1 Kings 2:1

1 When David was about to die, he called his son Solomon and gave him his last instructions:

1 Kings 2:1 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 2:1

Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die
The number of his days fixed and determined by the Lord, ( Job 14:5 ) ; and which might be perceived as drawing nigh, both by himself and others, through the growing infirmities of old age, decline of nature, and various symptoms of an approaching dissolution which were upon him; see ( Genesis 47:29 ) . Abarbinel observes, that he is called only David, not King David; because Solomon his son was now anointed king, and reigned in his stead; so in ( 1 Kings 1:10 1 Kings 1:11 ) ; but there is another reason given by some Jews ^F14, that no man, even a king, has power in the day of death; he is no king then, he has no rule over that, but that rules over him:

and he charged Solomon his son;
gave him his last and dying charge:

saying;
as follows.

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FOOTNOTES:

F14 Bereshit Rabba, sect. 96. fol. 83. 3.

1 Kings 2:1 In-Context

1 When David was about to die, he called his son Solomon and gave him his last instructions:

2 "My time to die has come. Be confident and determined,

3 and do what the Lord your God orders you to do. Obey all his laws and commands, as written in the Law of Moses, so that wherever you go you may prosper in everything you do.

4 If you obey him, the Lord will keep the promise he made when he told me that my descendants would rule Israel as long as they were careful to obey his commands faithfully with all their heart and soul.

5 "There is something else. You remember what Joab did to me by killing the two commanders of Israel's armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. You remember how he murdered them in time of peace as revenge for deaths they had caused in time of war. He killed innocent men, and now I bear the responsibility for what he did, and I suffer the consequences.