Discovery Box1 Kings 1:1--2:12
Context1:1 King David was very old; 1 even when they covered him with blankets, 2 he could not get warm. 1:2 His servants advised 3 him, “A young virgin must be found for our master, the king, 4 to take care of the king’s needs 5 and serve as his nurse. She can also sleep with you 6 and keep our master, the king, warm.” 7 1:3 So they looked through all Israel 8 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. 9
1:5 Now Adonijah, son of David and Haggith, 10 was promoting himself, 11 boasting, 12 “I will be king!” He managed to acquire 13 chariots and horsemen, as well as fifty men to serve as his royal guard. 14 1:6 (Now his father had never corrected 15 him 16 by saying, “Why do you do such things?” He was also very handsome and had been born right after Absalom. 17 ) 1:7 He collaborated 18 with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they supported 19 him. 20 1:8 But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s elite warriors 21 did not ally themselves 22 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, 23 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, 24 or his brother Solomon.
1:11 Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, “Has it been reported to you 25 that Haggith’s son Adonijah has become king behind our master David’s back? 26 1:12 Now 27 let me give you some advice as to how 28 you can save your life and your son Solomon’s life. 1:13 Visit 29 King David and say to him, ‘My master, O king, did you not solemnly promise 30 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 31 you are still there speaking to the king, I will arrive 32 and verify your report.” 33
1:15 So Bathsheba visited the king in his private quarters. 34 (The king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king.) 1:16 Bathsheba bowed down on the floor before 35 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, 36 my master the king, are not even aware of it! 37 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, 38 my master, O king, all Israel is watching anxiously to see who is named to succeed my master the king on the throne. 39 1:21 If a decision is not made, 40 when my master the king is buried with his ancestors, 41 my son Solomon and I 42 will be considered state criminals.” 43
1:22 Just then, 44 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. 45 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 46 they are having a feast 47 in his presence, and they have declared, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ 48 1:26 But he did not invite me – your servant – or Zadok the priest, or Benaiah son of Jehoiada, or your servant Solomon. 1:27 Has my master the king authorized this without informing your servants 49 who should succeed my master the king on his throne?” 50
1:28 King David responded, 51 “Summon Bathsheba!” 52 She came and stood before the king. 53 1:29 The king swore an oath: “As certainly as the Lord lives (he who has rescued me 54 from every danger), 1:30 I will keep 55 today the oath I swore to you by the Lord God of Israel: ‘Surely Solomon your son will be king after me; he will sit in my place on my throne.’” 1:31 Bathsheba bowed down to the king with her face to the floor 56 and said, “May my master, King David, live forever!”
1:32 King David said, “Summon Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, 57 and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” They came before the king, 1:33 and he 58 told them, “Take your master’s 59 servants with you, put my son Solomon on my mule, and lead him down to Gihon. 60 1:34 There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet will anoint 61 him king over Israel; then blow the trumpet and declare, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ 1:35 Then follow him up as he comes and sits on my throne. He will be king in my place; I have decreed 62 that he will be ruler over Israel and Judah.” 1:36 Benaiah son of Jehoiada responded 63 to the king: “So be it! 64 May the Lord God of my master the king confirm it! 65 1:37 As the Lord is with my master the king, so may he be with Solomon, and may he make him an even greater king than my master King David!” 66
1:38 So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethites 67 went down, put Solomon on King David’s mule, and led him to Gihon. 1:39 Zadok the priest took a horn filled with olive oil 68 from the tent and poured it on 69 Solomon; the trumpet was blown and all the people declared, “Long live King Solomon!” 1:40 All the people followed him up, playing flutes and celebrating so loudly they made the ground shake. 70
