Now the days of David drew near that he should die; and he commanded Solomon his son, saying,
KJV
Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying,
Commentary
Commentary
In this chapter we have David setting and Solomon at the same time
rising.
I. The conclusion of David's reign with his life.
1. The charge he gives to Solomon upon his death-bed, in general, to
serve God
( ver. 1-4 ),
in particular, concerning Joab, Barzillai, and Shimei, ver. 5-9 .
2. His death and burial, and the years of his reign, ver. 10, 11 .
II. The beginning of Solomon's reign, ver. 12 .
Though he was to be a prince of peace, he began his reign with some
remarkable acts of justice,
1. Upon Adonijah, whom he put to death for his aspiring pretensions, ver. 13-25 .
2. Upon Abiathar, whom he deposed from the high priesthood for siding
with Adonijah, ver. 26, 27 .
3. Upon Joab, who he put to death for his late treasons and former
murders, ver. 28-35 .
4. Upon Shimei, whom, for cursing David, he confined to Jerusalem
( ver. 36-38 ),
and three years after, for transgressing the rules, put to death, ver. 39-46 .
1 Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he
charged Solomon his son, saying,
2 I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and
show thyself a man;
3 And keep the charge of the L ORD thy God, to walk in his ways,
to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments,
and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that
thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever
thou turnest thyself:
4 That the L ORD may continue his word which he spake concerning
me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk
before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul,
there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of
Israel.
5 Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did
to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of
Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of
Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put
the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and
in his shoes that were on his feet.
6 Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar
head go down to the grave in peace.
7 But show kindness unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite,
and let them be of those that eat at thy table: for so they came
to me when I fled because of Absalom thy brother.
8 And, behold, thou hast with thee Shimei the son of Gera, a
Benjamite of Bahurim, which cursed me with a grievous curse in
the day when I went to Mahanaim: but he came down to meet me at
Jordan, and I sware to him by the L ORD , saying, I will not put
thee to death with the sword.
9 Now therefore hold him not guiltless: for thou art a wise
man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; but his hoar
head bring thou down to the grave with blood.
10 So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city
of David.
11 And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty
years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three
years reigned he in Jerusalem.
David, that great and good man, is here a dying man
( v. 1 ),
and a dead man, v. 10 .
It is well there is another life after this, for death stains all the
glory of this, and lays it in the dust. We have here,
I. The charge and instructions which David, when he was dying, gave to
Solomon, his son and declared successor. He feels himself declining,
and is not backward to own it, nor afraid to hear or speak of dying: I go the way of all the earth, v. 2 .
Heb. I am walking in it. Note, Death is a way; not only a period
of this life, but a passage to a better. It is the way of all the
earth, of all mankind who dwell on earth, and are themselves earth,
and therefore must return to their earth. Even the sons and heirs of
heaven must go the way of all the earth, they must needs die;
but they walk with pleasure in this way, through the valley of the
shadow of death, Ps. xxiii. 4 .
Prophets, and even kings, must go this way to brighter light and honour
than prophecy or sovereignty. David is going this way, and therefore
gives Solomon directions what to do.
1. He charges him, in general, to keep God's commandments and to make
conscience of his duty, v. 2-4 .
He prescribes to him,
(1.) A good rule to act by--the divine will: "Govern thyself by that."
David's charge to him is to keep the charge of the Lord his God. The authority of a dying father is much, but nothing to
that of a living God. There are great trusts which we are charged with
by the Lord our God--let us keep them carefully, as those that must
give account; and excellent statutes, which we must be ruled by--let us
also keep them. The written word is our rule. Solomon must himself do as was written in the law of Moses. (2.) A good spirit to act with: Be strong and show thyself a
man, though in years but a child. Those that would keep the charge
of the Lord their God must put on resolution.
(3.) Good reasons for all this. This would effectually conduce,
[1.] To the prosperity of his kingdom. It is the way to prosper in
all thou doest, and to succeed with honour and satisfaction in
every undertaking.
[2.] To the perpetuity of it: That the Lord may continue and so
confirm his word which he spoke concerning me. Those that
rightly value the treasure of the promise, that sacred depositum, cannot but be solicitous to preserve the entail of
it, and very desirous that those who come after them may do nothing to
cut it off. Let each, in his own age, successively, keep God's charge,
and then God will be sure to continue his word. We never let fall the
promise till we let fall the precept. God had promised David that the
Messiah should come from his loins, and that promise was absolute: but
the promise that there should not fail him a man on the throne of
Israel was conditional--if his seed behave themselves as they
should. If Solomon, in his day, fulfil the condition, he does his part
towards the perpetuating of the promise. The condition is that he walk
before God in all his institutions, in sincerity, with zeal and
resolution; and, in order hereunto, that he take heed to his
way. In order to our constancy in religion, nothing is more
necessary than caution and circumspection.
2. He gives him directions concerning some particular persons, what to
do with them, that he might make up his deficiencies in justice to some
and kindness to others.
(1.) Concerning Joab, v. 5 .
David was now conscious to himself that he had not done well to spare
him, when he had made himself once again obnoxious to the law, but the
murder of Abner first and afterwards of Amasa, both of them great men, captains of the hosts of Israel. He slew them treacherously
( shed the blood of war in peace ), and injuriously to David: Thou knowest what he did to me therein. The murder of a
subject is a wrong to the prince, it is a loss to him, and is against
the peace of our sovereign lord the king. These murders were
particularly against David, reflecting upon his reputation, he being,
at that time, in treaty with the victims, and hazarded his interest,
which they were very capable of serving. Magistrates are the avengers
of the blood of those they have the charge of. It aggravated Joab's
crime that he was neither ashamed of the sin nor afraid of the
punishment, but daringly wore the girdle and shoes that were stained
with innocent blood, in defiance of the justice both of God and the
king. David refers him to Solomon's wisdom
( v. 6 ),
with an intimation that he left him to his justice. Say not, "He has a
hoary head; it is a pity it should be cut off, for it will shortly fall
of itself." No, let it not go down to the grave in peace. Though
he has been long reprieved, he shall be reckoned with at last; time
does not wear out the guilt of any sin, particularly that of murder.
(2.) Concerning Barzillai's family, to whom he orders him to be kind
for Barzillai's sake, who, we may suppose, by this time, was dead, v. 7 .
When David, upon his death-bed, was remembering the injuries that had
been done, he could not forget the kindnesses that had been shown, but
leaves it as a charge upon his son to return them. Note, the kindnesses
we have received from our friends must not be buried either in their
graves or ours, but our children must return them to theirs. Hence,
perhaps, Solomon fetched that rule
( Prov. xxvii. 10 ), Thy own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not. Paul prays
for the house of Onesiphorus, who had often refreshed him.
(3.) Concerning Shimei, v. 8, 9 .
[1.] His crime is remembered: He cursed me with a grievous
curse; the more grievous because he insulted him when he was in
misery and poured vinegar into his wounds. The Jews say that one thing
which made this a grievous curse was that, besides all that is
mentioned
( 2 Sam. xvi. ),
Shimei upbraided him with his descent from Ruth the Moabitess.
[2.] His pardon is not forgotten. David owned he had sworn to him that
he would not himself put him to death, because he seasonably submitted,
and cried Peccavi--I have sinned, and he was not willing,
especially at that juncture, to use the sword of public justice for the
avenging of wrongs done to himself. But,
[3.] His case, as it now stands, is left with Solomon, as one that knew
what was fit to be done and would do as he found occasion. David
intimates to him that his pardon was not designed to be perpetual, but
only a reprieve for David's life: " Hold him not guiltless; do
not think him any true friend to thee or thy government, nor fit to be
trusted. He has no less malice than he had then, though he has more
sense to conceal it. He is still a debtor to the public justice for
what he did then; and, though I promised him that I would not put him
to death, I never promised that my successor should not. His turbulent
spirit will soon give thee an occasion, which thou shouldst not fail to
take, for the bringing of his hoary head to the grave with
blood. " This proceeded not from personal revenge, but a prudent
zeal for the honour of the government and the covenant God had made
with his family, the contempt of which ought not to go unpunished. Even
a hoary head, if a guilty and forfeited head, ought not to be any man's
protection from justice. The sinner, being a hundred years old,
shall be accursed, Isa. lxv. 20 .
