1 Kings 1:19

19 He has killed oxen, fattened calves and sheep in great numbers; and he has summoned all the sons of the king, Evyatar the cohen and Yo'av the commander of the army; but he didn't summon Shlomo your servant.

1 Kings 1:19 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 1:19

And he hath slain oxen, and fat cattle, and sheep in
abundance
Has made a grand entertainment, and is feasting and rejoicing; which was another instance of irreverence and disrespect to his aged father, labouring under the infirmities of old age, and on his dying bed, and he carousing, and showing all the tokens of pleasure in the view of his death, and wishing for it:

and hath called all the sons of the king;
invited them to his entertainment, in order to gain them to his interest:

and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the host;
two persons, though of eminent rank, she knew David had no respect for, and therefore it would not be pleasing to him to hear that they were invited, had this affair been more acceptable than it was; Bathsheba, considering the shortness of the time she had to think, and the flurry she must be in, very artfully threw together the most material things that might work upon the mind of David in her favour:

but Solomon thy servant hath he not called;
which made it a plain case that it was not a feast of a peace offering, nor a common friendly entertainment, but a feast made on account of his accession to the throne; and that he looked upon Solomon as his rival, and bore an ill will to him on that account, and bad a design upon him.

1 Kings 1:19 In-Context

17 She answered him, "My lord, you swore by ADONAI your God to your servant, 'Your son Shlomo will be king after me; he will sit on my throne.'
18 But now, here is Adoniyah ruling as king; and you, my lord the king, don't know anything about it.
19 He has killed oxen, fattened calves and sheep in great numbers; and he has summoned all the sons of the king, Evyatar the cohen and Yo'av the commander of the army; but he didn't summon Shlomo your servant.
20 As for you, my lord the king, all Isra'el is watching you; they are waiting for you to tell them who is to sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.
21 If you don't, then, when my lord the king sleeps with his ancestors, I and my son Shlomo will be considered criminals."
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.