CHAPTER ONE: Verses 28-53

 CHAPTER ONE 28-40

1Ki 1:28  And King David replied and said, Call Bathsheba for me. And she came in before the king, and stood before the king. 

1Ki 1:29  And the king swore and said, As Jehovah lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all distress, 

1Ki 1:30  surely as I swore to you by Jehovah, the God of Israel, saying, Surely your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place; surely so I will do this day. 

1Ki 1:31  And Bathsheba bowed her face to the earth, even bowing to the king, and said, Let my lord King David live forever. 

1Ki 1:32  And King David said, Call Zadok the priest for me and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came in before the king. 

1Ki 1:33  And the king said to them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and you shall cause my son Solomon to ride on my mule, and cause him to go down to Gihon. 

1Ki 1:34  And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet shall anoint him there as king over Israel. And you shall blow with the ram's horn and shout, Let King Solomon live! 

1Ki 1:35  And you shall come up after him, and let him come and sit on my throne, for he shall reign in my place. For I have appointed him ruler over Israel, and over Judah. 

1Ki 1:36  And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, Amen! So says Jehovah the God of my lord the king. 

1Ki 1:37  As Jehovah has been with my lord the king, so shall He be with Solomon, and shall make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David. 

1Ki 1:38  And Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites went out and caused Solomon to ride on King David's mule, and caused him to go to Gihon. 

1Ki 1:39  And Zadok the priest took the horn of oil out of the Tabernacle and anointed Solomon. And they blew with the ram's horn, and all the people shouted, Let King Solomon live! 

1Ki 1:40  And all the people came up after him. And the people were piping with pipes, and rejoicing with great joy. And the earth was torn with their sound. 

Summary: After a time, David calls Bathsheba and promises to make good on his promise. He calls for Zadok (priest), Nathan (prophet), Benaiah (warrior son of a priest) to take Solomon to Gihon, anoint him as king and announce his coronation. Solomon was to be placed on David's throne.

1. How is Solomon's dedication different from Adonijah's? It was promised by God. - It is decreed by the current king. There is anointing by God's priests. 
This was a gift from God. Solomon did not try to scheme his way to the throne.

Reference 1Cronicles 23 and 29 - We see David addressing the building of the temple and handing the reins to a young Solomon (indicating he would be the next king). In chapter 29, Solomon is dedicated a 2nd time as king by David. This may be the issues at hand not covered in 1Kings. Perhaps Adonijah's rebellion was a direct assault against David's wishes (knowingly).

Verses 41-53:

1Ki 1:41  And Adonijah heard, and all those invited, who were with him. And they stopped eating. And Joab heard the sound of the ram's horn, and said, What is this noise roaring from the city? 

1Ki 1:42  And he was still speaking, and, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came in. And Adonijah said, Come in, for you are a mighty man and bear good news. 

1Ki 1:43  And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, Truly our lord, King David, has caused Solomon to reign. 

1Ki 1:44  And the king sent Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet with him, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites. And they caused him to ride on the king's mule. 

1Ki 1:45  And they anointed him, Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet, as king in Gihon. And they have come up from there rejoicing. And the city was roaring. It is the noise that you heard. 

1Ki 1:46  And also Solomon has sat on the throne of the kingdom. 

1Ki 1:47  And also the king's servants have come in to bless our lord, King David, saying, Your God shall make the name of Solomon better than your name, and his throne greater than your throne. And the king bowed himself on the bed. 

1Ki 1:48  And also the king has said, Blessed is Jehovah the God of Israel who has today given one sitting on my throne, and my eyes seeing it. 

1Ki 1:49  And they trembled and rose up, all those who were invited by Adonijah, and left, each to his way. 

1Ki 1:50  And Adonijah was afraid because of Solomon, and he rose up and went and lay hold on the horns of the altar. 

1Ki 1:51  And it was told to Solomon, saying, Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon. And, behold, he has laid hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let King Solomon swear to me as of today that he will not put his servant to death by the sword. 

1Ki 1:52  And Solomon said, If he becomes a son of virtue, not a hair of his head shall fall to the earth. But if evil is found in him, then he shall die. 

1Ki 1:53  And King Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came in and bowed to King Solomon. And Solomon said to him, Go to your house. 

