Verses 5-28
Adonijah’s Attempted Coup About Which Nathan The Prophet Warns David (1 Kings 1:5-28 ).
There can be no doubt that Adonijah was here making an attempt to become king, knowing perfectly well that it would not meet with David’s initial approval, and aware that David really saw Solomon as his heir. His hope was presumably that once it had become an accomplished fact and had gained the approval of the people David would become reconciled to it. All this is brought out when we peruse the names of those who were not invited to his feast, for those who were excluded were those who were closest to the king and would want to see that his will was done, while the only one who was excluded of the king’s sons was Solomon, a significant fact in itself. It was a pre-emptive strike which was being attempted in view of the king’s illness, but it was mainly nipped in the bud as a result of Nathan’s astuteness.
Adonijah had no real grounds for thinking that he was especially due to inherit the throne, apart possibly from considering the example of nations round about. There was no established tradition in Israel’s history which could have caused him to expect it. And it is significant that at no stage is he said to have sought the will of YHWH about it. It was simply that, as often happened in the Ancient Near East, he considered that there was a vacancy and was determined to make a push in order to obtain it, and this because no official declaration had been made. And he did it even though he knew what the king’s real intentions were.
It will be noted that he was supported in his endeavour by Joab, commander of the armies of all Israel (but not of David’s bodyguard and of the mighty men in Jerusalem), Abiathar, who was probably High Priest at the Tabernacle at Hebron/Gibeon in contrast with Zadok who presided at the Sacred Tent in Jerusalem, and the leading people of Judah, who were seen as separate from the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Jerusalem being David’s private possession. His support was thus from outside Jerusalem. Within a certain area he was the popular candidate, and we may note that it was the people of Judah who had initially supported Absalom, who now supported Adonijah.
It will be noted that the people invited were all ones whose absence would not necessarily be noticed by the king. The king’s close attendants were excluded.
In contrast Solomon was supported by Nathan, the prophet of YHWH in Jerusalem, Zadok, the High Priest in Jerusalem, Benaiah the commander of the king’s bodyguard, and the mighty men who lived in Jerusalem. It would have required huge popular support from all Israel (which Adonijah may have felt that he could obtain) to supplant such a powerful combination.
Analysis.
a Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king,” and he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him (1 Kings 1:5).
b And his father had not crossed him at any time in saying, “Why have you done so?”, and he was also a very goodly (well built and handsome) man, and he was born after Absalom (1 Kings 1:6).
c And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest, and they, following Adonijah, helped him. But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men who belonged to David, were not with Adonijah (1 Kings 1:7-8).
d And Adonijah 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 king’s servants, but Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he did not call (1 Kings 1:9-10).
e Then Nathan spoke to Bath-sheba the mother of Solomon, saying, “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith reigns, and David our lord does not know it? Now therefore come, let me, I pray you, give you counsel, that you may save your own life, and the life of your son Solomon (1 Kings 1:11-12).
f “Go and get yourself in to king David, and say to him, “Did not you, my lord, O king, swear to your handmaid, saying, “Assuredly Solomon your son will reign after me, and he will sit upon my throne? Why then does Adonijah reign? Look, while you are yet talking there with the king, I also will come in after you, and confirm your words.” And Bath-sheba went in to the king into the inner chamber, and the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was ministering to the king. And Bath-sheba bowed, and did obeisance to the king. And the king said, “What is your desire?”
g And she said to him, “My lord, you swore by YHWH your God to your handmaid, saying, “Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he will sit upon my throne” (1 Kings 1:15-17).
h “And now, see, Adonijah reigns, and you, my lord the king, do not know it, and he has slain oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the host, but Solomon your servant he has not called” (1 Kings 1:18-19).
g “And as for you, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, that you might tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him, otherwise it will be that, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders (1 Kings 1:20-21).
f And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet came in. And they told the king, saying, “See, Nathan the prophet.” And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground” (1 Kings 1:22-23)
e And Nathan said, “My lord, O king, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?’ ” (1 Kings 1:24).
d “For he is gone down this day, and has slain oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has called all the king’s sons, and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest, and, behold, they are eating and drinking before him, and say, ‘Long live king Adonijah’.” (1 Kings 1:25).
c “But me, even me your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon, has he not called” (1 Kings 1:26).
b “Is this thing done by my lord the king, and you have not shown it to your servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?” (1 Kings 1:27).
a Then king David answered and said, “Call to me Bath-sheba.” And she came into the king’s presence, and stood before the king (1 Kings 1:28).
