Discovery Box1 Kings 9:15
Context9:15 Here are the details concerning the work crews 1 King Solomon conscripted 2 to build the Lord’s temple, his palace, the terrace, the wall of Jerusalem, 3 and the cities of 4 Hazor, 5 Megiddo, 6 and Gezer.
1 Kings 9:1
Context9:1 After Solomon finished building the Lord’s temple, the royal palace, and all the other construction projects he had planned, 7
1 Kings 1:1-53
Context1:1 King David was very old; 8 even when they covered him with blankets, 9 he could not get warm. 1:2 His servants advised 10 him, “A young virgin must be found for our master, the king, 11 to take care of the king’s needs 12 and serve as his nurse. She can also sleep with you 13 and keep our master, the king, warm.” 14 1:3 So they looked through all Israel 15 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. 16
1:5 Now Adonijah, son of David and Haggith, 17 was promoting himself, 18 boasting, 19 “I will be king!” He managed to acquire 20 chariots and horsemen, as well as fifty men to serve as his royal guard. 21 1:6 (Now his father had never corrected 22 him 23 by saying, “Why do you do such things?” He was also very handsome and had been born right after Absalom. 24 ) 1:7 He collaborated 25 with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they supported 26 him. 27 1:8 But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s elite warriors 28 did not ally themselves 29 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, 30 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, 31 or his brother Solomon.
1:11 Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, “Has it been reported to you 32 that Haggith’s son Adonijah has become king behind our master David’s back? 33 1:12 Now 34 let me give you some advice as to how 35 you can save your life and your son Solomon’s life. 1:13 Visit 36 King David and say to him, ‘My master, O king, did you not solemnly promise 37 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 38 you are still there speaking to the king, I will arrive 39 and verify your report.” 40
1:15 So Bathsheba visited the king in his private quarters. 41 (The king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king.) 1:16 Bathsheba bowed down on the floor before 42 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, 43 my master the king, are not even aware of it! 44 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, 45 my master, O king, all Israel is watching anxiously to see who is named to succeed my master the king on the throne. 46 1:21 If a decision is not made, 47 when my master the king is buried with his ancestors, 48 my son Solomon and I 49 will be considered state criminals.” 50
1:22 Just then, 51 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. 52 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 53 they are having a feast 54 in his presence, and they have declared, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ 55 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 56 who should succeed my master the king on his throne?” 57
1:28 King David responded, 58 “Summon Bathsheba!” 59 She came and stood before the king. 60 1:29 The king swore an oath: “As certainly as the Lord lives (he who has rescued me 61 from every danger), 1:30 I will keep 62 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 63 and said, “May my master, King David, live forever!”
1:32 King David said, “Summon Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, 64 and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” They came before the king, 1:33 and he 65 told them, “Take your master’s 66 servants with you, put my son Solomon on my mule, and lead him down to Gihon. 67 1:34 There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet will anoint 68 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 69 that he will be ruler over Israel and Judah.” 1:36 Benaiah son of Jehoiada responded 70 to the king: “So be it! 71 May the Lord God of my master the king confirm it! 72 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!” 73
1:38 So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethites 74 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 75 from the tent and poured it on 76 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. 77
1:41 Now Adonijah and all his guests heard the commotion just as they had finished eating. 78 When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he asked, “Why is there such a noisy commotion in the city?” 79 1:42 As he was still speaking, Jonathan 80 son of Abiathar the priest arrived. Adonijah said, “Come in, for 81 an important man like you must be bringing good news.” 82 1:43 Jonathan replied 83 to Adonijah: “No! 84 Our master 85 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 86 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. 87 1:47 The king’s servants have even come to congratulate 88 our master 89 King David, saying, ‘May your God 90 make Solomon more famous than you and make him an even greater king than you!’ 91 Then the king leaned 92 on the bed 1:48 and said 93 this: ‘The Lord God of Israel is worthy of praise because 94 today he has placed a successor on my throne and allowed me to see it.’” 95
1:49 All of Adonijah’s guests panicked; 96 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. 97 1:51 Solomon was told, “Look, Adonijah fears you; 98 see, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘May King Solomon solemnly promise 99 me today that he will not kill his servant with the sword.’” 1:52 Solomon said, “If he is a loyal subject, 100 not a hair of his head will be harmed, but if he is found to be a traitor, 101 he will die.” 1:53 King Solomon sent men to bring him down 102 from the altar. He came and bowed down to King Solomon, and Solomon told him, “Go home.” 103
[9:15] 1 sn The work crews. This Hebrew word מַס (mas) refers to a group of laborers conscripted for royal or public service.
[9:15] 3 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[9:15] 4 tn The words “the cities of” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[9:15] 5 map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 D3; Map3 A2; Map4 C1.
[9:15] 6 map For location see Map1 D4; Map2 C1; Map4 C2; Map5 F2; Map7 B1.
