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1 Kings Chapter
One
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 1
This
chapter gives an account of the infirmities of David in his old age, and the
method used to relieve him under them, 1 Kings 1:1; of the
preparation his son Adonijah made to usurp the throne, 1 Kings 1:5; of
Bathsheba's address to the king upon it, in favour of her son Solomon, on which
she was put by, Nathan the prophet, and seconded in it by him, 1 Kings 1:11; when
the king with an oath confirmed the succession of Solomon in the kingdom, and ordered
Nathan the prophet, and Zadok the priest, to anoint him, which was accordingly
done with great ceremony, to the satisfaction of the king and his servants, 1 Kings 1:28; the
news of which being brought to Adonijah and his friends, struck them with
terror, and on which they dispersed, 1 Kings 1:41; and
upon the promise of Adonijah, that he would behave well to Solomon, he was
pardoned and dismissed, having fled and lain hold on the horns of the altar, 1 Kings 1:51.
1 Kings 1:1 Now
King David was old, advanced in years; and they put covers on him, but he could
not get warm.
YLT
1And king David [is] old,
entering into days, and they cover him with garments, and he hath no heat,
Now King David was old, and
stricken in years,.... Was seventy years of age; for he was thirty years of age
when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years, 2 Samuel 5:4; this
was just the age of man, Psalm 90:10;
and they covered him with clothes; not wearing apparel, but
bed clothes; he seems to have been bedridden and paralytic:
but he got no heat; by them; having no natural heat in him,
clothes could not communicate any to him, only keep the cold from him, see Haggai 1:6; there
are many persons at the age he was, that are lively, healthful, and robust,
comparatively speaking at least; but David's strength was impaired, and his
natural force abated by his many wars, fatigues by night and day in campaigns,
and the many sorrows and afflictions he met with from his family and his
friends, as well as enemies; which exhausted his natural moisture, weakened his
nerves, and drank up his spirits, and brought upon him the infirmities of a
decrepit old age very soon.
1 Kings 1:2 2 Therefore his servants
said to him, “Let a young woman, a virgin, be sought for our lord the king, and
let her stand before the king, and let her care for him; and let her lie in
your bosom, that our lord the king may be warm.”
YLT
2and his servants say to
him, `Let them seek for my lord the king a young woman, a virgin, and she hath
stood before the king, and is to him a companion, and hath lain in thy bosom,
and my lord the king hath heat.'
Wherefore his servants
said unto him,.... His physicians; so Joseph's physicians are called his servants,
Genesis 50:2;
let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin; not only a
young woman, but a virgin, that has more natural heat than women that have bore
children have, which is abated thereby:
and let her stand before the king: minister to him, serve
him with whatsoever he should want to eat or drink; and so by being in his
presence, and taking things at her hand, she might be the more ingratiated into
his affections:
and let her cherish him; as the husband the wife,
so she her husband, as doubtless David was; and that by giving him cordials to
cheer his spirits, and everything that was convenient for him, and particularly
by lying with him. Kimchi interprets the word of her being profitable to him,
in which sense the word is used, Job 22:2; that is,
by warming him; Ben Gersom understands it of her being made mistress of his
treasures, according to the sense of the word in Isaiah 22:15; that
she might have the command of his purse, and provide anything proper for him,
without being taken notice of or obstructed; but the Targum is better,
"and
let her be near him,'
lie
close unto him, and even in his bosom, as in the next clause:
and let her lie in his bosom; which shows that it was
proposed that he should marry her, at least that she should become his
concubine wife, since this phrase is descriptive of a wife, Micah 7:5; nor can
it be thought his physicians would advise, or he agree to have a young woman
admitted to his bed, without marriage; and if this had not been the case, it
would not have answered the design of Adonijah in requesting her in marriage
after his father's death, which was to make way to ascend the throne when
opportunity should offer; nor would his request have been so much resented by
Solomon as it was, 1 Kings 2:17;
that my lord the king may get heat: and somewhat similar to
this, Galen, that great physician, prescribed in like casesF4Vid.
Poli Synopsin in loc. .
1 Kings 1:3 3 So they sought for a
lovely young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag
the Shunammite, and brought her to the king.
YLT
3And they seek a fair young
woman in all the border of Israel, and find Abishag the Shunammite, and bring
her in to the king,
So they sought for a fair
damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel,.... Not only a damsel,
but a beautiful one, that she might be the more acceptable to the king; who
otherwise, if deformed and ugly, would not have endured her in his sight, or
received at her hands, and much less suffered her to lie in his bosom:
and found Abishag a Shunammite; a native of the city
Shunem, a city in the tribe of Issachar, Joshua 19:18;
and brought her to the king; for his approbation of
her, and to make her his concubine wife, as he did.
1 Kings 1:4 4 The young woman was
very lovely; and she cared for the king, and served him; but the king did not
know her.
YLT
4and the young woman [is]
very very fair, and she is to the king a companion, and serveth him, and the
king hath not known her.
And the damsel was
very fair,.... And so very agreeable to the king to be in his presence, and
wait upon him, and take things of her hand, as well as lie with him:
and cherished the king; enlivened his spirits by
her amiable countenance, her graceful behaviour, and tender care of him, and
especially by bedding with him:
and ministered to him; serving him with her own
hands whatever he took for his sustenance:
but the king knew her not; as a man knows his wife;
which shows that she was his wife, and that it would not have been criminal in
him had he known her; but this is observed, not to point at the chastity of
David, but his feebleness, and loss of desire after women, and that the damsel
remained a virgin; and that was the ground of Adonijah's request, and his hope
of succeeding.
1 Kings 1:5 5 Then Adonijah the son of
Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king”; and he prepared for himself
chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.
YLT
5And Adonijah son of Haggith
is lifting himself up, saying, `I do reign;' and he prepareth for himself a
chariot and horsemen, and fifty men running before him,
Then Adonijah the son of
Haggith exalted himself,.... This was his mother's name, 2 Samuel 3:4; his
father David being old and infirm, and not like to live long, notable to oppose
him; and he being the eldest son, and a comely person, was inspired with
ambition to set up for king:
saying, I will be king; though he knew that
Solomon was appointed of God, and promised by David, and expected by the people
to be king, yet he was resolved to set up himself for king, and try if he could
not get himself to the throne; on this he was bent and determined:
and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run
before him; just as Absalom had done, when he had the same thing in view, to
make him respectable among the people, see 2 Samuel 15:1.
