I Kings Chapter One

From glorious beginning to disastrous end, the Books of I and II Kings, also known as the Books of Kings, recount the history of the Israelite monarchy from the reign of Solomon to the destruction of the First Temple in Jerusalem and the Babylonian exile. It provides insights into the political, religious, and social aspects of ancient Israel during those periods. From one righteous king to another evil king one after another, miracle after miracle favoring the righteous kings, and against the evil kings.

Detailed accounts can be found in the prophecies of the later prophets — Isaiah, Hosea, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, who were contemporaries during the temple era.

Power and Wealth Over Righteousness

David witnessed the power struggles among his sons; even down to his old age until his death.

*So true even in our day and age, in politics and among kindred. All because of power and wealth!

But G-d blesses the humble – Solomon…

“The Last Days of David”
“Solomon is Proclaimed King”

King David was old, advanced in years. They covered him with garments, but he did not become warm.
1:1
They sought a beautiful girl throughout the boundary of Israel, and they found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king.
1:3
Adonijah son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I shall reign!” He provided himself with chariot and riders, and fifty men to run before him.
:5
… Moreover, he was very handsome and [his mother] bore him after Absalom.
:6
But Zadok the Kohen, Benaiah son fo Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei and David’s mighty men were not with Adonijah.
:8
Nathan spoke to Bath-sheba, Solomon’s mother, saying, “Have you not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has become king? But our lord David does not know.
:11
She said to him, “My lord, you swore to your maidservant by Hashem, your God, ‘Only Solomon, your son, will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne.’
:17
The king swore and said, “As Hashem lives, Who has redeemed my life from every trouble,
:29
[I swear] that as I have sworn to you by Hashem, the God of Israel, saying, ‘Solomon your son will reign after me and he will sit on my throne in my place,’ so shall I fulfill it this very day.”
:30
The king said to them, ‘Take with you your master’s servants and mount my son Solomon upon my mule and take him down to Gihon.
:33
There Zadok the Kohen and Nathan the prophet shall anoint him as king over Israel; sound the shofar and proclaim, ‘[Long] live King Solomon!”
:34
Then come back up after him, and let him come and sit upon my throne, and he shall reign in my place, for it is he whom I have commanded to become ruler over Israel and Judah.”
:35
Just as Hashem was with my lord the king, so may He be with Solomon, and may He make his throne even greater than the throne of my lord King David!”
:37
Zadok the Kohen had taken the horn of oil from the Tent, and he anointed Solomon; they sounded the shofar, and all the people proclaimed, “[Long] live King Solomon!”
:39
Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, “To the contrary, our lord King David has made Solomon king!
:43
Furthermore, Solomon has sat upon the royal throne,
:46
Furthermore, the king said thus, “Blessed is Hashem, God of Israel, Who has granted today someone who sits upon my throne and my eyes can see it.’”
:48
Solomon was told, saying, “Behold, Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon, …
51
Solomon said, “If he will be a loyal man, not a single hair of his will fall to the ground, but if any evil will be found in him, he shall die,”
:52

