Naming an Heir
Notes
Transcript
Author: the author of 1 Kings is not named but tradition is that it was the prophet Jeremiah
Date: 1 Kings was likely written between 560 and 540 BC
Purpose: This book is the sequel to 1 and 2 Samuel and begins by tracing Solomon’s rise to kingship after the death of David. The story begins with a united kingdom, but ends in a nation divided into 2 kingdoms, known as Judah and Israel. 1 and 2 Kings are combined into one book in the Hebrew Bible.
1 Now King David was old and advanced in age. Although they covered him with bedclothes, he could not get warm. 2 So his servants said to him, “Let us search for a young virgin for my lord the king. She is to attend the king and be his caregiver. She is to lie by your side so that my lord the king will get warm.” 3 They searched for a beautiful girl throughout the territory of Israel; they found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king. 4 The girl was of unsurpassed beauty, and she became the king’s caregiver. She attended to him, but he was not intimate with her.
David is nearing the end of his life - the once great fighter and defender of Israel is now struggling to even keep warm.
The kings servants came up with an idea - find a young virgin to care for him - now in some cases the term virgin can be interchangeable with young but here we are talking about an unmarried young woman.
The idea it seems is that a young woman who the king can be intimate with can get his moving physically - it did not work but she did take care of the king.
Take note - the king was physically weak but nothing is said about his mental ability.
5 Adonijah son of Haggith kept exalting himself, saying, “I will be king!” He prepared chariots, cavalry, and fifty men to run ahead of him. 6 But his father had never once infuriated him by asking, “Why did you do that?” In addition, he was quite handsome and was born after Absalom. 7 He conspired with Joab son of Zeruiah and with the priest Abiathar. They supported Adonijah, 8 but the priest Zadok, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the prophet Nathan, Shimei, Rei, and David’s royal guard did not side with Adonijah. 9 Adonijah sacrificed sheep, goats, cattle, and fattened cattle near the stone of Zoheleth, which is next to En-rogel. He invited all his royal brothers and all the men of Judah, the servants of the king, 10 but he did not invite the prophet Nathan, Benaiah, the royal guard, or his brother Solomon.
There does not seem to be an established system for royal succession, enter Adonijah, the kings eldest surviving son.
Adonijah “put himself forward” to be the next king without any input from the king or anyone. The only mention of David is that he said nothing about his sons boldness.
Sometimes not taking a stand against an action can be seen as approval.
Adonijah rallied a lot of support but he failed to seek the counsel of someone very important - God - he did not speak with the prophet Nathan.
Adonijah did almost everything to establish himself as king so in the eyes of those supporting him - he was king.
11 Then Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, “Have you not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has become king and our lord David does not know it? 12 Now please come and let me advise you. Save your life and the life of your son Solomon. 13 Go, approach King David and say to him, ‘My lord the king, did you not swear to your servant: Your son Solomon is to become king after me, and he is the one who is to sit on my throne? So why has Adonijah become king?’ 14 At that moment, while you are still there speaking with the king, I’ll come in after you and confirm your words.” 15 So Bathsheba went to the king in his bedroom. Since the king was very old, Abishag the Shunammite was attending to him. 16 Bathsheba knelt low and paid homage to the king, and he asked, “What do you want?” 17 She replied, “My lord, you swore to your servant by the Lord your God, ‘Your son Solomon is to become king after me, and he is the one who is to sit on my throne.’ 18 Now look, Adonijah has become king. And, my lord the king, you didn’t know it. 19 He has lavishly sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep. He invited all the king’s sons, the priest Abiathar, and Joab the commander of the army, but he did not invite your servant Solomon. 20 Now, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you to tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 21 Otherwise, when my lord the king rests with his ancestors, I and my son Solomon will be regarded as criminals.” 22 At that moment, while she was still speaking with the king, the prophet Nathan arrived, 23 and it was announced to the king, “The prophet Nathan is here.” He came into the king’s presence and paid homage to him with his face to the ground. 24 “My lord the king,” Nathan said, “did you say, ‘Adonijah is to become king after me, and he is the one who is to sit on my throne’? 25 For today he went down and lavishly sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep. He invited all the sons of the king, the commanders of the army, and the priest Abiathar. And look! They’re eating and drinking in his presence, and they’re saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ 26 But he did not invite me—me, your servant—or the priest Zadok or Benaiah son of Jehoiada or your servant Solomon. 27 I’m certain my lord the king would not have let this happen without letting your servant know who will sit on my lord the king’s throne after him.”
The prophet Nathan having been ignored by Adonijah goes to Bathsheba with a plan.
One can assume that as prophet there is Godly wisdom at play here or maybe even a word from the Lord. The issue is that Nathan and Solomon are in potential peril at the hands of Adonijah.
Nathan tells Bathsheba to remind the king that he promised the throne to Solomon. Now this promise is not mentioned anywhere in 2 Samuel so we have to decided if it was made up, a tale to remind David of his guilt in the Uriah episode or reveal a detail the author withheld as a later surprise. I would assume again, that God is ultimately behind this plan regardless of why it was not previously mentioned.
