1 Kings 1:51

51 Solomon was told, "Look, Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon, and he has grasped the horns of the altar, saying, 'Let King Solomon swear to me {first}^[a] that he will surely 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 the invited guests who [were] for Adonijah trembled and got up and went, each on his way.

50 Adonijah was afraid because of Solomon, and he got up and went and grasped the horns of the altar.

51 Solomon was told, "Look, Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon, and he has grasped the horns of the altar, saying, 'Let King Solomon swear to me {first} that he will surely not kill his servant with the sword!'"

52 Solomon said, "If he is a son of noble character, not a hair of his [head] will fall to the ground, but if evil is found in him, then he will die."

53 Then King Solomon sent and brought him down from upon the altar. He came and did obeisance to King Solomon. Solomon said to him, "Go to your house."

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "as the day"