His life may be divided into three portions: His youth before his introduction to the court of Saul; His relations with Saul; His reign. The early life of David contains in many important re...
    [nave] DAVID 1. King of Israel. Genealogy of, Ruth 4:18-22; 1 Sam. 16:11; 17:12; 1 Chr. 2:3-15; Matt. 1:1-6; Luke 3:31-38. A shepherd, 1 Sam. 16:11. Kills a lion and a bear, 1 Sam. 17:34-36. Anointed king, while a youth, by the ...

  • Solomon

    [ebd] peaceful, (Heb. Shelomoh), David's second son by Bathsheba, i.e., the first after their legal marriage (2 Sam. 12). He was probably born about B.C. 1035 (1 Chr. 22:5; 29:1). He succeeded his father on the throne in early man...
    [isbe] SOLOMON - sol'-o-mun (shelomoh; New Testament Solomon): I. EARLY LIFE 1. Name and Meaning 2. Sources 3. Birth and Upbringing 4. His Accession 5. Closing Days of David II. REIGN OF SOLOMON 1. His Vision 2. His Policy 3. Its R...
    [smith] (peaceful). I. Early life and occasion to the throne . --Solomon was the child of David?s old age, the last born of all his sons. (1 Chronicles 3:5) The yearnings of the "man of war" led him to give to the new-horn infant ...
    [nave] SOLOMON Son of David by Bathsheba, 2 Sam. 12:24; 1 Kin. 1:13, 17, 21. Named Jedidiah, by Nathan the prophet, 2 Sam. 12:24, 25. Ancestor of Joseph, Matt. 1:6. Succeeds David to the throne of Israel, 1 Kin. 1:11-48; 2:12; 1...

  • En-rogel

    [ebd] fountain of the treaders; i.e., "foot-fountain;" also called the "fullers' fountain," because fullers here trod the clothes in water. It has been identified with the "fountain of the virgin" (q.v.), the modern 'Ain Ummel-Dar...
    [isbe] EN-ROGEL - en-ro'-gel (`en roghel; pege Rhogel; meaning uncertain, but interpreted by some to mean "the spring of the fuller"): No argument from this meaning can be valid because (1) it is a very doubtful rendering and (2) "...
    [nave] EN-ROGEL, a spring near Jerusalem, Josh. 15:7; 18:16; 2 Sam. 17:17. A rebellious feast at, 1 Kin. 1:9.

  • CHRONICLES, BOOKS OF

    [isbe] CHRONICLES, BOOKS OF - kron'-i-k'-ls (dibhere ha-yamim, "The Words of the Days"; Septuagint paraleipomenon: 1. The Name 2. The Position of Chronicles in the Old Testament 3. Two Books, or One? 4. The Contents 5. Sources Bibl...

  • Micah, Book of

    [ebd] the sixth in order of the so-called minor prophets. The superscription to this book states that the prophet exercised his office in the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. If we reckon from the beginning of Jotham's reign ...

  • Bath-sheba

    [ebd] daughter of the oath, or of seven, called also Bath-shu'a (1 Chr. 3:5), was the daughter of Eliam (2 Sam. 11:3) or Ammiel (1 Chr. 3:5), and wife of Uriah the Hittite. David committed adultery with her (2 Sam. 11:4, 5; Ps. 51...
    [isbe] BATH-SHEBA - bath-she'-ba, bath'-she-ba (bath-shebha`, "the seventh daughter," or "the daughter of an oath," also called Bathshua bath-shua`, "the daughter of opulence" (1 Ch 3:5); the Septuagint however reads Bersabee every...
    [nave] BATH-SHEBA, wife of Uriah and later wife of David. Called Bath-shua, 1 Chr. 3:5. Adultery of, 2 Sam. 11:2-5. Solomon's mother, 1 Kin. 1:11-31; 2:13-21; 1 Chr. 3:5.

  • Civil Service

    [nave] CIVIL SERVICE. School for Dan. 1:3-5, 17-21 Competitive Examinations for Appointment in See above, School for. Appointment in, On Account of Merit Gen. 39:1-6; Gen. 41:38-44; 1 Kin. 11:28; Esth. 6:1-11; Dan. 1:17-21; M...

