1 Kings 2 What for?

seekeroftruth

Well-Known Member
1 Kings 2:19 When Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah, the king stood up to meet her, bowed down to her and sat down on his throne. He had a throne brought for the king’s mother, and she sat down at his right hand.

20 “I have one small request to make of you,” she said. “Do not refuse me.”

The king replied, “Make it, my mother; I will not refuse you.”

21 So she said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given in marriage to your brother Adonijah.”

22 King Solomon answered his mother, “Why do you request Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? You might as well request the kingdom for him—after all, he is my older brother—yes, for him and for Abiathar the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah!”

23 Then King Solomon swore by the Lord: “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if Adonijah does not pay with his life for this request! 24 And now, as surely as the Lord lives—he who has established me securely on the throne of my father David and has founded a dynasty for me as he promised—Adonijah shall be put to death today!” 25 So King Solomon gave orders to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he struck down Adonijah and he died.​

So... they're still arguing over that little GNA. Why was Adonijah so insistent that he be allowed to marry the little GNA? What for?

David has passed and now Adonijah has decided to capture the little GNA and that would get his foot on the floor in front of the throne.

He must have thought his brother Solomon would just move over... or maybe he just had delusions and thought the people would all cheer when they heard the news and they would throw little brother out and crown him.... or maybe he thought his brother Solomon hadn't been listening as he was taught the Laws.

Adonijah knew the law would put him squarely in line for the throne if he took one of his father's women. Remember... they had to memorize all the laws because not everyone had a little white or black, leather bound, Bible with their names engraved in gold on the front. They certainly didn't have Google.

So unless Adonijah was a complete idiot... he knew what he was doing and yet he figured his brother, Solomon, wouldn't know.

Believe it or not... the commentaries disagree on yet another matter.... Why did Bathsheba go to Solomon with Adonijah"s? What for?

This is from the easy English site.

Solomon gave Bathsheba the place of honour at his right side. She did not seem to have understood the meaning of Adonijah’s request. Solomon did, however. He immediately ordered Benaiah to kill Adonijah. Solomon would not be safe as long as Adonijah lived.

Probably, Solomon did not want to kill his brother. But Solomon saw that Adonijah would never be loyal to him. So Solomon had to act in a firm manner.

This is from enduringword.com.

Bathsheba therefore went to King Solomon: She knew that this was an outrageous request, yet she still agreed to bring it to Solomon. Bathsheba probably believed that it was best that Solomon knew what Adonijah wanted to do.

One small petition: Bathsheba knew this was not a small petition at all. She was at least a little sarcastic, to make the request of Adonijah seem even more offensive to the ears of Solomon.

The way I see it... Bathsheba knew what she was doing. The way I see it... she was a soldier's wife... much like our modern day soldier's wives... she would have known that having two men for one throne is not good. Adonijah had already tried to take the throne from Solomon. When Adonijah came to her for a favor.... I believe he deeply underestimated her. I bet there was an intonation in her response.... "Sure.... I'll ask him" can be said a bunch of ways... and each gives a different meaning....

And note:..... Abishag the Shunammite, the GNA, still has not said one word. What for?

:coffee:
 
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