1 Reis 1
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
1 Reis 1
NJB (MT versing) David in Old Age Adonijah Presumes to Be King The Struggle for the Succession and Solomon's Attainment of the Kingship King David in His Old Age Last Days of David and Activities of Adonijah 1:1-8 1:1-4 1:1-4 1:1-4 1:1-8 Adonijah Claims the Throne 1:5-10 1:5-8 1:5-8 1:9-10 1:9-10 1:9-10 1:9-10 Nathan and Bathsheba Solomon Is Made King The Intrigues of Nathan and Bathsheba 1:11-14 1:11-14 1:11-14 1:11-14 1:11-14 1:15-21 1:15-21 1:15-21 1:15-16 1:15-21 1:17-21 1:22-27 1:22-27 1:22-27 1:22-27 1:22-27 David Proclaims Solomon King Solomon Is Consecrated King on David's Nomination 1:28-31 1:28-31 1:28-31 1:28-30 1:28-37 1:31 1:32-37 1:32-37 1:32-37 1:32-35 Solomon Anointed King 1:36-37 1:38-40 1:38-40 1:38-40 1:38-40 1:38-40 1:41-48 1:41-49 1:41-48 1:41-42 1:41-48 1:43-48 1:49-53 1:49-53 1:49-51 1:49-53 1:50-53 1:52-53 Etc.
1 Reis 1:1-8
1:1 "David was old, advanced in age" David was 30 years old when he began to reign in Hebron (2 Sam. 5:4). He reigned in Hebron 7½ years (2 Sam. 2:11; 1 Chr. 3:4) Jerusalem 33 years (2 Sam. 5:5) SPECIAL TOPIC: HUMAN AGING 1:2 "a young virgin" She will fit into a conspiracy later, but unknown to her (i.e., 1 Kgs. 2:21). ▣ "his nurse" NKJV, TEV, REB "care for him" NRSV, JPSOA "his attendant" "wait on" "minister to him" "housekeeper" This (BDB 698, KB 755, Qal ACTIVE PARTICIPLE) basically means "to be of service." Nothing is implied in the word about being a wife or concubine. But the fact that she slept with David to keep him warm implied she was part of the royal harem. The practice of a young person providing warmth to an old person was known. Galen, Method of Medicine 8.7 Josephus, Antiq. 7.14.3. 1:4 "did not cohabit" NKJV, LXX, Peshitta "did not know" "did not know her sexually" TEV, NJB, REB "did not have intercourse" "was not intimate" The VERB "know" (BDB 393, KB 390, Qal PERFECT) has several connotations. SPECIAL TOPIC: KNOW 5. d. 1:5 Absalom did this very thing (cf. 2 Sam. 15:1), when he attempted to become king. 1:6 "His father had never crossed him at any time" David was a wonderful King but a poor father. ▣ "he was also a very handsome man, and he was born after Absalom" His appearance (i.e., 1 Sam. 9:2; 2 Sam. 14:25) and his birth order made Adonijah the apparent heir to the throne. 1:7 Two powerful people supported Adonijah. Joab, the military leader Abiathar, the priestly leader (he was a descendant of Eli and the only survivor of the slaughter at Nob, cf. 1 Sam. 22:20; NIDOTTE, vol. 4, pp. 348-349) 1:8 This lists the supporters of David who did not participate in Adonijah's presumption. ▣ "Zadok" He is first mentioned in 2 Sam. 8:17. His ancestry is given in 1 Chr. 6:4-6. He carried the ark in 2 Samuel 15 and became one of two High Priests under David (see NIDOTTE, vol. 4, pp. 1300-1302). ▣ "Shimei" This person is unknown but obviously not the same as the Shimei of 2 Sam. 16:5-8; 1 Kgs. 2:36-46. Some scholars have suggested that Shimei and Rei are two of David's brothers mentioned in 1 Chr. 2:13-14 (i.e., Shimea, Raddai).
1 Reis 1:9-10
1:9 This was a coronation banquet (i.e., 1 Kgs. 1:25; 2 Sam. 15:12) close to Jerusalem (cf. Josh. 18:16). Notice the guest list. all his brothers, the king's sons all the men of Judah the king's servants ▣ NASB, NKJV, NRSV, REB, LXX "the stone of Zoheleth" "Snake Rock" "Sliding Stone" "the great stone" "the Serpent's Stone" The MT has "Serpent's Stone" (BDB 6 CONSTRUCT BDB 267; ABD, vol. 5, pp. 1116-1117). The question is, was it a rock shaped like a snake a place where a god symbolized by a snake was worshiped a reference to Saturn (Arabic root) a sliding stone (Targums, NJB) It apparently was a well known place where sacrifices were offerred.