II. David's death and burial
( v. 10 ):
He was buried in the city of David, not in the burying place of
his father, as Saul was, but in his own city, which he was the founder
of. There were set the thrones, and there the tombs, of the house of
David. Now David, after he had served his own generation, by the
will of God, fell asleep, and was laid to his fathers, and saw
corruption, Acts xiii. 36 ,
and see Acts ii. 29 .
His epitaph may be taken from 2 Sam. xxiii. 1 .
Here lies David the son of Jesse, the man who was raised up on high,
the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, adding his own words
( Ps. xvi. 9 ), My flesh also shall rest in hope. Josephus says that, besides
the usual magnificence with which his son Solomon buried him, he put
into his sepulchre a vast deal of money; and that 1300 years after (so
he reckons) it was opened by Hircanus the high priest, in the time of
Antiochus, and 3000 talents were taken out for the public service. The
years of his reign are here computed
( v. 11 )
to be forty years; the odd six months which he reigned above seven
years in Hebron are not reckoned, but the even sum only.
12 Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father; and
his kingdom was established greatly.
13 And Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother
of Solomon. And she said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said,
Peaceably.
14 He said moreover, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And she
said, Say on.
15 And he said, Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign:
howbeit the kingdom is turned about, and is become my brother's:
for it was his from the L ORD .
16 And now I ask one petition of thee, deny me not. And she
said unto him, Say on.
17 And he said, Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, (for
he will not say thee nay,) that he give me Abishag the Shunammite
to wife.
18 And Bathsheba said, Well; I will speak for thee unto the
king.
19 Bathsheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto
him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed
himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat
to be set for the king's mother; and she sat on his right hand.
20 Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; I pray
thee, say me not nay. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my
mother: for I will not say thee nay.
21 And she said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to
Adonijah thy brother to wife.
22 And king Solomon answered and said unto his mother, And why
dost thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? ask for him
the kingdom also; for he is mine elder brother; even for him,
and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah.
23 Then king Solomon sware by the L ORD , saying, God do so to
me, and more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against
his own life.
24 Now therefore, as the L ORD liveth, which hath established
me, and set me on the throne of David my father, and who hath
made me a house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death
this day.
25 And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of
Jehoiada; and he fell upon him that he died.
Here is,
I. Solomon's accession to the throne, v. 12 .
He came to it much more easily and peaceably than David did, and much
sooner saw his government established. It is happy for a kingdom when
the end of one good reign is the beginning of another, as it was
here.
II. His just and necessary removal of Adonijah his rival, in order to
the establishment of his throne. Adonijah had made some bold
pretensions to the crown, but was soon obliged to let them fail and
throw himself upon Solomon's mercy, who dismissed him upon his good
behaviour, and, had he been easy, he might have been safe. But here we
have him betraying himself into the hands of Solomon's justice, and
falling by it, the righteous God leaving him to himself, that he might
be punished for his former treason and that Solomon's throne might be
established. Many thus ruin themselves, because they know not when they
are well off, or well done to; and sinners, by presuming on God's
patience, treasure up wrath to themselves. Now observe,
1. Adonijah's treasonable project, which was to marry Abishag, David's
concubine, not because he was in love with her, but because, by her, he
hoped to renew his claim to the crown, which might stand him in stead,
or because it was then looked upon as a branch of the government to
have the wives of the predecessor, 2 Sam. xii. 8 .
Absalom thought his pretensions much supported by lying with his
father's concubines. Adonijah flatters himself that if he may succeed
him in his bed, especially with the best of his wives, he may by that
means step up to succeed him in his throne. Restless and turbulent
spirits reach high. It was but a small game to play at, as it should
seem, yet he hoped to make it an after-game for the kingdom, and now to
gain that by a wife which he could not gain by force.
2. The means he used to compass this. He durst not make suit to Abishag
immediately (he knew she was at Solomon's disposal, and he would justly
resent it if his consent were not first obtained, as even Ishbosheth
did, in a like case, 2 Sam. iii. 7 ),
nor durst he himself apply immediately to Solomon, knowing that he lay
under his displeasure; but he engaged Bathsheba to be his friend in
this matter, who would be forward to believe it a matter of love, and
not apt to suspect it a matter of policy. Bathsheba was surprised to
see Adonijah in her apartment, and asked him if he did not come with a
design to do her a mischief, because she had been instrumental to crush
his late attempt. "No," says he, "I come peaceably ( v. 13 ),
and to beg a favour"
( v. 14 ),
that she would use the great interest she had in her son to gain his
consent, that he might marry Abishag
( v. 16, 17 ),
and, if he may but obtain this, he will thankfully accept it,
(1.) As a compensation for his loss of the kingdom. He insinuates
( v. 15 ),
"Thou knowest the kingdom was mine, as my father's eldest son, living
at the time of his death, and all Israel set their faces on me. "
This was false; they were but a few that he had on his side; yet thus
he would represent himself as an object of compassion, that had been
deprived of a crown, and therefore might well be gratified in a wife.
If he may not inherit his father's throne, yet let him have something
valuable that was his father's, to keep for his sake, and let it be
Abishag.
(2.) As his reward for his acquiescence in that loss. He owns Solomon's
right to the kingdom: " It was his from the Lord. I was foolish
in offering to contest it; and now that it is turned about to him I am
satisfied." Thus he pretends to be well pleased with Solomon's
accession to the throne, when he is doing all he can to give him
disturbance. His words were smoother than butter, but war was in his
heart.
3. Bathsheba's address to Solomon on his behalf. She promised to speak
to the king for him
( v. 18 )
and did so, v. 19 .
Solomon received her with all the respect that was due to a mother,
though he himself was a king: He rose up to meet her, bowed himself
to her, and caused her to sit on his right hand, according
to the law of the fifth commandment. Children, not only when grown up,
but when grown great, must give honour to their parents, and behave
dutifully and respectfully towards them. Despise not thy mother when
she is old. As a further instance of the deference he paid to his
mother's wisdom and authority, when he understood she had a petition to
present to him, he promised not to say her nay, a promise which both he
and she understood with this necessary limitation, provided it be just
and reasonable and fit to be granted; but, if it were otherwise, he was
sure he should convince her that it was so, and that then she would
withdraw it. She tells him her errand at last
( v. 21 ): Let Abishag be given to Adonijah thy brother. It was strange
that she did not suspect the treason, but more strange that she did not
abhor the incest, that was in the proposal. But either she did not take
Abishag to be David's wife, because the marriage was not consummated,
or she thought it might be dispensed with to gratify Adonijah, in
consideration of his tame submission to Solomon. This was her weakness
and folly: it was well that she was not regent. Note, Those that have
the ear of princes and great men, as it is their wisdom not to be too
prodigal of their interest, so it is their duty never to use it for the
assistance of sin or the furtherance of any wicked design. Let not
princes be asked that which they ought not to grant. It ill becomes a
good man to prefer a bad request or appear in a bad cause.
4. Solomon's just and judicious rejection of the request. Though his
mother herself was the advocate, and called it a small petition, and perhaps it was the first she had troubled him with since he was
king, yet he denied it, without violation of the general promise he had
made, v. 20 .
If Herod had not had a mind to cut off John Baptist's head, he would
not have thought himself obliged to do it by a general promise, like
this, made to Herodias. The best friend we have in the world must not
have such an interest in us as to bring us to do a wrong thing, either
unjust or unwise.
(1.) Solomon convinces his mother of the unreasonableness of the
request, and shows her the tendency of it, which, before, she was not
aware of. His reply is somewhat sharp: " Ask for him the kingdom
also, v. 22 .
To ask that he may succeed the king in his bed is, in effect, to ask
that he may succeed him in his throne; for that is it he aims at."
Probably he had information, or cause for a strong suspicion, that
Adonijah was plotting with Joab and Abiathar to give him disturbance,
which warranted him to put this construction upon Adonijah's request.
(2.) He convicts and condemns Adonijah for his pretensions, and both
with an oath. He convicts him out of his own mouth, v. 23 .
His own tongue shall fall upon him; and a heavier load a man needs not
fall under. Bathsheba may be imposed upon, but Solomon cannot; he
plainly sees what Adonijah aims at, and concludes, "He has spoken
this word against his own life; he is snared in the words of his
own lips; now he shows what he would be at." He condemns him to die
immediately: He shall be put to death this day, v. 24 .