They both went to the king and did what was planned.
28 King David responded by saying, “Call in Bathsheba for me.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before him. 29 The king swore an oath and said, “As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life from every difficulty, 30 just as I swore to you by the Lord God of Israel: Your son Solomon is to become king after me, and he is the one who is to sit on my throne in my place, that is exactly what I will do this very day.” 31 Bathsheba knelt low with her face to the ground, paying homage to the king, and said, “May my lord King David live forever!” 32 King David then said, “Call in the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada for me.” So they came into the king’s presence. 33 The king said to them, “Take my servants with you, have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, and take him down to Gihon. 34 There, the priest Zadok and the prophet Nathan are to anoint him as king over Israel. You are to blow the trumpet and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ 35 You are to come up after him, and he is to come in and sit on my throne. He is the one who is to become king in my place; he is the one I have commanded to be ruler over Israel and Judah.” 36 “Amen,” Benaiah son of Jehoiada replied to the king. “May the Lord, the God of my lord the king, so affirm it. 37 Just as the Lord was with my lord the king, so may he be with Solomon and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.” 38 Then the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites went down, had Solomon ride on King David’s mule, and took him to Gihon. 39 The priest Zadok took the horn of oil from the tabernacle and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the trumpet, and all the people proclaimed, “Long live King Solomon!” 40 All the people went up after him, playing flutes and rejoicing with such a great joy that the earth split open from the sound.
After hearing Nathan, David began the process of confirming Solomon as the next king.
David again gives credit where credit is due - God - all David had even his very life was a gift of God.
David instructed them to make all the necessary proclamations to announce the new king would be Solomon.
Once announced, the people of Israel rejoiced over the naming of Solomon as king - another oversight on Adonijah’s part, he didn’t have the people with him.
41 Adonijah and all the invited guests who were with him heard the noise as they finished eating. Joab heard the sound of the trumpet and said, “Why is the town in such an uproar?” 42 He was still speaking when Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest, suddenly arrived. Adonijah said, “Come in, for you are an important man, and you must be bringing good news.” 43 “Unfortunately not,” Jonathan answered him. “Our lord King David has made Solomon king. 44 And with Solomon, the king has sent the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and they have had him ride on the king’s mule. 45 The priest Zadok and the prophet Nathan have anointed him king in Gihon. They have gone up from there rejoicing. The town has been in an uproar; that’s the noise you heard. 46 Solomon has even taken his seat on the royal throne. 47 “The king’s servants have also gone to congratulate our lord King David, saying, ‘May your God make the name of Solomon more well known than your name, and may he make his throne greater than your throne.’ Then the king bowed in worship on his bed. 48 And the king went on to say this: ‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel! Today he has provided one to sit on my throne, and I am a witness.’ ” 49 Then all of Adonijah’s guests got up trembling and went their separate ways. 50 Adonijah was afraid of Solomon, so he got up and went to take hold of the horns of the altar. 51 It was reported to Solomon, “Look, Adonijah fears King Solomon, and he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon first swear to me that he will not kill his servant with the sword.’ ” 52 Then Solomon said, “If he is a man of character, not a single hair of his will fall to the ground, but if evil is found in him, he dies.” 53 So King Solomon sent for him, and they took him down from the altar. He came and paid homage to King Solomon, and Solomon said to him, “Go to your home.”
The self-proclaimed king, Adonijah, was still having his coronation celebration when they heard a commotion from outside.
While trying to figure out what was going on Abiathar showed up and Adonijah believed because Abiathar was an important person that he would be bringing good news.
All has changed in a few hours’ time. Every person Adonijah snubbed has been honored by David. Solomon has been established, the people approve, the royal officials have praised David for his choice, and the old king praises God for what has occurred.
Now it becomes cover your backside time - every man now attempts to save himself.
Adonijah sits alone, the kingdom snatched from his grasp. Afraid for his own life, the loser of the power struggle takes desperate measures. Perhaps invoking Exod 21:12–14, Adonijah flees to the altar and holds its horns. There he begs for his life.
Solomon lets him live and a truce if struck with only one condition - Adonijah must be a “man of character” or “worthy man”.
Of course this is a hard standard to live up to so for now the story of the two brothers can rest but it is not the end.
Three Takeaways
Don’t delay in fulfilling your responsibilities.
Don’t delay in fulfilling your responsibilities.
David should have made preparations for who was going to take over for him.
Power abhors a vacuum - if we are proactive in seeking our replacement someone may step in that is not who should be there.
Beware for self-promotion without God’s approval.
Beware for self-promotion without God’s approval.
Adonijah tried to seize the throne through political maneuvering, relying on appearances and human alliances rather than God's will. His ambition lacked spiritual backing.
Ambition isn't wrong—but it must be aligned with God’s purpose, not just personal desire
God’s purposes prevail despite human schemes.
God’s purposes prevail despite human schemes.
Despite Adonijah’s plans, Gods choice - Solomon - became king.
We can trust God to fulfill His promises and purposes, even when circumstances seem messy.
God is in control - don’t panic.
