1 Kings 2:22-32

22 King Solomon answered his mother, "Why do you ask me to give him Abishag? Why don't you also ask for him to become the king since he is my older brother? Abiathar the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah would support him!"

23 Then King Solomon swore by the name of the Lord, saying, "May God punish me terribly if this doesn't cost Adonijah his life!

24 By the Lord who has given me the throne that belonged to my father David and who has kept his promise and given the kingdom to me and my people, Adonijah will die today!"

25 Then King Solomon gave orders to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he went and killed Adonijah.

26 King Solomon said to Abiathar the priest, "I should kill you too, but I will allow you to go back to your fields in Anathoth. I will not kill you at this time, because you helped carry the Ark of the Lord God while marching with my father David. And I know you shared in all the hard times with him."

27 Then Solomon removed Abiathar from being the Lord's priest. This happened as the Lord had said it would, when he was speaking in Shiloh about the priest Eli and his descendants.

28 When Joab heard about what had happened, he was afraid. He had supported Adonijah but not Absalom. So Joab ran to the Tent of the Lord and took hold of the corners of the altar.

29 Someone told King Solomon that Joab had run to the Tent of the Lord and was beside the altar. Then Solomon ordered Benaiah to go and kill him.

30 Benaiah went into the Tent of the Lord and said to Joab, "The king says, 'Come out!'" But Joab answered, "No, I will die here." So Benaiah went back to the king and told him what Joab had said.

31 Then the king ordered Benaiah, "Do as he says! Kill him there and bury him. Then my family and I will be free of the guilt of Joab, who has killed innocent people.

32 Without my father knowing it, he killed two men who were much better than he was -- Abner son of Ner, the commander of Israel's army, and Amasa son of Jether, the commander of Judah's army. So the Lord will pay him back for those deaths.

1 Kings 2:22-32 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.