God had himself declared with an oath that he would establish David's
throne
( Ps. lxxxix. 35 ),
and therefore Solomon pledges the same assurance to secure that
establishment, by cutting off the enemies of it. "As God liveth, that
establisheth the government, Adonijah shall die, that would unsettle
it." Thus the ruin of the enemies of Christ's kingdom is as sure as the
stability of his kingdom, and both are as sure as the being and life of
God, the founder of it. The warrant is immediately signed for his
execution, and no less a man than Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, general
of the army, is ordered to be the executioner, v. 25 .
It is strange that Adonijah may not be heard to speak for himself: but
Solomon's wisdom did not see it needful to examine the matter any
further; it was plain enough that Adonijah aimed at the crown, and
Solomon could not be safe while he lived. Ambitious turbulent spirits
commonly prepare for themselves the instruments of death. Many a head
has been lost by catching at a crown.
26 And unto Abiathar the priest said the king, Get thee to
Anathoth, unto thine own fields; for thou art worthy of death:
but I will not at this time put thee to death, because thou
barest the ark of the Lord G OD before David my father, and
because thou hast been afflicted in all wherein my father was
afflicted.
27 So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto the
L ORD ; that he might fulfil the word of the L ORD , which he spake
concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.
28 Then tidings came to Joab: for Joab had turned after
Adonijah, though he turned not after Absalom. And Joab fled unto
the tabernacle of the L ORD , and caught hold on the horns of the
altar.
29 And it was told king Solomon that Joab was fled unto the
tabernacle of the L ORD ; and, behold, he is by the altar. Then
Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon
him.
30 And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the L ORD , and said
unto him, Thus saith the king, Come forth. And he said, Nay; but
I will die here. And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying,
Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.
31 And the king said unto him, Do as he hath said, and fall
upon him, and bury him; that thou mayest take away the innocent
blood, which Joab shed, from me, and from the house of my father.
32 And the L ORD shall return his blood upon his own head, who
fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew
them with the sword, my father David not knowing thereof, to
wit, Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and
Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah.
33 Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab,
and upon the head of his seed for ever: but upon David, and upon
his seed, and upon his house, and upon his throne, shall there be
peace for ever from the L ORD .
34 So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him,
and slew him: and he was buried in his own house in the
wilderness.
Abiathar and Joab were both aiding and abetting in Adonijah's
rebellious attempt, and it is probable were at the bottom of this new
motion made of Adonijah for Abishag, and it should seem Solomon knew
it, v. 22 .
This was, in both, an intolerable affront both to God and to the
government, and the worse because of their high station and the great
influence their examples might have upon many. They therefore come next
to be reckoned with. They are both equally guilty of the treason, but,
in the judgment passed upon them, a difference is made and with good
reason.
I. Abiathar, in consideration of his old services, is only degraded, v. 26, 27 .
1. Solomon convicts him, and by his great wisdom finds him guilty:
" Thou art worthy of death, for joining with Adonijah, when thou
knewest on whose head God intended to set the crown."
2. He calls to mind the respect he had formerly shown to David his
father, and that he had both ministered to him in holy things ( had
borne before him the ark of the Lord ), and also had tenderly
sympathized with him in his afflictions and been afflicted in them all,
particularly when he was in exile and distress both by Saul's
persecution and Absalom's rebellion. Note, Those that show kindness to
God's people shall have it remembered to their advantage one time or
other.
3. For this reason he spares Abiathar's life, but deposes him from his
offices, and confines him to his country seat at Anathoth, forbids him
the court, the city, the tabernacle, the altar, and all inter-meddling
in public business, with an intimation likewise that he was upon his
good behaviour, and that though Solomon did not put him to death at
this time he might another time, if he did not conduct himself well.
But, for the present, he was only thrust out from being priest, as
rendered unworthy that high station by the opposition he had given to
that which he knew to be the will of God. Saul, for a supposed crime,
had barbarously slain Abiathar's father, and eighty-five priests, their
families, and city. Solomon spares Abiathar himself, though guilty of
a real crime. Thus was Saul's government ruined and Solomon's
established. As men are to God's ministers, they will find him to them.
4. The depriving of Abiathar was the fulfilling of the threatening
against the house of Eli
( 1 Sam. ii. 30 ),
for he was the last high priest of that family. It was now above eighty
years since the ruin was threatened; but God's judgments, though not
executed speedily, will be executed surely.
II. Joab, in consideration of his old sins, is put to death.
1. His guilty conscience sent him to the horns of the altar. He heard
that Adonijah was executed and Abiathar deposed, and therefore, fearing
his turn would be next, he fled for refuge to the altar. Many that, in
the day of their security, care not for the service of the altar, will
be glad of the protection of it in the day of their distress. Some
think Joab designed thereby to devote himself for the future to a
constant attendance upon the altar, hoping thereby to obtain his
pardon, as some that have lived a dissolute life all their days have
thought to atone for their crimes by retiring into a monastery when
they are old, leaving the world when it has left them and no thanks to
them.
2. Solomon ordered him to be put to death there for the murder of Abner
and Amasa; for these were the crimes upon which he thought fit to
ground the sentence, rather than upon his treasonable adherence to
Adonijah. Joab was indeed worthy of death for turning after Adonijah,
in contempt of Solomon and his designation to the throne, though he
had not turned after Absalom, v. 28 .
Former fidelity will not serve to excuse any after treachery; yet,
besides that, Joab had merited well of the house of David, to which and
to his country he had done a great deal of good service in his day, in
consideration of which, it is probable, Solomon would have pardoned him
his offence against him (for clemency gives great reputation and
establishment to an infant government), and would have only displaced
him as he did Abiathar; but he must die for the murders he had formerly
been guilty of, which his father had charged Solomon to call him to an
account for. The debt he owed to the innocent blood that was shed, by
answering its cries with the blood of him that shed, he could not pay
himself, but left it to his son to pay it, who, having power
wherewithal, failed not to do it. On this he grounds the sentence,
aggravating the crime
( v. 32 ),
that he fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, that had done him no wrong nor meant him any, and, had they lived,
might probably have done David better service (if the blood shed be not
only innocent, but excellent, the life more valuable that common lives,
the crime is the more heinous), that David knew not of it, and yet the
case was such that he would be suspected as privy to it; so that Joab
endangered his prince's reputation in taking away the life of his
rivals, which was a further aggravation. For these crimes,
(1.) He must die, and die by the sword of public justice. By man
must his blood be shed, and it lies upon his own head
( v. 32 ),
as theirs does whom he had murdered, v. 33 .
Woe to the head that lies under the guilt of blood! Vengeance for
murder was long in coming upon Joab; but, when it did come, it remained
the longer, being here entailed upon the head of his seed for
ever ( v. 33 ),
who, instead of deriving honour, as otherwise they might have done,
from his heroic actions, derived guilt, and shame, and a curse, from
his villainous actions, on account of which they fared the worse in
this world. The seed of such evil doers shall never be renowned.
(2.) He must die at the altar, rather than escape. Joab resolved not to
stir from the altar
( v. 30 ),
hoping thereby either to secure himself or else to render Solomon
odious to the people, as a profaner of the holy place, if he should put
him to death there. Benaiah made a scruple of either killing him there
or dragging him thence; but Solomon knew the law, that the altar of God
should give no protection to wilful murderers. Exod. xxi. 14 , Thou shalt take him from my altar that he may die, may die a
sacrifice. In case of such sins as the blood of beasts would atone for
the altar was a refuge, but not in Joab's case. He therefore orders him
to be executed there, if he could not be got thence, to show that he
feared not the censure of the people in doing his duty, but would
rectify their mistake, and let them know that the administration of
justice is better than sacrifice, and that the holiness of any place
should never countenance the wickedness of any person. Those who, by a
lively faith, take hold on Christ and his righteousness, with a
resolution, if they perish, to perish there, shall find in him a more
powerful protection than Joab found at the horns of the altar. Benaiah
slew him
( v. 34 ),
with the solemnity, no doubt, of a public execution. The law being
thus satisfied, he was buried in his own house in the
wilderness, privately, like a criminal, not pompously, like a
soldier; yet no indignity was done to his dead body. It is not for man
to lay the iniquity upon the bones, whatever God does.
3. Solomon pleased himself with this act of justice, not as it
gratified any personal revenge, but as it was the fulfilling of his
father's orders and a real kindness to himself and his own government.
(1.) Guilt was hereby removed, v. 31 .
By returning the innocent blood that had been shed upon the head of him
that shed it, it was taken away from him and from the house of his
father, which implies that the blood which is not required from the
murderer will be required from the magistrate, at least there is danger
lest it should. Those that would have their houses safe and built up
must put away iniquity far from them.
