1 Kings 2:1-16

Context

David’s Final Words to Solomon

2:1 When David was close to death,¹ he told² Solomon his son: 2:2 “I am about to die.³ Be strong and become a man! 2:3 Do the job the Lord your God has assigned you⁴ by following his instructions⁵ and obeying⁶ 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,⁷ 2:4 and the Lord will fulfill his promise to me,⁸ ‘If your descendants watch their step⁹ and live faithfully in my presence¹⁰ with all their heart and being,¹¹ then,’ he promised,¹² ‘you will not fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’¹³

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.¹⁴ During peacetime he struck them down like he would in battle;¹⁵ when he shed their blood as if in battle, he stained his own belt and the sandals on his feet.¹⁶ 2:6 Do to him what you think is appropriate,¹⁷ but don’t let him live long and die a peaceful death.¹⁸

2:7 “Treat fairly¹⁹ the sons of Barzillai of Gilead and provide for their needs,²⁰ because they helped me²¹ 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,²² who tried to call down upon me a horrible judgment when I went to Mahanaim.²³ He came down and met me at the Jordan, and I solemnly promised²⁴ him by the Lord, ‘I will not strike you down²⁵ with the sword.’ 2:9 But now²⁶ don’t treat him as if he were innocent. You are a wise man and you know how to handle him;²⁷ make sure he has a bloody death.”²⁸

2:10 Then David passed away²⁹ and was buried in the city of David.³⁰ 2:11 David reigned over Israel forty years; he reigned in Hebron seven years, and in Jerusalem³¹ thirty-three years.

Solomon Secures the Throne

2:12 Solomon sat on his father David’s throne, and his royal authority³² was firmly solidified.

2:13 Haggith’s son Adonijah visited Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. She asked, “Do you come in peace?” He answered, “Yes.”³³ 2:14 He added,³⁴ “I have something to say to you.” She replied, “Speak.” 2:15 He said, “You know that the kingdom³⁵ was mine and all Israel considered me king.³⁶ But then the kingdom was given to my brother, for the Lord decided it should be his.³⁷ 2:16 Now I’d like to ask you for just one thing. Please don’t refuse me.”³⁸ She said, “Go ahead and ask.”³⁹

[2:1] ¹tn Heb “and the days of David approached to die.”

[2:1] ²tn Or “commanded.”

[2:2] ³tn Heb “going the way of all the earth.”

[2:3] ⁴tn Heb “keep the charge of the Lord your God.”

[2:3] ⁵tn Heb “by walking in his ways.”

[2:3] ⁶tn Or “keeping.”

[2:3] ⁷tn Heb “then you will cause to succeed all which you do and all which you turn there.”

[2:4] ⁸tn Heb “then the Lord will establish his word which he spoke to me, saying.”

[2:4] ⁹tn Heb “guard their way.”

[2:4] ¹⁰tn Heb “by walking before me in faithfulness.”

[2:4] ¹¹tn Or “soul.”

[2:4] ¹²tn Heb “saying.”

[2:4] ¹³tn Heb “there will not be cut off from you a man from upon the throne of Israel.”

[2:5] ¹⁴tn Heb “what he did to the two commanders…and he killed them.”

[2:5] ¹⁵tn Heb “he shed the blood of battle in peace.”

[2:5] ¹⁶tn 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] ¹⁷tn Heb “according to your wisdom.”

[2:6] ¹⁸tn Heb “and do not bring down his grey hair in peace [to] Sheol.”

[2:7] ¹⁹tn Heb “do loyalty with”; or “act faithfully toward.”

[2:7] ²⁰tn Heb “and let them be among the ones who eat [at] your table.”

[2:7] ²¹tn Heb “drew near to.”

[2:8] ²²tn Heb “Look, with you is Shimei….”

[2:8] ²³tn Heb “and he cursed me with a horrible curse on the day I went to Mahanaim.”

[2:8] ²⁴tn Or “swore an oath to.”

[2:8] ²⁵tn Heb “kill you.”

[2:9] ²⁶tc 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] ²⁷tn Heb “what you should do to him.”

[2:9] ²⁸tn Heb “bring his grey hair down in blood [to] Sheol.”

[2:10] ²⁹tn Heb “and David lay down with his fathers.”

[2:10] ³⁰sn 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] ³¹map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[2:12] ³²tn Or “kingship.”

[2:13] ³³tn Heb “[in] peace.”

[2:14] ³⁴tn Heb “and he said.”

[2:15] ³⁵tn Or “kingship.”

[2:15] ³⁶tn Heb “set their face to me to be king.”

[2:15] ³⁷tn Heb “and the kingdom turned about and became my brother’s, for from the Lord it became his.”

[2:16] ³⁸tn Heb “Do not turn back my face.”

[2:16] ³⁹tn Heb “She said, ‘Speak!’”