1 Reis 1:11-14
1:11-14 This shows palace intrigue and planning to force David to act. He had promised Bathsheba about the succession of her son, Solomon (cf. 1 Kgs. 1:13,17,30), but had not officially acted on it (i.e., vv. 20,27). 1:13 David promising Bathsheba that her son would be king is not recorded earlier in Samuel.
1 Reis 1:15-21
1:25 Wives could not enter the king's presence without an invitation. This was an act of faith on Bathsheba's part. 1:21 "sleeps with his fathers" This is an idiom for death and burial in the family tomb. It is not meant to convey the state of the dead. The Hebrews believed in a conscious but joyless afterlife until the new age. The state of the dead is a matter of "progressive revelation." The NT gives a much clearer picture. SPECIAL TOPIC: WHERE ARE THE DEAD?
1 Reis 1:22-27
1:25 "Long live King Adonijah" This is an affirmation of loyalty to the king (cf. 1 Sam. 10:24; 1 Kgs. 1:25,34,39).
1 Reis 1:28-31
1:28 Bathsheba must have left David's bed chamber when Nathan arrived. 1:29 "As the Lord lives" This is an oath using YHWH's name (cf. v. 30). The name is a word play on the VERB "to be." SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, D. ▣ "who has redeemed my life from all distress" This is obviously a hyperbolic statement. David recognized that YHWH had blessed him but his life had many stressful moments (cf. 2 Sam. 4:9). SPECIAL TOPIC: RANSOM/REDEEM 1:31 "forever" See SPECIAL TOPIC: FOREVER ('olam).
1 Reis 1:32-37
1:32 Notice the people David wanted to acknowledge Solomon. the High Priest (Zadok) a prophet (Nathan) a military leader (Benaiah) 1:33-37, 38-40 This contains a series of acts that acknowledge Solomon as king. the servants of David march with Solomon (v. 47) Solomon rides on the king's mule (cf. v. 44; NIDOTTE, vol. 3, p. 675), as would the Messiah, cf. Zech. 9:9; Matt. 21:5 Solomon goes to the Gihon Spring Zadok anoints him (v. 45) trumpet blown loyalty oath given by priest and prophet Solomon sits on David's throne (v. 46) affirmation of loyalty given by David's Mighty Men amen (see SPECIAL TOPIC: AMEN) may YHWH be with Solomon as He was with David may Solomon's reign be greater than David's 1:35 "to be ruler over Israel and Judah" Why are these listed separately? The author of Kings, probably Jeremiah, lived during the Divided Monarchy. Even this early, there was tension between Judah (the largest tribe, the tribe predicted in Gen. 49:10 to bring forth the king) and Israel The term "ruler" (BDB 617) is used of royal leaders approved by God. Here, it denotes Solomon as heir apparent (cf. 2 Chr. 11:22). It is used of Saul ‒ 1 Sam. 9:16; 10:1 David ‒ 1 Sam. 13:14; 2 Sam. 7:8 Solomon ‒ here Jeroboam ‒ 1 Kgs. 14:7 Baasha ‒ 1 Kgs. 16:2 Hezekiah ‒ 2 Kgs. 20:5
1 Reis 1:38-40
1:38 "the Cherethites, and the Pelethites" These were the Philistine, or at least Aegean, mercenary soldiers who had followed David (cf. 2 Sam. 8:18; 15:18; 20:7,23). ▣ "from the tent" This was probably the tent that David had made for the ark in Jerusalem (cf. 2 Sam. 6:17; 1 Chr. 15:1; 16:1; 17:1). ▣ "anointed" See SPECIAL TOPIC: "ANOINTING" IN THE BIBLE. ▣ "trumpet" See SPECIAL TOPIC: HORNS USED BY ISRAEL. 1:40 "so that the earth shook at their noise" The MT has "the earth was split" (BDB 131, KB 149, Niphal IMPERFECT with waw), which is an obvious hyperbolic statement. It is meant to convey that the coronation of Solomon was heard by those supporting Adonijah (v. 41).
1 Reis 1:41-48
1:43 The practice of co-regency was common in the ANE. It does cause problems for modern scholars who try to date the reigns of Israel's and Judah's kings. 1:47 "the king bowed himself on the bed" This was a symbolic act of David in his bed acknowledging King Solomon on his throne (v. 48).
1 Reis 1:49-53
1:50 "took hold of the horns of the altar" This refers to the Sacrificial Altar, which had horns (symbol of power) on each corner. This was where part of the blood of the sacrifice was placed (cf. Exod. 27:2; 30:10). It was a special place of refuge (cf. Exod. 21:14; 1 Kgs. 2:28-29). SPECIAL TOPIC: THE ALTAR OF SACRIFICE 1:52 "not one of his hairs will fall to the ground" This is an idiom meaning "no harm at all will come to him" (cf. 1 Sam. 14:45; 2 Sam. 14:11).