(2.) Peace was hereby secured
( v. 33 )
upon David. He does not mean his person, but, as he explains himself in
the next words, Upon his seed, his house, and his throne, shall
there be peace for ever from the Lord; thus he expresses his
desire that it may be so and his hope that it shall be so. "Now that
justice is done, and the cry of blood is satisfied, the government will
prosper." Thus righteousness and peace kiss each other. Now that
such a turbulent man as Joab is removed there shall be peace. Take
away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be
established in righteousness, Prov. xxv. 5 .
Solomon, in this blessing of peace upon his house and throne, piously
looks upward to God as the author of it. "It shall be peace from the
Lord, and peace for ever from the Lord." The Lord of peace himself give
us that peace which is everlasting.
35 And the king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his room
over the host: and Zadok the priest did the king put in the room
of Abiathar.
36 And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him,
Build thee a house in Jerusalem, and dwell there, and go not
forth thence any whither.
37 For it shall be, that on the day thou goest out, and
passest over the brook Kidron, thou shalt know for certain that
thou shalt surely die: thy blood shall be upon thine own head.
38 And Shimei said unto the king, The saying is good: as my
lord the king hath said, so will thy servant do. And Shimei dwelt
in Jerusalem many days.
39 And it came to pass at the end of three years, that two of
the servants of Shimei ran away unto Achish son of Maachah king
of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, Behold, thy servants be in Gath.
40 And Shimei arose, and saddled his ass, and went to Gath to
Achish to seek his servants: and Shimei went, and brought his
servants from Gath.
41 And it was told Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem
to Gath, and was come again.
42 And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him,
Did I not make thee to swear by the L ORD , and protested unto
thee, saying, Know for a certain, on the day thou goest out, and
walkest abroad any whither, that thou shalt surely die? and thou
saidst unto me, The word that I have heard is good.
43 Why then hast thou not kept the oath of the L ORD , and the
commandment that I have charged thee with?
44 The king said moreover to Shimei, Thou knowest all the
wickedness which thine heart is privy to, that thou didst to
David my father: therefore the L ORD shall return thy wickedness
upon thine own head;
45 And king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David
shall be established before the L ORD for ever.
46 So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; which
went out, and fell upon him, that he died. And the kingdom was
established in the hand of Solomon.
Here is,
I. The preferment of Benaiah and Zadok, two faithful friends to Solomon
and his government, v. 35 .
Joab being put to death, Benaiah was advanced to be general of the
forces in his room, and, Abiathar being deposed, Zadok was made high
priest in his room, and therein was fulfilled the word of God, when he
threatened to cut off the house of Eli
( 1 Sam. ii. 35 ), I will raise me up a faithful priest, and will build him a sure
house. Though sacred offices may be disgraced, they shall not be
destroyed, by the mal-administration of those that are entrusted with
them, nor shall God's work ever stand still for want of hands to carry
it on. No wonder that he who was a king so immediately of God's making
was empowered to make whom he though fit high priest; and he exercised
this power with equity, for the ancient right was in Zadok, he being of
the family of Eleazar, whereas Eli and his house were of Ithamar.
II. The course that was taken with Shimei. He is sent for, by a
messenger, from his house at Bahurim, expecting perhaps no better than
Adonijah's doom, being conscious of his enmity to the house of David;
but Solomon knows how to make a difference of crimes and criminals.
David had promised Shimei his life for his time. Solomon is not bound
by that promise, yet he will not go directly contrary to it.
1. He confines him to Jerusalem, and forbids him, upon any pretence
whatsoever, to go out of the city any further than the brook Kidron, v. 36, 37 .
He would suffer him to continue at his country seat lest he should make
mischief among his neighbours, but took him to Jerusalem, where he kept
him prisoner at large. This might make Shimei's confinement easy to
himself, for Jerusalem was beautiful for situation, the joy of the
whole earth, the royal city, the holy city (he had no reason to
complain of being shut up in such a paradise); it would also make it
the more safe for Solomon, for there he would have him under his eye
and be able to watch his motions; and he plainly tells him that if he
ever go out of the rules he shall certainly die for it. This was a fair
trial of his obedience, and such a test of his loyalty as he had no
reason to complain of. He has his life upon easy terms: he shall live
if he will but be content to live at Jerusalem.
2. Shimei submits to the confinement, and thankfully takes his life
upon those terms. He enters into recognizance
( v. 38 ),
under the penalty of death, not to stir out of Jerusalem, and owns that
the saying is good. Even those that perish cannot but own the
conditions of pardon and life unexceptionable, so that their blood,
like Shimei's, must rest upon their own heads. Shimei promised, with an
oath, to keep within his bounds, v. 42 .
3. Shimei forfeits his recognizance, which was the thing Solomon
expected; and God was righteous in suffering him to do it, that he
might now suffer for his old sins. Two of his servants (it seems,
though he was a prisoner, he lived like himself, well attended) ran
from him to the land of the Philistines, v. 39 .
Thither he pursued them, and thence brought them back to Jerusalem, v. 40 .
For the keeping of it private he saddled his ass himself,
probably went in the night, and came home he thought undiscovered.
"Seeking his servants," says bishop Hall, "he lost himself; those
earthly things either are, or should be, our servants. How commonly do
we see men run out of the bounds set by God's law, to hunt after them,
till their souls incur a fearful judgment!"
4. Solomon takes the forfeiture. Information is given him that Shimei
has transgressed, v. 41 .
The king sends for him, and,
(1.) charges him with the present crime
( v. 42, 43 ),
that he had put a great contempt upon the authority and wrath both of
God and the king, that he had broken the oath of the Lord and
disobeyed the commandment of his prince, and by this it appeared what
manner of spirit he was of, that he would not be held by the bonds of
gratitude or conscience. Had he represented to Solomon the urgency of
the occasion, and begged leave to go, perhaps Solomon might have given
him leave; but to presume either upon his ignorance or his connivance
was to affront him in the highest degree.
(2.) He condemns him for his former crime, cursing David, and throwing
stones at him in the day of his affliction: The wickedness which thy
heart is privy to, v. 44 .
There was no need to examine witnesses for the proof of the fact, his
own conscience was instead of a thousand witnesses. That wickedness
which men's own hearts alone are privy to is enough, if
duly considered, to fill them with confusion, in expectation of its
return upon their own heads; for if the heart be privy to it,
God is greater than the heart and knoweth all things. Others knew of
Shimei's cursing David, but Shimei himself knew of the wicked
principles of hatred and malice against David which he displayed in
cursing him and that his submission was but feigned and forced.
(3.) He blessed himself and his government
( v. 45. ): King Solomon shall be blessed, notwithstanding Shimei's impotent
curses, which perhaps, in fury and despair, he now vented freely: Let them curse, but bless thou. And the throne of David shall
be established, by taking away those that would undermine it. It is
a comfort, in reference to the enmity of the church's enemies, that,
how much soever they rage, it is a vain thing they imagine. Christ's
throne is established, and they cannot shake it.
(4.) He gives orders for the execution of Shimei immediately, v. 46 .
All judgment is committed to the Lord Jesus, and, though he be King of
peace, he will be found a King of righteousness; and this will shortly
be his word of command concerning all his enemies, that would not have
him to reign over them: Bring them forth, and slay them before
me; the reproaches of those that blasphemed him will fall on
themselves, to their eternal condemnation.
INTRODUCTION TO FIRST KING 2
This chapter gives an account of the charge David gave to his son Solomon, a little before his death, to walk in the ways of the Lord, 1Ki 2:1; and of some instructions delivered to him concerning some particular persons he should either show favour to, or execute justice on, 1Ki 2:5; and the next account in it is concerning his death and burial, and the years of his reign, 1Ki 2:10; after which it relates an address of Bathsheba to Solomon in favour of Adonijah, which was refused, and the issue of it was his death, 1Ki 2:12; and the deposition of Abiathar from the priesthood, 1Ki 2:26; and the putting of Joab to death for his treason and murders, 1Ki 2:28; in whose post Benaiah was put, as Zadok was in the place of Abiathar, 1Ki 2:35; and lastly the confinement of Shimei in Jerusalem, who had cursed David, 1Ki 2:36; who upon transgressing the orders given him was put to death, 1Ki 2:39.
