1 Kings 2:13-18

April 10, 2021

 

 Solomon’s Throne Established

 Now Adonijah, the son of Haggith, went to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. Bathsheba asked him, “Do you come peacefully?”

He answered, “Yes, peacefully.”  Then he added, “I have something to say to you.”

“You may say it,” she replied.

“As you know,” he said, “the kingdom was mine. All Israel looked to me as their king. But things changed, and the kingdom has gone to my brother; for it has come to him from the Lord.   Now I have one request to make of you. Do not refuse me.”

“You may make it,” she said.⁷ So he continued, “Please ask King Solomon—he will not refuse you—to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.”

“Very well,” Bathsheba replied, “I will speak to the king for you.”

 

Do you understand why Solomon would be upset that Adonijah went to Bathsheba his mother and ask her for Abishag the Shunammite as his wife?  But before going there Adonijah was not at all correct, the kingdom was not his, and yes some in Israel look to him as their king, but not all the key priests, not David’s mighty men, not Nathan the prophet of God.  The only thing he got right was the kingdom was given to Solomon by the Lord.

 

But Adonijah was still trying to be king and one of the ways was to marry one of the wives of the old king.  See it was the custom of that day to marry the wife of the former king, that in a way confirmed his position.  It is not clear but it seems as if Adonijah viewed Solomon as very weak to make this dangerous request.  It is also not clear why the mother of Solomon would agree to do so, but it is believed she wanted Solomon to take action against his older brother.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice