The First Book of Kings
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Abishag and David
[1-Kings 1:1] NOW KING
DAVID WAS OLD AND STRICKEN IN YEARS; AND THEY COVERED HIM WITH CLOTHES, BUT HE
GAT NO HEAT.
He about 70 which is old enough but not always that old in Biblical Times nor in
modern ones. Nevertheless age affects different people in different ways.
David had lead a hard life and it could be that everything began to catch up
with him all at once.
[1-Kings 1:2] WHEREFORE HIS SERVANTS
SAID UNTO HIM, LET THERE BE SOUGHT FOR MY LORD THE KING A YOUNG VIRGIN: AND LET
HER STAND BEFORE THE KING, AND LET HER CHERISH HIM, AND LET HER LIE IN THY
BOSOM, THAT MY LORD THE KING MAY GET HEAT.
This is a strange passage and difficult for our modern intellects to
properly fathom.
[1-Kings 1:3] SO THEY SOUGHT FOR A FAIR
DAMSEL THROUGHOUT ALL THE COASTS OF ISRAEL, AND FOUND
ABISHAG
A SHUNAMMITE,
AND BROUGHT HER TO THE KING.
ABISHAG: One source says, Means "my father strays" in Hebrew
http://www.behindthename.com/name/abishag.
This is presuming that the name is derived from "Abi" (my father) and "ShaGeH"
connoting "err".
This explanation is not convincing.
A related toot is "Sh-G-eL" meaning sexual intercourse.
In Australian slang (possibly of Irish origin) "shag" also means sexual
intercourse.
A FAIR DAMSEL: The Commentators say that a beautiful woman warms the
constitution. Some extremly pious characters are against the consideration of
beauty in women. This is unnecessary. The only problem exists is when the
attractiveness of a female causes a male to lust and transgress when otherwise
he may not have done so. The situation also changes from one Era to another,
one climate to another, and different stages in life.
A young woman who is healthy, conscious of her feminity, preferably exercises
in moderation, and has good character in nearly every case will be attractive.
Make-up also helps. Even girls who are skinny or fat can look good and they
should be aware of it.
A SHUNAMMITE: Possibly from Shunem (Joshua 19:18) in the territory of Issachar.
Shunem may have been located a little south of the present-day city of Afula.
[1-Kings 1:4] AND THE DAMSEL WAS VERY
FAIR, AND CHERISHED THE KING, AND MINISTERED TO HIM: BUT THE KING KNEW HER NOT.
The Commentators all agree that the reason the David did not have intercourse
with Abishag was not because he was impotent. He was not. There was another
reason behind the abstinence of David.
Different suggestions have been made by the Sages , e.g. She was betrothed to
another OR David already had 18 wives and a king is not allowed to have more
than that. Whatever the reason Yigal Ariel ("Mikdash Melech") points out that
his self-restraint in this matter should be seen as balancing out to some degree
his lack of it in the case of Bath-Sheba when she was still married to Uriah the
Hittite.
Adonijah Attempts a Coup
[1-Kings 1:5] THEN
ADONIJAH
THE SON OF HAGGITH
EXALTED HIMSELF, SAYING, I WILL BE KING: AND HE PREPARED HIM CHARIOTS AND
HORSEMEN, AND FIFTY MEN TO RUN BEFORE HIM.
The tale of Adonijah follows straight after that of Abishag since as we
shall see Abishag was to be the undoing of Adnijah.
[1-Kings 1:6] AND HIS FATHER HAD NOT
DISPLEASED HIM AT ANY TIME IN SAYING, WHY HAST THOU DONE SO? AND HE ALSO WAS A
VERY GOODLY MAN; AND HIS MOTHER BARE HIM AFTER ABSALOM.
