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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - 1 Kings 2:12 - 2:25
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Adonijah Forfeits his Life
v. 12. Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David, his father, having been acknowledged by a second anointing, which took place in the presence of all the representatives of the people; and his kingdom was established greatly, confirmed in a manner which caused all his enemies to abandon hope against him.
v. 13. And Adonijah, the son of Haggith, who had by no means abandoned his intention of possessing the kingdom, came to Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon, hoping to reach his object through the influence of this woman. And she said, Comest thou peaceably? Past experience had made her cautious. And he said, Peaceably, feigning friendship and concealing his real purpose throughout.
v. 14. He said moreover, I have somewhat to say unto thee, thus flattering her by asking her advice and making her his unwitting ally. And she said, Say on.
v. 15. And he said, Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and that, all Israel set their faces on me, a rather daring assertion, that I should reign; howbeit, the kingdom is turned about and is become my brother's; for it was his from the Lord. He proceeded from the assumption that he, as the eldest living prince, would have been the logical successor of David, but shrewdly covered his intention by the pious remark that the present state of affairs was due to Jehovah's disposition of matters.
v. 16. And now I ask one petition of thee, deny me not, literally, "Turn not away my face," namely, in an unwilling refusal. And she said unto him, Say on.
v. 17. And he said, Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, (for he will not say thee nay, this probability being the basis of his entire plan,) that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife, the plea being, of course, that he honestly loved her.
v. 18. And Bathsheba said, Well; I will speak for thee unto the king. She may have thought that the discontent of Adonijah would be removed by the granting of this request, and the kingdom thus made more secure for her son.
v. 19. Bathsheba therefore went unto King Solomon to speak unto him for Adonijah, to prefer Adonijah's request. And the king, mindful of the reverence due to parents according to the Fourth Commandment, rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king's mother; and she sat on his right hand. This was a very high distinction, and Solomon's conduct might well be emulated by young people in our days, who have apparently forgotten what honoring of their parents requires of them.
v. 20. Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; I pray thee, say me not nay. She evidently thought only of the love-affair in the matter, the political aspect having entirely escaped her. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother; for I will not say thee nay. A small favor he was willing to grant in advance.
v. 21. And she said, let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah, thy brother, to wife. Bathsheba overlooked the fact that he who took one of the king's wives thereby put in a claim to the throne; for Abishag was a member of David's harem, being looked on by the entire nation as David's last wife, even if he had not known her.
v. 22. And King Solomon, who immediately saw through the intrigue of Adonijah and was fully aware of the consequences, answered and said unto his mother, And why dost thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also; for he is mine elder brother, who might base his claim on that fact; even for him and for Abiathar, the priest, and for Joab, the son of Zeruiah, the two men who had sided with Adonijah in his rebellion.
v. 23. Then King Solomon, upon whom it now dawned that Adonijah had tried to use his mother as his tool, sware by the Lord, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life. The meaning of the oath is that the continual punishment of God should strike him, if he did not carry out the death-sentence upon Adonijah for this trickery on his part.
v. 24. Now, therefore, as the Lord liveth, which hath established me, and set me on the throne of David, my father, and who hath made me an house, given him a son and thus established his family, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death this day, having forfeited his life by this new attempt against the king.
v. 25. And King Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada; and he fell upon him that he died, he carried out the sentence of execution. If men, after having repented and received forgiveness of sins, deliberately and maliciously fall back into their former transgressions, they must expect to be punished for all their crimes.