1:41 Now Adonijah and all his guests heard the commotion just as they had finished eating. 71 When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he asked, “Why is there such a noisy commotion in the city?” 72 1:42 As he was still speaking, Jonathan 73 son of Abiathar the priest arrived. Adonijah said, “Come in, for 74 an important man like you must be bringing good news.” 75 1:43 Jonathan replied 76 to Adonijah: “No! 77 Our master 78 King David has made Solomon king. 1:44 The king sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethites and they put him on the king’s mule. 1:45 Then Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed 79 him king in Gihon. They went up from there rejoicing, and the city is in an uproar. That is the sound you hear. 1:46 Furthermore, Solomon has assumed the royal throne. 80 1:47 The king’s servants have even come to congratulate 81 our master 82 King David, saying, ‘May your God 83 make Solomon more famous than you and make him an even greater king than you!’ 84 Then the king leaned 85 on the bed 1:48 and said 86 this: ‘The Lord God of Israel is worthy of praise because 87 today he has placed a successor on my throne and allowed me to see it.’” 88
1:49 All of Adonijah’s guests panicked; 89 they jumped up and rushed off their separate ways. 1:50 Adonijah feared Solomon, so he got up and went and grabbed hold of the horns of the altar. 90 1:51 Solomon was told, “Look, Adonijah fears you; 91 see, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘May King Solomon solemnly promise 92 me today that he will not kill his servant with the sword.’” 1:52 Solomon said, “If he is a loyal subject, 93 not a hair of his head will be harmed, but if he is found to be a traitor, 94 he will die.” 1:53 King Solomon sent men to bring him down 95 from the altar. He came and bowed down to King Solomon, and Solomon told him, “Go home.” 96
2:1 When David was close to death, 97 he told 98 Solomon his son: 2:2 “I am about to die. 99 Be strong and become a man! 2:3 Do the job the Lord your God has assigned you 100 by following his instructions 101 and obeying 102 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, 103 2:4 and the Lord will fulfill his promise to me, 104 ‘If your descendants watch their step 105 and live faithfully in my presence 106 with all their heart and being, 107 then,’ he promised, 108 ‘you will not fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’ 109
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. 110 During peacetime he struck them down like he would in battle; 111 when he shed their blood as if in battle, he stained his own belt and the sandals on his feet. 112 2:6 Do to him what you think is appropriate, 113 but don’t let him live long and die a peaceful death. 114
2:7 “Treat fairly 115 the sons of Barzillai of Gilead and provide for their needs, 116 because they helped me 117 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, 118 who tried to call down upon me a horrible judgment when I went to Mahanaim. 119 He came down and met me at the Jordan, and I solemnly promised 120 him by the Lord, ‘I will not strike you down 121 with the sword.’ 2:9 But now 122 don’t treat him as if he were innocent. You are a wise man and you know how to handle him; 123 make sure he has a bloody death.” 124
2:10 Then David passed away 125 and was buried in the city of David. 126 2:11 David reigned over Israel forty years; he reigned in Hebron seven years, and in Jerusalem 127 thirty-three years.
2:12 Solomon sat on his father David’s throne, and his royal authority 128 was firmly solidified.
[1:1] 1 tn Heb “was old, coming into the days” (i.e., advancing in years).
[1:2] 4 tn Heb “let them seek for my master, the king, a young girl, a virgin.” The third person plural subject of the verb is indefinite (see GKC 460 §144.f). The appositional expression, “a young girl, a virgin,” is idiomatic; the second term specifically defines the more general first term (see IBHS 230 §12.3b).
[1:2] 5 tn Heb “and she will stand before the king.” The Hebrew phrase “stand before” can mean “to attend; to serve” (BDB 764 s.v. עָמַד).
[1:2] 6 tn Heb “and she will lie down in your bosom.” The expression might imply sexual intimacy (see 2 Sam 12:3 [where the lamb symbolizes Bathsheba] and Mic 7:5), though v. 4b indicates that David did not actually have sex with the young woman.
[1:2] 7 tn Heb “and my master, the king, will be warm.”
[1:3] 8 tn Heb “through all the territory of Israel.”
[1:4] 9 tn Heb “did not know her.”
[1:5] 10 tn Heb “son of Haggith,” but since this formula usually designates the father (who in this case was David), the translation specifies that David was Adonijah’s father.
[1:5] 11 tn Heb “lifting himself up.”
[1:5] 13 tn Or “he acquired for himself.”
[1:5] 14 tn Heb “to run ahead of him.”
[1:6] 16 tn Heb “did not correct him from his days.” The phrase “from his days” means “from his earliest days,” or “ever in his life.” See GKC 382 §119.w, n. 2.
[1:6] 17 tn Heb “and she gave birth to him after Absalom.” This does not imply they had the same mother; Absalom’s mother was Maacah, not Haggith (2 Sam 3:4).
[1:7] 18 tn Heb “his words were.”