Summary:
When the Adonijah party hears of Solomon's coronation the tremble in fear and leave. Adonijah grabs hold of the horns of the altar seeking forgiveness. Solomon states that if Adonijah is sincere he will live. Otherwise, he will die.

1. Question 4 in the lesson book asks: What is the symbolism intended by Adonijah trying to save his life by taking hold of the horns of the altar? 
The altar was the place one made sacrifices concerning sin as a means of atonement (covering). It's interesting to see this move toward God's protection even after Adonijah had disregarded God's word that Solomon would be king.

2. Why did Abiathar ally with  Adonijah's rebellion? It is easy to see why someone as ruthless as Joab would drift away, especially after being slighted by the king. This was not so apparent in Abiathar's case. Perhaps it was old history. ISam 22-23 David procures priestly bread from Ahimelech. When Saul finds out, he murders those priests. Abiathar is the only one to flee and survive. Could this have weight in his decision?

CHAPTER ONE 11-27

 CHAPTER ONE

Verses 11-27

1Ki 1:11  And Nathan spoke to Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon, saying, Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith reigns, and our lord David does not know? 

1Ki 1:12  And now, come, please let me counsel you with counsel, and save your life, and the life of your son Solomon. 

1Ki 1:13  Go up and go in to King David. And you shall say to him, My lord, O king, have you not sworn to your handmaid, saying, Surely your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne? And why does Adonijah reign? 

1Ki 1:14  Behold, while you are speaking with the king, then I will come in after you and will confirm your words. 

1Ki 1:15  And Bathsheba came in to the king, to the inner room. And the king was old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king. 

1Ki 1:16  And Bathsheba bowed and knelt before the king. And the king said, What shall I do for you? 

1Ki 1:17  And she said to him, My lord, you have sworn to your handmaid by Jehovah your God, saying, Surely your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne. 

1Ki 1:18  And now, behold, Adonijah reigns. And now, my lord O king, you have not known. 

1Ki 1:19  And he sacrifices oxen, and fatlings, and sheep in abundance, and has called all the king's sons, and Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of the army. But he has not called to your servant Solomon. 

1Ki 1:20  And you, my lord O king, the eyes of Israel are on you, to tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 

1Ki 1:21  And it will be, when my lord the king lies with his fathers, that I, my son Solomon and I, shall be offenders. 

1Ki 1:22  And, behold, she was speaking with the king, and Nathan the prophet came in. 

1Ki 1:23  And they told the king, saying, Behold, Nathan the prophet! And he came in before the king and bowed to the king, his nose to the earth. 

1Ki 1:24  And Nathan said, My lord O king, have you said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne? 

1Ki 1:25  For he has gone down today and sacrificed oxen, and fatlings, and sheep in abundance, and has called all the king's sons, and the army commanders, and Abiathar the priest. And behold, they are eating and drinking before him, and they are saying, Let King Adonijah live! 

1Ki 1:26  But as for me, I, your servant, and for Zadok the priest, and for Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and for your servant Solomon, he has not called. 

1Ki 1:27  If this thing is to come about from my lord the king, then you have not caused your servant to know who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 

Summary: Nathan goes to Bathsheba to plan to address Adonijah's rebellion. Bathsheba is to go before the king and explain that Adonijah is claiming Kingship. Adonijah is making sacrifices and Solomon was not invited. She reminds David that he promised that Solomon would be king and that Israel is waiting for him to announce who will succeed him. If David dies and he does not announce the new king, Bathsheba and Solomon's lives are at stake.
While she is speaking, Nathan walks in (as planned) and reiterates the same concerns.

1. Adonijah's actions seem very public. Why didn't Bathsheba know about this? If she did, why didn't she do something about it? Why does Nathan feel the need to make this plan of double-teaming David on this matter?
Whether or not Bathsheba knew of Adonijah's conspiracy is unknowable. It is very possible that even if she knew, she was afraid. Remember, she is NOT David's only wife. And at this time, David is with a young nursemaid. You don't just walk in on the king nilly willy. Adonijah IS older. Solomon is still fairly young at this time.
It isn't until Nathan who represents God's word interjects himself into the situation that she feels compelled to right the wrongs perpetuated by Adonijah.
What do we learn from Nathan? If a problem is approached by the will of God, we should feel empowered to do the right thing.