1 Kings 1:6 6 (And his father had not
rebuked him at any time by saying, “Why have you done so?” He was also
very good-looking. His mother had borne him after Absalom.)
YLT
6and his father hath not
grieved him [all] his days, saying, `Wherefore thus hast thou done?' and he
also [is] of a very good form, and [his mother] bare him after Absalom.
And his father had not
displeased him at any time,.... Always humoured him in everything, let
him have his own way and will, and granted him what he desired, and never
corrected him for his faults, or made him ashamed, as the Targum, by telling
him of them, and chastising him for them; this was not to the credit of David,
being guilty of the same sin with Eli; and on this Adonijah presumed much, that
he would not contradict and countermand in this as he had not in other things
before:
in saying, why hast thou done so? never so much as asked a
reason of his conduct, so far was he from reproving him for it:
and he also was a very goodly man; of a comely
countenance, tall and well proportioned, as his brother Absalom, and which was
another thing on which he built his hopes of succeeding in his enterprise; for
in those times, as in later times, and other nations, a comely aspect and
personable appearance recommended a man to the choice of the people for a
supreme magistrate; see Gill on 1 Samuel 9:2;
and his mother bare him after Absalom; not that the
same woman bore him as did Absalom; for Absalom's mother was Maachah, this
man's Haggith; but she bore him after Absalom's mother had bore him, so that he
was next son; and now Amnon, Chileab, or Daniel, and Absalom, being all dead,
he was the eldest son living, and upon this he founded his claim to the throne,
and his hope of succeeding.
1 Kings 1:7 7 Then he conferred with
Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they followed and
helped Adonijah.
YLT
7And his words are with Joab
son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest, and they help after Adonijah;
And he conferred with Joab
the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest,.... About getting the
kingdom into his hands: and they were very proper persons to consult with, who,
if gained to his interest, might be of great service, the one being the general
of the army, and so had a great interest in the soldiery, with whom he could
make way for him, and defend him, and the other was the high priest, who might
be thought to have a great share in the affections of the people, and whose
office it was to anoint the king; and he might the rather apply to them,
knowing them to be, on some accounts, discontented persons:
and they following Adonijah, helped him; they took on
his side; Joab knowing David's hatred of him on account of his murder of Abner
and Amasa, and especially for his slaying his son Absalom, and his insolent
behaviour towards him, and perhaps he might fear, or had an him of what he had
charged Solomon with concerning him; and Abiathar, who saw plainly that the
priesthood in Eli's family was declining, and that Zadok was the favourite
priest with David, and in all probability would be with Solomon; all which
might influence these two persons to join Adonijah, and who, by so doing,
greatly encouraged him, and many others to flock to him, which much helped and
served his cause.
1 Kings 1:8 8 But Zadok the priest,
Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and the mighty men
who belonged to David were not with Adonijah.
YLT
8and Zadok the priest, and
Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the
mighty ones whom David hath, have not been with Adonijah.
But Zadok the priest,.... Who bid
fair to be the high priest on Solomon's coming to the throne as he was:
and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; who was near David's
person, and over his bodyguards, the Cherethites and Pelethites:
and Nathan the prophet; a very great intimate of
David's, and his seer, whom he consulted on all occasions:
and Shimei; who, according to Abarbinel, was Shimei the son of Gera, who had
cursed David, and was afraid of entering into the conspiracy, lest he should be
involved in trouble again: though some think this may be that Shimei, one of
Solomon's twelve officers, as after constituted, 1 Kings 4:18;
and Rei; whom the same writer takes to be Hushai the Archite, David's
friend:
and the mighty men which belonged to David; that were
about his person, his guards, the Cherethites and Pelethites:
were not with Adonijah; they did not join him,
and indeed were not invited by him.
1 Kings 1:9 9 And Adonijah sacrificed
sheep and oxen and fattened cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by
En Rogel; he also invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the men of
Judah, the king’s servants.
YLT
9And Adonijah sacrificeth
sheep and oxen and fatlings near the stone of Zoheleth, that [is] by En-Rogel,
and calleth all his brethren, sons of the king, and for all the men of Judah,
servants of the king;
And Adonijah slew sheep
and oxen and fat cattle,.... To make a feast of for those that were of his party, which
was numerous, and some of them persons of the first rank, and therefore a large
and elegant entertainment was provided for them:
by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by Enrogel; or the
fullers' fountain, as the Targum, where the fullers washed their clothes, using
their feet in doing it, from whence it had its name; and which they laid upon
this stone for the water to drain out of them, "Zoheleth" signifying
a slow motion of waters, or on which they beat them to get out the spots; the
Targum calls it the stone of a watchtower, on which they could stand and look
to a great distance; or, as Jarchi and Ben Gersom suggest, it was a large
smooth stone, which young men used to come to, and cast to and fro to try and
exercise their strength; it was, as JosephusF5Antiqu. l. 7. c. 14.
sect. 4. says, in or near the king's gardens:
and called all his brethren the king's sons: which David
by his wives and concubines had in Hebron and Jerusalem; who were all younger
than he, and so had not the pretension he had, and who might be displeased at
the appointment of Solomon as well as he; see 1 Chronicles 3:4;
and all the men of Judah the king's servants; excepting
those in 1 Kings 1:8.
1 Kings 1:10 10 But he did not invite
Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, or Solomon his brother.
YLT
10and Nathan the prophet, and
Benaiah, and the mighty ones, and Solomon his brother, he hath not called.
But Nathan the prophet,
and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he called not. Did not invite
them to this feast; not Nathan, who he might know had prophesied of Solomon's
succession in the throne, and therefore it could not be thought he would be
drawn over to him; nor "Benaiah and the mighty men"; David's
bodyguards, over whom this officer was; and still less Solomon, his competitor
and rival.
1 Kings 1:11 11 So Nathan spoke to Bathsheba
the mother of Solomon, saying, “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of
Haggith has become king, and David our lord does not know it?
YLT
11And Nathan speaketh unto
Bath-Sheba, mother of Solomon, saying, `Hast thou not heard that Adonijah son
of Haggith hath reigned, and our lord David hath not known?
