Adonijah, son of Haggith, I. KINGS. CHAPTER I. usurps the kingdom. David declines in health, 1-4. Adonijah aspires to the kingdom, 5–10. Nathan and Bathsheba procure an order from B. C. 2019. NOW King David was old and a b с B. C. 1015. 5 ¶ Then Adonijah the son of A. M. 2989. Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. 6 6 And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also was a very goodly man; d and 3 So they sought for a fair damsel through- || his mother bare him after Absalom. 7 And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest and they, following Adonijah, helped him. 8 8 But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and & Shi Heb. from his days.- d 2 Sam. iii. 3; 1 Chr. iii. 2.- Heb. his words were with Joab.- e2 Sam. xx. 25. Ch. ii. 22, 28. Heb. helped after Adonijah. - Chap. iv. 18. her as his wife, but she remained still a virgin: which is mentioned to signify the continuance and progress of the king's malady. Verse 5. Then-Upon notice of the desperateness of the king's disease, and the approach of his death; Adonijah exalted himself—Entertained high thoughts and designs; saying, I will be king-As the right of the kingdom is mine, (verse 6,) so I will now take possession of it. And he prepared him chariots, &c.-As Absalom had done upon the like occasion, 1 Sam. xv. 1. NOTES ON CHAPTER I. Verse 1. Now King David was old-Being in the end of his seventieth year. They covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat-Which is not strange, considering he was a person who had been exercised with so many hardships in war, and with such tormenting cares, and fears, and sorrows for his own sins, (as divers of his psalms witness,) and for the sins and miseries of his children and people. Besides, this might be from the nature of his bodily distemper, which Dr. Lightfoot thinks was a dead palsy. [David now began to feel the effects of old Verses 6, 7. His father had not displeased him age, and probably remembered with lively interest the at any time-This is mentioned as David's great words of his faithful friend Barzillai, spoken some error, and the occasion of Adonijah's presumption. time before: "Can I discern between good and evil? || In saying, Why hast thou done so ?—He had neither can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink ?"] || restrained him from, nor reproved him for his misVerse 2. Wherefore his servants-His physi- || carriages, which David knew was a great sin. He cians; said, Let there be sought for the king a also was a very goodly man-This was a second young virgin-Whose natural heat is fresh and || grourd of his confidence, because his great comewholesome, and not impaired with bearing or breed-liness made him amiable in the people's eyes. His ing children. The same counsel is given by Galen || mother bare him after Absalom―This is mentioned for the cure of some cold and dry distempers. Let as a third reason why he expected the crown. Abher stand before the king-That is, minister unto || salom being dead, he was next to him in order of him, or wait upon him in his sickness, as occasion birth. See 2 Sam. iii. 3, 4. He conferred with Joab requires. And let her lie in his bosom-As his wife; and with Abiathar-Whom it is likely he knew to for that she was so, may appear by divers arguments. be two discontented persons; the former on account 1st, Otherwise this had been a wicked course; which, of David's putting Amasa in his place, and the other therefore, neither his servants would have dared to because he saw Zadok in greater favour than himprescribe, nor would David have used, especially be- self. They helped him—Probably, not so much being now in a dying condition. 2d, It appears from cause they thought the right of the crown was his, this phrase of lying in his bosom, which is every- as with a view to oppose Solomon, and to secure where in Scripture mentioned as the privilege of a and advance their own interest. It seems that God wife. 3d, This made Adonijah's crime, in desiring || left them to themselves, to correct them for former her to wife, so heinous in Solomon's account, because || miscarriages, with a rod of their own making. he saw, that by marrying the king's wife, he design- Verses 8-10. The mighty men were not with Adoed to revive his pretence to the kingdom. nijah—That is, those named 2 Sam. xxiii., and the Verse 4. The king knew her not-Did not enjoy || guards, who had served under David so long, and Nathan and Bathsheba B. C. 1015. B. C. 1015. M.2989 mei, and Rei, and the mighty men || and Abishag the Shunammite minis- A. M. 2989 which belonged to David, were not tered unto the king. with Adonijah. 9 And Adonijah slew sheep, and oxen, and fat cattle, by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by *En-rogel, and called all his brethren the king's sons, and all the men of Judah the king's ser rants: 16 And Bath-sheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And the king said, "What wouldest thou? 17 And she said unto him, My lord, 1thou swarest by the LORD thy God unto thy handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son 10 But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah,|| shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he called not. 11 ¶ Wherefore Nathan spake unto Bath- 12 Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, 14 Behold, while thou yet talkest there with 15 And Bath-sheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; 12 Sam. xxiii. 