1 & 2 Kings—Introduction
The books of 1 & 2 Kings originally formed one undivided work in the Hebrew Scriptures. It was the translators of the Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint) who divided the book into two. The collection of 1 & 2 Kings and 1 & 2 Samuel was considered the books of the “kings” or “Kingdoms”.
Jewish tradition (the Talmud) identifies Jeremiah as the author of both 1 & 2 Kings. The book of 1 Kings covers the reign of Solomon, the division of the kingdom, and the reigns of the kings of Judah and Israel up through Jehoshaphat and Ahaziah, respectively. The first ten chapters mark the glorious time under Solomon who had great wisdom and wealth, and appeared to be a king who feared and honored God, but the subsequent chapters show us how Solomon, who had it all, departed from his devotion to God and the consequences of his actions, including a divided kingdom.
1:1-4—David was Old
(1) Judging from 2 Samuel 5:4 and 1 Kings 2:11, how old was David at the time?
(2) Judging from the description of vv. 1-4 and the fact that he had to receive officials in his bed (1:47), how was David’s health condition?
(3) Judging from Solomon’s reaction to Adonijah’s subsequent request to take Abishag as his wife (2:19ff), do you think Abishag was the Shulammite in the Song of Songs? (see Cant. 6:13)
1:5-10—Adonijah’s Attempted Coup d’État
(4) Given what the prophet Nathan said in 1:13, shouldn’t Adonijah know about David’s choice of succession? (see Note below)
(5) He obviously openly declared himself as the future king and did exactly what his brother Absalom had done (see 2 Sam. 15:1).
a. What should David have done?
b. Why hadn’t he? (v. 6)
c. What kind of a message did he send to Adonijah and the people?
(6) Who was Joab? (see 2 Sam. 2:13ff; 8:16; and ch. 18)
(7) Who was Abiathar? (See 1 Sam. 14:3; 22:20-22; 2 Sam. 8:17)
(8) Why would these loyalists of David knowingly support a king not appointed by David?
a. How does it reflect the mistakes or weaknesses of David?
b. How does it speak to David’s relationship with them?
(9) In your opinion, how did David contribute to this situation? Was his poor health the major factor?
(10) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note:
Adonijah probably considered himself a legitimate successor of David because he was likely the oldest of his surviving sons. Ammon, Chileab and Absalom had died and he was David’s fourth son (born in Hebron) — as Chileab was never mentioned again, most commentators opine that he died as a child.
“(His father had never rebuked him by asking, 'Why do you behave as you do?' He was also very handsome and was born next after Absalom.)” (1 Ki. 1:6)
David was certainly not a perfect man. His yielding to lust cost him dearly, not only in terms of losing the son born out of adultery (2 Sam. 12:14), but losing other sons as well.
His unwillingness to rebuke his first born, Amnon who raped his sister (2 Sam. 13:21); his lack of decisive dealing with Absalom who took revenge on Ammon with his own hand and rebelled against him (2 Sam. 18:5) and now the refusal to rebuke Adonijah—all indirectly led to their eventual deaths.
I do not believe that just because he had committed adultery, he had lost his moral authority to rebuke unethical behavior in his children. On the one hand, his genuine repentance has led to complete forgiveness from the Lord, to the point that peace was restored between him and God as evidenced by God naming Solomon through the prophet Nathan (Solomon means peace). It was also why Nathan approached Bathsheba to make sure Solomon was anointed king, because he had come to forgive David’s affair as God had.
Of course, with the many wives and children that David had, he would not have given the time needed to mentor each of his children. However, David’s problem in child-rearing appeared to be one of “doting”, whether it was Amnon, Absalom or Adonijah. As much as he was displeased with their behavior or even became angry (1 Sam. 13:21), he was not willing to confront his children directly, perhaps for fear that they would not love him or that they would distance themselves from him.
In the case of Adonijah, the Bible implies that it was because Adonijah “was born next after Absalom” (1 Ki. 1:6). In other words, the death of Absalom was still fresh in his mind and the way he mourned for Absalom was well documented (2 Sam. 18: 31ff). David was afraid to lose another son.
As it turned out, his reluctance to rebuke Adonijah backfired on him, and Proverbs 13:24 encapsulates his mistake with these words, “Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.”
1:11-14—Nathan Decided to Interfere
(1) Why did Nathan decide to take the matter in his own hand? Should he?
(2) Why did he have to use Bathsheba? Could he not confront David directly?
(3) Didn’t he rebuke David’s affair with Bathsheba? What had changed? (see 2 Sam. 12:24-25)
1:15-21—Bathsheba Confronting David
(4) On what basis did Bathsheba appeal to David to act?
(5) David had already known about Adonijah’s declaring himself as king (1:5), but he had chosen not to do anything about it. With what other factors did Bathsheba confront him in order to force him to take action?