Wherefore Nathan spake
unto Bathsheba the mother of Solomon,.... Who not only had an
interest in the king, being his wife, and an easy access to him, but had a
special concern in this affair, as it affected her son, to whom the succession
of the kingdom was designed and promised:
saying, hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith doth
reign? has usurped the throne, and is proclaimed king by a party, who
at least have drank his health as such; has taken the title, and is about to
exercise the power of a king; this Bathsheba might not have heard of, and which
he expresses in this manner to quicken her to make an immediate application to
the king:
and David our Lord knoweth it not; being so
infirm, and in his bed, and nobody about him to inform him of it; it was done
without his knowledge, and far from being with his consent and approbation.
1 Kings 1:12 12 Come, please, let me now
give you advice, that you may save your own life and the life of your son
Solomon.
YLT
12and now, come, let me
counsel thee, I pray thee, and deliver thy life, and the life of thy son
Solomon;
Now therefore come, let
me, I pray thee, give thee counsel,.... How to conduct in
this affair, which she being a woman, and no doubt surprised and confounded at
this relation, might be at a loss what to do; wherefore Nathan, being a wise
man, and a faithful friend, offers to give the best advice he could, and
desires her attention to it: says he,
that thou mayest save thine own life, and the life of thy son
Solomon; which would be the usurper's first care to take away, that he
might have no rival, and none to disturb him in his government; which step has
been often taken by usurpers to secure themselves, see Judges 9:5.
1 Kings 1:13 13 Go immediately to King
David and say to him, ‘Did you not, my lord, O king, swear to your maidservant,
saying, “Assuredly your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he shall sit on
my throne“? Why then has Adonijah become king?’
YLT
13go and enter in unto king
David, and thou hast said unto him, Hast thou not, my lord, O king, sworn to
thy handmaid, saying, Surely Solomon thy son doth reign after me, and he doth
sit on my throne? and wherefore hath Adonijah reigned?
Go and get thee in unto
King David,.... That is, go into the chamber where the king lay, at once,
without any ceremony:
and say unto him, didst not thou, my lord, O king, swear unto
thine handmaid, saying, assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he
shall sit upon my throne? though no mention is elsewhere made of such an oath, there
undoubtedly was one, of which Nathan had knowledge, either from David or
Bathsheba, or from them both, or might be present himself at the making of it;
for not only Bathsheba affirms it, 1 Kings 1:17; but
David owns it and confirms it, 1 Kings 1:30;
why then doth Adonijah reign? surely it cannot be with
the king's knowledge and consent, so manifestly contrary to his promise and
oath.
1 Kings 1:14 14 Then, while you are still
talking there with the king, I also will come in after you and confirm your
words.”
YLT
14Lo, thou are yet speaking
there with the king, and I come in after thee, and have completed thy words.'
Behold, while thou yet
talkest there with the king,.... Before, or by the time she could
deliver the above words to him, or such as she should think fit to use, to
awaken the king to a concern for the interest of her and her son:
I will also come in after thee; directly into the king's
chamber:
and confirm thy words; as he could very well
do, if he was present as a witness of the oath he had made to her, as well as
he could confirm the truth of Adonijah's usurpation; nay, could plead the will
and promises of God he had formerly notified to him: or, "fill up thy
words"F6מלאתי "complebo",
Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus; "explebo", Ar. , make up what might be
wanting in her address to him, in her account of things, or in the arguments
used by her; he means, that he would second her in her motion in favour of Solomon,
and press the king to take some steps for the security of the succession to
him. Nathan knew it was the will of God that Solomon should succeed in the
kingdom, he had promised it by him, see 2 Samuel 7:12; yet,
as a wise and good man, he thought it right to make use of all proper means to
attain the end.
1 Kings 1:15 15 So Bathsheba went into the
chamber to the king. (Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was
serving the king.)
YLT
15And Bath-Sheba cometh in
unto the king, to the inner chamber, and the king [is] very aged, and Abishag
the Shunammite is serving the king:
And Bathsheba went in unto
the king into the chamber,.... Where he lay, being bedridden; she took
Nathan's advice, and directly went to the king's apartment:
and the king was very old: and decrepit, borne down
with the infirmities of old age, though but seventy years of age:
and Abishag the Shunammite ministered unto the king; she was then
waiting upon the king, and serving him with what was necessary and proper for
him; and perhaps there was no other in the chamber at that time.
1 Kings 1:16 16 And Bathsheba bowed and
did homage to the king. Then the king said, “What is your wish?”
YLT
16and Bath-Sheba boweth and
doth obeisance to the king, and the king saith, `What -- to thee?'
And Bathsheba bowed, and
did obeisance to the king,.... Not only as being her husband, but her
sovereign; and this behaviour might intimate, that she had something to say to
him, and more than to inquire of his health:
and the king said, wouldest thou? what hast thou to say to
me? or to ask of me? what is thy will and pleasure, or thine errand to me?
1 Kings 1:17 17 Then she said to him, “My
lord, you swore by the Lord
your God to your maidservant, saying, ‘Assuredly Solomon your son shall
reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.’
YLT
17And she saith to him, `My
lord, thou hast sworn by Jehovah thy God to thy handmaid: Surely Solomon thy son
doth reign after me, and he doth sit on my throne;
And she said unto him, my
lord, thou swarest by the Lord thy God unto thine handmaid,.... Which was
a very solemn oath, and binding, and which she puts David in mind of, knowing
that so conscientious a man as he was would religiously observe it:
saying, assuredly
Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and shall sit upon my throne; be his
successor in it, and established on it.
1 Kings 1:18 18 So now, look! Adonijah has
become king; and now, my lord the king, you do not know about it.
YLT
18and now, lo, Adonijah hath
reigned, and now, my lord, O king, thou hast not known;
And now, behold, Adonijah
reigneth,.... Has set up himself as king, and is by some saluted as such;
but lest it should be thought by David that she suggested by this that he was
guilty of the breach of his oath, or on any account to be blamed, she adds:
and now my lord, O king, thou knowest it not; which as it
acquitted him from all blame, so it made the sin of Adonijah the more heinous,
that he should do this without consulting his father about it; and was not only
neglect of him as a father, and an act of disrespect and disobedience to him as
such, but even of high treason, to assume the throne in his father's lifetime,
without his consent.
1 Kings 1:19 19 He has sacrificed oxen and
fattened cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the
king, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army; but Solomon your
servant he has not invited.
YLT
19and he sacrificeth ox, and
fatling, and sheep in abundance, and calleth for all the sons of the king, and
for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab head of the host -- and for Solomon thy
servant he hath not called.