CHAPTER ONE Verses 1-10

 CHAPTER ONE:
 Verses 1-10

1Ki 1:1  And King David was old, going into days. And they covered him with garments, for he had no heat. 

1Ki 1:2  And his servants said to him, Let them seek out a young woman for my lord the king, a virgin, and she shall stand before the king, and be a nurse to him, and lie in your bosom, and my lord the king shall have heat. 

1Ki 1:3  And they sought out a beautiful young woman in all the border of Israel. And they found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her in to the king. 

1Ki 1:4  And the young woman was exceedingly beautiful, and she was a nurse to the king and served him. But the king did not know her. 

1Ki 1:5  And Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will reign. And he prepared a chariot for himself, and horsemen, and fifty men running before his face. 

1Ki 1:6  And his father had not troubled him all his days, saying, Why have you done so? And he also was very good of form, and one had borne him after Absalom. 

1Ki 1:7  And his words were with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest. And they helped, going after Adonijah. 

1Ki 1:8  But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men who were to David, were not with Adonijah. 

1Ki 1:9  And Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fatlings near the Stone of Serpents which is near En-rogel. And he called all his brothers, the sons of the king, and all the men of Judah, the servants of the king. 

1Ki 1:10  But he did not call Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and his brother Solomon. 

Summary: David is old and can't stay warm. Abishag is assigned to minister to him and keep him warm. He does not have relations with her. Adonijah claims himself as king. He hires chariots and 50 men run before him (sounds familiar). David does not disapprove. Adonijah confers with Joab and Abiathar as allies. Some noted people do not follow him. Adonijah sacrifices animals and invites David's sons and servants...but not Solomon (or his followers).  

1. Notice later in the chapter David's relationship with Bathsheba and then the incident with Abishag. Comment on this scene in comparison to the way it would have been had David been devoted to one woman all his life.
(Note:1 Chron 28:5 David declares that God told him Solomon would sit on the throne) - There are some questions as to whether or not David vowed to Bathsheba that Solomon was to be king. 1Chronicles addresses that supposition. It seems likely that indeed, David had made the promise. More importantly in the context of the question, David needs reminding. This was no small task as we see Nathan taking charge and bolstering Bathsheba's case before the king. Perhaps David's memory was waning. To the point, if he only had one wife with limited children, the reminders would have been more pronounced or altogether unnecessary. (Would this have even happened if David was with Bathsheba and not Abishag?) As it is with many wives, his decision making is affected by the whims of his children. (That was true even before he became very old). Note how Bathsheba was treated pretty much like a possession. When Nathan enters the room, she apparently leaves and has to be summoned.

2. Comment on the statement in verse six: "and his father had not rebuked him at any time."
We might point out David's lack of parental actions as part of his weaknesses. If it were a case of David allowing his son to "learn things the hard way" it might have been different. But this is a clear case of usurping of authority, and David does nothing. Adonijah is Absalom's 1/2 brother and we saw David's lack of will to discipline in his case as well. Consider the lack of action against Amnon. It may be that David forgot GOD has called out Solomon to be king. If that is true, it speaks to the level of the relational dynamics he kept with his children. Perhaps being king is not conducive to fostering strong family ties (too busy with other things). 
Many speculate that David felt he could not leverage his authority to exact discipline because of his sin with Bathsheba. The thought is that he would appear as a hypocrite if he passed judgement for other's sin. There is likely some merit to that thought. There does appear to be more to the story as well. David put his faith in God, which means he trusted that outcomes were God driven. Review 2Sam 12- God judges against David - After this incident, David's issues proliferate. Was David just leaving everything in the hands of God? If so, is that wrong? 

3. After so many years with David, why would Joab have joined with Adonijah? 
Consider David's relationship with Joab -See 1Chron 2:15-16 How was Joab related to David? (Cousins) - Through David's sister Zeruiah
Now consider their "working" relationship 1Chron 11:4-7 - Joab was a valiant warrior.
2 Sam - Joab's council to David: He sees David laments for his son and advises him to get Absalom. He advises David NOT to take the census.
Throughout David's life, Joab appears to have David's best interest at heart.
Other things to remember - After Abner had killed Joab's brother Asahel, Joab meets Abner at a city gate for a "quite meeting" then kills Abner on the spot (2 Sam 3:27). David demotes Joab and makes Amasa head general (2Sam 19). 2Sam 20 - Joab greets Amasa stabs him and leaves him to die a slow death. 2 Sam2:17- Amasa was Joab and David's cousin from David's sister Abigail. 2Sam 18:5 David orders no harm tp Absalom, 2 Sam 18:14-15 Joab kills Absalom, David's son.

