1Ki 2:1-34 - Commentary

Commentary

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Text -- 1 Kings 2:1-34 (NET)

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Context

David’s Final Words to Solomon

2:1 When David was close to death, he told Solomon his son: 2:2 “I am about to die. Be strong and become a man! 2:3 Do the job the Lord your God has assigned you by following his instructions and obeying his rules, commandments, regulations, and laws as written in the law of Moses. Then you will succeed in all you do and seek to accomplish, 2:4 and the Lord will fulfill his promise to me, ‘If your descendants watch their step and live faithfully in my presence with all their heart and being, then,’ he promised, ‘you will not fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’ 2:5 “You know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me– how he murdered two commanders of the Israelite armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. During peacetime he struck them down like he would in battle; when he shed their blood as if in battle, he stained his own belt and the sandals on his feet. 2:6 Do to him what you think is appropriate, but don’t let him live long and die a peaceful death. 2:7 “Treat fairly the sons of Barzillai of Gilead and provide for their needs, because they helped me when I had to flee from your brother Absalom. 2:8 “Note well, you still have to contend with Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, who tried to call down upon me a horrible judgment when I went to Mahanaim. He came down and met me at the Jordan, and I solemnly promised him by the Lord, ‘I will not strike you down with the sword.’ 2:9 But now don’t treat him as if he were innocent. You are a wise man and you know how to handle him; make sure he has a bloody death.” 2:10 Then David passed away and was buried in the city of David. 2:11 David reigned over Israel forty years; he reigned in Hebron seven years, and in Jerusalem thirty-three years.

Solomon Secures the Throne

2:12 Solomon sat on his father David’s throne, and his royal authority was firmly solidified. 2:13 Haggith’s son Adonijah visited Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. She asked, “Do you come in peace?” He answered, “Yes.” 2:14 He added, “I have something to say to you.” She replied, “Speak.” 2:15 He said, “You know that the kingdom was mine and all Israel considered me king. But then the kingdom was given to my brother, for the Lord decided it should be his. 2:16 Now I’d like to ask you for just one thing. Please don’t refuse me.” She said, “Go ahead and ask.” 2:17 He said, “Please ask King Solomon if he would give me Abishag the Shunammite as a wife, for he won’t refuse you.” 2:18 Bathsheba replied, “That’s fine, I’ll speak to the king on your behalf.” 2:19 So Bathsheba visited King Solomon to speak to him on Adonijah’s behalf. The king got up to greet her, bowed to her, and then sat on his throne. He ordered a throne to be brought for the king’s mother, and she sat at his right hand. 2:20 She said, “I would like to ask you for just one small favor. Please don’t refuse me.” He said, “Go ahead and ask, my mother, for I would not refuse you.” 2:21 She said, “Allow Abishag the Shunammite to be given to your brother Adonijah as a wife.” 2:22 King Solomon answered his mother, “Why just request Abishag the Shunammite for him? Since he is my older brother, you should also request the kingdom for him, for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab son of Zeruiah!” 2:23 King Solomon then swore an oath by the Lord, “May God judge me severely, if Adonijah does not pay for this request with his life! 2:24 Now, as certainly as the Lord lives (he who made me secure, allowed me to sit on my father David’s throne, and established a dynasty for me as he promised), Adonijah will be executed today!” 2:25 King Solomon then sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he killed Adonijah. 2:26 The king then told Abiathar the priest, “Go back to your property in Anathoth. You deserve to die, but today I will not kill you because you did carry the ark of the sovereign Lord before my father David and you suffered with my father through all his difficult times.” 2:27 Solomon dismissed Abiathar from his position as priest of the Lord, fulfilling the decree of judgment the Lord made in Shiloh against the family of Eli. 2:28 When the news reached Joab (for Joab had supported Adonijah, although he had not supported Absalom), he ran to the tent of the Lord and grabbed hold of the horns of the altar. 2:29 When King Solomon heard that Joab had run to the tent of the Lord and was right there beside the altar, he ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada, “Go, strike him down.” 2:30 When Benaiah arrived at the tent of the Lord, he said to him, “The king says, ‘Come out!’” But he replied, “No, I will die here!” So Benaiah sent word to the king and reported Joab’s reply. 2:31 The king told him, “Do as he said! Strike him down and bury him. Take away from me and from my father’s family the guilt of Joab’s murderous, bloody deeds. 2:32 May the Lord punish him for the blood he shed; behind my father David’s back he struck down and murdered with the sword two men who were more innocent and morally upright than he– Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army. 2:33 May Joab and his descendants be perpetually guilty of their shed blood, but may the Lord give perpetual peace to David, his descendants, his family, and his dynasty.” 2:34 So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up and executed Joab; he was buried at his home in the wilderness.