And he hath slain oxen,
and fat cattle, and sheep in abundance,.... Has made a grand
entertainment, and is feasting and rejoicing; which was another instance of
irreverence and disrespect to his aged father, labouring under the infirmities
of old age, and on his dying bed, and he carousing, and showing all the tokens
of pleasure in the view of his death, and wishing for it:
and hath called all the sons of the king; invited them
to his entertainment, in order to gain them to his interest:
and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the host; two persons,
though of eminent rank, she knew David had no respect for, and therefore it
would not be pleasing to him to hear that they were invited, had this affair
been more acceptable than it was; Bathsheba, considering the shortness of the
time she had to think, and the flurry she must be in, very artfully threw
together the most material things that might work upon the mind of David in her
favour:
but Solomon thy servant hath he not called; which made it
a plain case that it was not a feast of a peace offering, nor a common friendly
entertainment, but a feast made on account of his accession to the throne; and
that he looked upon Solomon as his rival, and bore an ill will to him on that
account, and bad a design upon him.
1 Kings 1:20 20 And as for you, my lord, O
king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, that you should tell them who
will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.
YLT
20And thou, my lord, O king,
the eyes of all Israel [are] on thee, to declare to them who doth sit on the
throne of my lord the king after him;
And thou, my lord, O king,.... As for
thee, or what concerns thee, or is incumbent on thee, will appear from the
expectations of the people:
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; this she
said, to dissipate any fears that might possess his mind on hearing what
Adonijah had done, that the people in general had assented to it, and
encouraged him to it; whereas the body of the people were waiting to hear what
was the will and determination of David: for they not only considered him as
having a power to name a successor, as was afterwards done by Rehoboam, but as
one that had the mind of God revealed to him who should be his successor, to
which they should pay a regard.
1 Kings 1:21 21 Otherwise it will happen,
when my lord the king rests with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be
counted as offenders.”
YLT
21and it hath been, when my
lord the king lieth with his fathers, that I have been, I and my son Solomon --
[reckoned] sinners.'
Otherwise it shall come to
pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers,.... That is,
shall die, and be buried in the sepulchre of his ancestors, where he shall lie
till he awakes in the morning of the resurrection:
that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders; or
"sinners"F7הטאים
"peccatores", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, &c. ; not as if she would
be reckoned an adulteress, and her son as illegitimate, as some think, and so
be branded and treated as such; but as being traitors, making pretensions to
the throne, she on the behalf of her son, and he for himself, when he had no
right to it, being the younger son, and not declared successor by his father.
1 Kings 1:22 22 And just then, while she
was still talking with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in.
YLT
22And lo, she is yet speaking
with the king, and Nathan the prophet hath come in;
And, lo, while she yet
talked with the king,.... Just as she was concluding her speech to him:
Nathan the prophet also came in; as he promised he would;
perhaps was at the chamber door all the while Bathsheba was speaking, and when
he perceived she was just finishing, he entered in without ceremony, as he had
used to do, being the king's seer and counsellor, and a prophet, who had
admittance to the king at any time.
1 Kings 1:23 23 So they told the king,
saying, “Here is Nathan the prophet.” And when he came in before the king, he
bowed down before the king with his face to the ground.
YLT
23and they declare to the
king, saying, `Lo, Nathan the prophet;' and he cometh in before the king, and
boweth himself to the king, on his face to the earth.
And they told the king,.... Some that
attended at the door, or were in the chamber:
saying, behold, Nathan the prophet; or he is in the room,
which the king through his infirmities might not be sensible of:
and when he was come in before the king; nearer to
him, and as to be properly in his presence:
he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground; showing him
the same reverence, though in bed, as if on his throne.
1 Kings 1:24 24 And Nathan said, “My lord,
O king, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my
throne’?
YLT
24And Nathan saith, `My lord,
O king, thou hast said, Adonijah doth reign after me, and he doth sit on my
throne;
And Nathan said, my lord,
O king,.... He addresses him as with great veneration and respect due to
his office, so as if he knew noticing of Bathsheba's application to him; and
therefore begins and tells his story, as if the king had never heard anything
relative to it:
hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit
upon my throne? surely it can never be, because of the notice which he himself
had given him from the Lord, that one to be born should succeed him, plainly
pointing to Solomon; and also because of the oath which he had sworn, to which
Nathan was privy, that Solomon should reign after him; and yet if he had not
given such orders, it was exceeding strange that Adonijah should presume to do
what he had done.
1 Kings 1:25 25 For he has gone down
today, and has sacrificed oxen and fattened cattle and sheep in abundance, and
has invited all the king’s sons, and the commanders of the army, and Abiathar
the priest; and look! They are eating and drinking before him; and they say, ‘Long
live King Adonijah!’
YLT
25for he hath gone down
to-day, and doth sacrifice ox, and fatling, and sheep, in abundance, and
calleth for all the sons of the king, and for the heads of the host, and for
Abiathar the priest, and lo, they are eating and drinking before him, and they
say, Let king Adonijah live!
For he is gone down this
day,.... From Jerusalem, which lay high, to the stone of Zoheleth, in
Enrogel, which lay in the valley, 1 Kings 1:9;
and hath slain oxen, and fat cattle, and sheep in abundance; not by way of
sacrifice, but for a feast, on account of his coming to the kingdom:
and hath called all the king's sons; invited them to the
entertainment:
and the captains of the host; or army; not only Joab,
it seems, the general of it, but the captains of thousands and hundreds under
him, being desirous of engaging the militia in his favour, and which was not an
impolitic step:
and Abiathar the priest; to consult with by Urim
and Thummim, and to anoint him, and use his interest with the populace for him,
who might be supposed a man of influence, being the high priest of the nation:
and, behold, they eat and drink before him; they were now
at it, at this time, they were not only invited, but they accepted the
invitation, and came; which is afore than what was before related:
and say, God save King Adonijah; they proclaimed and
saluted him as king, and drank his health, and wished him all prosperity; and
so the Targum,
"may
King Adonijah prosper!'
1 Kings 1:26 26 But he has not invited
me—me your servant—nor Zadok the priest, nor Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, nor
your servant Solomon.
YLT
26`And for me -- me, thy
servant, and for Zadok the priest, and for Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, and for
Solomon thy servant, he hath not called;
But me, even me thy
servant,.... Meaning himself, Nathan the prophet, who was David's servant,
his seer, and counsellor:
and Zadok the priest; for whom David had a
great respect:
and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; who was captain of his
bodyguards; here Nathan observes more than Bathsheba had, and supplies what she
had omitted, and so filled up her words, as in 1 Kings 1:14;
and thy servant Solomon, hath he not called; which showed
his ill intention.