  • Abiathar

    [ebd] father of abundance, or my father excels, the son of Ahimelech the high priest. He was the tenth high priest, and the fourth in descent from Eli. When his father was slain with the priests of Nob, he escaped, and bearing wit...
    [isbe] ABIATHAR - a-bi'-a-thar, ab-i-a'-thar ('ebhyathar, "father of super-excellence," or, "the super-excellent one is father." With changed phraseology these are the explanations commonly given, though "a father remains" would be...
    [nave] ABIATHAR 1. High priest. Called Ahimelech in 2 Sam. 8:17; 1 Chr. 24:3, 6, 31, and Abimelech, 1 Chr. 18:16. Son of Ahimelech, 1 Sam. 22:20. Escapes to David from the vengeance of Saul, who killed the priests in the city of ...

  • Nathan

    [ebd] given. (1.) A prophet in the reigns of David and Solomon (2 Chr. 9:29). He is first spoken of in connection with the arrangements David made for the building of the temple (2 Sam. 7:2, 3, 17), and next appears as the reprove...
    [nave] NATHAN 1. Son of David and Bathsheba, 2 Sam. 5:14; 1 Chr. 3:5; 14:4. 2. A prophet in the time of David. His message to David concerning the building of a temple, 2 Sam. 7:1-17; 1 Chr. 17:1-15. Reproves David for his adulte...

  • Politics

    [nave] POLITICS, statecraft. Corruption in Psa. 12:8; in the court of Ahasuerus, Esth. 3; of Darius, Dan. 6:4-15. Instances of: Absalom, electioneering for the throne, 2 Sam. 15:2-6. Pilate, condemning Jesus to gratify popular ...

  • Abishag

    [ebd] father of (i.e., "given to") error, a young woman of Shunem, distinguished for her beauty. She was chosen to minister to David in his old age. She became his wife (1 Kings 1:3,4,15). After David's death Adonijah persuaded Ba...
    [smith] a beautiful Shunammite (from Shunem, in the tribe of Issachar), taken into David?s harem to comfort him in his extreme old age. (1 Kings 1:1-4)
    [nave] ABISHAG, wife of David, 1 Kin. 1:1-4; 2:13-25.

  • Intercession

    [nave] INTERCESSION. Of One Person with Another 1 Sam. 2:25 Instances of: Reuben for Joseph, Gen. 37:21, 22. Judah for Joseph, Gen. 37:26, 27. Pharaoh's chief baker for Joseph, Gen. 41:9-13, with Gen. 40:14. Jonathan for David...

  • Zoheleth

    [ebd] the serpent-stone, a rocky plateau near the centre of the village of Siloam, and near the fountain of En-rogel, to which the women of the village resort for water (1 Kings 1:5-9). Here Adonijah (q.v.) feasted all the royal p...
    [smith] (serpent), The stone, This was "by En-rogel," (1 Kings 1:9) and therefore, if En-rogel be the modern Um-ed-Deraj , this stone, "where Adonijah slew sheep and oxen," was in all likelihood not far from the well of the Virgin...
    [nave] ZOHELETH, a stone near En-rogel, 1 Kin. 1:9.

  • Benaiah

    [ebd] built up by Jehovah. (1.) The son of Jehoiada, chief priest (1 Chr. 27:5). He was set by David over his body-guard of Cherethites and Pelethites (2 Sam. 8:18; 1 Kings 1:32; 1 Chr. 18:17). His exploits are enumerated in 2 Sam...
    [isbe] BENAIAH - be-na'-ya, be-ni'-a (benayah, benayahu, "Yahweh has built." Compare HPN, 182, 265, 268): (1) Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada of Kabzeel (compare Josh 15:21), was a man of "mighty deeds" and was more honorable than any...
    [smith] (made by the Lord). The son of Jehoiada the chief priest, (1 Chronicles 27:5) of the tribe of Levi, though a native of Kabzeel, (2 Samuel 23:20) set by David, (1 Chronicles 11:25) over his body-guard. (2 Samuel 8...
    [nave] BENAIAH 1. Son of Jehoiada, commander of the Cherethites and Pelethites, 2 Sam. 8:18; 1 Kin. 1:38. A distinguished warrior, 2 Sam. 23:20-23; 1 Chr. 11:22-25; 27:5, 6. Loyal to Solomon, 1 Kin. 1:2; 4:4. 2. An Ephraimite, a...