8. 12 Sam. iii. 4. Or, the well Rogel, 2 Sam. xvii. 17. throne. 18 And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and now, my lord the king, thou knowest it not: 19 m And he hath slain oxen, and fat cattle, and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the host; but Solomon thy servant hath he not called. 20 And thou, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 21 Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall "sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted 12 offenders. 22 ¶ And lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in. 23 And they told the king, saying, Behold Nathan the prophet. And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before 11 Heb. What to thee?- Verses 13, 30. Verses 7-9, 25. n Deut. xxxi. 16; Chap. ii. 10.- 12 Heb. sinners. ing that Adonijah hated him for being the principal instrument of Solomon's advancement. That Adonijah doth reign-It seems they were so bold as to proclaim him king. had done such mighty acts in his reign and under his conduct. Adonijah had no hope of drawing them to his party, and therefore did not confer with them as he did with Joab and Abiathar. And called all his brethren and all the men of Judah-Except Verses 13-15. Didst thou not, O king, swear unto those mentioned verse 8, and again excepted, verse thy handmaid?—We do not read anywhere else 10. But all the rest of the family of David, and the of this oath: but, no doubt, David had solemnly principal persons of the tribe of Judah, with the sworn to her that he would make her son his suchigh-priest and captain of the host, being present, cessor, knowing that God himself had designed him there seemed to be nothing wanting to the making to that honour. And it is probable that Adonijah of him king, but only his anointing. For this ap- was not an entire stranger to what God had declared pears to have been a federal feast, in which they to Nathan and David on this subject: and if so, his swore allegiance to Adonijah. But Nathan the crime was the greater in setting himself to oppose prophet, and Benaiah, &c., he called not-Because the decree of heaven. Indeed he acknowledges as he knew they favoured Solomon. much, chap. ii. 15. The king was very old-And Verse 11. Nathan spake unto Bath-sheba-Who, therefore, probably, could not see so as to discern being private and retired in her apartment, was ig- who had entered the chamber till Abishag, who norant of what was done abroad; and who was like-ministered unto him, informed him. ly to be most zealous in the cause, and most prevaVerses 19, 20. Solomon thy servant-She speaks lent with David. To her Nathan was induced to very submissively, and calls herself his handmaid, speak, both by his piety, that he might fulfil the will and her son his servant. The eyes of all Israel of God declared to him concerning Solomon's suc- are upon thee-This she said that she might free cession, 2 Sam. vii. 13; and by his prudence, know-him from all fear of such a rebellion as Absalom David appoints I. KINGS. Solomon to be king. A. M. 2989. the king with his face to the || the king's presence, and stood before A. M. 2989. the king. B. C. 1015. ground. 24 And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? 25 For he is gone down this day, and hath slain oxen, and fat cattle, and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the king's sons, and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and behold, they eat and drink before him, and say, P God 13 save King Adonijah. B. C. 1015. 26 But me, even me thy servant, and Zadok|| the earth, and did reverence to the king, and the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, said, 'Let my lord King David live for ever. and thy servant Solomon, hath he not called. 27 Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not showed it unto thy servant, who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him? 28 Then King David answered and said, || Call me Bath-sheba. And she came 14 into • Verse 19.—p 1 Sam. x. 24.—13 Heb. let King Adonijah live. 14 Heb. before the king.-42 Sam. iv. 9.- r Verse 17. raised; the people not being yet joined to Adonijah, but continuing in suspense till the king had declared his mind about his successor. Verses 26, 27. But me hath he not called-Whom he knew to be acquainted with thy mind, and with the mind of God in this matter; and therefore his neglect of me herein gives me cause to suspect that this is done without thy knowledge. Thou hast not showed it to thy servant-Who, having been an instrument in delivering God's message to thee concerning thy successor, might reasonably expect that if thou hadst changed thy mind, thou wouldest have acquainted me with it, as being both a prophet of the Lord, and one whom thou hast found faithful to thee. He insinuates that, in a matter of such importance, he could not believe the king would act without his advice, whom he was wont to consult on other occasions, and who had acquainted him with the mind of God concerning Solomon. Nathan knew that David had given no orders about this thing, but thought it prudent to introduce in this manner a relation of what Adonijah had done. Verses 28, 29. King David said, Call Bath-sheba-Who, upon Nathan's approach to the king, had modestly withdrawn. That hath redeemed my soul | out of all distress-The words contain a grateful|| acknowledgment of the goodness of God to him, in