1 Kings 1:27 27 Has this thing been done
by my lord the king, and you have not told your servant who should sit on the
throne of my lord the king after him?”
YLT
27if from my lord the king
this thing hath been, then thou hast not caused thy servant to know who doth
sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.'
Is this thing done by my
lord the king,.... With his knowledge and consent, and by his orders:
and thou hast not showed it unto thy servant; meaning
himself, who had brought him a message from the Lord, signifying that Solomon
should succeed him; and therefore if that had been countermanded, it seemed
strange that he should not have acquainted him with it: or "to thy
servants", as the Arabic version; for the word has a plural ending, though
pointed as singular; and so it may mean not only himself, but the rest of
David's faithful servants that were about him at court, as Kimchi observes:
who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him? if he had
altered his mind, or had had any direction from the Lord to make any change, he
wondered at it that he should neither acquaint him, nor any of his trusty
friends, with it.
1 Kings 1:28 28 Then King David answered
and said, “Call Bathsheba to me.” So she came into the king’s presence and
stood before the king.
YLT
28And king David answereth
and saith, `Call for me for Bath-Sheba;' and she cometh in before the king, and
standeth before the king.
Then King David answered
and said,.... Observing that Nathan confirmed the account that Bathsheba
had given, and that it must be a matter of fact that Adonijah had usurped the
throne, gave orders to those about him, saying,
call me Bathsheba; who either went out of the room when Nathan
entered it, or however removed to some distant part of it, out of the sight of
David:
and she came into the king's presence, and stood before the king; came to the
side or foot of his bed, hearkening to what he had to say to her.
1 Kings 1:29 29 And the king took an oath
and said, “As the Lord
lives, who has redeemed my life from every distress,
YLT
29And the king sweareth and
saith, `Jehovah liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity;
And the king sware,.... To his
former oath, he added another for greater confirmation:
and said, as the Lord liveth; which was the proper
form of an oath, which ought to be taken by the living God; and as what would
lay him under the greater obligation to observe it, he adds,
that hath redeemed my soul out of all distress; saved his
life when in the most imminent danger; delivered him out of the hand of
Goliath, and from the Philistines and other enemies, in his wars with them; and
from Saul and his persecuting rage and fury, and from the rebellion of his son
Absalom, and the insurrection of Sheba.
1 Kings 1:30 30 just as I swore to you by
the Lord
God of Israel, saying, ‘Assuredly Solomon your son shall be king after me, and
he shall sit on my throne in my place,’ so I certainly will do this day.”
YLT
30surely as I sware to thee
by Jehovah, God of Israel, saying, Surely Solomon thy son doth reign after me,
and he doth sit on my throne in my stead; surely so I do this day.'
Even as I sware unto thee
by the Lord God of Israel,.... And so owns and confirms the truth of
what Nathan had suggested to Bathsheba, and she had asserted, 1 Kings 1:13;
saying, assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he
shall sit upon my throne in my stead; this was the substance
of the oath:
even so will I certainly do this day; perform this
oath, and set Solomon on the throne.
1 Kings 1:31 31 Then Bathsheba bowed with her
face to the earth, and paid homage to the king, and said, “Let my lord King
David live forever!”
YLT
31And Bath-Sheba boweth --
face to the earth -- and doth obeisance to the king, and saith, `Let my lord,
king David, live to the age.'
Then Bathsheba bowed with her
face to the earth, and did reverence to the king,.... Thereby expressing
her veneration of him, and thankfulness to him for his favour to her and her
son, in fulfilling his promise and oath:
and said, let my lord King David live for ever; which though
a common form of salutation of kings, not only in Israel, but in other nations,
is not to be considered as a mere compliment, but as expressing the real
desires and affection of her heart to the king; signifying hereby that her
solicitations on the behalf of her son did not arise from any desire of the
king's death; she heartily wished him health to live long and easy; and all her
request was, that Solomon her son might succeed him, whenever it pleased God to
remove him; or seeing he was now a dying man as it were, her prayer was that
his soul might live for ever in happiness in the world to come; so Kimchi
interprets it.
1 Kings 1:32 32 And King David said, “Call
to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada.”
So they came before the king.
YLT
32And king David saith, `Call
for me for Zadok the priest, and for Nathan the prophet, and for Benaiah son of
Jehoiada;' and they come in before the king.
And King David said, call
me Zadok the priest,.... Not Abiathar the high priest, for he had joined Adonijah;
and besides Zadok was David's favourite priest, and for him the high priesthood
was designed, as it was in a little time translated to him:
and Nathan the prophet; who very probably went
out of the room when Bathsheba was called in: and
Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; the captain of his
guards:
and they came before the king; who it is very likely
sat up in his bed, and they stood around him.
1 Kings 1:33 33 The king also said to
them, “Take with you the servants of your lord, and have Solomon my son ride on
my own mule, and take him down to Gihon.
YLT
33And the king saith to them,
`Take with you the servants of your lord, and ye have caused Solomon my son to
ride on mine own mule, and caused him to go down unto Gihon,
And the king said unto
them, take ye the servants of your lord,.... Meaning his own
servants, his bodyguards, the Cherethites and Pelethites, as appears from 1 Kings 1:38; the
JewsF1Bemidbar Rabba, sect. 6. fol. 186. 3. from hence gather, that
a king is superior to an high priest, since David calls himself the lord of
Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet:
and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule; for it seems
on such a creature David used to ride, as did his sons; horses not being so
common in Judea as they were afterwards. Some of the JewsF2Vid.
Bartenoram in Misn. Celaim, c. 8. sect. 1. say it was not lawful to ride upon a
mule, and that this case of David is to be excepted; for they pretend that this
was a peculiar mule; and if the instance of his son urged, they reply, an
argument from what kings and their sons used to do is of no force. Now this was
one way of testifying that it was his will that Solomon should reign in his
stead; for no private person might ride upon the beast the king was wont to
ride on; this is now one of the Jewish canonsF3Misn. Sanhedrin, c.