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Cross Reference (TSK)

ITL

Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics

Names, People and Places:

· Abiathar a son of Ahimelech; a high priest and counselor of David,son of Ahimelech (Ahitub I Ithamar Aaron); counselor of David

· Abishag a woman; the Shunammite nurse who attended King David

· Abner a man of Benjamin in Saul and David's time

· Absalom the son of David and Maacah

· Adonijah son of David and Haggith,a Levite whom King Jehoshaphat commissioned to teach the law,an Israelite chief who signed the covenant to obey God's law

· Amasa son of David's sister Abigail and Jether the Ishmaelite,prince of Ephraim under Ahaz

· Anathoth a town of Benjamin 10 km NE of Jerusalem, given to the priests,son of Becher, a Benjamite,an Israelite chief who signed the covenant to obey God's law

· Bahurim a town of Benjamin 4-5 km NE of Jerusalem (SMM, OS)

· Barzillai a man of Gilead from Rogelim who gave supplies to David,father-in-law of Merab, Saul's daughter; a Meholathite;,head of a clan of returnees lacking proof of being priests

· Bathsheba daughter of Shua the Canaanite; wife of Judah,daughter of Ammiel/Eliam; the wife David took from Uriah

· Benaiah son of Jehoiada; commander of King Solomon's army,son of Jehoiada of Pirathon in Ephraim; one of David's elite,head of a large influential family of Simeon in Hezekiah's time,a Levite worship leader in David's time,a priest in David's time,father of Jehoiada, one of king David's counselors,son of Jeiel; a priest under Jehoshaphat,a man who was a temple helper in the time of Hezekiah,a layman of the Parosh clan who put away his heathen wife,a layman of the Pahath-Moab clan who put away his heathen wife,a layman of the Bani clan who put away his heathen wife,a layman of the Nebo clan who put away his heathen wife,the father of Pelatiah, a wicked counselor exposed by Ezekiel

· Benjaminite the tribe of Benjamin of Israel

· City of David the capital of Israel, on the border of Benjamin and Judah

· city of David the capital of Israel, on the border of Benjamin and Judah

· David a son of Jesse of Judah; king of Israel,son of Jesse of Judah; king of Israel

· Eli

· Gera son of Ehud the judge son of Gera I son Bela son of Benjamin.

· Gileadite member(s) of the clan, or residents of the region of Gilead

· Haggith wife of David; mother of Adonijah

· Hebron a valley and town of Judah 25 km west of the dead sea,son of Kohath son of Levi,son of Mareshah of Judah

· Israel a citizen of Israel.,a member of the nation of Israel

· Jehoiada a chief priest; father of Benaiah, head of David's body guard,chief priest under Athaliah and Joash,a prince of the house of Aaron who defected to David with his men,a man who was a counselor of King David,a chief priest in the time of Jeremiah,son of Eliashib the high priest in Nehemiah's time

· Jerusalem the capital city of Israel,a town; the capital of Israel near the southern border of Benjamin

· Jether son of Gideon, the judge,an Ishmaelite man married to Abigail, David's sister; father of Amasa,son of Jadah of Judah,son of Ezrah a descendant of Judah,father of some of David's military elite of the tribe of Asher

· Joab son of Zeruiah, David's sister; commander of King David's army,son of Seraiah son of Kenaz of Judah; grand nephew of Caleb of Moses' time,a man whose descendants returned from exile in Babylon,ancestor of a family group who returned from exile headed by Obadiah the son of Jehiel

· Jordan the river that flows from Lake Galilee to the Dead Sea,a river that begins at Mt. Hermon, flows south through Lake Galilee and on to its end at the Dead Sea 175 km away (by air)

