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.