Ver. 1. Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die,.... The number of his days fixed and determined by the Lord, Job 14:5; and which might be perceived as drawing nigh, both by himself and others, through the growing infirmities of old age, decline of nature, and various symptoms of an approaching dissolution which were upon him; see
Ge 47:29. Abarbinel observes, that he is called only David, not King David; because Solomon his son was now anointed king, and reigned in his stead; so in 1Ki 1:10; but there is another reason given by some Jews {n}, that no man, even a king, has power in the day of death; he is no king then, he has no rule over that, but that rules over him:
and he charged Solomon his son; gave him his last and dying charge:
saying; as follows.
{n} Bereshit Rabba, sect. 96. fol. 83. 3.
1 Kings 2:2
Ver. 2. I go the way of all the earth,.... A path which is the path of death {o}, which all pass in, kings and peasants, high and low, rich and poor, great and small, good and bad; none are exempted, all must die, and do; it is the appointment of God, a decree which can never be reversed; all experience confirms it: this same phrase is used by Joshua, from whom David seems to have borrowed it, and shows that that book was written in his days, Jos 23:14;
be thou strong therefore; not discouraged at my death, being a common thing, and to be expected; nor at being left alone, the Lord can give thee wisdom and counsel, assistance and strength, protection, and defence; take heart therefore, and be of good courage:
and show thyself a man; in wisdom and understanding, and in fortitude of mind, though so young a man; which were necessary for the government of so great a people, and to guard against the secret intrigues of some, and the open flatteries of others, and the fear of attempts against his person and government, and the temptations he might be liable to, to do wrong things; and especially they were necessary to enable him to keep the commands of God, as follows; which required great strength of mind and of grace, considering the corruptions of nature, the temptations of Satan, and the snares of men; see Jos 1:7.
{o} "------ omnes una manet nox, Et calcanda semel via lethi". Horat. Carmin. l. 1. ode 28. ver. 15, 16.
1 Kings 2:3
Ver. 3. And keep the charge of the Lord thy God,.... Which may in general respect his whole walk and conversation, and his obedience to the law and will of God; and in particular his just government of Israel committed to his charge:
to walk in his ways; directed to in his word:
to keep his statutes and his judgments; his laws, ceremonial, moral, and judicial:
and his testimonies; as the above laws, which testify of his mind, and declare what he would have done and observed:
as it is written in the law of Moses; which a king of Israel was obliged to write a copy of, keep by him, and read it, and rule according to it, De 17:18:
that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself; to reign in righteousness, and according to the law of God, is the only way to have a prosperous and happy reign: or "that thou mayest act wisely" {p}; the law of God furnishing out the best rules of government and maxims of policy; see De 4:6.
{p} lykvt Neml "ut prudenter agas", Montanus, Tigurine version; "ut intelligas universa", V. L.
1 Kings 2:4
Ver. 4. That the Lord may continue his word which he spake concerning me,.... his word of promise concerning the kingdom of David, and the succession of it, and confirm and establish it:
saying, if thy children take heed to their way; they are directed to walk in, even the way of the Lord, and not turn to the right hand or the left:
to walk before me in truth: in the sincerity and integrity of their hearts, according to the word of truth, and under the influence of the spirit of truth:
with all their heart, and with all their soul; in the most cordial manner, with the strongest affection and zeal; with all eagerness and earnestness; with their whole hearts engaged in every duty performed by them: then the Lord said,
there shall not fail thee a man on the throne of Israel; one to succeed him in the throne; this, with respect to his throne, literally considered, was conditional; but, spiritually considered, was absolute, and had its fulfilment in the Messiah, whose throne is for ever; see Lu 1:32.
1 Kings 2:5
Ver. 5. Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did unto me,.... In slaying Absalom, contrary to his orders, and in behaving insolently towards him on account of his mourning for him, and at other times; but as these things might not be personally known to Solomon, only by hearsay, this may respect his disloyalty towards him, in joining with Adonijah, who set himself up for king in his lifetime, and without his knowledge and consent; or it may respect the instances next mentioned, in which he did injury to the interest, honour, and character of David:
[and], or "even",
what he did to the two captains of the host of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew; to Abner who was under Ishbosheth, and Amasa under David, who had not only the promise of the post, but was actually in it when Joab slew him; and indeed out of envy to him for it:
and shed the blood of war in peace; when they were at peace with him, as if they had been in open war; and even under a pretence of friendship to them, asking of their peace and welfare, as if he meant nothing less than to behave peaceably towards them; hence the Targum is,
"whom he slew in craftiness:''
and put the blood of war upon the girdle that [was] about his loins,
and in his shoes that [were] in his feet; which particularly respects the affair of Amasa, whose blood he shed with his sword, that dropped out of its scabbard, girded upon his loins, and into which he put it again, all over bloody, and wore it girded upon his loins; and which he also stooped for when it fell, as if he was going to unloose or buckle his shoes, and into which the blood ran down when he stabbed him; and after this barbarous action marched on without any shame or remorse, with his bloody sword on his loins, and the blood of the murdered in his shoes.
1 Kings 2:6
Ver. 6. Do therefore according to thy wisdom,.... Which though young began to appear in him, even in the life of his father; he therefore exhorts him to use the wisdom he had, and take the first and fittest opportunity to cut him off for his former murders and late treason, as a dangerous man to his government and the peace of it:
and let not his hoary head go down to the grave in peace; that is, let him not die a natural, but a violent death; and let not his grey hairs be any argument for sparing him, or any reason for delaying the taking of him off, because he would in course die quickly; for he must be now an old man, as old as David, or perhaps older; since he had been his general forty years, even all the time of his reign; see 2Sa 2:13.
1 Kings 2:7
Ver. 7. But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite,.... Who perhaps was now dead, and therefore he would have kindness shown to his posterity for his sake:
and let them be of those that eat of thy table; as Mephibosheth had at his, who also perhaps was dead, since no notice is taken of him; and as David would have had Barzillai, but he desired to be excused on account of his age:
for so they came to me, when I fled because of thy brother, Absalom; that is, they came to him, not only Barzillai, but his sons it seems; and fed him or furnished him with provisions, when he was obliged to fly to the other side Jordan, because of the rebellion of his son Absalom.
1 Kings 2:8
Ver. 8. And behold [thou hast] with thee Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim,.... Of whom, and of his native place,
See Gill on "2Sa 16:5"; he was now at Jerusalem, and so with Solomon, or near at hand; and was on his side, and of his party; see 1Ki 1:8; but not to be trusted, or looked upon as a real friend:
which cursed me with a grievous curse, when I went to Mahanaim; a place on the other side Jordan, of which place, and the curses this man cursed David, with, see 2Sa 16:7;
but he came down to me at Jordan; after the defeat of Absalom, and when David was returning, and humbled himself to him, and begged his pardon:
and I sware unto him by the Lord, saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword; but this oath was not binding upon his successor, and especially should he commit a new crime.
1 Kings 2:9
Ver. 9. Now therefore hold him not guiltless,.... Do not look upon him as an innocent person; and if he commits an offence against thee, as he has against me, do not acquit him as I have done:
for thou [art] a wise man; so it seems he was before the appearance of the Lord to him at Gibeon, even before his father's death he had given some proofs of it to David himself:
and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; to watch and observe him, and, if found offending, to punish him according to the rules of justice, and the laws of the land:
but his hoary head bring thou down to the grave with blood; spare him not on account of his age, but put him to death whensoever he shall be found guilty, let him not die a natural death.
1 Kings 2:10
Ver. 10. So David slept with his fathers,.... Died as his ancestors before him did; for, buried with them he was not; and therefore cannot be understood of his lying with them in the grave, but in the state of the dead; he died according as the Jews say {q} on the day of Pentecost, and according to Bishop Usher {r} A. M. 2990, and before Christ 1014;
and was buried in the city of David; not at Bethlehem, in the sepulchre of Jesse, who was a private man; but being a king, in his own city, the hold of Zion he took from the Jebusite, and which afterwards was called by his name, 2Sa 5:7; and his sepulchre remained unto the times of the apostles, upwards of a thousand years, See Gill on "Ac 2:29".
{q} T. Hieros. Chagigah, fol. 78. 1. {r} Anuals, &c. p. 56.
1 Kings 2:11
Ver. 11. And the days that David reigned over Israel [were] forty years,.... So says Eupolemus {s}, an Heathen writer, which are thus reckoned:
seven years reigned he in Hebron; the six months over are omitted, 2Sa 5:5; this part of his reign was over Judah only:
and thirty three years reigned he in Jerusalem; over the twelve tribes, in all forty, which round number is only given; though in fact he reigned six months more.