· Judah the son of Jacob and Leah; founder of the tribe of Judah,a tribe, the land/country,a son of Joseph; the father of Simeon; an ancestor of Jesus,son of Jacob/Israel and Leah; founder of the tribe of Judah,the tribe of Judah,citizens of the southern kingdom of Judah,citizens of the Persian Province of Judah; the Jews who had returned from Babylonian exile,"house of Judah", a phrase which highlights the political leadership of the tribe of Judah,"king of Judah", a phrase which relates to the southern kingdom of Judah,"kings of Judah", a phrase relating to the southern kingdom of Judah,"princes of Judah", a phrase relating to the kingdom of Judah,the territory allocated to the tribe of Judah, and also the extended territory of the southern kingdom of Judah,the Province of Judah under Persian rule,"hill country of Judah", the relatively cool and green central highlands of the territory of Judah,"the cities of Judah",the language of the Jews; Hebrew,head of a family of Levites who returned from Exile,a Levite who put away his heathen wife,a man who was second in command of Jerusalem; son of Hassenuah of Benjamin,a Levite in charge of the songs of thanksgiving in Nehemiah's time,a leader who helped dedicate Nehemiah's wall,a Levite musician who helped Zechariah of Asaph dedicate Nehemiah's wall

· Mahanaim a town of Gad 6 km east of Succoth

· Moses a son of Amram; the Levite who led Israel out of Egypt and gave them The Law of Moses,a Levite who led Israel out of Egypt and gave them the law

· Ner a man of Benjamin; father of Kish, the father of King Saul

· Sheol the place of the dead

· more...

Table of Contents

Verse Notes / Footnotes NET Notes

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Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: 1Ki 2:1 Or “commanded.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 2:2 Heb “going the way of all the earth.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 2:3 Heb “then you will cause to succeed all which you do and all which you turn there.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 2:4 Heb “there will not be cut off from you a man from upon the throne of Israel.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 2:5 Heb “and he shed the blood of battle when he killed which is on his waist and on his sandal[s] which are on his feet.” That is, he covered...

NET Notes: 1Ki 2:6 Heb “and do not bring down his grey hair in peace [to] Sheol.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 2:7 Heb “drew near to.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 2:8 Heb “kill you.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 2:9 Heb “bring his grey hair down in blood [to] Sheol.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 2:10 The phrase the city of David refers here to the fortress of Zion in Jerusalem, not to Bethlehem. See 2 Sam 5:7.

NET Notes: 1Ki 2:11 For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

NET Notes: 1Ki 2:12 Or “kingship.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 2:13 Heb “[in] peace.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 2:14 Heb “and he said.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 2:15 Heb “and the kingdom turned about and became my brother’s, for from the Lord it became his.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 2:16 Heb “She said, ‘Speak!’”

NET Notes: 1Ki 2:17 Heb “Say to Solomon the king, for he will not turn back your face, that he might give to me Abishag the Shunammite for a wife.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 2:18 Heb “[It is] good!”

NET Notes: 1Ki 2:19 Heb “he set up a throne for the mother of the king.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 2:20 Heb “and the king said to her.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 2:22 Heb “for Adonijah.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 2:23 Heb “if with his life Adonijah has not spoken this word.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 2:24 Heb “house.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 2:25 Heb “and he struck him and he died.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 2:26 Heb “and because you suffered through all which my father suffered.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 2:27 Heb “fulfilling the word of the Lord which he spoke against the house of Eli in Shiloh.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 2:28 Grabbed hold of the horns of the altar. The “horns” of the altar were the horn-shaped projections on the four corners of the altar (see Ex...

NET Notes: 1Ki 2:29 Heb “so Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada, saying.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 2:30 Heb “saying, “In this way Joab spoke and in this way he answered me.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 2:31 Heb “take away the undeserved bloodshed which Joab spilled from upon me and from upon the house of my father.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 2:32 Heb “because he struck down two men more innocent and better than he and he killed them with the sword, and my father David did not know.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 2:33 Heb “his throne.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 2:34 Heb “struck him and killed him.” The referent (Joab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

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