The Bible hints that David had erred in not rectifying the behaviour of
Adonijah when it had been necessary to do so. Adonijah looked good. So had his
brother Abshalom who had rebelled against David as related in the Book of
Samuel (2-Samuel chapter 15). Yigal Ariel points out that Adonijah was not
rebelling against David but rather against the projected choice of Solomon to
succeed David. Adonijah was older than Solomon who at that time may have been
little more than 12 years old (Rashi). Adonijah already commadned a troop of
fifty of his own. He was acquainted with the leaders of the nation such as Joab
the military leader and Abiathar the Priest. Adonijah was the brother of Absalom
who had lead a rebellion that for a while had rendered the nation in two. The
rebellion had been suppressed but it stands to reason that its former supporters
still harbored grudges of their own. Adonijah could be porject as representing
the sides of both David and Absalom. What is more Adonijah would have been
considered more "kosher" whereas a question existed concerning the mother of
Solomon and former wife of Uriah the Hittite. David had committed adultery with
Bath-Sheba and caused her husband to be killed. Their first child had died and
Solomon was born afterwards. The whole affair had become public and Solomon
was living evidence of what David had done.
[1-Kings 1:7] AND HE CONFERRED WITH
JOAB
THE SON OF ZERUIAH,
AND WITH ABIATHAR
THE PRIEST: AND THEY FOLLOWING
ADONIJAH HELPED
HIM.
[1-Kings 1:8] BUT
ZADOK
THE PRIEST, AND BENAIAH
THE SON OF JEHOIADA,
AND NATHAN THE PROPHET, AND
SHIMEI, AND REI, AND THE MIGHTY
MEN WHICH BELONGED TO DAVID, WERE NOT WITH
ADONIJAH.
There must have been
something about Adonijah that caused these men to instinctively keep their
distance.
[1-Kings 1:9] AND
ADONIJAH
SLEW SHEEP AND OXEN AND FAT CATTLE BY THE STONE OF
ZOHELETH,
WHICH IS BY ENROGEL,
AND CALLED ALL HIS BRETHREN THE KING'S SONS, AND ALL THE MEN OF JUDAH THE KING'S
SERVANTS:
Nathan to the Rescue and the Coronation of Solomon
[1-Kings 1:10] BUT NATHAN THE PROPHET,
AND BENAIAH,
AND THE MIGHTY MEN, AND SOLOMON HIS BROTHER, HE CALLED
NOT.
[1-Kings 1:11] WHEREFORE NATHAN
SPAKE
UNTO BATHSHEBA THE MOTHER OF SOLOMON, SAYING, HAST THOU NOT HEARD THAT
ADONIJAH
THE SON OF HAGGITH
DOTH REIGN, AND DAVID OUR LORD
KNOWETH IT NOT?
Nathan had prophesied to David that Solomon would rule after him and that
the Almighty would be with Solomon (2-Samuel 11:7-13).
[1-Kings 1:12] NOW THEREFORE COME, LET
ME, I PRAY THEE, GIVE THEE COUNSEL, THAT THOU
MAYEST
SAVE THINE
OWN LIFE, AND THE LIFE OF THY SON SOLOMON.
[1-Kings 1:13] GO AND GET THEE IN UNTO
KING DAVID, AND SAY UNTO HIM, DIDST NOT THOU, MY LORD, O KING, SWEAR UNTO
THINE
HANDMAID, SAYING, ASSUREDLY SOLOMON THY SON SHALL REIGN AFTER ME, AND HE SHALL
SIT UPON MY THRONE? WHY THEN DOTH
ADONIJAH
REIGN?
The Bible tells us that Nathan had prophesied to David that Solomon would rule
after him. It does not tell us, prior to now, that David had promised Bath-Sheba
that such would be the case. It says that after the death of her first child
David "comforted" her and she then bore Solomon.
AND DAVID COMFORTED BATHSHEBA HIS WIFE (2-Samuel 12:24).
The Radak takes this comforting to be the promise that Solomon would reign after
him.
[1-Kings 1:14] BEHOLD, WHILE THOU YET
TALKEST
THERE WITH THE KING, I ALSO WILL COME IN AFTER THEE, AND CONFIRM THY WORDS.