{s} Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 30.
1 Kings 2:12
Ver. 12. Then sat Solomon on the throne of David his father,.... So he did in his lifetime, with his consent, and by his order, and now by the agreement of the whole people:
and his kingdom was established greatly; all submitting to it, and none opposing it.
1 Kings 2:13
Ver. 13. And Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon,.... Into her apartment; Abarbinel thinks it was a few days after the death of David:
and she said, comest thou peaceably? in a friendly manner, with no ill design, only to pay a friendly visit; for she might fear he came to avenge himself on her, and destroy her, because she had been the instrument of disappointing him of the kingdom, and of getting her son Solomon set upon the throne, and established in it; and therefore could not tell what envy, rage, and disappointment, might prompt him to:
and he said, peaceably; he meant no harm unto her.
1 Kings 2:14
Ver. 14. He said, moreover, I have something to say unto thee,.... Signifying that he came upon business:
and she said, say on; intimating her readiness to hear what it was.
1 Kings 2:15
Ver. 15. And he said, thou knowest that the kingdom was mine,.... Belonged to him by virtue of his birthright; he was heir to it, being the eldest son:
and [that] all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign; which was not true; for, as Bathsheba says, the body of the people were in suspense, their eyes being on David, waiting to hear whom he would declare his successor; and when Solomon was declared and anointed, vast numbers attended him; unless Adonijah thought that the high priest, and general of the army, with the captains, represented the whole people; however this he observes by way of preface, to show how unhappy he was, being disappointed, and to move the compassion of Bathsheba, that she might be the more easily prevailed upon to seek to obtain so small a favour as he was about to ask:
howbeit the kingdom is turned about, and is become my brother's; things had taken another turn, and what was his, and he thought himself sure of the other day, was now become his brother's; such were the uncertainty and vicissitude of human affairs:
for it was his from the Lord; by the appointment of the Lord, by a promise of his, and a prophecy concerning it; which if he knew of, it was both vain and sinful in him to act contrary thereunto; or it was brought about by the overruling providence of God, which he now plainly saw and submitted to; this he said to show that he had laid aside all hopes of the kingdom, and was fully satisfied of the disposition of it in Providence, and so to hide his real design in the petition he was about to make.
1 Kings 2:16
Ver. 16. And now I ask one petition of thee,.... And but one, and a small one too, as Bathsheba herself after calls it:
deny me not, or "turn not away my face" {t}; with shame and sorrow, which would be the case should he be denied:
and she said unto him, say on; let me hear it.
{t} ynp ta ybyvt "ne avertere facias faciem meam", Pagninus.
1 Kings 2:17
Ver. 17. And he said, speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king,.... He owns him to be king, and which he the rather did to engage her to take his suit in hand, and to cover his design:
for he will not say thee nay; or turn away thy face, or deny thy request; she being his mother, for whom he had a great affection, and to whom he was under obligation on all accounts:
that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife; which was contrary to the law of God, Le 18:8; which surely Adonijah must have been ignorant of, and Bathsheba likewise; or the one would never have made such a request, nor the other have undertaken to try to obtain it; but perhaps they did not take her to be David's wife, or the marriage to be consummated, because he knew her not: but yet not being returned to her father's house, and being at the dispose of Solomon, prove that she must be a concubine wife, and which became the property of the next heir and successor; see 2Sa 12:8; nor did Adonijah apply to her or her friends; which, if he was really in love with her, he would have done, if at her own or their disposal; but this he knew, that she was solely at the disposal of Solomon, to whom he did not care to apply himself, but makes use of his mother.
1 Kings 2:18
Ver. 18. And Bathsheba said, well,.... Very well spoken, the thing is good and right:
I will speak for thee unto the king; and use her interest with him, not seeing into his design, but pitying an unfortunate man.
1 Kings 2:19
Ver. 19. Bathsheba therefore went unto King Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah,.... She went from her own house to the palace; for she might not live at court; or however had an apartment to herself, from whence she went to the king with her suit in favour of Adonijah:
and the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her; upon her entrance into the presence chamber, in honour to her as a parent, he rose up from his throne, and made his obeisance to her, as a dutiful son:
and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king's mother; a magnificent seat or throne, as the word is, was ordered to be set for her:
and she sat on his right hand; where he placed her in honour to her as his mother; so Nero {a} placed Tiridates king of Armenia at his right hand, to do him honour.
{a} Suetonius in Vit. Neron. c. 13.
1 Kings 2:20
Ver. 20. Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee,.... It was but one, and a little one, and therefore she hoped it would be granted:
[I pray thee], say me not nay; do not refuse it, or deny it me, or turn away my thee with shame and disappointment:
and the king said, ask on, my mother, for I will not say thee nay; since it is a small one, as thou sayest, and provided it is fit and lawful to be granted.
1 Kings 2:21
Ver. 21. And she said, let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother to wife. For so Adonijah was by his father's side; and Bathsheba makes use of the relation, the more to move upon him to grant the request.
1 Kings 2:22
Ver. 22. And King Solomon answered and said unto his mother,.... With as much gentleness and mildness as he could, but inwardly fired at her request, and amazed at it, and could not forbear using some degree of tartness and resentment:
and why dost thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? is this a small petition? is this a fit and lawful one?
ask for him the kingdom also; for this is what he means by it, that by marrying the king's widow he may step into the throne whenever any opportunity offers, as any uneasiness, or insurrection in the kingdom, or the death of Solomon; for none but a king, the Jews say {b}, might marry a king's widow, not any private man; and therefore for Adonijah to ask this was interpreted affecting the kingdom, and aspiring to it, and taking his measures to obtain it; yea, it is said {c}, that none but another king, the successor, might make use of his servants, handmaids, and ministers; and it is observed, that Abishag was free to Solomon, but not to Adonijah:
for he [is] mine elder brother; and has that to plead in his favour, and if he could obtain this, it would strengthen his title, or at least be a plausible pretence, which he might make use of, when opportunity served, to gain the people to his interest:
even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah; she might as well ask for them as for him; whose interest it was, and therefore desirous it might be that he should be king, that so the one might be continued in the office of high priest, and the other as general of the army; who, Solomon knew, bore him no good will, but were secretly his enemies; and he suspected that this was a scheme of theirs, and that it was by their advice Adonijah made this request; so the Targum,
"are not he, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the son of Zeruiah, in the counsel?''
in this counsel; it is what they had consulted among themselves as a preparation to bring about a design they are contriving; probably Solomon had private notice that they were plotting against him, and this confirmed him in the truth of it; and therefore all of them were upon this punished with deprivation of office, or loss of life.
{b} Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 2. sect. 2. {c} Maimon. Hilchot Sanhedrin, c. 2. sect. 1.
1 Kings 2:23
Ver. 23. Then King Solomon sware by the Lord,.... To prevent his mother pressing him to have her petition granted:
saying, God do so to me, and more also; lay such and such evils upon me, and more than I care to express:
if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life; to his own prejudice, and even to the loss of his life; in which Solomon suggests it would issue, being a fresh overt act of treason; he knew, from what Bathsheba said, that this was his petition, and that he had spoken of this to her, and put her upon making it for him; and who no doubt related to Solomon the whole of the conversation that passed between them, and to which he seems to have some respect in his answer.
1 Kings 2:24
Ver. 24. Now therefore, as the Lord liveth,.... Which is another oath; and one may easily perceive hereby in what a temper and disposition Solomon was, how warm, earnest, and vehement, how resolute against the petition, and how determined he was to punish Adonijah and his confederates:
which hath established me, and set me upon the throne of David my father, and who hath made me an house, as he promised; who had placed him on his father's throne, and established him there, in spite of all his enemies, and had given him a firm and stable kingdom, which was not to be shaken and subverted by the power and policy of conspirators, according to the promise of God by Nathan, 2Sa 7:11;
Adonijah shall be put to death this day; both for his former conspiracy, he only having had a reprieve, and which was to continue on his good behaviour, 1Ki 1:51, and for his fresh attempt in forming treasonable schemes to ascend the throne if possible; wherefore, being a dangerous man, and no longer to be trusted, Solomon was determined to dispatch him at once, and being established in his kingdom, he had nothing to fear from those in the conspiracy with him.