2. sect. 5. ,
"no
one may ride on the king's horse, nor sit on his throne, nor use his sceptre:'
and bring him down to Gihon; a fountain near
Jerusalem, on the west side of it, which flowed from Mount Gihon, 2 Chronicles 32:30;
the same with Siloah according to the Targum, of which mention is made, John 9:7. The
reason for this order is not easily given; whether it was to denote the
peaceableness and gentleness of Solomon's government, the waters of Shiloah
moving softly, Isaiah 8:6, or the
spread, constancy, firmness, and perpetuity of it, as the Jews sayF4T.
Bab. Horayot, fol. 12. 1. , since the water of a fountain is ever running; or
because there might be a concourse of people there, and so he would be anointed
and proclaimed king in a public manner, and be attended to the city with great
pomp and solemnity.
1 Kings 1:34 34 There let Zadok the priest
and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel; and blow the horn, and say,
‘Long live King Solomon!’
YLT
34and anointed him there hath
Zadok the priest -- and Nathan the prophet -- for king over Israel, and ye have
blown with a trumpet, and said, Let king Solomon live;
And let Zadok the priest,
and Nathan the prophet, anoint him there king over Israel,.... For it
might be done by either of them, as the unctions of Saul and David show:
and blow ye the trumpet, and say, God save King Solomon; the blowing
of the trumpet was to make it public; the proclamation of him as king was to be
made by the sound of it, and the acclamation of the people was to express their
concurrence with it, their loyal affection to the new king, and their hearty
wishes for his health, prosperity, and long life.
1 Kings 1:35 35 Then you shall come up
after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne, and he shall be king in my
place. For I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah.”
YLT
35and ye have come up after
him, and he hath come in and hath sat on my throne, and he doth reign in my
stead, and him I have appointed to be leader over Israel, and over Judah.'
Then ye shall come up
after him,.... When anointed, proclaimed, and cheered, then he was to mount
the mule, and ride before them as their king, at the head of them; they
following after, in token of their subjection to him:
that he may come and sit upon my throne; at Jerusalem,
in the king's palace, and there exercise his kingly power he would now be
invested with:
for he shall be king in my stead; even during David's
life, as well as after his decease:
and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel, and over Judah; that is, over
all the twelve tribes of Israel Judah may be particularly mentioned, though
included in Israel, because Adonijah had invited the men of Judah to his feast
and party, 1 Kings 1:9; and
therefore had they not been named, might think he had no power over them.
1 Kings 1:36 36 Benaiah the son of
Jehoiada answered the king and said, “Amen! May the Lord God of my lord
the king say so too.
YLT
36And Benaiah son of Jehoiada
answereth the king, and saith, `Amen! so doth Jehovah, God of my lord the king,
say;
And Benaiah the son of
Jehoiada answered the king,.... In the name of the rest:
and said, Amen; they all assented to it, and expressed
their satisfaction in it:
the Lord God of my lord the king say so too; let it
appear, by the prosperity and success that shall by divine Providence attend
the new king, that this is according to the will of God.
1 Kings 1:37 37 As the Lord has been with
my lord the king, even so may He be with Solomon, and make his throne greater
than the throne of my lord King David.”
YLT
37as Jehovah hath been with
my lord the king, so is He with Solomon, and doth make his throne greater than
the throne of my lord king David.'
As the Lord hath been with
my lord the king, even so be he with Solomon,.... To guide and direct
him, protect and defend him, succeed and prosper him the Targum is,
"as
the Word of the Lord has been the help of my lord the king, so let him be for
the help of Solomon:'
and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David: which he knew
would not displease David, who not only had an affectionate regard for Solomon
his son, but wished heartily the prosperity of the kingdom of Israel; and the
wish on all accounts was grateful to him, though to an envious and ambitious
prince it might have been disagreeable.
1 Kings 1:38 38 So Zadok the priest,
Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the
Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David’s mule, and took him to
Gihon.
YLT
38And Zadok the priest goeth
down, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethite,
and the Pelethite, and they cause Solomon to ride on the mule of king David,
and cause him to go unto Gihon,
So Zadok the priest, and
Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada,.... The three
men that David sent for on this occasion:
and the Cherethites and the Pelethites; not the
sanhedrim, as Ben Gersom, but David's guards, over whom Benaiah was: these
went down; from Jerusalem;
and caused Solomon to ride upon King David's mule; as he had
ordered:
and brought him to Gihon; or Siloah, as the
Targum; hence the Jews sayF5T. Bab. Ceritot, fol. 5. 2. , they do
not anoint a king but at a fountain; but this is the only instance of it.
1 Kings 1:39 39 Then Zadok the priest took
a horn of oil from the tabernacle and anointed Solomon. And they blew the horn,
and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!”
YLT
39and Zadok the priest taketh
the horn of oil out of the tent, and anointeth Solomon, and they blow with a
trumpet, and all the people say, `Let king Solomon live.'
And Zadok the priest took
an horn of oil out of the tabernacle,.... Not out of the
tabernacle of Moses, for that was at Gibeon; see 1 Chronicles 21:29;
and if the oil had been there, it would have been too far to have fetched it,
since haste was now required; but this was taken out of the tabernacle David
had built for the ark, 2 Samuel 6:17;
where the ark was, and before which the pot of oil was; so Jarchi; but Kimchi
indeed says, that though it was at this time at Gibeon, Zadok went thither, or
sent thither to fetch it; and though it is said, the pot of oil was set before
the ark, this was when the ark was in the tabernacle; but when they took it out
from thence at the war with the Philistines, that and the pot of manna were
left in the tabernacle; and they took nothing but the ark; but if they brought
the pot afterwards, and put it before the ark in Jerusalem, then it may be
understood of the tabernacle David pitched for it; but that he disapproves of.
Here Zadok is only said to take the oil, and anoint with it; which he did
either as the deputy of the high priest, or he was made use of because the high
priest was on the side of Adonijah:
and anointed Solomon; whether it was by
pouring it on his head, as Saul was anointed, 1 Samuel 10:1; or, as
the Jews sayF6T. Bab. Ceritot, fol. 5. 2. , by putting it round
about his head in the form of a crown, and then between his eyebrows, is not
very material; and they also sayF7Ibid. , that it is not usual to
anoint the son of a king that has been anointed; and that the reason of the
anointing of Solomon was, because of the sedition of his brother Adonijah, and
to confirm the kingdom to him; this anointing was an emblem of the gifts,
graces, and virtues, necessary to qualify a king for the discharge of his
office:
and they blew the trumpet; and proclaimed him king:
and all the people said, God save King Solomon; wished him
long life and happiness, and gave him a general huzza or shouting.