The relationship of David and Joab is very complicated, and yet a necessary thing for David for his ascension to power. The sting of David demoting Joab was likely never forgotten. Also, it was obvious that Joab did not feel compelled to obey the king and pretty much did whatever he thought was right. As much as Joab cites God for much of his own decision making, his ruthless murdering reveals a more self-centered motivation. Joab tires of David's lament for his children. Perhaps he sees David as weak. It's difficult to know for sure. But one thing we can be sure of, Joab must have thought David was going to lose to Adonijah. It taints any semblance of what once may have been considered "noble loyalty."

 

Let's Begin!

 As is the case with any in-depth study, the first step is to simply read. A scan of the chapter headings will give us a snapshot view of the book. Then a cursory reading will get us into the flow of the stories God is presenting for our learning.

 The following are brief notations made after each chapter.

1) David is old. Adonijah attempts to make himself king. Nathan and Bathsheba tell David. David has Solomon anointed as king.

2) Judgements against David/Solomon's enemies. (Adonijah, Joab, Shimei)

3) Alliance with Egypt. High places for sacrifices. Solomon asks God for wisdom. Demonstrates that power.

4) Solomon assembles his court. Solomon's wisdom well known. Peace, prosperity, for Israel, fame, fortune for Solomon

5) Alliance with Hiram. Hiram supplies wood. Conscription workers of Israel for stonework.

6) Construction of the temple. God's covenant. Seven years to build temple....very opulent.

7) Construction of Solomon's home. Very opulent furnishings. Hiram's extensive bronze work. 

8) Ark placed in the temple. God's presence made known. Solomon's prayer/dedication. Israel is blessed.

9) Reaffirmation of God's covenant. Cities given to Hiram. Alliances and forced labor.

10) A visit from the queen of Sheba. Solomon's wealth.

11) Solomon turns from God. Is judged by God. Adversaries rise up against Solomon. Solomon dies.

12) Rehoboam petitioned by Jeroboam/Israel. Rehoboam's folly. The nation divides. God forbids civil war. Idolatry runs rampant.

13)  God rebukes Jeroboam. A prophet's disobedience. Jeroboam is cursed, continues in idolatry.

14) Jeroboam's son Abijah dies. Israel cursed over idolatry. Rehoboam's idolatry. Constant wars.

15) Abijam rules Judah for three years, dies. Asa succeeds Abijam and is a good king, he dies. Jehoshaphat succeeds Asa. Nadab succeeds Jeroboam (2 years). Baasha kills Nadab and destroys Jeroboams household. War between Baasha and Asa.

16) Israel Kings: Baasha cursed by God. Baasha dies, his son Elah takes over. Elah's commanander Zimri conspires against Elah and kills him. Destroys the house of Baasha. Zimri reigns seven days. The people make Omri king and go against Zimri. Zimri commits suicide. Israel has two kings: Omri and Tibni. Omri prevails over Tibni. Omri is an evil king. Omri dies. Omri's son Ahab takes over. Ahab is double/triple evil with idolatry.

17) Elijah prophecies about famine. Fed by crows. Lives with widow. Endless flour. Raises widows son.

18) Obadiah and Elijah. Elijah challenges false prophets. God is proven, false prophets are destroyed. Rain provided.

19) Elijah flees Jezebel. Elijah passes his mantle to Elisha. 

20) Victory and failures by Ahab. God reveals Himself  to Ahab (by helping him).

21) Ahab covets Nabal's vineyard. Jezebel has Nabal murdered. God curses Nabal's household.

22) Ahab wars with Aram. Asks help from Jehoshaphat. Ahab's prophets say God says to go to war. Micaiah (prophet) says it will go badly. Ahab is killed in battle. Jehoshaphat and Asa are good Judean kings.