  • Petition

    [nave] PETITION Right of, recognized by Pharaoh, Ex. 5:15-18; Israel, Num. 27:1-5; 32:1-5; 36:1-5; Josh. 17:4, 14, 16; 21:1, 2; David, 1 Kin. 1:15-21; Rehoboam, 1 Kin. 12:1-17; 2 Chr. 10; Jehoram, 2 Kin. 8:3, 6.

  • Haggith

    [ebd] festive; the dancer, a wife of David and the mother of Adonijah (2 Sam. 3:4; 1 Kings 1:5, 11; 2:13; 1 Chr. 3:2), who, like Absalom, was famed for his beauty.
    [isbe] HAGGITH - hag'-ith (chaggith, "festal"): According to 2 Sam 3:4; 1 Ki 1:5,11; 2:13; 1 Ch 3:2, the fifth wife of David and the mother of his fourth son, Adonijah. The latter was born in Hebron while David's capital was there ...
    [smith] (festive; a dancer), one of David?s wives, the mother of Adonijah. (2 Samuel 3:4; 1 Kings 1:6) (B.C. 1053.)
    [nave] HAGGITH, wife of David. Mother of Adonijah, 2 Sam. 3:4; 1 Kin. 1:5, 11; 2:13; 1 Chr. 3:2.

  • Usurpation

    [nave] USURPATION. Of Political Functions By Absalom, 2 Sam. 15:1-12. By Adonijah, 1 Kin. 1:5-9. By Baasha, 1 Kin. 15:27, 28. By Zimri, 1 Kin. 16:9, 10. By Jehu, 2 Kin. 9:11-37. By Athaliah, 2 Kin. 11:1-16. By Shallum, 2 Ki...

  • Diplomacy

    [nave] DIPLOMACY. 1 Cor. 9:20-23 See: Tact. Instances of Of Abimelech, Gen. 21:22, 23; 26:26-31. The Gibeonites, in securing a league with the Israelites through deception, Josh. 9:3-16. Of Jephthah, with the king of Moab, uns...

  • Rei

    [ebd] friendly, one who maintained true allegiance to king David (1 Kings 1:8) when Adonijah rebelled.
    [isbe] REI - re'-i (re`i, "friendly"; Rhesei): Rei, Shimei and the Gibborim who belonged to David are listed among those who did not join Adonijah in his attempt on the throne (1 Ki 1:8). The name is very uncertain. Winckler (Gesch...
    [smith] (friendly), a person mentioned (in (1 Kings 1:8) only) as having remained firm to David?s cause when Adonijah rebelled. (B.C. 1015.)
    [nave] REI, an Israelite loyal to David at the time of the usurpation of Adonijah, 1 Kin. 1:8.
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  • I'm going to copy some articles on this subject, but let me give you my summation of all of them. In the Old Testament, the firstborn son was the one who normally received a double inheritance, and was the one who would inher...

