Bible Commentaries
1 Kings 1

Verse 1

1:1 Now king David was {a} old [and] stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no {b} heat.

(a) He was about 70 years old, 2 Samuel 5:4.

(b) For his natural heat was worn away with travels.

Verse 3

1:3 So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag {c} a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.

(c) A city in the tribe of Issachar, Joshua 19:18.

Verse 5

1:5 Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and {d} fifty men to run before him.

(d) Read 2 Samuel 15:1.

Verse 7

1:7 And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah {e} helped [him].

(e) They took his part and followed him.

Verse 10

1:10 But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and {f} the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he called not.

(f) As the Cherethites and Pelethites.

Verse 12

1:12 Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own {g} life, and the life of thy son Solomon.

(g) For Adonijah will destroy you and your son, if he reigns.

Verse 14

1:14 Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come in after thee, and {h} confirm thy words.

(h) By declaring such things, as may further the same.

Verse 18

1:18 And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and now, my lord the king, thou knowest {i} [it] not:

(i) The king being worn with age, could not attend to the affairs of the realm, and also Adonijah had many who kept it from the king.

Verse 21

1:21 Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be {k} counted offenders.

(k) And so put to death as wicked transgressors.

Verse 23

1:23 And they told the king, saying, Behold Nathan the prophet. And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face {l} to the ground.

(l) Acknowledging him to be the true and worthy king appointed by God, as the figure of his Christ.

Verse 27

1:27 Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not shewed [it] unto thy {m} servant, who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?

(m) Meaning, that in such affairs he should undertake nothing unless he had consulted with the Lord.

Verse 30

1:30 Even as I {n} sware unto thee by the LORD God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day.

(n) Moved by the Spirit of God to do so, because he foresaw that Solomon would be the figure of Christ.

Verse 33

1:33 The king also said unto them, Take with you the {o} servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon:

(o) Meaning, the king’s servants and such as were of his guard.

Verse 39

1:39 And Zadok the priest took an horn of {p} oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, God save king Solomon.

(p) With which they were accustomed to anoint the priests and the holy instruments, Exodus 30:23.

Verse 42

1:42 And while he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came: and Adonijah said unto him, Come in; for thou [art] a valiant man, and bringest {q} good tidings.

(q) He praised Jonathan, thinking to have heard good news but God wrought things contrary to his expectation, and so beat down his pride.

Verse 47

1:47 And moreover the king’s servants came to bless our lord king David, saying, God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne. And the king bowed himself upon the {f} bed.

(f) He gave God thanks for the good success.

Verse 50

1:50 And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the {t} altar.

(t) Which David his father had built in the floor of Araunah, 2 Samuel 24:25.