1 Kings 1:40 40 And all the people went up
after him; and the people played the flutes and rejoiced with great joy, so
that the earth seemed to split with their sound.
YLT
40And all the people come up
after him, and the people are piping with pipes, and rejoicing -- great joy,
and the earth rendeth with their voice.
And all the people came up
after him,.... Following him from the fountain to the city, with their loud
acclamations:
and the people piped with pipes; which were hollow
instruments, and full of holes which they blew with their mouths, and upon with
their fingers; Jarchi says they were and very probably:
and rejoiced with great joy; which they expressed by
such loud shouts:
so that the earth rent with the sound thereof; an
hyperbolical expression, showing the great numbers gathered together on this
occasion, and the sonorous acclamations they made.
1 Kings 1:41 41 Now Adonijah and all the
guests who were with him heard it as they finished eating. And
when Joab heard the sound of the horn, he said, “Why is the city in such
a noisy uproar?”
YLT
41And Adonijah heareth, and
all those called, who [are] with him, and they have finished to eat, and Joab
heareth the noise of the trumpet, and saith, `Wherefore [is] the noise of the
city roaring?'
And Adonijah and all the
guests that were with him,.... Or that were
"called"F8קראים
"invitati", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, &c. ; that is, invited to
the entertainment he had made:
heard it, as they had made an end of eating; the shouting
of the people, which reached their ears just as they had finished their meal,
and before they had risen from the table, where they had been a long while; for
when Nathan went in to David, they were then eating and drinking, 1 Kings 1:25; and
when he had finished his speech to David, Bathsheba was called in, and the
kingdom promised to her son with an oath, three persons of the first rank were
sent for, and had their orders and instructions, for the immediate execution of
which they made preparation, and had Solomon down to Gihon, and there anointed
him king, and brought him up to Jerusalem again; all which were done before
Adonijah and his guests rose from table:
and when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, wherefore is
this noise of the city being in an uproar? the city is in a tumult
by the noise that is made, what should be the meaning of it? he speaks as one
surprised, and in great concern, being general of the army, whose care should
be to preserve the peace of the city, and prevent mutiny and disorder.
1 Kings 1:42 42 While he was still
speaking, there came Jonathan, the son of Abiathar the priest. And Adonijah
said to him, “Come in, for you are a prominent man, and bring good
news.”
YLT
42He is yet speaking, and lo,
Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest hath come in, and Adonijah saith, `Come in,
for a man of valour thou [art], and thou bearest good tidings.'
And while he yet spake,
behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came,.... Whom his
father had left in the city, to observe what passed there, and give him notice
of it:
and Adonijah said unto him, come in, for thou art a valiant
man, and bringest good tidings; which seems to be not a very wise speech,
as if there was a connection between being valiant, and bringing good news, or
that the one had any influence upon the other; though perhaps it means no more
than a good man, "a man of virtue"F9איש
חיל "vir virtutis", Montanus, Vatablus. ,
as it may be rendered; one that fears sin, as the Targum, and so would report
nothing but what was true, and therefore might be depended on; see 2 Samuel 18:27; the
same phrase is rendered "a worthy man", 1 Kings 1:52.
1 Kings 1:43 43 Then Jonathan answered and
said to Adonijah, “No! Our lord King David has made Solomon king.
YLT
43And Jonathan answereth and
saith to Adonijah, `Verily our lord king David hath caused Solomon to reign,
And Jonathan answered and
said to Adonijah, verily,.... Or, "nay, but"F11אבל
"nequaquam", V. L. Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. it is not so as
you imagine; it is not good tidings, but bad tidings to thee I bring:
our lord King David hath made Solomon king; of which he
gives the following account in proof of it.
1 Kings 1:44 44 The king has sent with him
Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the
Cherethites, and the Pelethites; and they have made him ride on the king’s
mule.
YLT
44and the king sendeth with
him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and
the Cherethite, and the Pelethite, and they cause him to ride on the king's
mule,
And the king hath sent
with him,.... To the fountain of Gihon:
Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of
Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites; over whom the
latter was captain:
and they have caused him to ride upon the king's mule; by his order
and direction.
1 Kings 1:45 45 So Zadok the priest and
Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon; and they have gone up from
there rejoicing, so that the city is in an uproar. This is the noise
that you have heard.
YLT
45and they anoint him --
Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet -- for king in Gihon, and are come up
thence rejoicing, and the city is moved; it [is] the noise that ye have heard.
And Zadok the priest, and
Nathan the prophet, have anointed him king in Gihon,.... Or at
Gihon; that is, Siloah, according to the Targum; here the act of anointing is
ascribed to them both, as in 1 Kings 1:34; Zadok
very probably applied the oil to him, and Nathan might be some way or other
assisting in it; however he was here present, not only as approving of it, but
declaring it as a prophet, that it was according to the will of God, as well as
of the king:
and they are come up from thence rejoicing; with a
multitude of people along with them:
so that the city rang again; with the blowing of
trumpets, the sound of pipings, and the shouts of the people:
this is the noise which ye have heard; which had so
alarmed them.
1 Kings 1:46 46 Also Solomon sits on the
throne of the kingdom.
YLT
46`And also Solomon hath sat
on the throne of the kingdom,
And also Solomon sitteth
on the throne of the kingdom. Where he was placed to exercise his regal
power when returned to Jerusalem, as a further token and confirmation of his
being really and actually king.
1 Kings 1:47 47 And moreover the king’s
servants have gone to bless our lord King David, saying, ‘May God make the name
of Solomon better than your name, and may He make his throne greater than your
throne.’ Then the king bowed himself on the bed.
YLT
47and also the servants of
the king have come into bless our lord king David, saying, Thy God doth make
the name of Solomon better than thy name, and his throne greater than thy
throne; and the king boweth himself on the bed,
And moreover the king's
servants came to bless our lord the king,.... To give him thanks
for the wise and good provision he had made before his death for the welfare of
the kingdom, by making Solomon his son king in his stead, and to congratulate
him upon it; which showed that they highly approved of it, and were ready to
swear allegiance to Solomon, and therefore Adonijah had nothing to hope for
from them:
saying, God make the name of Solomon better than thy name; that is, may
he be more famous, and his name be more celebrated in the world than his was,
or be more respectable and valued among his people Israel:
and make his throne greater than thy throne; see 1 Kings 1:37;
and the king bowed himself upon the bed; signifying
not only his approbation of what was done, but also of their prayers and
wishes; as well as he bowed himself to give thanks to God that he had lived to
see this work done, as follows.