[1:7] 19 tn Heb “helped after” (i.e., stood by).
[1:7] 20 tn Heb “Adonijah.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[1:8] 21 tn Or “bodyguard” (Heb “mighty men”).
[1:9] 23 tc The ancient Greek version omits this appositional phrase.
[1:10] 24 tn Or “bodyguard” (Heb “mighty men”).
[1:11] 25 tn Heb “Have you not heard?”
[1:11] 26 tn Heb “and our master David does not know.”
[1:12] 27 tn Heb “now, come.” The imperative of הָלַךְ (halakh) is here used as an introductory interjection. See BDB 234 s.v. חָלַךְ.
[1:13] 29 tn Heb “come, go to.” The imperative of הָלַךְ (halakh) is here used as an introductory interjection. See BDB 234 s.v. חָלַךְ.
[1:13] 30 tn Or “swear an oath to.”
[1:14] 31 tn In the Hebrew text the sentence is introduced by the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), which here draws attention to Nathan’s concluding word of assurance and support. For this use of the word, see HALOT 252 s.v. הִנֵּה.
[1:14] 32 tc The Hebrew text reads, “I will come after you.”
[1:14] 33 tn Heb “fill up [i.e., confirm] your words.”
[1:16] 35 tn Heb “bowed low and bowed down to.”
[1:18] 36 tc Instead of עַתָּה (’attah, “now”) many Hebrew
[1:18] 37 tn Heb “you do not know [about it].”
[1:20] 38 tc Many Hebrew
[1:20] 39 tn Heb “the eyes of all Israel are upon you to declare to them who will sit on the throne of my master the king after him.”
[1:21] 40 tn The words “if a decision is not made” are added for clarification.
[1:21] 41 tn Heb “lies down with his fathers.”
[1:21] 42 tn Heb “I and my son Solomon.” The order has been reversed in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[1:21] 43 tn Heb “will be guilty”; NASB “considered offenders”; TEV “treated as traitors.”
[1:22] 44 tn Heb “look.” The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) here draws attention to Nathan’s arrival and invites the audience to view the scene through the eyes of the participants.
[1:23] 45 tn Heb “ground.” Since this was indoors, “floor” is more appropriate than “ground.”
[1:25] 47 tn Heb “eating and drinking.”
[1:25] 48 tn Heb “let the king, Adonijah, live!”
[1:27] 49 tc Many Hebrew
[1:27] 50 tn Heb “From my master the king is this thing done, and you did not make known to your servants who will sit on the throne of my master the king after him?”
[1:28] 51 tn Heb “answered and said.”
[1:28] 52 sn Summon Bathsheba. Bathsheba must have left the room when Nathan arrived (see 1:22).
[1:28] 53 tn Heb “she came before the king and stood before the king.”
[1:29] 54 tn Or “ransomed my life.”
[1:30] 55 tn Or “carry out, perform.”
[1:31] 56 tn Heb “bowed low, face [to] the ground, and bowed down to the king.”
[1:32] 57 sn Summon…Nathan. Nathan must have left the room when Bathsheba reentered.
[1:33] 59 tn The plural form is used in the Hebrew text to indicate honor and authority.
[1:33] 60 tn Heb “mount Solomon my son on the mule that belongs to me and take him down to Gihon.”
[1:34] 61 tn Or “designate” (i.e., by anointing with oil).
[1:36] 63 tn Heb “answered and said.”
[1:36] 65 tn Heb “So may the
[1:37] 66 tn Heb “and may he make his throne greater than the throne of my master King David.”
[1:38] 67 sn The Kerethites and Pelethites were members of David’s royal guard (see 2 Sam 8:18). The Kerethites may have been descendants of an ethnic group originating in Crete.
[1:39] 68 tn Heb “the horn of oil.” This has been specified as olive oil in the translation for clarity.
[1:40] 70 tn Heb “and all the people went up after him, and the people were playing flutes and rejoicing with great joy and the ground split open at the sound of them.” The verb בָּקַע (baqa’, “to split open”), which elsewhere describes the effects of an earthquake, is obviously here an exaggeration for the sake of emphasis.
[1:41] 71 tn Heb “And Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard, now they had finished eating.”
[1:41] 72 tn Heb “Why is the city’s sound noisy?”