1:22-27—Nathan’s words of confirmation
(6) Apart from confirming the words of Bathsheba, what other factors did he introduce to influence David’s decision?
(7) How important was Nathan’s confirmation?
1:28-40—David made Solomon the King
(8) What do you think had caused David to take action at this time? (vv. 28-31)
(9) Why did David refer to the Lord as the one “who has delivered me out of every trouble”?
(10) The choice of Gihon over Jerusalem as the anointing site might have to do with the fact that it was “located in the Kidron Valley in opposition to Adonijah at En-rogel” (NEBC, 1 and 2 Kings, 99):
a. What risk might David be taking to anoint Solomon in opposition to Adonijah and his supporters?
b. What could have been the result, had this been done after the death of David?
(11) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
“The king then took an oath: ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who has delivered me out of every trouble, I will surely carry out this very day what I swore to you by the Lord, the God of Israel: Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne in my place’.” (1 Ki. 1:29-30)
When confronted with the news that Adonijah had declared himself king and that many of David’s former loyalists were supporting this rebellion, David really had a hard decision before him. If he decided to anoint Solomon as he had sworn to Bathsheba, he might face another rebellion, and this time the rebellion had significant support both from the military (Joab was his commander) and from the priesthood (Abiathar came from the priestly family of Eli at Shiloh and had escaped to David from Nob—see 1 Sam. 14:3, 22:20-22). The last time he did something to Absalom, he ended up having to run for his own life (2 Sam. 15:13ff). Now he was “very old” and frail. He would not be able to run. What should he do?
I believe what David said in his reply to Nathan and Bathsheba was not accidental as he called God the one “who has delivered me out of every trouble” (1 Ki. 1:29-30). As much as he might have directly contributed to the present dilemma, deep in his heart, he probably knew that God had chosen Solomon, plus the fact that he had sworn to Bathsheba as well for that matter. The only right thing to do was to follow through with his promise and trust God for the outcome.
As he recalled the Lord as the one who has delivered him out of every trouble, it certainly reflected his prayer to the Lord; and God answered his prayer, preventing another bloodshed and “delivered him out of” yet another trouble.
Indeed, as much as we often contribute to our own plight, it is never too late to do what is right before the Lord and we can leave the result to Him.
(1) With David being in poor health and close to dying, what do you think Joab (the loyal commander of David) and Abiathar (the priest who must have presided over the sacrifice at this occasion) must be thinking at this “illegal” coronation of Adonijah?
(2) Why did Adonijah think that the sound of the trumpet “must be…good news”?
(3) How did the words of Jonathan validate the “legitimacy” of the anointing of Solomon as king as compared to the “illegitimate” crowning of Adonijah? (see vv. 43-46, and note that the Kerethites and Pelehites “refer to David’s personal bodyguard” — NEBC, 1 and 2 Kings, 102)
(4) Where and how did David receive the royal officials? What does his worship on his bed remind you of? (Gen. 47:31)
(5) Why did these important and powerful supporters rise in alarm and disperse?
(6) What was Adonijah’s purpose in holding on to the horns of the altar? Why didn’t he flee for his life? (See Exod. 21:14)
(7) On what condition did Solomon spare the life of Adonijah? Why should he?
(8) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
“At this, all Adonijah’s guests rose in alarm and dispersed. But Adonijah, in fear of Solomon, went and took hold of the horns of the altar.” (1 Ki. 1:49-50)
We might wonder why Adonijah went and took hold of the horns of the altar. Allow me to share with you the explanation by Keil and Delitzsch as follows:
“The news spread terror. All the guests of Adonijah fled, every man his way. Adonijah himself sought refuge from Solomon at the horns of the altar. The altar was regarded from time immemorial and among all nations as a place of refuge for criminals deserving death; but according to Exod. 21:14, in Israel it was only allowed to afford protection in cases of unintentional slaying, and for these special cities of refuge were afterwards provided (Num. 35). In the horns of the altar, as symbols of power and strength, there was concentrated the true significance of the altar as a divine place, from which there emanated both life and health (see Exod. 27:1-8). By grasping the horns of the altar the culprit placed himself under the protection of the saving and helping grace of God, which wipes away sin and thereby abolishes punishment…The question to what altar Adonijah fled, whether to the altar at the ark of the covenant in Zion, or to the one at the tabernacle at Gibeon, or to the one built by David on the threshing floor of Araunah, cannot be determined with certainty.” (K&D, p. 19)
In my opinion, the last question is really a moot point, because Adonijah did not commit an unintentional crime, but one of rebellion and in fact, a usurpation of the throne while David was still alive. He was simply trying to manipulate God and His Law for his own purpose. It was not an act of repentance or even remorse. As it turned out, God cannot be manipulated; he was only delaying the inevitable and he subsequently gave Solomon another reason to put him to death (1 Ki. 2:25).