1 Kings 1:15-27 (KJV)
“And Bathsheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite ministered unto the king. And Bathsheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And the king said, What wouldest thou? And she said unto him, My lord, thou swarest by the Lord thy God unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne. And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and now, my lord the king, thou knowest it not: And he hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the host: but Solomon thy servant hath he not called. And thou, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders. And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in. And they told the king, saying, Behold Nathan the prophet. And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground. And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? For he is gone down this day, and hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the king's sons, and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they eat and drink before him, and say, God save king Adonijah. But me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon, hath he not called. Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not shewed it unto thy servant, who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”
- 1 Kings 1:15-27 (KJV)
“The king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite ministered unto the king.” This is included to remind us of David's limited capabilities as king. He needed the help of Bathsheba and Nathan brought to him in the following verses.
“I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.” Bathsheba began by telling David the facts about Adonijah's actions. Then she used this tender appeal, reminding David that her life and the life of Solomon were in grave danger if Adonijah became the king.
“Nathan the prophet also came in:” The last place we saw Nathan was in The Second Book of Samuel, where he rebuked his friend David over the scandal with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah. Yet now, at the end of his days, David received Nathan; the sense is that he remained a trusted friend. David did not treat Nathan as an enemy when he confronted him with a painful truth.
“Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not shewed it unto thy servant:” Nathan also stated the facts about Adonijah, and then gave a personal appeal. He asked David, who was his dear and trusted friend, "Is it possible you have chosen Adonijah to be king and have not told me?"
Christian brothers and sisters, thankfully King David had enough people in his life who loved him and were ready to keep his plans for his successor going forward!
God bless!
---------------------
1 Kings 1:28-30; David Vows To Set Things Right
“Then king David answered and said, Call me Bathsheba. And she came into the king's presence, and stood before the king. And the king sware, and said, As the Lord liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all distress, Even as I sware unto thee by the Lord God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day.”
- 1 Kings 1:28-30 (KJV)
“As the Lord liveth:” This introduced a solemn oath. David would confirm the previous promise he made to Bathsheba, that her son Solomon would become the next king.
“Solomon thy son shall reign after me:” David promised to settle the issue that very day. He would abdicate the throne and give the crown to Solomon.
God bless!
Comments