1 Kings · chapter 1 of 22
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1 Kings 1 tells how King David, old and frail, nearly loses his throne when his son Adonijah declares himself king with the backing of Joab and the priest Abiathar. The prophet Nathan and Bathsheba remind David of his promise, and David has Solomon anointed at Gihon. Adonijah loses his support and takes refuge at the altar.
The book of 1 Kings continues the story of Israel where 2 Samuel ended: David has reigned forty years and has not made clear who will follow him. This opening chapter marks the end of an era and raises the question that runs through the whole book: who will lead God's people, and how faithfully will they follow the Lord?
King David is very old and cannot keep warm, so his servants find a young woman, Abishag the Shunammite, to care for him. Meanwhile his son Adonijah, the oldest living son, exalts himself and says he will be king. He gathers chariots and horsemen and wins the support of Joab, the commander of the army, and of Abiathar the priest. He holds a great feast at the Serpent's Stone near En-rogel, but he does not invite the prophet Nathan, Benaiah, David's mighty men or his brother Solomon.
Nathan goes to Bathsheba and advises her to go to David and remind him that he swore Solomon would reign. Bathsheba enters the king's chamber and speaks, and then Nathan confirms her words. David swears again that Solomon will be king in his place and orders the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan and Benaiah to anoint him at Gihon, riding the king's own mule. The trumpet sounds, the people shout 'Long live King Solomon,' and the ground shakes with their celebration.
Adonijah and his guests hear the noise as they finish eating. Jonathan, son of Abiathar, tells them what has happened, and the guests scatter in fear. Adonijah, afraid for his life, runs to the tent of the Lord and grasps the horns of the altar. Solomon promises that no harm will come to him if he proves to be a worthy man, but that he will die if wickedness is found in him, and sends him home.
References follow ESV book names and verse numbers. Read each verse in your Bible before the explanation.
Adonijah, son of Haggith, exalts himself and announces that he will be king. His ambition rests on no word from God and no decision of the king, which shows what happens when power is grasped rather than received.
Nathan tells Bathsheba to ask David whether he did not swear that Solomon would reign. He appeals to a promise made before the Lord, not to force or favoritism, as the basis of Solomon's rule.
David confirms to Bathsheba the oath he swore by the Lord, the God of Israel: Solomon will reign after him. Though frail in body, the king still acts clearly when it comes to keeping his word.
Zadok the priest anoints Solomon with oil from the tent, the trumpet sounds, and the people rejoice so loudly that the earth shakes. The public anointing turns David's promise into a fact all Israel recognizes.
6 questions with answers and references, ready for Sunday school, small group or a Bible quiz night.
Answer: Abishag the Shunammite, a young woman his servants found to attend him and keep him warm. — 1 Kings 1:1-4
Answer: That he would be king; he exalted himself and prepared chariots and horsemen. — 1 Kings 1:5
Answer: The prophet Nathan, Benaiah, David's mighty men and his brother Solomon. — 1 Kings 1:10
Answer: To ask whether he had not sworn that Solomon would reign, and why then Adonijah was reigning. — 1 Kings 1:13
Answer: He was anointed at Gihon and rode King David's mule. — 1 Kings 1:33-39
Answer: He was afraid, went to the tent of the Lord and grasped the horns of the altar. — 1 Kings 1:50
1 Kings 1 contrasts two ways of reaching a position of influence: seizing it out of ambition, or receiving it from God and waiting for his timing. Adonijah exalts himself, surrounded by people who applaud him. Ask yourself whether, in your ministry, work or family, you are tempted to push yourself forward instead of serving faithfully where God has placed you.
The chapter also shows the value of people like Nathan and Bathsheba, who speak up courageously and at the right time to remind a leader of a promise. In a Sunday school class or small group, talk about who needs someone to speak the truth to them respectfully today, and how to avoid silence when we are asked to speak.
1 Kings 1 ends with Solomon seated on the throne and Adonijah warned that his life depends on his conduct. In 1 Kings 2, David gives his final charge to Solomon, dies, and the new king secures his rule.
She was a beautiful young woman from Shunem whom David's servants found to care for the aged king and keep him warm. The text states that the king had no sexual relations with her. Her name returns in 1 Kings 2, when Adonijah asks to marry her.
The horns of the altar were a place of refuge where a person went to seek mercy. Adonijah knew a rival to a new king was in danger of death and hoped Solomon would spare his life. Solomon granted him mercy on one condition: that he behave honorably.
The prophet and the priest represented God's word and worship in Israel. Their presence showed that Solomon did not rule through a power grab but by the Lord's will expressed through David.