Note that in ‘a’ Adonijah made a great open display, and declared publicly that he would be king, while in the parallel it was Bathsheba who was privately called into the king’s presence by the king. In ‘b’ David was too easy about his son’s behaviour, and in the parallel Nathan questioned whether all this meant that David has acted on his son’s behalf behind his servants’ backs. In ‘c’ Nathan, Benaiah and Zadok were not invited to Adonijah’s feast, and in the parallel Nathan gives precisely this information to the king. In ‘d’ the details of the feast are described and the details given of those who were not called, and in the parallel the details of the feast are described and the details of those who were called. In ‘e’ Nathan declared that ‘Adonijah reigns’, and in the parallel asked David if he had said that Adonijah should reign. In ‘f’ Nathan said that while Bathsheba was with the king telling him about the situation he would come in, and Bathsheba then went in and did obeisance to the king, and in the parallel he did come in, and he also did obeisance to the king. In ‘g’ Bathsheba reminded David that he had sworn that her son Solomon would reign and would sit on the throne, and in the parallel she called on him to tell Israel who was to sit on the throne, and pointed out that she and Solomon were in danger of becoming seen as ‘offenders’ (traitors). Centrally in ‘g’ the whole current situation is described.
‘ Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king,” and he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.’
Having determined to become king, Adonijah’s first step towards obtaining the kingship was to improve on what Absalom had done before him and prepare for himself chariots (in the plural) and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him (compare 2 Samuel 15:1). This should in itself have been seen as a danger signal to all concerned. He was seeking to win the people of Jerusalem over by his magnificence and open authority. The ‘fifty’ men (a small military unit) would also act as his bodyguard, and be the foundation for his attempt on the kingdom.
‘ And his father had not crossed him at any time in saying, “Why have you done so?”, and he was also a very goodly (well built and handsome) man, and he was born after Absalom.’
The fact that David had foolishly not questioned his intentions when he had done this had probably encouraged him. A wise word from David might well have nipped his action in the bud. But David seems to have been unable to bring himself to discipline his sons. And Adonijah was further encouraged in his ambitions by his good looks, and by the fact that he was now the eldest son (Chileab (2 Samuel 3:3) had probably died in childhood as he is never again mentioned), even though there was no precedent in Israel for the eldest son becoming king. Notice the likeness to the case of Absalom who had also depended on his good looks and had been the eldest surviving son (2 Samuel 14:25; compare 1 Samuel 16:7).
‘ And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest, and they, following Adonijah, helped him.’
So he began to sound out what support he could raise, and was no doubt delighted to discover that both Joab, the commander-in-chief of the army of Israel, and Abiathar, one of the High Priests, were prepared to support him. Joab was probably aware that he was out of favour with David over the affairs of Abner and Amasa, and was also not in Solomon’s favour, and was as ever trying to establish his own position. Abiathar was possibly won over by Adonijah’s grandeur, or even by the promise that he would be given precedence over Zadok, the other High Priest. He was probably aware that Solomon favoured Zadok, the High Priest in Jerusalem (compare 2 Samuel 15:24). Note how Zadok is always named before Abiathar (2 Samuel 8:17; 2 Samuel 15:24; 2 Samuel 20:25). Both Joab and Abiathar had their main spheres of influence outside Jerusalem, Joab being over the host of Israel/|Judah and Abiathar being Priest at the Tabernacle.
‘ But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men who belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.’
However, Zadok the other High Priest, Benaiah the captain of the king’s bodyguard, Nathan the prophet who had been so faithful to David, Shimei (probably the son of Elah mentioned in 1 Kings 4:18, who would later be one of Solomon’s twelve administrators), Rei (unknown, but apparently important) and the mighty men did not support him. Elah and Rei were clearly important officials in Jerusalem. Had Adonijah known it, this was the death knell to his hopes. Benaiah, over the king’s bodyguard, and the mighty men, who were the main officers over the standing army, represented the power base present in Jerusalem which had always upheld David. They were a formidable combination. With this in mind Adonijah’s only hope was to speedily win the confidence and support of the people outside Jerusalem by a coup. This was now what he attempted to do.
Nathan the prophet followed in the line of prophets who in Israel had great influence (Deuteronomy 18:15-22; Judges 6:8-10; 1Sa 3:20 ; 1 Samuel 19:24; 1 Samuel 22:5; 1Sa 28:6 ; 2 Samuel 7:2; 2 Samuel 12:25; 2 Samuel 24:11). They were the spokesmen of YHWH and the king’s conscience, and even ‘evil’ kings listened to them, although they did not always do what they said. Other nations had ‘prophets’ but they did not have the same status as those in Israel. This sidelining of Nathan by Adonijah was a clear indication that Adonijah was not seeking the will of YHWH. He was thus minimising the importance of the covenant. And it is this fact that underlies this first chapter of Kings, that YHWH finally ensured that the man of His choice became king.