1 And king David was old, he came into his old age, and they covered him with clothes, but he was not warmed.
2 And his servants said to him, “Let them seek for my lord the king a young girl, a virgin, and she shall stand before the king, and she shall be to him a warmer, and she shall lie in your lap, and it shall be warm for my lord the king.”
3 And they sought a beautiful young girl throughout the borders of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunemitess and brought her to the king.
4 And the young girl was very beautiful, and she was a warmer to the king, and she ministered to him, but the king did not know her.
5 And Adoniahu the son of Haggith exalted himself saying: ‘I will be king,’ and he made for himself chariots and horsemen and fifty men to run before him.
6 And his father had not angered him all his days saying, “Why have you done so?” And he too was of very handsome appearance, and she bore him after Absalom.
7 And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest and they helped [by following] after Adoniahu.
8 And Zadok the priest and Benaiahu the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei and Rei, and the mighty men, who were with David, were not with Adoniahu.
9 And Adoniahu slew sheep and oxen and fatlings, by the stone of Zoheleth which is beside En-Rogel, and he called all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah, the kings servants.
10 And Nathan the prophet and Benaiahu and the mighty men and his brother, Solomon, he did not call.
11 And Nathan said to Bath-Sheba, Solomon’s mother, saying, “You have surely heard that Adoniahu the son of Haggith has reigned, and our lord, David, did not know [it].
12 And now come and I shall council you with advice, and you shall save your life and the life of your son Solomon.
13 Go and come to king David, and you shall say to him, ‘Surely, you, my lord the king, did swear to your maid saying that, ‘Solomon your son will reign after me and he shall sit upon my throne,’ Now why did Adoniahu reign?”
14 Behold, you are talking there with the king, and I shall come in after you and I shall complete your words.”
15 And Bath Sheba came in unto the king, into the chamber; and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunemitess ministered the king.
16 And Bath-Sheba bowed her head, and prostrated herself unto the king, and the king said, “What is your [wish]?”
17 And she said to him, “My lord, you swore by the Lord your God to your maid, that, ‘Solomon, your son, shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.’
18 And now, behold Adoniahu has reigned, and now my lord the king, you did not know.
19 And he has slain oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance and he called all the king’s sons and Abiathar the priest and Joab the general of the army, but Solomon, your servant, he did not call.
20 And you, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are upon you, that you should tell them, who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.
21 And [otherwise] when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, and I and my son Solomon shall be [considered] offenders.”
22 And behold, she was still speaking with the king, and Nathan the prophet came.
23 And they told the king saying, “Behold, Nathan the prophet.” And he came in before the king and he prostrated himself unto the king upon his face, to the ground.
24 And Nathan said, “My lord the king, did you say ‘Adoniahu shall reign after me and he shall sit upon my throne?’”
25 For he has gone down this day and has slain oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and he called all the King’s sons, and the officers of the army, and Abiathar the priest, and behold they eat and drink before him, and they said, “Long live King Adoniahu.”
26 And me, [even] me your servant, and Zadok the priest and Benaiahu the son of Yehoiada and Solomon, your servant, he did not call.
27 If this matter stems from my lord the king, [I wonder that] you have not informed your servant who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.
28 And king David answered and said, “Call Bath Sheba to me. And she came before the king and stood before the king.
29 And he swore and said, “[I swear as] God lives who redeemed my soul from all distress.
30 Indeed, as I swore to you by the Lord God of Israel saying, ‘Surely Solomon, your son, shall reign after me and he shall sit on my throne in my stead,’ surely, so will I do this day.”
31 And Bath-Sheba bowed [her] face to the earth, and she prostrated herself to the king and said, “Let my lord King David live forever.”
32 And king David said, “Call to me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiahu the son of Jehoiada,” and they came before the king.
33 And the king said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord, and you shall cause Solomon my son to ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon.
34 And Tzadok the priest and Nathan the prophet shall anoint him there as king over Israel, and blow the horn and say, “(Long) live King Solomon.”
35 And you shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne, and he shall reign in my stead, and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.
36 And Benaiahu the son of Jehoida answered the king and said, “Amen, [may] the Lord, God of my lord the king say so [too].
37 As the Lord was with my lord the king, so shall He be with Solomon and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.
38 And Tzadok the priest and Nathan the prophet and Benaiahu the son of Jehoiada and the archers and the slingers went down, and caused Solomon to ride on king David’s mule and brought him to Gihon.
39 And Tzadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tabernacle and anointed Solomon, and they blew the horn, and all the people said, “Long live king Solomon.”
40 And all the people came up after him, and the people played the flutes and rejoiced with great joy, and the earth was rent by their sound.
41 And Adoniahu and all the guests who [were] with him heard [it] and they had finished eating, and [as] Joab heard the sound of the horn, he said, “Why (is) the noise of the city turbulent?”
42 (While) he was still speaking, and behold Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came, and Adoniahu said, “Come in, for you are a valiant man, and bring good tidings.”
43 And Jonathan answered and said to Adoniahu, “But our lord king David has made Solomon king.
44 And the king sent with him Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet and Benaihu the son of Jehoiada and the archers and the slingers, and they have caused him to ride on the king’s mule.
45 And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon, and they have come up from their rejoicing, and (therefore) the city was turbulent, this is the noise you have heard.
46 And also Solomon was sitting on the throne of the kingdom.
47 And also the king’s servants came to bless our lord king David saying, ‘(May) God make the name of Solomon better than your name, and make his throne greater than your throne,’ and the king bowed down upon the bed.
48 And also this the king said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who has given this day one to sit on my throne, and my eyes seeing (it).’”
49 And all Adoniahu’s guests trembled and arose and went each man to his way.
50 And Adoniahu was fearful of Solomon, and he rose and went, and he took hold of the horns of the altar.
51 And it was told to Solomon saying, behold Adoniahu fears king Solomon, and behold he has taken hold of the horns of the altar saying, “Let king Solomon swear to me today, that he shall not kill his servant with the sword.”
52 And Solomon said, “If he will be a valiant man, even one hair of his shall not fall to the ground, but if wickedness will be found in him, he shall die.
53 And King Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar, and he came in and prostrated himself before king Solomon, and Solomon said to him. “Go to your house.”