[1-Kings 1:15] AND BATHSHEBA WENT IN
UNTO THE KING INTO THE CHAMBER: AND THE KING WAS VERY OLD; AND
ABISHAG
THE SHUNAMMITE
MINISTERED UNTO THE KING.
BathSheba came unto the king while he was with another woman. It is true
that the kind did not have intercause with Abishag yet she was still ministering
unto him and there may have been some tension between the two women because of
that.
[1-Kings 1:16] AND BATHSHEBA BOWED, AND
DID OBEISANCE UNTO THE KING. AND THE KING SAID, WHAT
WOULDEST
THOU?
[1-Kings 1:17] 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.
[1-Kings 1:18] AND NOW, BEHOLD,
ADONIJAH
REIGNETH;
AND NOW, MY LORD THE KING, THOU
KNOWEST IT
NOT:
[1-Kings 1:19] 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.
[1-Kings 1:20] 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.
[1-Kings 1:21] 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.
Solomon was a contended for the throne. BathSheba the mother of Solomon was
evidently a dominant woman in her own right (as we shall see) and a backer of
Solomon. They would have been considered challengers of the right of Adonijah to
reign and therefore treacherous elements to be dealt with
accordingly.
[1-Kings 1:22] AND, LO, WHILE SHE YET
TALKED WITH THE KING, NATHAN THE PROPHET ALSO CAME IN.
[1-Kings 1:23] 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.
[1-Kings 1:24] AND NATHAN SAID, MY LORD, O KING, HAST THOU SAID,
ADONIJAH
SHALL REIGN AFTER ME, AND HE SHALL SIT UPON MY THRONE?
[1-Kings 1:25] 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.
[1-Kings 1:26] BUT ME, EVEN ME THY SERVANT, AND
ZADOK
THE PRIEST, AND BENAIAH
THE SON OF JEHOIADA,
AND THY SERVANT SOLOMON, HATH HE NOT CALLED.
Nathan in his own way tells David of the alignments that had been drawn.
On one side Joab and Abiathar and leading military officers. On the other side
Nathan, Solomon, Zadok, and Benaiah who had replaced Joab as Leader of the Army.
Roughly speaking on the ide of Solomon stood those forces that were close to
David whereas on the other side stood those of leading functionaries in the
Kingdom.
[1-Kings 1:27] 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 1:28] THEN KING DAVID ANSWERED AND SAID, CALL ME BATHSHEBA. AND SHE
CAME INTO THE KING'S PRESENCE, AND STOOD BEFORE THE KING.
[1-Kings 1:29] AND THE KING SWARE,
AND SAID, AS THE LORD LIVETH,
THAT HATH REDEEMED MY SOUL OUT OF ALL DISTRESS,
[1-Kings 1:30] 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.
<<THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL was as real to David as real could be.
[1-Kings 1:31] THEN BATHSHEBA BOWED WITH
HER FACE TO THE EARTH, AND DID REVERENCE TO THE KING, AND SAID, LET MY LORD KING
DAVID LIVE FOR EVER.
[1-Kings 1:32] AND KING DAVID SAID, CALL ME
ZADOK
THE PRIEST, AND NATHAN THE PROPHET, AND
BENAIAH
THE SON OF JEHOIADA.
AND THEY CAME BEFORE THE KING.
[1-Kings 1:33] THE KING ALSO SAID UNTO THEM, TAKE WITH YOU THE SERVANTS OF YOUR
LORD, AND CAUSE SOLOMON MY SON TO RIDE UPON MINE OWN MULE, AND BRING HIM DOWN
TO GHON:
MULE: Hebrew "Pirdah". A mule is the offspring of a male donkey and a female
horse. According to the simple Biblical injunction it is forbidden to
deliberatedly produce such creatures. There is also the question as to why
David chose a mule and not a horse. Archaeologists have found evidence of
different horse-like creatures ("equids") that existed in the past but are now
extinct. The "Pirdah" may actually have been one of those. At all events this
beast (Yehudah Kiel, Daat Mikra, "Sefer Melacim") would have been recognisable
as belonging to the King. Only the successor to a King can use the
appurtenances of the monarch and Solomon riding on the "mule" would have
signified that David had appointed him to do so and to reign after him.