1 Kings 2:25
Ver. 25. And King Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada,.... Orders to execute him, and proper persons to do it; perhaps some of the Cherethites and Pelethites under him, to assist at least in it:
and he fell upon him, that he died; Benaiah rushed in upon him with his men, and thrust his sword into him, and killed him; executions used to be done in those times and countries by great personages, as the instances of Gideon, Doeg, and others, show, and not by common executioners.
1 Kings 2:26
Ver. 26. And unto Abiathar the priest said the king,.... Who was either at court, or he sent for him, and thus addressed him:
get thee to Anathoth; a city of the tribe of Benjamin, given to the priests, Jos 21:18; of which place Abiathar might be originally, and whither he is bid to return:
unto thine own fields; which belonged to him there, either by inheritance or purchase; and these he was to mind, and not perform the functions of his office, however as high priest, and at Jerusalem, and the tabernacle there, and still less appear at court, or meddle with state affairs, only to attend to his private domestic concerns:
for thou [art] worthy of death; in joining with Adonijah in the lifetime of David, and setting him up as a king without his knowledge, and in opposition to Solomon, contrary to the will of God, and promise of David, of which he, being high priest, cannot be thought to be ignorant, and for his late confederacy with Adonijah, of which Solomon had knowledge:
but I will not at this time put thee to death; he does not give him a full pardon, only a respite; suggesting, that should he be guilty of any overt act, he would be put to death another time, though not now:
because thou barest the ark of the Lord God before David my father; when he fled from Absalom, 2Sa 15:24;
and because thou hast been afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted; shared with him in all his afflictions under the persecutions of Saul, from the time he slew the priests at Nob, and at the rebellion of Absalom; in each of which he accompanied him, and suffered and sympathized with him.
1 Kings 2:27
Ver. 27. So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto the Lord,.... He deposed him from his office of high priest, otherwise I suppose he might officiate as a common priest, at least in some of the branches of it; this was done by his own authority as a king, and not as a prophet, as Bellarmine vainly distinguishes; and not by the authority of the college of the, priests, at the instance of Solomon, as Fortunatus Schacchus says {d} for which there is no foundation:
that he might fulfil the word of the Lord; which he might do intentionally, having knowledge of it, or however eventually:
which he spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh; of which house Abiathar was, and which, according to that prophecy, was to be demolished, and the priesthood translated from it, which was in the line of lthamar, to another house, in the line of Eleazar; the word of the Lord, referred to, is in 1Sa 2:31.
{d} Elaeochrism. Myrothec. l. 3. c. 50. col. 1069.
1 Kings 2:28
Ver. 28. Then tidings came to Joab,.... Of the death of Adonijah, and the deposition of Abiathar:
for Joab had turned after Adonijah; publicly appeared at his feast, when he was saluted king by him, and others, and privately gave him advice in the affair of Abishag:
though he turned not after Absalom; did not join with him in his rebellion, but faithfully adhered to David; and yet both in his lifetime, and after his death, acted the traitorous part in favour of Adonijah: Ben Gersom gives these words a different sense, as if he was blameworthy in both cases; that he turned after Adonijah to make him king, without consulting David, and having his consent; and he did not turn after Absalom, to deliver him from death, as David commanded him; but the former sense is best:
and Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the Lord; which was at Gibeon, see 2Ch 1:3; it was four miles from Jerusalem to the north, situated on an hill {e}; according to Josephus {f}, it was forty furlongs, or five miles, from it; though Kimchi thinks it was the altar in Jerusalem he fled to, which was before the ark, in the tent David made for it; but that is never called the tabernacle of the Lord, only that of Moses: Joab's fleeing hither showed guilt, and that he was in the conspiracy of Adonijah, and was conscious he deserved to die, and now expected it, since Adonijah was put to death; while he remained reprieved or pardoned, he thought himself safe, but now in danger, and therefore fled for it:
and caught hold of the horns of the altar; See Gill on "1Ki 1:50".
{e} Bunting's Travels, &c. p. 98. {f} Antiqu. l. 7. c. 11. sect. 7.
1 Kings 2:29
Ver. 29. And it was told King Solomon that Joab was fled unto the tabernacle of the Lord,.... This account was brought him very probably by some of his courtiers:
and, behold, [he is] by the altar; to which he betook himself for refuge, laying hold on the horns of it:
then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, go, fall upon him; slay him; Josephus {g} says, the orders were to cut off his head; but perhaps it might be only to lay hold on him, and take him thence, and bring him to Solomon to have judgment passed upon him; for the Targum is,
"exercise your power over him,''
take him into custody; and certain it is that the first orders were not to slay him, at least upon the spot where he was.
{g} Antiqu. l. 8. c. 1. sect. 4.
1 Kings 2:30
Ver. 30. And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the Lord,.... At Gibeon:
and said unto him; that is, to Joab:
thus saith the king, come forth; meaning, out of the tabernacle; which plainly shows that his orders were not to slay him in it:
and he said, nay, but I will die here; since he must die, he chose to die there; but what was his reason for it is not so clear; the Jews, some of them, say, to save his goods, and that they might come to his heirs, which would have been forfeited to the crown if he had been tried and condemned in a court of judicature; others, that he might be buried with his ancestors, whereas, had he been sentenced to death by the court, he would have been buried in the common place of malefactors; but rather he thought, or at least hoped, he should not die at all; either that, by gaining time, Solomon might be prevailed upon to pardon him; or however that he would not defile that sacred place with his blood; or, if he should die, he chose to die there, as being a sacred place, and so might hope to receive some benefit from it, as to his future state, where sacrifices were offered to atone for sin:
and Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, thus said Joab, and thus he answered me; told me he would not come out, and, if he must die, he would die there.
1 Kings 2:31
Ver. 31. And the king said unto him, do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him,.... Let him die where he is, slay him upon the spot, and then bury him; not by the altar, but in his own sepulchre, as later related, that in, give orders to bury him there; for Benaiah being a priest, could not be concerned in the burial of him, and besides it was below the dignity of his office:
(see Gill on "1Ch 27:2" where Gill advances resaons for Benaiah not being a priest. Editor.)
that thou mayest take away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me, and from the house of my father; which had been too long connived at, and had called for vengeance; and now here was a proper opportunity upon fresh sins committed to avenge it, and so remove the guilt, which lay upon him and his father's house, for not inflicting deserved punishment on him for it.
1 Kings 2:32
Ver. 32. And the Lord shall return his blood upon his own head,.... By way of retaliation, blood for blood:
who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he; later named; for though they had been in open rebellion against David, yet had submitted, and were reconciled and received into favour; and even their open crimes were not so bad, Solomon judged, as his secret treacherous murders of innocent persons in cool blood; they were men of more honour and integrity than he was, not so cruel and barbarous, though guilty in other respects:
and slew them with the sword, my father not knowing [thereof]; this is observed to remove all suspicion, and which doubtless had been entertained by some, that David had an hand in their death; and that Joab did what he did with his knowledge and consent, and by his advice and order; they having been both concerned in rebellion against him, the one under Ishbosheth, and the other under Absalom:
[to wit], Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah: the reason of the two hosts, of which they were captains or generals, being thus distinguished, is, because the tribes of Israel were on the side of Ishbosheth, whose general Abner was, in opposition to Judah, who made David their king; and, on the other hand, they were the men of Judah that were first and chiefly in the rebellion of Absalom, whose general Amasa was; of the murder of these two men by Joab, see 2Sa 3:27.
1 Kings 2:33
Ver. 33. Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed for ever,.... Not only upon Joab, but upon his posterity as long as there would be any; signifying, that Joab's death would not be a sufficient satisfaction, but the punishment of his murders would be continued to his offspring: see 2Sa 3:29;
but upon David, and upon his seed, and upon his house, and upon his throne, shall there be peace for ever from the Lord; such traitors and murderers being removed, peace and happiness might be expected and believed would attend the family and kingdom of David; whether this be considered as a prayer, or a prophecy, it can and will have its full accomplishment only in the kingdom of the Messiah the son of David, of the increase of whose government, and the peace thereof, there shall be no end, Isa 9:7.
1 Kings 2:34
Ver. 34. So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up,.... To Gibeon, which was a great high place, 1Ki 3:4;
and fell upon him, and slew him; at the altar; or, dragging him from it at some distance, drew his sword and slew him:
and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness; not in his dwelling house strictly taken, but in a garden or field adjoining to it, which house in the wilderness; not a waste place uninhabited; for, as Kimchi observes, this word sometimes signifies a place uninhabited, though not tilled, but left for pasture of cattle; and in such a place might Joab's house be, at least his country house, where he might have a farm, and fields, and cattle, as it is plain he had, 2Sa 14:30.
