1 Kings 2:26

26 And to Abiathar the priest said the king, `To Anathoth go, unto thy fields; for a man of death thou [art], but in this day I do not put thee to death, because thou hast borne the ark of the Lord Jehovah before David my father, and because thou wast afflicted in all that my father was afflicted in.'

1 Kings 2:26 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 2:26

And unto Abiathar the priest said the king
Who was either at court, or he sent for him, and thus addressed him:

get thee to Anathoth;
a city of the tribe of Benjamin, given to the priests, ( Joshua 21:18 ) ; of which place Abiathar might be originally, and whither he is bid to return:

unto thine own fields;
which belonged to him there, either by inheritance or purchase; and these he was to mind, and not perform the functions of his office, however as high priest, and at Jerusalem, and the tabernacle there, and still less appear at court, or meddle with state affairs, only to attend to his private domestic concerns:

for thou [art] worthy of death;
in joining with Adonijah in the lifetime of David, and setting him up as a king without his knowledge, and in opposition to Solomon, contrary to the will of God, and promise of David, of which he, being high priest, cannot be thought to be ignorant, and for his late confederacy with Adonijah, of which Solomon had knowledge:

but I will not at this time put thee to death;
he does not give him a full pardon, only a respite; suggesting, that should he be guilty of any overt act, he would be put to death another time, though not now:

because thou barest the ark of the Lord God before David my father;
when he fled from Absalom, ( 2 Samuel 15:24 ) ;

and because thou hast been afflicted in all wherein my father was
afflicted;
shared with him in all his afflictions under the persecutions of Saul, from the time he slew the priests at Nob, and at the rebellion of Absalom; in each of which he accompanied him, and suffered and sympathized with him.

1 Kings 2:26 In-Context

24 and now, Jehovah liveth, who hath established me, and causeth me to sit on the throne of David my father, and who hath made for me an house as He spake -- surely to-day is Adonijah put to death.'

25 And king Solomon sendeth by the hand of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he falleth upon him, and he dieth.

26 And to Abiathar the priest said the king, `To Anathoth go, unto thy fields; for a man of death thou [art], but in this day I do not put thee to death, because thou hast borne the ark of the Lord Jehovah before David my father, and because thou wast afflicted in all that my father was afflicted in.'

27 And Solomon casteth out Abiathar from being priest to Jehovah, to fulfil the word of Jehovah which He spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.

28 And the report hath come unto Joab -- for Joab hath turned aside after Adonijah, though after Absalom he did not turn aside -- and Joab fleeth unto the tent of Jehovah, and layeth hold on the horns of the altar.