GHON: In Hebrew "Gichon". It is a spring that gives forth its water in spurts,
located near the Temple Mount a little bit down the hill from Dung Gate to the
east. Henceforth it became a Law that Kings should be appointed by the Spring
of Gihon whenever the sucession was in dispute.
[1-Kings 1:34] AND LET
ZADOK
THE PRIEST AND NATHAN THE PROPHET ANOINT HIM THERE KING OVER ISRAEL: AND BLOW YE
WITH THE TRUMPET, AND SAY, GOD SAVE KING SOLOMON.
[1-Kings 1:35] THEN YE SHALL COME UP AFTER HIM, THAT HE MAY COME AND SIT UPON
MY THRONE; FOR HE SHALL BE KING IN MY STEAD: AND I HAVE APPOINTED HIM TO BE
RULER OVER ISRAEL AND OVER JUDAH.
Old King David on his deathbed sits in his chamber and knows exactly what
to do. No need for a military operation, or a public assembly or demonstration;
just go with the right people, to the right place, do the right thing and
everything will fall into place and the opposition evaporate, and so it
did.
[1-Kings 1:36] AND
BENAIAH
THE SON OF JEHOIADA
ANSWERED THE KING, AND SAID, AMEN: THE LORD GOD OF MY LORD THE KING SAY SO
TOO.
[1-Kings 1:37] AS THE LORD HATH BEEN WITH MY LORD THE KING, EVEN SO BE HE WITH
SOLOMON, AND MAKE HIS THRONE GREATER THAN THE THRONE OF MY LORD KING
DAVID.
[1-Kings 1:38] SO ZADOK
THE PRIEST, AND NATHAN THE PROPHET, AND
BENAIAH
THE SON OF JEHOIADA,
AND THE CHERETHITES,
AND THE PELETHITES,
WENT DOWN, AND CAUSED SOLOMON TO RIDE UPON KING DAVID'S MULE, AND BROUGHT HIM TO
GIHON.
THE CHERETHITES, AND THE PELETHITES: These were the bodyguard of the King.
Opinions are divided as to their identity. We incline to the opinion (see the
Commentary KARA Joseph ben Simeon Kara c. 1065?c. 1135, France) that they were
foreign mercenaries in the service of King David and dedicated un to him.
[1-Kings 1:39] AND
ZADOK
THE PRIEST TOOK AN HORN OF OIL OUT OF THE TABERNACLE, AND ANOINTED SOLOMON. AND
THEY BLEW THE TRUMPET; AND ALL THE PEOPLE SAID, GOD SAVE KING
SOLOMON.
<<OIL OUT OF THE TABERNACLE. This oil of consecration was ONLY used to
consecrate Temple Vessels and Monarchs of the Line of David. All other kings
(e.g. Kings of the House of Israel at a later date) when they were consecrated
used a different substance.
[1-Kings 1:40] AND ALL THE PEOPLE CAME
UP AFTER HIM, AND THE PEOPLE PIPED WITH PIPES, AND REJOICED WITH GREAT JOY, SO
THAT THE EARTH RENT WITH THE SOUND OF THEM.
[1-Kings 1:41] AND ADONIJAH
AND ALL THE GUESTS THAT WERE WITH HIM HEARD IT AS THEY HAD MADE AN END OF
EATING. AND WHEN JOAB
HEARD THE SOUND OF THE TRUMPET, HE SAID, WHEREFORE IS THIS NOISE OF THE CITY
BEING IN AN UPROAR?