bringing him safe through the many difficulties that had lain in his way, and which he now mentions to the glory of God, (as Jacob when he lay a dying,)|| thus setting to his seal, from his own experience, that the Lord redeemeth the souls of his servants. Verse 31. Let my lord King David live for ever -Though I desire thy oath may be kept, and the right of succession confirmed to my son, yet I am || || || far from thirsting after thy death, and should rather rejoice, if it were possible, for thee to live and enjoy thy crown for ever. There could be no higher expression of love and thankfulness, than to desire never to see Solomon on the throne, if it were possible for David always to enjoy it. Verse 33. Take with you the servants of your lord-His constant guards, the Cherethites and Pelethites, verse 38. Cause Solomon to ride upon mine own mule-As a token that the royal dignity is transferred upon him, and that by my consent. The rest of David's sons were wont to ride upon mules when they went abroad, 2 Sam. xiii. 29. And Absalom rode on a mule when he was hanged in the oak. But David had a mule peculiarly reserved for himself alone; on which Solomon's being set, was considered as the beginning of his kingly power, no private person whatsoever being permitted to ride upon the king's mule. "It was capital," says Maimonides, "to ride on the king's ass or mule, to sit upon his throne, or to handle his sceptre without his order." On the contrary, it appears from the story of Mordecai, (Esther vi.,) that to have the honour to ride on the king's beast by his appointment, was accounted the highest dignity among the Persians. Bring him down to Gihon-A little river or brook near Jerusalem, on the west side, which discharged itself into the brook Kidron, and in the Chaldee is called by its modern name, Siloa. If we may credit Maimonides, and other rabbis, the kings of the house of David were all obliged to be anointed by the side of a fountain or river; which, they say, was the reason why David commanded his servants to bring his son down to Gihon, and anoint him there. Such a situation for anointing their kings, the Jews say, was Adonijah is informed that B. C. 1015. B. C. 1055. A. M. 2989. mule, and bring him down to "Gi- || And they blew the trumpet; and all A. M. 2989. hon: the people said, God save King Solomon. 34 And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save King Solomon. 35 Then ye shall come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my throne; for he shall be king in my stead: and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah. 36 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, Amen: the LORD God of my lord the king say so too. 37 As the LORD hath been with my lord the king, even so be he with Solomon, and make || his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David. 38¶ So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon King David's mule, and brought him to Gihon. 39 And Zadok the priest took a horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. d 40 And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with 16 pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them. 41 ¶ And Adonijah and all the guests that were with him heard it as they had made an end of eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, Wherefore is this noise of the city being in an uproar? 42 And while he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came: and Adonijah said unto him, Come in; for thou art a valiant man, and bringest good tidings. 43 And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, Verily our lord King David hath made Solomon king. 44 And the king hath sent with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and they have caused him to ride upon the king's mule: 45 And Zadok the priest and Nathan the 2 Chron. xxxii. 30.-1 Sam. x. 1; xvi. 3, 12; 2 Sam. ii. 4:13; Chap. xix. 16; 2 Kings ix. 3; xi. 12.―y 2 Sam. xv. 10; 2 Kings ix. 13; xi. 14.- Josh. i. 5, 17; 1 Sam. xx. 13. chosen to show the perpetuity of their kingdom, because rivers run always, though the cities which they wash are continually decaying, and liable to destruction. But it is much more probable that this place was fixed on, because it was near Jerusalem, and a place of great resort, and capable of contain- Verses 35, 36. Then ye shall come up after him, ing and displaying that numerous company, which that he may sit on my throne-Ye shall attend upon David knew would follow Solomon thither. And him to Jerusalem, and give him actual possession of being on the west side of the city, it was remote the throne. For he shall be king in my stead-My from Adonijah, who was inaugurated on the east deputy and vice-king while I live, and absolutely side, and from his company, and therefore the peo-king when I die. Over Israel and over Judahple could assemble here without fear of tumults or The latter clause is added, lest the men of Judah, bloodshed. who were in a special manner invited by Adonijah, (verse 9,) should think themselves exempted from his jurisdiction. And Benaiah said, Amen―They all said the same, (verse 47,) not doubting but God would establish his authority. a Verse 47.- b 2 Sam. viii. 18; xxiii. 20–23. - Exod. xxx. 23, 25, 32; Psalm lxxxix. 20.- 1 Chronicles xxix. 22. e 1 Sam. x.- -16 Or, flutes.—2 Sam. xviii. 