1 Kings 2:35
Ver. 35. And the king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his room over the host,.... Advanced him from being captain of his bodyguards to be general of the army:
and Zadok the priest did he put in the room of Abiathar; from a common priest he promoted him to the high priesthood; whereby that office was restored to its ancient line, the family or Eleazar, having been in the line of Ithamar for many years; and the prediction of the destruction of Eli's house, made eighty years ago, began to be fulfilled, 1Sa 2:31.
1 Kings 2:36
Ver. 36. And the king sent and called for Shimei,.... Who had cursed his father; he lived at Bahurim, in the tribe of Benjamin, and from thence he sent for him to him, 2Sa 16:5;
and said unto him, build thee an house in Jerusalem and dwell there,
and go not from thence any where; the orders were to remove from Bahurim to Jerusalem, where he was to provide himself a dwelling house, and there continue, and never go out of the city, at least not further on any side of it than it was to the brook Kidron, which was not more than half a mile from the city. This Solomon ordered, to prevent this man going about in the country sowing and stirring up sedition; and that he might be under his eye and notice, that should he commit any evil, and give him an opportunity of punishing him, he might do it as his father had directed him; and he might judge from the temper of the man, and indeed from the nature of men in general, that what they are forbidden they are the most prone unto, that he would transgress in this case, and give him an occasion against him.
1 Kings 2:37
Ver. 37. For it shall be, [that] on the day thou goest out,.... Out of the city of Jerusalem: and passest over the brook Kidron: which is particularly mentioned, because this lay in his way to Bahurim, his native place; he must cross that to go to it, see 2Sa 15:23; and where it might reasonably be supposed he would some time or another be inclined to go, through business, or a desire to see it again:
thou shalt know for certain that thou shall surely die: it may be depended on as what will be most certainly the case; no reprieve nor pardon will be granted:
thy blood shall be on thine own head; fair warning being given, he could blame none but himself, should he be guilty and suffer.
1 Kings 2:38
Ver. 38. And Shimei said unto the king, the saying [is] good,.... It was an act of goodness in the king, and what was good, grateful, and acceptable to him; for being sent for by him, and knowing how he had used his father, and hearing of several traitors being put to death, he expected this would have been his case; and wherefore, instead of being put to death, was only obliged to leave his habitation in the country, and come and live at Jerusalem, a pleasant and delightful city, and the metropolis of the nation, it was very agreeable to him:
as my lord the king hath said, so will thy servant do; and he not only promised, but swore to it, which Solomon obliged him to, 1Ki 2:42;
and Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days; he accordingly built or purchased a house in Jerusalem, and removed from Bahurim to it, where he lived for the space of three years, as follows.
1 Kings 2:39
Ver. 39. And it came to pass, at the end of three years,.... He had dwelt at Jerusalem:
that two of the servants of Shimei ran away to Achish the son of Maachah king of Gath; and they told Shimei, saying, behold, thy servant [be] in Gath; he being a churlish, ill-natured man, always cursing or beating them, or imposing too hard service upon them, or not allowing them the necessaries of life; wherefore they broke away from him, and fled to Gath, and put themselves under the protection of the king of that place, who was now at peace with Israel, and a tributary to them: if this Achish was the same that was David's friend, who sheltered him when persecuted by, Saul, he must be an old man; for that was between forty or fifty years ago; and as he seems to be, since he is called the son of Maoch, 1Sa 27:2; which may be thought to be the same with Maachah here.
1 Kings 2:40
Ver. 40. And Shimei arose, and saddled his ass, and went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants,.... And demand them; through the passion he was in with his servants, and his hurry to get them home, and the covetous disposition which prevailed on him, he might forget, or be tempted to neglect, the prohibition he was under not to go out of Jerusalem; or he might think Solomon had forgot it; or that he could come and go secretly without his knowledge; or if he should know of it, he might hope he would never punish him with death for so small a fault; however, so it was ordered by the providence of God leaving him to his own lust, and the temptations of Satan, that he might suffer just punishment for cursing David:
and Shimei went and brought his servants from Gath; for the king being at peace with Israel, and a tributary to them also, did not choose to detain them, but delivered them up lest it should be resented, and bring him into trouble.
1 Kings 2:41
Ver. 41. And it was told Solomon,.... By the spies he set to watch and observe his motions, or by some others who had seen him go out and return, and knew that it was contrary to the king's orders:
that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and was come again; which was thirty four miles from Jerusalem {h}; whereas his utmost bounds, whither he might go, was the brook Kidron, about half a mile from it.
{h} Bunting's Travels, &c. p. 124.
1 Kings 2:42
Ver. 42. And the king sent and called for Shimei,.... He sent messengers to him, and by them ordered him to come to him, who accordingly came:
and he said unto him, did not I make thee swear by the Lord; which, though not before mentioned, was no doubt done, nor did Shimei deny it:
and protested unto thee; that is, declared before witnesses:
saying, know for certain, that on the day thou goest out; namely, out of the city of Jerusalem:
and walkest abroad any whither; further at most than the brook Kidron, or any other place equally distant from Jerusalem, on any side of it; for when he went to Gath, he did not go over Kidron, but went the road the other way around. Kidron lay to the east, and Gath to the west of Jerusalem: now the protestation made to him was, that if he went out of Jerusalem any way,
that thou shalt surely die; it would be sure and certain death to him:
and thou saidst unto me, the word [that] I have heard [is] good; not only he promised to obey it, and that with an oath, but declared it was agreeable and acceptable to him, and therefore the offence was a very aggravated one.
1 Kings 2:43
Ver. 43. Why then hast thou not kept the oath of the Lord,.... Which was made by him, and in his presence, and in which he was appealed to, and so by not keeping it was guilty of perjury:
and the commandment that I have charged thee with? and so guilty of disobedience to him as his sovereign; for which two reasons he ought to die.
1 Kings 2:44
Ver. 44. The king said moreover to Shimei,.... Not as another reason for his putting him to death, but to remind him of his former sins, and to observe to him the providence of God in suffering him to fall into others, that justice might take place upon him for them also:
thou knowest all the wickedness which thine heart is privy to, that thou didst to David my father; which conscience must bear witness to, and accuse him of, not only of the words and actions themselves uttered and done by him, but of the malice and wickedness from whence they sprung:
therefore the Lord shall return thy wickedness upon thine own head; the punishment of it; which though not directly inflicted for that, yet in providence was brought about as a just retaliation for it.
1 Kings 2:45
Ver. 45. And King Solomon [shall be] blessed,.... With a long and peaceable reign, and large dominions, notwithstanding all the attempts to make him unhappy:
and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord for ever; the kingdom of David over Judah for a long time, in his natural line; and the kingdom of Israel, spiritual Israel, for ever in his son the Messiah; and that in the presence of the Lord, he observing, ordering, and succeeding all things to that purpose.
1 Kings 2:46
Ver. 46. So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, which went out,.... From the presence of the king, and took Shimei with him to the proper place of execution, it not being fitting to execute him before the king:
and fell upon him, that he died; put him to death by the sword:
and the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon; Adonijah the usurper, and Joab the general of the army, who took on his side, being both put to death; and Abiathar the high priest deposed, who was in the same conspiracy; and Shimei, a dangerous and troublesome man, dispatched, there remained none to give any disturbance; so that he now sat easy and quiet on his throne, and things with respect to the civil government were on a firm and settled foundation.
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.
David's charge to Solomon is, to keep the charge of
the Lord. The authority of a dying father is much, but nothing to that
of a living God. God promised David that the Messiah should come
from his descendants, and that promise was absolute; but the
promise, that there should not fail of them a man on the throne of
Israel, was conditional; if he walks before God in sincerity, with zeal
and resolution: in order hereunto, he must take heed to his
way.
David's charge to Solomon is, to keep the charge of
the Lord.
God promised David that the Messiah should come
from his descendants, and that promise was absolute; but the
promise, that there should not fail of them a man on the throne of
Israel, was conditional; if he walks before God in sincerity, with zeal
and resolution: in order hereunto, he must take heed to his
way.
Sources: Matthew Henry; Gill's Exposition; Matthew Henry Concise
Commentary
Commentary