1 Kings 1:48 48 Also the king said thus,
‘Blessed be the Lord
God of Israel, who has given one to sit on my throne this day, while my
eyes see it!’”
YLT
48and also thus hath the king
said, Blessed [is] Jehovah, God of Israel, who hath given to-day [one] sitting
on my throne, and mine eyes seeing.'
And also thus said the
king,.... Being in a proper posture for an address to God:
blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which hath given one
to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes seeing it; he ascribes
this whole affair to God, and his kind providence, though all things were done
according to his own orders; and gives thanks to him, who had directed him to
take such steps as these were, and that the business was finished without any
obstruction, and to the great joy and satisfaction of the people; and that
there was such a prospect of Solomon's having a happy and peaceable reign.
1 Kings 1:49 49 So all the guests who were
with Adonijah were afraid, and arose, and each one went his way.
YLT
49And they tremble, and rise
-- all those called who [are] for Adonijah -- and go, each on his way;
And all the guests that were
with Adonijah were afraid,.... Though many of them
were military men, the general of the army, and the captains thereof, 1 Kings 1:19; yet
they were struck with a panic, their courage failed them, they had no spirit
left in them, their hearts became as weak as water; had they exerted themselves
according to their character, betaken themselves to arms, and put themselves at
the head of their troops in favour of Adonijah, it would have given Solomon and
his friends a great deal of trouble; no doubt this panic was of God:
and rose up, and went every man his way; or to his
house, as the Arabic version; on hearing what Jonathan reported, they
immediately rose up from table in great haste, and made the best of their way
to their houses, that it might not be known that they had been with Adonijah.
1 Kings 1:50 50 Now Adonijah was afraid of
Solomon; so he arose, and went and took hold of the horns of the altar.
YLT
50and Adonijah feareth
because of Solomon, and riseth, and goeth, and layeth hold on the horns of the
altar.
And Adonijah feared
because of Solomon,.... Lest he should seize him as an usurper and traitor, and put
him to death:
and arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar; either that
which was at Gibeon, where the tabernacle now was; see 1 Kings 3:4; so
Jarchi; or rather that which was nearest, the altar that David had built in the
threshingfloor of Araunah, 2 Samuel 24:25; the
altar was a sort of asylum, or refuge, for such who had committed any crime
worthy of death; not by divine appointment, but by custom, it being supposed
that none would presume to defile with blood that which was sacred to the Lord;
or shed the blood of men where the blood of beasts was poured; or use severity
and strict justice, but mercy, where sacrifices were offered to atone for sin,
and mercy was shown on account of them; these were notions, and this a custom,
which obtained very early, and even among the Jews; see Exodus 21:14; as
well as among Gentiles; with whom it was usual, as to flee to the statues of
their emperors, and to the temples of their deities, so likewise to their
altars; this was customary among the Molossians, Samothracians, Crotoniatae,
and Messenians; and particularly the altar of Jupiter Servator was an asylum,
or place of refuge, to the IthaciansF12Alexander ab Alex. Genial.
Dier. l. 3. c. 20. . Cornelius NeposF13Vit. Pausan l. 4. c. 4. has
given us an instance of one that fled to a temple of Neptune, and sat upon the
altar for his security, as here Adonijah laid hold on the horns of this, that
none might force him from it.
1 Kings 1:51 51 And it was told Solomon,
saying, “Indeed Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon; for look, he has taken hold
of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me today that he
will not put his servant to death with the sword.’”
YLT
51And it is declared to
Solomon, saying, `Lo, Adonijah feareth king Solomon, and lo, he hath laid hold
on the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear to me as to-day -- he
doth not put to death his servant by the sword.'
And it was told Solomon,.... By some
of his courtiers:
saying, behold, Adonijah feareth King Solomon; lest he
should take away his life:
for, lo, he hath caught hold on the horns of the altar; which was the
last resort of the guilty when they despaired of mercy otherwise:
saying, let King Solomon swear unto me this day that he will not
slay his servant with the sword; he owns Solomon to be king, and himself his
subject and servant; this no doubt he did to conciliate his favour, nor did he
think his life safe, unless Solomon promised with an oath, that he would not
take it away.
1 Kings 1:52 52 Then Solomon said, “If he
proves himself a worthy man, not one hair of him shall fall to the earth; but
if wickedness is found in him, he shall die.”
YLT
52And Solomon saith, `If he
becometh a virtuous man -- there doth not fall of his hair to the earth, and if
evil is found in him -- then he hath died.'
And Solomon said, if he
will show himself a worthy man,.... Will behave himself well as a good
subject, and be careful not to offend for the future, or appear to be one that
fears sin, as the Targum; particularly the crimes of sedition, rebellion, and
treason:
there shall not an hair of him fall to the earth; not the least
harm should be done him:
but if wickedness shall be found in him, he shall die; that is, if
any crime worthy of death be committed by him, or any overt act of treason, and
the like, he should surely be put to death, and find no mercy, notwithstanding
the present general pardon. This was very wisely done by Solomon, to begin his
reign without shedding blood even of delinquents; and especially of his
brother, and his elder brother too; and by granting his life for the future on
his good behaviour.
1 Kings 1:53 53 So King Solomon sent them
to bring him down from the altar. And he came and fell down before King
Solomon; and Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.”
YLT
53And king Solomon sendeth,
and they bring him down from off the altar, and he cometh in and boweth himself
to king Solomon, and Solomon saith to him, `Go to thy house.'
So King Solomon sent, and
they brought down Adonijah from the altar,.... It being built upon
an hill, as both that at Gibeon, and in Araunah's threshing floor, were:
and he came and bowed himself to King Solomon; in a way of
reverence and subjection, acknowledging him to be king, and himself his
subject:
and Solomon said to him, go to thine house; in peace;
signifying that he pardoned him, and he might go home, and enjoy his family and
substance; and by this intimating that he should only regard the affairs of his
family, and not trouble himself with those of the kingdom and state, Abarbinel
fancies, that because Solomon said, that if he showed himself to be a worthy
man, or a man of fortitude and valour, that Adonijah thought that his meaning
was, that he should go before him as a man of war, and minister to him; which
made him so ready to come and stand before him; in which he was mistaken,
Solomon meant no such thing; nor would he take him into his court and service,
but sent him home to his own house.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》