1 Kings 2:23

23 Then King Solomon swore by Yahweh, saying, "Thus may God do to me and thus may he add, if Adonijah hasn't spoken this thing at the expense of his life.

1 Kings 2:23 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 2:23

Then King Solomon sware by the Lord
To prevent his mother pressing him to have her petition granted:

saying, God do so to me, and more also;
lay such and such evils upon me, and more than I care to express:

if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life;
to his own prejudice, and even to the loss of his life; in which Solomon suggests it would issue, being a fresh overt act of treason; he knew, from what Bathsheba said, that this was his petition, and that he had spoken of this to her, and put her upon making it for him; and who no doubt related to Solomon the whole of the conversation that passed between them, and to which he seems to have some respect in his answer.

1 Kings 2:23 In-Context

21 Then she said, "Let Abishag the Shunnamite be given to Adonijah your brother as wife."

22 King Solomon answered and said to his mother, "Why are you asking Abishag the Shunnamite for Adonijah? Ask for him also the kingdom, for he is my brother, older than I; and [ask] for him also Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah."

23 Then King Solomon swore by Yahweh, saying, "Thus may God do to me and thus may he add, if Adonijah hasn't spoken this thing at the expense of his life.

24 So then, {as Yahweh lives}, who has established me and seated me on the throne of my father David and who has established for me a dynasty as he promised, then surely Adonijah will be put to death today."

25 King Solomon sent through the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, so he struck him, and he died.