27. Christ signifies anointed, and he is the king whom God hath set upon his holy hill of Zion, according to the decree, Psa. ii. 6, 7. Christians, also, are made to our God, and by him, kings, and they have an unction from the Holy One, 1 John ii. 20." Verse 34. Let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him-That is, say the Jews, one of them poured out the oil, and the other anointed his head, drawing a circle round about it with oil, according to their maxim that their kings were anointed in the form of a crown, to denote their delegation to the royal dignity. It is of more importance to observe, that this unction signified not only the designation of the person anointed to his office, but the gifts and graces which were necessary to qualify him for it, and which, seeking them sincerely of God, he might expect to receive. "We do not find," says Henry, "that Abiathar pretended to anoint Adonijah: he was made king by a feast, not by unction. Whom God calls, he will qualify, which was signified by the anointing: usurpers had it not. Verses 39, 40. Zadok took a horn of oil-A vessel of oil, as the Arabic translates it; which vessel was made of an ox's horn, as Bochart observes; out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon-It rendered his unction more solemn, and his person more sacred, that he was anointed with holy oil taken out of the tabernacle: though the Jews are generally of opinion, that it was not necessary to anoint their kings with this holy oil made by Moses. So that the earth rent-An hyperbolical expression, to signify the very loud noise which the people made with their shouts and their pipes. Adonijah is afraid, and B. C. 1015. I. KINGS. B. C. 1015. flees to the tabernacle. A. M. 2989. prophet have anointed him king || jah were afraid, and rose up, and A. M. 2989. in Gihon and they are come up went every man his way. from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang This is the noise that ye have again. heard. 46 And also Solomon sitteth on the throne of the kingdom. 50 And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went, and 'caught hold on the horns of the altar. 51 And it was told Solomon, saying, Behold, Adonijah feareth King Solomon: for lo he hath caught hold on the horns of the altar, saying, 47 And moreover the king's servants came to bless our lord King David, saying, God || Let King Solomon swear unto me to-day that make the name of Solomon better than thy he will not slay his servant with the sword. name, and make his throne greater than thy 52 And Solomon said, If he will show himthrone. And the king bowed himself upon self a worthy man, m there shall not a hair of the bed. him fall to the earth: but if wickedness shall be found in him, he shall die. i 48 And also thus said the king, Blessed be 53 So King Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and bowed himself to King Solomon: and Solomon 1 Chron. xxix. 23.- h Verse 37.- Gen. xlvii. 31. Ch. 1 Chap. ii. 28.- -m1 Samuel xiv. 45; 2 Samuel xiv. 11; Acts xxvii. 34. Verses 46-48. Also Solomon sitteth on the throne || hindered the offering of sacrifices on the altar till -Being in actual possession of the kingdom, though his father be alive. For to sit upon the throne was proper to the king; and none else, on pain of death, might be placed there. The king bowed himself upon the bed-Adoring God for this great mercy, and thereby declaring his hearty consent to this action. And also thus said the king, Blessed be the Lord, &c.-He gave his solemn thanks to God for the happiness of seeing Solomon begin his reign, with such affection of his people as they expressed by their joy at his inauguration. It is a great satisfaction to good men, when they are going out of the world, to see their children rising up in their stead, to serve God in their generation: and especially to see peace upon Israel, and the establishment of it. such time as Solomon granted his pardon. Let King Solomon swear that he will not slay his servant— He owns Solomon as his king, and himself as his servant and subject; and being sensible of his guilt, and of the jealousy which kings have of their competitors, could not be satisfied without Solomon's || oath. Verses 52, 53. And Solomon said, &c.-Solomon did not swear unto him, as he desired, but only declared that he gave him a full pardon for what was past, on condition that he behaved himself as became a good subject for the time to come. But if wickedness be found in him, he shall die—That is, if he did any thing in future which manifested that he had still a rebellious mind, the pardon, now granted, should signify nothing, because he had Verses 50, 51. Adonijah feared, &c.-He fled to broken the condition of it. He came and bowed the altar for protection and safety, it being a privi- || himself to King Solomon-Thereby owning him leged place; not, indeed, by the appointment of the for his sovereign, such respect not being otherwise law, but by the custom of all nations. And caught || due from one brother to another. And Solomon hold on the horns of the altar-With a resolution,|| said unto him, Go to thy house-There to lead a it seems, of not stirring therefrom till Solomon had private life, without noise, equipage, or numerous given his oath, or solemn word, not to take away his attendants, and not meddling with the affairs of the life. And by thus doing Adonijah appears to have || kingdom. CHAPTER II. David's charge to Solomon, 1-9. His death and burial, with the beginning of Solomon's reign, 10-12. He puts Adonijan Confines Shimei to 2 |