1:1Israel 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.
Life Application Study Bible1 KingsChapter 1
1 Kings 1
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 510, 511, 512, 513, 514
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11 Kings 1
A. THE UNITED KINGDOM (1:1—11:43)
When Solomon is anointed king, he eliminates all opposition to the throne, builds the Temple,
1establishes a strong army, and becomes the richest and wisest king in the history of Israel. But his pagan wives lead him into idolatry, and as a result, he!eads the nation into spiritual decline. No matter what position in life we attain, we are always ripe for a downfall and must never let our guard down against sin and temptation. 1. Solomon becomes king
David in His Old Age
King David was now very old, and no matter how many blankets covered him, he could not keep warm. 2So his advisers told him, “Let us find a young virgin to wait on you and look after you, my lord. She will lie in your arms and Keep you warm.” 3So they searched throughout the land of Israel for a beautiful girl, and they found Abishag from Shunem and brought her to the king. 4The girl was very beautiful, and she looked after the king and took care of him. But the king had no sexual relations with her.
Adonijah Claims the Throne
55About that time David’s son Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, began boasting, “I will make myself king.” So he provided himself with chariots and charioteers and recruited fifty men to run in front of him. Now his father, King David, had never disciplined him at any time, even by asking, 6Why are you doing that?” Adonijah had been born next after Absalom, and he was very handsome. 7Adonijah took Joab son of Zeruiah and Abiathar the priest into his confidence, and they agreed to help him become king. 8But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s personal bodyguard refused to support Adonijah. Bathsheba was the unlikely link between Israel’s two most famous kings—David and Solomon. She was lover and wife to one, mother to the other. Her adultery with David almost brought an end to the family through which God planned to physically enter his world. Out of the ashes of that sin, however, God brought good. Eventually Jesus Christ, the salvation of mankind, was born to a descendant of David and Bathsheba. David and Bathsheba’s story shows that little wrong decisions often lead to big mistakes. It is likely that neither was where he or she should have been. Bathsheba may have been rash in bathing where she might be seen; David should have been at war with his army. Each decision contributed to the beginning of a very sad series of events. Bathsheba must have been devastated by the chain of events—unfaithfulness to her husband, discovery of pregnancy, death of her husband, death of her child. We are told that David comforted her (2 Samuel 12:24), and she lived to see another son, Solomon, sit on the throne. From her life we see that the little, day-to-day choices we make are very important. They prepare us to make the right choices when the big decisions come. Thé wisdom to make right choices in small and large maiters is a gift from God. Understanding this should make us more conscious of the decisions we make and more willing to include God in our decision making. Have you asked for his help with today’s decisions? Strengths and accomplishments Weakness ¢ Committed adultery and mistake Key verses Her story is told in 2 Samuel 11—12 and 1 Kings 1—2. A related passage is Psalm 51. my advice. 13Go at once to King David and say to him, 10My lord the king, didn’t you make a vow and say to me, 11Your son Solomon will surely be the next king and will sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’ 4And while you are still talking with him, I will come and confirm everything you have said.” 15So Bathsheba went into the king’s bedroom. (He was very old now, and Abishag was taking care of him.) 16Bathsheba bowed down before the king. I “What can I do for you?” he asked her. 17She replied, “My lord, you made a vow before the LORD your God when you Said to me, ‘Your son Solomon will surely be the next king and will sit on my throne.’ 18But instead, Adonijah has made himself king, and my lord the king does not even know aboutit. He has sacrificed many cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and he has invited all the king's sons to attend the celebration. He also invited Abiathar the priest and Joab, the commander of the army. But he did not invite your servant Solomon. 20And now, my lord the king, all Israel is waiting for you to announce who will become king after you. 2"If you do not act, my son Solomon and I will be treated as criminals as soon as my lord the king has died.” 22While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived. °3The king's officials told him, “Nathan the prophet is here to see you.” Nathan went in and bowed before the king with his face to the ground. 24Nathan asked, “My lord the king, have you decided that Adonijah will be the next king and that he will sit on your throne? 25Today he has sacrificed many cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and he has invited all the king’s sons to attend the celebration. He also invited the commanders of the army and Abiathar the priest. They are feasting and drinking with him and shouting, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ 26But he did not invite me or Zadok the priest or Benaiah or your servant Solomon. 27Has my lord the king really done this without letting any of his officials know who should be the next king?”