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
  • The basic theme in Samuel, that blessing, and in particular fertility of all kinds, follows from faithful commitment to God's revealed will, continues in this section. However another major motif now becomes more prominent. W...
  • "Saul the king is dead, Jonathan the heir apparent is dead, Abinadab and Malki-Shua (two of Jonathan's brothers) are dead (1 Sam 31:2), Abner the commander of the army is dead--and no other viable claimants or pretenders cont...
  • Chapters 9-20 contrast with chapters 2-8 in that this later section is negative whereas the earlier one was positive. It records failure; the former records success. Compare the similar narrative of Saul's triumphs (1 Sam. 7-...
  • Evidently Joab (David's commander-in-chief and nephew by his half-sister, Zeruiah) concluded that it would be politically better for David and Israel if David brought Absalom back to Jerusalem from Geshur (cf. vv. 7, 13-15). ...
  • Two sub-sections each begin with a reference to time (vv. 1, 7) and form a literary "diptych"(i.e., two complementary panals).233The first six verses explain how Absalom undermined popular confidence in the Lord's anointed fo...
  • This is the central unit of chapters 5-20, and its central focus is the judgment that Hushai's advice was better than Ahithophel's (17:14). This advice is the pivot on which the fortunes of David swung in his dealings with Ab...
  • Achtemeier, Paul J., and Elizabeth Achtemeier. The Old Testament Roots of Our Faith. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1979.Ackerman, James S. "Knowing Good and Evil: A Literary Ananysis of the Court History in 2 Samuel 9-20 and ...
  • I. The reign of Solomon chs. 1-11A. Solomon's succession to David's throne 1:1-2:121. David's declining health 1:1-42. Adonijah's attempt to seize the throne 1:5-533. David's charge to Solomon 2:1-94. David's death 2:10-12B. ...
  • The Holy Spirit led the writer of Kings to give an interpretation of history, not just a chronologically sequential record of events. This is true of all the writers of the Old Testament historical books. Some of the events i...
  • The first segment of the writer's story (1:1-2:12) continues the history of Israel's monarchy where 2 Samuel ended. It records the final events in David's reign that led to Solomon's succession to the throne. It answers the q...
  • It was customary in ancient times to warm an elderly person not only by covering him or her with blankets, but also by putting a healthy person in bed with him or her.16The body heat of the well person would keep the older pe...
  • Adonijah was David's fourth son (2 Sam. 3:4) and the eldest one living at this time. Evidently he believed it was more important that the eldest son succeed David, as was customary in the Near East, than that the king of Yahw...
  • David and Saul each reigned for 40 years (cf. Acts 13:21). The differences in their personal lives and administrations were not due to any natural difference in the time they ruled. These differences sprang from God's respons...
  • David had warned Solomon to keep Shimei under close observation and to put him to death (vv. 8-9). Evidently David realized because of Shimei's past actions that it would only be a matter of time before he would do something ...
  • The flowing narrative of chapters 1-2 now gives way to reports and lists that catalogue facts about Solomon's reign.The writer constructed the Solomon narrative (chs. 3-11), like so many others in the Old Testament, to draw a...
  • Evidently this word from the Lord came to Solomon during temple construction. Note that this was a conditional promise based on obedience to the Mosaic Covenant. God would establish Solomon's kingdom forever (i.e., it would r...
  • Aharoni, Yohanan. "The Building Activities of David and Solomon."Israel Exploration Journal24:1(1974):13-16.Aharoni, Yohanan, and Michael Avi-Yonahl. The Macmillan Bible Atlas. Revised ed., New York: Macmillan Publishing Co.,...
  • Two years after David's blessing Solomon mounted the throne as sole king of Israel.86The events surrounding Adonijah's rebellion (1 Kings 1) were of no significance to the Chronicler since they had no bearing on his purpose. ...
  • The Chronicler's main interest in David's reign, as we have seen, focused on the Davidic Covenant with its promises to David and his descendants. In recounting the events of Solomon's reign he proceeded to emphasize the templ...
  • The events we read in chapter 3 took place four years after Esther became queen (cf. 2:16; 3:7).Agag was the name of an area in Media that had become part of the Persian Empire.54However, Agag was also the name of the Amaleki...
  • Verses 2-7 are full of figures of speech that picture old age and death.7912:2-3 Solomon likened the evil days first to an approaching rainstorm (v. 2) that is fearful and uncertain (cf. 11:7-8). The Hebrews regarded any decl...
  • As the book begins, the young woman and young man have already met and "fallen in love."In verses 2-4a the girl voices her desire for her boyfriend's physical affection."It is significant to this work that the girl speaks fir...
  • Isaiah next described the remnant who will stream to Zion praising God at the beginning of Messiah's reign. Notice the many triadic formations in the structure of this chapter, creating a feeling of the completeness of joy. T...
  • There were two rooms for singers in the inner court. One of them stood beside the north inner gate, and its door faced south. It also accommodated the needs of the priests who were responsible for the care of the temple. The ...
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