[1-Kings 1:42] AND WHILE HE YET
SPAKE, BEHOLD, JONATHAN THE SON
OF ABIATHAR
THE PRIEST CAME; AND ADONIJAH
SAID UNTO HIM, COME IN; FOR THOU ART A VALIANT MAN, AND
BRINGEST
GOOD TIDINGS.
[1-Kings 1:43] AND JONATHAN ANSWERED AND SAID TO
ADONIJAH,
VERILY OUR LORD KING DAVID HATH MADE SOLOMON KING.
[1-Kings 1:44] AND THE KING HATH SENT WITH HIM
ZADOK
THE PRIEST, AND NATHAN THE PROPHET, AND
BENAIAH
THE SON OF JEHOIADA,
AND THE CHERETHITES,
AND THE PELETHITES,
AND THEY HAVE CAUSED HIM TO RIDE UPON THE KING'S MULE:
[1-Kings 1:45] AND
ZADOK
THE PRIEST AND NATHAN THE PROPHET HAVE ANOINTED HIM KING IN
GIHON:
AND THEY ARE COME UP FROM THENCE REJOICING, SO THAT THE CITY RANG AGAIN. THIS
IS THE NOISE THAT YE HAVE HEARD.
[1-Kings 1:46] AND ALSO SOLOMON
SITTETH ON THE THRONE OF THE
KINGDOM.
[1-Kings 1:47] AND MOREOVER THE KING'S SERVANTS CAME TO BLESS OUR LORD KING
DAVID, SAYING, GOD MAKE THE NAME OF SOLOMON BETTER THAN THY NAME, AND MAKE HIS
THRONE GREATER THAN THY THRONE. AND THE KING BOWED HIMSELF UPON THE
BED.
[1-Kings 1:48] AND ALSO THUS SAID THE KING, BLESSED BE THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL,
WHICH HATH GIVEN ONE TO SIT ON MY THRONE THIS DAY, MINE EYES EVEN SEEING
IT.
[1-Kings 1:49] AND ALL THE GUESTS THAT WERE WITH
ADONIJAH
WERE AFRAID, AND ROSE UP, AND WENT EVERY MAN HIS WAY.
[1-Kings 1:50] AND ADONIJAH
FEARED BECAUSE OF SOLOMON, AND AROSE, AND WENT, AND CAUGHT HOLD ON THE HORNS OF
THE ALTAR.
The principle of the Altar granting sanctuary at least until his plea be heard
is hinted at in the Bible (Exodus 21:14). The question is where was this Altar.
In those days the Tabernacle stood at Gibeon outside of Jerusalem so it may have
been there as Rashi says. Alternately it may have been in Jerusalem since
before the Temple were built private and semi-private altars were allowed to be
set up anywhere. This is the explanation of the Radak.
[1-Kings 1:51] AND IT WAS TOLD SOLOMON,
SAYING, BEHOLD, ADONIJAH
FEARETH
KING SOLOMON: FOR, LO, HE HATH CAUGHT HOLD ON THE HORNS OF THE ALTAR, SAYING,
LET KING SOLOMON SWEAR UNTO ME TODAY THAT HE WILL NOT SLAY HIS SERVANT WITH THE
SWORD.
[1-Kings 1:52] AND SOLOMON SAID, IF HE WILL
SHEW
HIMSELF A WORTHY MAN, THERE SHALL NOT AN HAIR OF HIM FALL TO THE EARTH: BUT IF
WICKEDNESS SHALL BE FOUND IN HIM, HE SHALL DIE.
Solomon let Adonijah go but he put a condition on it. This is apparently more
than Adonijah would have done for Solomon if the situation had been reversed.
If Adonijah had have succeeded both Solomon and his mother may well have been
done away with without more ado!
[1-Kings 1:53] SO KING SOLOMON SENT, AND
THEY BROUGHT HIM DOWN FROM THE ALTAR. AND HE CAME AND BOWED HIMSELF TO KING
SOLOMON: AND SOLOMON SAID UNTO HIM, GO TO
THINE
HOUSE.
