1 Kings 2:19-25

19 So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. And the king rose to meet her and bowed down to her. Then he sat on his throne and had a seat brought for the king's mother, ¹and she sat on his right.

20 Then she said, "I have one small request to make of you; do not refuse me." And the king said to her, "Make your request, my mother, for I will not refuse you."

21 She said, "Let ²Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as his wife."

22 King Solomon answered his mother, "And why do you ask ³Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also, ⁴for he is my older brother, and on his side ⁵are Abiathar^[a] the priest and Joab the son of Zeruiah."

23 Then King Solomon swore by the LORD, saying, ⁶"God do so to me and more also if this word does not cost Adonijah his life!

24 Now therefore ⁷as the LORD lives, who has established me and placed me on the throne of David my father, and who has made me a house, ⁸as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death today."

25 So King Solomon sent ⁹Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he struck him down, and he died.

1 Kings 2:19-25 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST KING 2

This chapter gives an account of the charge David gave to his son Solomon, a little before his death, to walk in the ways of the Lord, 1Ki 2:1-4; and of some instructions delivered to him concerning some particular persons he should either show favour to, or execute justice on, 1Ki 2:5-9; and the next account in it is concerning his death and burial, and the years of his reign, 1Ki 2:10,11; after which it relates an address of Bathsheba to Solomon in favour of Adonijah, which was refused, and the issue of it was his death, 1Ki 2:12-25; and the deposition of Abiathar from the priesthood, 1Ki 2:26,27; and the putting of Joab to death for his treason and murders, 1Ki 2:28-34; in whose post Benaiah was put, as Zadok was in the place of Abiathar, 1Ki 2:35; and lastly the confinement of Shimei in Jerusalem, who had cursed David, 1Ki 2:36-38; who upon transgressing the orders given him was put to death, 1Ki 2:39-46.

Cross References

• 1. [Psalms 45:9]
• 2. [See ver. 17 above]
• 3. [See ver. 17 above]
• 4. 1 Kings 1:6; 1 Chronicles 3:2, 5
• 5. 1 Kings 1:7
• 6. See Ruth 1:17
• 7. See Ruth 3:13
• 8. 2 Samuel 7:11, 13; 1 Chronicles 22:10
• 9. 2 Samuel 8:18

Footnotes

• [a]. Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate; Hebrew and for him and for Abiathar