1 Kings 1:13

13 Go, approach King David and say to him, 'My lord 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?^[a] So why has Adonijah become king?'

1 Kings 1:13 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 1:13

Go and get thee in unto King David
That is, go into the chamber where the king lay, at once, without any ceremony:

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?
though no mention is elsewhere made of such an oath, there undoubtedly was one, of which Nathan had knowledge, either from David or Bathsheba, or from them both, or might be present himself at the making of it; for not only Bathsheba affirms it, ( 1 Kings 1:17 ) ; but David owns it and confirms it, ( 1 Kings 1:30 ) ;

why then doth Adonijah reign?
surely it cannot be with the king's knowledge and consent, so manifestly contrary to his promise and oath.

1 Kings 1:13 In-Context

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 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 serving him.

Footnotes

• [a]. 1 Ch 22:9-13; 23:1