1:1 Israel was near the end of the golden years of David’s reign. The book of 1 Kings begins with a unified kingdom, glorious and God-centered; it ends with a divided kingdom, degraded and idolatrous. The reason for Israel’s decline appears simple to us—they failed to obey God. But we are vulnerable to the same forces that brought about Israel’s decay—greed, jealousy, lust for power, weakening of marriage vows, and superficiality in our devotion to God. As we read about these tragic events in Israel’s history, we must see ourselves in the mirror of their experiences.
1:4 David was about 70 years old. His health had deteriorated from years of hardship. Abishag served as his nurse and to help keep him warm. In times when polygamy was accepted and kings had harems, this action was not considered offensive.
1:5 Adonijah was David’s fourth son and the logical choice to succeed him as king. David’s first son, Amnon, had been killed by Absalom for having raped his sister (2 Samuel 13:20-33). His second son, Daniel, is mentioned only in the genealogy of 1 Chronicles 3:1 and had probably died by this time. David’s third son, Absalom, died in an earlier rebellion (2 Samuel 18:1-18). Although many people expected Adonijah to be the next king (2:13-25), David (and God) had other plans (1:29, 30).
1:5 Adonijah decided to seize the throne without David’s knowledge. He knew that Solomon, not he, was David’s first choice to be the next king (1:17). This was why he did not invite Solomon and David’s loyal advisers when he declared himself king (1:9, 10). But his deceptive plans to gain the throne were unsuccessful. The proud Adonijah was self-exalted and self-defeated.
1:6 God-fearing people like David and Samuel were used by God to lead nations; nevertheless they had problems in family relationships. God-fearing leaders cannot take for granted the spiritual well-being of their children. They are used to having others follow their orders, but they cannot expect their children to manufacture faith upon request. Moral and spiritual character takes years to build, and it requires constant attention and patient discipline.
David served God well as a king, but as a parent he often failed both God and his children. Don’t let your service to God, even in leadership positions, take up so much of your time and energy that you neglect your other God-given responsibilities.
1:6 Because David had never interfered by opposing or even questioning his son, Adonijah did not know how to work within limits. The result was that he always wanted his own way, regardless of how it affected others. Adonijah did whatever he wanted and paid no respect to God’s wishes. An undisciplined child may look cute to his or her parents, but an undisciplined adult destroys himself and others. As you set limits for your children, you make it possible for them to develop the self-restraint they will need in order to control themselves later. Discipline your children carefully while they are young, so that they will grow into self-disciplined adults.
1:7 See Joab’s profile in 2 Samuel 19, p. 659, for a more complete picture of his life. For more information on Abiathar, see the note on 1 Samuel 22:20.
1:9 When Saul was anointed king, peace offerings were sacrificed as a reminder of the nation’s covenant with God given at Mount Sinai. Adonijah wanted sacrifices offered, perhaps hoping to legitimize his takeover. But Adonijah was not God’s choice to succeed David. Sealing an action with religious ceremony does not make it God’s will.
1:11 For more on Bath-sheba, David’s wife, read 2 Samuel 11–12. As wife of the king, Bath-sheba was highly influential in the royal palace.
1:11-14 When Nathan learned of Adonijah’s conspiracy, he immediately tried to stop it. He was a man of both faith and action. He knew that Solomon should rightly be king, and he moved quickly when he saw someone else trying to take the throne. We often know what is right but don’t act on it. Perhaps we don’t want to get involved, or maybe we are fearful or lazy. Don’t stop with prayer, good intentions, or angry feelings. Take the action needed to correct the situation.
1:13 The Bible does not record David’s promise that Solomon would be Israel’s next king, but it is clear that Solomon was the choice of both David (1:17, 30) and God (1 Chronicles 22:9, 10).
1:33 We might expect King David to send a great war horse to bring his son Solomon to the ceremony; instead, Solomon rode David’s mule. In David’s time, mules were prized animals, ridden by the wealthy and powerful. When Jesus entered Jerusalem, he came in not on a horse, but on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9; Matthew 21:7).
1:39 The olive oil was used to anoint Israel’s kings and high priests, as well as to dedicate certain objects to God. The Tabernacle where the oil was kept was probably the tent David set up to shelter the Ark of the Covenant (2 Samuel 6:17). It was not the Tabernacle Moses carried in the wilderness; that Tabernacle was still at Gibeon (see the note on 1 Samuel 7:1 for more details). The recipe and uses for the sacred oil are found in Exodus 30:22-33. For more on anointing, see the notes on 1 Samuel 10:1 and 16:13.
1:49, 50 Sometimes it takes getting caught before someone is willing to give up his scheme. When Adonijah learned that his plans were doomed to fail, he ran in panic to the altar, the place of God’s mercy and forgiveness. He went there, however, after his plans for treason were exposed. If Adonijah had first considered what God wanted, he might have avoided trouble. Don’t wait until you have made a mess of your life before you run to God. Seek God’s guidance before you act.
1:49-51 Adonijah thought he would be safe by clutching the horns (or corner posts) of the sacred altar of burnt offering in the Tabernacle court. By doing this, he hoped to place himself under God’s protection. Solomon granted Adonijah a reprieve, hoping that this would end Adonijah’s conspiracy. Unfortunately, it did not, and he was later executed (2:25). At the execution of Adonijah, Joab ran and clutched the horns of the altar hoping for safety, but Solomon had Joab killed right at the altar (2:28-34). This punishment was appropriate justice for a cold-blooded murderer such as Joab (Exodus 21:14).
1:52, 53 While Adonijah feared for his life and expected the severest punishment, Solomon simply dismissed his brother and sent him home. As a new king, Solomon had the power to kill his rivals, something Adonijah would have done had his conspiracy succeeded. But Solomon acted as if he had nothing to prove, thus demonstrating his authority and power. Sometimes forgiving a personal attack shows more strength than lashing out in revenge. Trying to prove one’s power and authority often proves only one’s fear and self-doubt. Only after Adonijah made another attempt to secure royal power was Solomon forced to have him executed (2:13-25).