[9:1] 7 tn Heb “and all the desire of Solomon which he wanted to do.”
[1:1] 13 tn Heb “was old, coming into the days” (i.e., advancing in years).
[1:2] 20 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] 21 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] 22 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] 23 tn Heb “and my master, the king, will be warm.”
[1:3] 25 tn Heb “through all the territory of Israel.”
[1:4] 31 tn Heb “did not know her.”
[1:5] 37 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] 38 tn Heb “lifting himself up.”
[1:5] 40 tn Or “he acquired for himself.”
[1:5] 41 tn Heb “to run ahead of him.”
[1:6] 44 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] 45 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] 49 tn Heb “his words were.”
[1:7] 50 tn Heb “helped after” (i.e., stood by).
[1:7] 51 tn Heb “Adonijah.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[1:8] 55 tn Or “bodyguard” (Heb “mighty men”).
[1:9] 61 tc The ancient Greek version omits this appositional phrase.
[1:10] 67 tn Or “bodyguard” (Heb “mighty men”).
[1:11] 73 tn Heb “Have you not heard?”
[1:11] 74 tn Heb “and our master David does not know.”
[1:12] 79 tn Heb “now, come.” The imperative of הָלַךְ (halakh) is here used as an introductory interjection. See BDB 234 s.v. חָלַךְ.
[1:13] 85 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] 86 tn Or “swear an oath to.”
[1:14] 91 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] 92 tc The Hebrew text reads, “I will come after you.”
[1:14] 93 tn Heb “fill up [i.e., confirm] your words.”
[1:16] 103 tn Heb “bowed low and bowed down to.”
[1:18] 109 tc Instead of עַתָּה (’attah, “now”) many Hebrew
[1:18] 110 tn Heb “you do not know [about it].”
[1:20] 115 tc Many Hebrew
[1:20] 116 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] 121 tn The words “if a decision is not made” are added for clarification.
[1:21] 122 tn Heb “lies down with his fathers.”
[1:21] 123 tn Heb “I and my son Solomon.” The order has been reversed in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[1:21] 124 tn Heb “will be guilty”; NASB “considered offenders”; TEV “treated as traitors.”
[1:22] 127 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] 133 tn Heb “ground.” Since this was indoors, “floor” is more appropriate than “ground.”
[1:25] 140 tn Heb “eating and drinking.”
[1:25] 141 tn Heb “let the king, Adonijah, live!”
[1:27] 145 tc Many Hebrew
[1:27] 146 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] 151 tn Heb “answered and said.”
[1:28] 152 sn Summon Bathsheba. Bathsheba must have left the room when Nathan arrived (see 1:22).
[1:28] 153 tn Heb “she came before the king and stood before the king.”
[1:29] 157 tn Or “ransomed my life.”
[1:30] 163 tn Or “carry out, perform.”
[1:31] 169 tn Heb “bowed low, face [to] the ground, and bowed down to the king.”
[1:32] 175 sn Summon…Nathan. Nathan must have left the room when Bathsheba reentered.
[1:33] 182 tn The plural form is used in the Hebrew text to indicate honor and authority.
[1:33] 183 tn Heb “mount Solomon my son on the mule that belongs to me and take him down to Gihon.”
[1:34] 187 tn Or “designate” (i.e., by anointing with oil).
[1:36] 199 tn Heb “answered and said.”
[1:36] 201 tn Heb “So may the
[1:37] 205 tn Heb “and may he make his throne greater than the throne of my master King David.”
[1:38] 211 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] 217 tn Heb “the horn of oil.” This has been specified as olive oil in the translation for clarity.
[1:40] 223 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] 229 tn Heb “And Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard, now they had finished eating.”
[1:41] 230 tn Heb “Why is the city’s sound noisy?”
[1:42] 235 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] 237 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] 241 tn Heb “answered and said.”
[1:43] 242 tn For a similar use of אֲבָל (’aval), see Gen 17:19, where God rejects Abraham’s proposal and offers an alternative.
[1:43] 243 tn The plural form is used in the Hebrew text to indicate honor and authority.
[1:45] 247 tn I.e., designated by anointing with oil.
[1:46] 253 tn Heb “And also Solomon sits on the throne of the kingdom.”
[1:47] 260 tn The plural form is used in the Hebrew text to indicate honor and authority.
[1:47] 261 tc Many Hebrew
[1:47] 262 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] 263 tn Or “bowed down; worshiped.”
[1:48] 265 tn The Hebrew text reads, “and the king said.”
[1:48] 266 tn Or “Blessed be the
[1:48] 267 tn Heb “and my eyes are seeing.”
[1:49] 271 tn Or “were afraid, trembled.”
[1:50] 277 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] 283 tn Heb “King Solomon.” The name and title have been replaced by the pronoun (“you”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[1:51] 284 tn Or “swear an oath to.”
[1:52] 289 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] 290 tn Heb “but if evil is found in him.”
