1 Kings 1:42

42 Suddenly, in the midst of the questioning, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest, showed up. Adonijah said, "Welcome! A brave and good man like you must have good news."

1 Kings 1:42 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 1:42

And while he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar
the priest came
Whom his father had left in the city, to observe what passed there, and give him notice of it:

and Adonijah said unto him, come in, for thou [art] a valiant man, and
bringest good tidings;
which seems to be not a very wise speech, as if there was a connection between being valiant, and bringing good news, or that the one had any influence upon the other; though perhaps it means no more than a good man, "a man of virtue" F9, as it may be rendered; one that fears sin, as the Targum, and so would report nothing but what was true, and therefore might be depended on; see ( 2 Samuel 18:27 ) ; the same phrase is rendered "a worthy man", ( 1 Kings 1:52 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F9 (lyx vya) "vir virtutis", Montanus, Vatablus.

1 Kings 1:42 In-Context

40 Everyone joined the fanfare, the band playing and the people singing, the very earth reverberating to the sound.
41 Adonijah and his retinue of guests were just finishing their "coronation" feast when they heard it. When Joab heard the blast of the ram's horn trumpet he said, "What's going on here? What's all this uproar?"
42 Suddenly, in the midst of the questioning, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest, showed up. Adonijah said, "Welcome! A brave and good man like you must have good news."
43 But Jonathan answered, "Hardly! Our master King David has just made Solomon king!
44 And the king has surrounded him with Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, with the Kerethites and Pelethites; and they've mounted Solomon on the royal mule.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.