1 Kings 1:51

51 It was reported to Solomon: "Look, Adonijah fears King Solomon, and he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, 'Let King Solomon first^[a] swear to me that he will not kill his servant with the sword.' "

1 Kings 1:51 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 1:51

And it was told Solomon
By some of his courtiers:

saying, behold, Adonijah feareth King Solomon;
lest he should take away his life:

for, lo, he hath caught hold on the horns of the altar;
which was the last resort of the guilty when they despaired of mercy otherwise:

saying, let King Solomon swear unto me this day that he will not slay
his servant with the sword;
he owns Solomon to be king, and himself his subject and servant; this no doubt he did to conciliate his favour, nor did he think his life safe, unless Solomon promised with an oath, that he would not take it away.

1 Kings 1:51 In-Context

49 Then all of Adonijah's guests got up trembling and went their separate ways.

50 Adonijah was afraid of Solomon, so he got up and went to take hold of the horns of the altar.

51 It was reported to Solomon: "Look, Adonijah fears King Solomon, and he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, 'Let King Solomon first swear to me that he will not kill his servant with the sword.' "

52 Then Solomon said, "If he is a man of character, then not a single hair of his will fall to the ground, but if evil is found in him, then he dies."

53 So King Solomon sent for him, and they took him down from the altar. He came and paid homage to King Solomon, and Solomon said to him, "Go to your home."

Footnotes

• [a]. Two Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Vg read today