[1:42] 73 tn The Hebrew text has “look” at this point. The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh), “look draws attention to Jonathan’s arrival and invites the audience to view the scene through the eyes of the participants.
[1:42] 75 tn Heb “you are a man of strength [or “ability”] and you bring a message [that is] good.” Another option is to understand the phrase אִישׁ חַיִל (’ish khayil) in the sense of “a worthy man,” that is “loyal.” See also 1 Kgs 1:52 and HALOT 311 s.v. חַיִל.
[1:43] 76 tn Heb “answered and said.”
[1:43] 77 tn For a similar use of אֲבָל (’aval), see Gen 17:19, where God rejects Abraham’s proposal and offers an alternative.
[1:43] 78 tn The plural form is used in the Hebrew text to indicate honor and authority.
[1:45] 79 tn I.e., designated by anointing with oil.
[1:46] 80 tn Heb “And also Solomon sits on the throne of the kingdom.”
[1:47] 82 tn The plural form is used in the Hebrew text to indicate honor and authority.
[1:47] 83 tc Many Hebrew
[1:47] 84 tn Heb “make the name of Solomon better than your name, and make his throne greater than your throne.” The term שֵׁם (shem, “name”) is used here of one’s fame and reputation.
[1:47] 85 tn Or “bowed down; worshiped.”
[1:48] 86 tn The Hebrew text reads, “and the king said.”
[1:48] 87 tn Or “Blessed be the
[1:48] 88 tn Heb “and my eyes are seeing.”
[1:49] 89 tn Or “were afraid, trembled.”
[1:50] 90 sn 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 Exod 27:2). By going to the holy place and grabbing hold of the horns of the altar, Adonijah was seeking asylum from Solomon.
[1:51] 91 tn Heb “King Solomon.” The name and title have been replaced by the pronoun (“you”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[1:51] 92 tn Or “swear an oath to.”
[1:52] 93 tn Heb “if he is a man of strength [or ability].” In this context, where Adonijah calls himself a “servant,” implying allegiance to the new king, the phrase אִישׁ חַיִל (’ish khayil) probably carries the sense of “a worthy man,” that is, “loyal” (see HALOT 311 s.v. חַיִל).
[1:52] 94 tn Heb “but if evil is found in him.”
[1:53] 95 tn Heb “sent and they brought him down.”
[1:53] 96 tn Heb “Go to your house.”
[2:1] 97 tn Heb “and the days of David approached to die.”
[2:2] 99 tn Heb “going the way of all the earth.”
[2:3] 100 tn Heb “keep the charge of the
[2:3] 101 tn Heb “by walking in his ways.”
[2:3] 103 tn Heb “then you will cause to succeed all which you do and all which you turn there.”
[2:4] 104 tn Heb “then the
[2:4] 105 tn Heb “guard their way.”
[2:4] 106 tn Heb “by walking before me in faithfulness.”
[2:4] 109 tn Heb “there will not be cut off from you a man from upon the throne of Israel.”
[2:5] 110 tn Heb “what he did to the two commanders…and he killed them.”
[2:5] 111 tn Heb “he shed the blood of battle in peace.”
[2:5] 112 tn 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 himself with guilt and his guilt was obvious to all who saw him.
[2:6] 113 tn Heb “according to your wisdom.”
[2:6] 114 tn Heb “and do not bring down his grey hair in peace [to] Sheol.”
[2:7] 115 tn Heb “do loyalty with”; or “act faithfully toward.”
[2:7] 116 tn Heb “and let them be among the ones who eat [at] your table.”
[2:7] 117 tn Heb “drew near to.”
[2:8] 118 tn Heb “Look, with you is Shimei….”
[2:8] 119 tn Heb “and he cursed me with a horrible curse on the day I went to Mahanaim.”
[2:8] 120 tn Or “swore an oath to.”
[2:9] 122 tc The Lucianic recension of the Old Greek and the Vulgate have here “you” rather than “now.” The two words are homonyms in Hebrew.
[2:9] 123 tn Heb “what you should do to him.”
[2:9] 124 tn Heb “bring his grey hair down in blood [to] Sheol.”
[2:10] 125 tn Heb “and David lay down with his fathers.”
[2:10] 126 sn The phrase the city of David refers here to the fortress of Zion in Jerusalem, not to Bethlehem. See 2 Sam 5:7.
[2:11] 127 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
