1 Kings 2:24

24 Now therefore, as the Lord lives, who has confirmed me and set me on the throne of David my father, and who has established a house [a] for me, as He promised, Adonijah shall be put to death today!"

1 Kings 2:24 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 2:24

Now therefore, as the Lord liveth
Which is another oath; and one may easily perceive hereby in what a temper and disposition Solomon was, how warm, earnest, and vehement, how resolute against the petition, and how determined he was to punish Adonijah and his confederates:

which hath established me, and set me upon the throne of David my
father, and who hath made me an house, as he promised;
who had placed him on his father's throne, and established him there, in spite of all his enemies, and had given him a firm and stable kingdom, which was not to be shaken and subverted by the power and policy of conspirators, according to the promise of God by Nathan, ( 2 Samuel 7:11-13 ) ;

Adonijah shall be put to death this day;
both for his former conspiracy, he only having had a reprieve, and which was to continue on his good behaviour, ( 1 Kings 1:51-53 ) , and for his fresh attempt in forming treasonable schemes to ascend the throne if possible; wherefore, being a dangerous man, and no longer to be trusted, Solomon was determined to dispatch him at once, and being established in his kingdom, he had nothing to fear from those in the conspiracy with him.

1 Kings 2:24 In-Context

22 And King Solomon answered and said to his mother, "Now why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also--for he is my older brother--for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah."
23 Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, "May God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life!
24 Now therefore, as the Lord lives, who has confirmed me and set me on the throne of David my father, and who has established a house for me, as He promised, Adonijah shall be put to death today!"
25 So King Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he struck him down, and he died.
26 And to Abiathar the priest the king said, "Go to Anathoth, to your own fields, for you are deserving of death; but I will not put you to death at this time, because you carried the ark of the Lord God before my father David, and because you were afflicted every time my father was afflicted."

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. That is, a royal dynasty
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.