1 Kings 2:22-32

22 King Shlomo answered his mother, Why do you ask Avishag the Shunammite for Adoniyahu? ask for him the kingdom also; for he is my elder brother; even for him, and for Avyatar the Kohen, and for Yo'av the son of Tzeru'yah.

23 Then king Shlomo swore by the LORD, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adoniyahu has not spoken this word against his own life.

24 Now therefore as the LORD lives, who has established me, and set me on the throne of David my father, and who has made me a house, as he promised, surely Adoniyahu shall be put to death this day.

25 King Shlomo sent by Benayah the son of Yehoiada; and he fell on him, so that he died.

26 To Avyatar the Kohen said the king, Get you to `Anatot, to your own fields; for you are worthy of death: but I will not at this time put you to death, because you bear the ark of the Lord GOD before David my father, and because you were afflicted in all in which my father was afflicted.

27 So Shlomo thrust out Avyatar from being Kohen to the LORD, that he might fulfill the word of the LORD, which he spoke concerning the house of `Eli in Shiloh.

28 The news came to Yo'av; for Yo'av had turned after Adoniyahu, though he didn't turn after Avshalom. Yo'av fled to the Tent of the LORD, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.

29 It was told king Shlomo, Yo'av is fled to the Tent of the LORD, and, behold, he is by the altar. Then Shlomo sent Benayah the son of Yehoiada, saying, Go, fall on him.

30 Benayah came to the Tent of the LORD, and said to him, Thus says the king, Come forth. He said, No; but I will die here. Benayah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Yo'av, and thus he answered me.

31 The king said to him, Do as he has said, and fall on him, and bury him; that you may take away the blood, which Yo'av shed without cause, from me and from my father's house.

32 The LORD will return his blood on his own head, because he fell on two men more righteous and better than he, and killed them with the sword, and my father David didn't know it, [to wit], Aviner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Yisra'el, and `Amasa the son of Yeter, captain of the host of Yehudah.

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.