In spite of the feelings of some there are no firm grounds for suggesting that Zadok was connected with the Canaanite priesthood that had previously been operative in Jerusalem, an idea fostered on the grounds that zdk appeared in such names as Melchi-zedek (Genesis 14:0). But the word zdk (‘righteousness’) was in common use in Israel, and the names Zadok and Zedekiah were common Hebrew names. Furthermore Zadok is only ever (and continually) connected with the ancient priesthood of Israel (see 1 Samuel 2:35; 2Sa 8:17 ; 1 Chronicles 6:12; 1 Chronicles 6:53; 1 Chronicles 18:16; Ezra 7:2; Nehemiah 11:11; Ezekiel 40:46). In fact, if anyone was to take over the Canaanite high priesthood of Jerusalem it would have been David as the king-priest, and he probably did in fact take the title of ‘priest after the order of Melchizedek’ (Psalms 110:4), as well as also appointing his sons as ‘priests’ (2 Samuel 8:18 - probably official ‘intercessory priests’). In view of the indications apparent from David’s inability to make the Tent in Jerusalem the Central Sanctuary in spite of the presence within it of the Ark (for the Central Sanctuary continued to be maintained first at Hebron and then at Gibeon), it is clear that there must have been a strong current of feeling among the people outside Jerusalem against seeing Jerusalem as the Central Sanctuary (many consider that Solomon composed the Song of Solomon in order to try to legitimise it among countryfolk). They would certainly not, therefore, at this stage have countenanced a High Priest who was not a true Israelite and descendant from Aaron, and there is no hint of it anywhere in the narrative.
‘ And Adonijah 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 king’s servants, but Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he did not call.’
With the intention of pre-empting the matter of the kingship Adonijah held a great feast at the stone of Zoheleth (‘the serpent’s stone’, or ‘stone of slipping’), which was at En-rogel (‘the spy’s fountain’ or ‘the fuller’s fountain’ or ‘the spring of the stream’), to which he invited all the king’s sons (who thus appear to have favoured his becoming king) apart from Solomon, and all the prominent men (the king’s servants) of Judah (or possibly the Judean military leaders). He was clearly aware that Solomon was the heir apparent, and that Solomon was supported by the mighty men and the establishment in Jerusalem because he was David’s choice. Adonijah’s idea would appear to have been the obtaining of the kingship by popular acclamation in Judah while David was out of action without any thought as to whether it was the will of YHWH. If he could turn the tide in his favour it would be difficult for a sick David to repudiate it.
The purpose of the feast was in order that men might demonstrate their loyalty to Adonijah, and their oneness with him in his endeavour, by eating together, so cementing their union. The hope then being that all Israel would hear and respond. It was not necessarily a sacrificial meal. The slaughter of sheep and oxen could take place without their being sacrificed as long as the proper ritual was observed (compare Deuteronomy 12:20-25; 1 Samuel 14:33-34). The exclusion of Solomon was an act of open hostility, and a declaration of the fact that he was not seeking to make peace with him. Refusal of hospitality had great significance in the Ancient Near East. There is thus no doubt that he saw Solomon as his only rival.
En-rogel was just outside Jerusalem, some 200 metres (650 yards) south of where the Valleys of Hinnom and Kidron met (Joshua 15:7-8). It was on the borders of Judah and Benjamin from where he clearly hoped to gain his main support. It is known today as Job’s well.
‘ Then Nathan spoke to Bath-sheba the mother of Solomon, saying, “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith reigns, and David our lord does not know it?”
Meanwhile news of what Adonijah was attempting to do inevitably arrived in Jerusalem, but it took a brave man to do something about it, for if Adonijah succeeded in his attempt to become king such a person knew that he would be a marked man. And that brave man was Nathan, the prophet of YHWH. He was apparently aware of the sworn promises that David had made to Bathsheba that Solomon was to be the heir (1 Kings 1:13), and himself knew of YHWH’s special seal put on Solomon at his birth (2 Samuel 12:25). Furthermore when YHWH had declared His covenant to David it had been in respect of a son yet to be born (1 Chronicles 22:7-10). Nathan also knew that David never broke his sworn oath. Thus he would see himself as, by his action, seeking to bring about the will of YHWH. That is why he approached Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, and asked her if she had heard that Adonijah had pronounced himself as prospective king without the knowledge of David. His pointed description of Adonijah as ‘the son of Haggith’ (Bathsheba would know very well whose son he was) may indicate that there was a certain antagonistic rivalry between Haggith and Bathsheba. Note the reference to Bathsheba’s possible prospective death in 1 Kings 1:12.
‘ Now therefore come, let me, I pray you, give you counsel, that you may save your own life, and the life of your son Solomon.’
He then urged her to listen to his advice if she was to avoid certain death for herself and Solomon at the hands of Adonijah. He knew that Adonijah could never allow Solomon to live once he had taken the throne simply because so many knew that Solomon was David’s choice as heir, and Adonijah had in fact indicated his hostile intentions by excluding Solomon from his list of invited guests. While Solomon was alive Adonijah would know that his throne could never be secure, and it was common practise among ancient kings to liquidate their near rivals once they had become king.
‘ Go and get yourself in to king David, and say to him, “Did not you, my lord, O king, swear to your handmaid, saying, “Assuredly Solomon your son will reign after me, and he will sit upon my throne? Why then does Adonijah reign?” ’
Nathan then urged Bathsheba to go to the sick king and point out that David had sworn that Solomon would be his heir and would reign after him and sit on the throne, and to ask him if he was aware of Adonijah’s attempt on the throne.
Be the first to react on this!