David Makes Solomon King
2828King David responded, “Call Bathsheba!” So she came back in and stood before the king. 29And the king repeated his vow: “As surely as the LORD lives, who has rescued me from every danger, 3¢your son Solomon will be the next king and will sit on my throne this very day, just as I vowed to you before the Lor, the God of Israel.” 31Then Bathsheba bowed down with her face to the ground before the king and exclaimed, “May my lord King David live forever!” 32Then King David ordered, “Call Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” When they came into the king’s presence, 33the king said to them, “Take Solomon and my officials down to Gihon Spring. Solomon is to ride on my own mule. 34There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet are to anoint him king over Israel. Blow the ram’s horn and shout, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ 35Then escort him back here, and he will sit on my throne. He will succeed me as king, for I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah.” 36” Amen!” Benaiah son of Jehoiada replied. “May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, decree that it happen. 37And may the LORD be with Solomon as he has been with you, my lord the king, and may he make Solomon’s reign even greater than yours!” 38So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the king's bodyguard* took Solomon down to Gihon Spring, with Solomon riding on King David's own mule. 39There Zadok the priest took the flask of olive oil from the sacred tent and anointed Solomon with the oil. Then they sounded the ram’s horn and all the people shouted, “Long live King Solomon” 40And all the people followed Solomon into Jerusalem, playing flutes and shouting for joy. The celebration was so joyous and noisy that the earth shook with the sound. 41Adonijah and his guests heard the celebrating and shouting just as they were finishing their banquet. When Joab heard the sound of the ram’s horn, he asked, “What's going on? Why is the city in such an uproar?” 42And while he was still speaking, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest arrived. “Come in,” Adonijah said to him, “for you are a good man. You must have good news.” 43“Not at all!” Jonathan replied. “Our lord King David has just declared Solomon king! 44The king sent him down to Gihon Spring with Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, protected by the king’s bodyguard. They had him ride on the king's own mule, 4Sand Zadok and Nathan have anointed him at Gihon Spring as the new king. They have just returned, and the whole city is celebrating and rejoicing. That's what all the noise is about. 46What’s more, Solomon is now sitting on the royal throne as king. 47And all the royal officials have gone to King David and congratulated him, saying, ‘May your God make Solomon’s fame even greater than your own, and may Solomon’s reign be even greater than yours!’ Then the king bowed his head in worship as he lay in his bed, 48and he said, ‘Praise the LORD, the God of Israel, who today has chosen a successor to sit on my throne while J am still alive to see it.” 49Then all of Adonijah’s guests jumped up in panic from the banquet table and quickly scattered. 50Adonijah was afraid of Solomon, so he rushed to the sacred tent and grabbed onto the horns of the altar. 5 Word soon reached Solomon that Adonijah had seized the horns of the altar in fear, and that he was pleading, “Let King Solomon swear today that he will not kill me!” 52Solomon replied, “If he proves himself to be loyal, not a hair on his head will be touched. But if he makes trouble, he will die.” 53So King Solomon summoned Adonijah, and they brought him down from the altar. He came and bowed respectfully before King Solomon, who dismissed him, saying, “Go on home.”
Textual footnotes
- 1:38 Hebrew the Kerethites and Pelethites; also in 1:44.
Life Application Notes 12 notes
1:4David 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.
1:5Adonijah 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.
1:6God-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.
1:6Because 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 tater. Discipline your children carefully while they are young, so that they will grow into self-disciplined adults.
1:7See Joab’s Profile in 2 Samuel 18, p. 495, for a more complete picture of his life. For more information on Abiathar, see the note on 1 Samuel 22:20.
1:9When 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.
1:11For more on Bathsheba, David's wife, read 2 Samuel 11-12. As wife of the king, Bathsheba was highly influential in the royal palace.
1:11-14When 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.
1:13The 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).
1:39The olive oil was used to anoint Israel's kings and high priests, as well as to dedicate certain objects to God. The sacred tent 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. 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).
1:52,53While 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).
