Bible Commentaries
1 Kings 1

Verse 1

king David: Occurs in 2 Samuel 6:12 , 2Sa 6:16 ; 2 Samuel 7:18 ; 2 Samuel 8:8 , 2Sa 8:11 ; 2 Samuel 9:5 ; 2 Samuel 13:21 , 2 Samuel 13:39 ; 2Sa 16:5 , 2 Samuel 16:6 ; 2 Samuel 17:17 , 2 Samuel 17:21 ; 2 Samuel 19:11 , 2 Samuel 19:16 . Books begins with king David and ends with king of Babylon. Opens with Temple built, and closes with Temple burnt. Begins with David's first successor on the throne of his kingdom, and ends with David's last successor released from the house of the captivity. Characters of all are tested by the standard if David.

old: About seventy. Compare 2 Samuel 5:4 , 2 Samuel 5:5 .

gat no heat. Compare Psalms 32:3 , Psalms 32:4 .

Verse 2

servants: i.e. his advisers, probably medical.

virgin = damsel. Hebrew. bethulah .

Verse 3

coasts = borders.

Verse 5

Adonijah. Fourth son of David (1 Samuel 3:4 ). Amnon dead (2 Samuel 13:29 ), Absalom dead (2 Samuel 18:14 ), and probably Chileab (2 Samuel 3:3 ).

men. Hebrew. ish . App-14 .

Verse 6

his mother: i.e. "Haggith". See 1 Kings 1:5 .

Verse 7

Joab. This is why his name is not in 2 Samuel 23:0 . See note on 1Ki 23:24 .

Verse 8

mighty men. See 2Sa 23:8 , 2 Samuel 23:9 , 2 Samuel 23:16 , 2 Samuel 23:22 .

Verse 9

En-rogel = well or spring of Rogel. South side of Jerusalem, in the Kidron valley.

the king. Some codices with Syriac, read "and the", &c.

Verse 12

life = soul. Hebrew. nephesh . App-13 .

Verse 13

Didst not thou. ? Figure of speech Erotesis . App-6 .

why then. ? Figure of speech Erotesis . App-6 . Some codices, with Aramaean, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "And behold". her".

Verse 17

My lord. Some codices, with Septuagint and Syriac, add "O king".

the Lord. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .

Verse 18

now. A special reading (Sevir, App-34 ), with three early printed editions, Aramaean, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "thou". But the Massorah ( App-30 ) says the scribes were misled in reading 'attah (thou) instead of 'attah (now).

Verse 20

thou = thou therefore. Some codices, with three early printed editions, and Aramaean, read "And now". See note on 1 Kings 1:18 .

Verse 21

sleep with his fathers. See note on Deuteronomy 31:16 .

offenders. See App-44 .

Verse 22

lo. Figure of speech Asterismos . App-6 .

Verse 23

Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos . App-6 .

Verse 29

soul. Hebrew. nephesh . App-13 .

Verse 30

as = according as.

Verse 33

mine own mule. David had not disobeyed Deuteronomy 17:16 , as Absalom had done (2 Samuel 15:1 ) and Adonijah (1 Kings 1:5 ).

Verse 35

sit, &c. As associate king, Solomon being nineteen years of age.

Verse 39

tabernacle = tent. Hebrew. ohel . Not the Tabernacle at Gibeon, but David's tabernacle (2 Samuel 6:17 ) See App-40 .

Verse 40

piped with pipes = playing loudly on pipes. Figure of speech Polyptoton App-6 .

rejoiced with great joy = greatly rejoiced.

the earth rent. Figure of speech Hyperbole . App-6 .

Verse 43

And = But.

Jonathan. David's faithful messenger of 2 Samuel 15:36 with 2 Samuel 17:17 .

Verily = of a truth; or, truth to tell.

Verse 44

Cherethites, &c. A bodyguard (1 Samuel 30:14 ).

Verse 46

sitteth = hath taken [his] seat.

Verse 47

bowed = worshipped. Compare Genesis 47:31 .

Verse 52

shew himself Some codices, with one early printed edition, add "toward me".

worthy man = a son of valour.

not an hair, &c. Figure of speech Paroemia . App-6 .