Charts, profiles & sidebars from the printed pages
Study feature · page 510
Tombs of the house of David
TWO CORONATIONS As David lay on his deathbed, his son Adonijah crowned himself king at En-rogel outside Jerusalem. When the news reached David, he declared that Solomon was to be the next ruler. Solomon was anointed at Gihon. It may have been more than coincidence that Gihon was not only within shouting distance of En-rogel but also closer to the royal palace.
Study feature · page 511
%Adonijah went to the Stone of Zoheleth* near the spring of En-rogel, where he sacrificed sheep, cattle, and fattened calves. He invited all his brothers—the other sons of King David—and all the royal officials of Judah. ‘But he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the King’s bodyguard or his brother Solomon. "Then Nathan went to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, and asked her, “Haven't you heard that Haggith’s son, Adonijah, has made himself king, and our lord David doesn’t even know about it? '2If you want to save your own life and the life of your son Solomon, follow 1:9 Or to the Serpent's Stone; Greek version supports reading Zoheleth-as a proper name.
• Became influential in the palace alongside her son Solomon
• Was the mother of Israel’s wisest king and an ancestor of Jesus Christ
Lessons from her life
• Although we may feel caught up in a chain of events, we are still responsible for the way we participate in those events
• Asin may seem like one small seed, but the harvest of consequences is beyond measure
• In the worst possible situations, God is still able to bring about good when people truly tum to him:;
• While we must live with the natural consequences of our sins, God's forgiveness of sin is complete
Vital statistics
• Where: Jerusalem
• Occupations: Queen and queen mother
• Relatives: Father: Elim. Husbands: Uriah and David. Son: Solomon
• Contemporaries: Nathan, Joab, Adonijah
“When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. When the period of mourning was over, David sent for her and brought her to the palace, and she became one of his wives. Then she gave birth to a son. But the LORD was displeased with what David had done” (2 Samuel 11:26, 27).
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Study feature · page 513
Remained with David Zadok (1:8) The other high priest under David. His loyalty gave him the privilege of crowning Solomon. He became the sole high priest under King Solomon. Benaiah (1:8) Distinguished himself as a great warrior. Commanded a division of David’s army—over 24,000 men. One of the Thirty, he was also placed in charge of David's bodyguard. Solomon later made him chief commander of the army. Nathan (1:8) God’s prominent prophet during David's reign. The Bible says he wrote a history of David and Solomon. Shimei (1:8) This man was probably the Shimei who was rewarded by Solomon and appointed district governor in Benjamin (4:18). (He was not the same person who cursed David at Bahurim and brought on his own death under Solomon.) Rei (1:8) Only mentioned here. Possibly he was an army officer. The word means “and his friends.” David’s Bodyguard (1:8, 10) David's army was highly organized with several different divisions of troops. It is enough to know that many of his leaders remained true to their king.
WHO JOINED ADONIJAH’S ‘CONSPIRACY "AND WHO ‘REMAINED OYAL TO NDAVID? Lontrast ‘dhe fate of those tqwho rebelled vand those who ‘remained loyal ‘to David, God’s “appointed leader. “Adonijah, the deader of the conspiracy, met <a violent death (2:25). Those ‘who rebel against God's leaders ‘ebel against yee
Joined Adonijah Joab (1:7) Brilliant military general and commander of David’s army. He continually demonstrated his belief that cold-blooded murder was as acceptable as a fairly fought battle. Solomon later had him executed. Abiathar (1:7) One of two high priests under David. He was a son of Ahimelech who had helped David, and David promised to protect him. Abiathar repaid David with treachery. Solomon later had him banished, fulfilling the prophecy that Eli’s priestly line would end (1 Samuel 2:31). Jonathan (1:42) Abiathar’s son. He helped David stop Absaiom’s rebellion (2 Samuel 17:17-22) but supported this rebellion by another of David’s sons. Charioteers (1:5) Hired by Adonijah, apparently more loyal to money than to their king. 50 Runners (1:5) Recruited to give Adonijah a “royal” appearance.
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 considtred what God wanted, he might have avoided trouble. Don’t wait Until you have made a mess of your life before you run to Gad. Seek God's guidance before you act. 4249-51 Adonijah thought he would be safe by clutching the ms (or corner posts) of the sacred aitar of burnt offering in
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