1
King David was old and advanced in years, and though they covered him, his body remained cold.
2
So his servants said to him, “Let a young virgin be sought for my lord the king, to attend to the king and care for him; let her lie in your bosom, so that my lord the king may grow warm.”
3
So throughout the land of Israel they searched for a beautiful young woman, and Abishag, the Shunammite girl, was found and brought to the king.
4
The girl was very beautiful, and she became the king’s attendant and served him, but the king did not have relations with her.
5
Then Adonijah, the son of Haggith, exalted himself, saying, “I will be king.” He provided himself with chariots and horsemen and fifty men to run before him.
6
During his life his father had never rebuked him by saying, “Why have you done so?” He was also very handsome in appearance, and he was born after Absalom.
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So he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with the priest Abiathar, and they became followers and supporters of Adonijah.
8
But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and David’s mighty men were not on Adonijah’s side.
9
After this Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fattened cattle as offerings near the stone of Zoheleth, which is beside En-Rogel, and he invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah, the king’s servants;
10
but Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he did not invite.
11
Then Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king, while our lord David does not know it?
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Now therefore let me give you counsel, so that you may save your life and the life of your son Solomon.
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Go in and present yourself to King David, and say to him, ‘Did you not, my lord the king, swear to your servant, saying, “Your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’
14
And while you are still speaking there with the king, I also will come in after you and confirm your words.”
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So Bathsheba went in to the king in his chamber. The king was very old at that time, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king.
16
Then Bathsheba bowed and did obeisance to the king. The king said, “What do you desire?”
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And she said to him, “My lord himself swore by the LORD your God to your servant, saying, ‘Your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.’
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But now, look, Adonijah has become king, and my lord the king does not know it.
19
He has sacrificed many oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep, and has invited all the king’s sons, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander, but your servant Solomon he has not invited.
20
And to you, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are upon, that you should tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after my lord.
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Otherwise it will happen that I and my son Solomon will be counted guilty as soon as my lord the king rests with his fathers.”
22
While Bathsheba was still speaking with the king, the prophet Nathan came in.
23
It was reported to the king, “There is the prophet Nathan.” So he came in before the king and bowed down before the king with his face to the ground.
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Nathan said, “My lord the king, it seems that you yourself have said, ‘Adonijah shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne!’
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For today he has sacrificed many oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep; he has invited all the king’s sons, the commanders, and Abiathar the priest, and behold, they are eating and drinking before him, saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’
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But me, your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon he has not invited.
27
If this thing has come from my lord the king, then you have not made known to your servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after my lord.”
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Then King David answered and said, “Call Bathsheba.” So she came in before the king and stood before him.
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Then the king swore and said, “As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from every distress,
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as I swore to you by the LORD, the God of Israel, saying, ‘Your son Solomon shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place,’ so I will do this day.”
31
Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground; she bowed down to the king and said, “May my lord King David live forever!”
32
Again King David said, “Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” So they came in before the king,
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and the king said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord, and have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon.
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There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet shall anoint him king over Israel; then you shall blow the trumpet and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’
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After that you shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne, for he shall be king in my place; and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah.”
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Then Benaiah son of Jehoiada answered the king, “Amen! May the word of the LORD, the God of my lord the king, be so!
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As the LORD has been with my lord the king, so may He be with Solomon; may He make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.”
38
So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada went down with the Cherethites and the Pelethites; they set Solomon on King David’s mule and brought him to Gihon.
39
Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon. Then the trumpet was blown, and all the people cried out, “Long live King Solomon!”
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After that all the people went up after him, playing pipes and rejoicing greatly, so that the earth seemed to split with the sound of them.
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Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it just as they had finished eating. When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, “What is the reason that the city is in such an uproar?”
42
While he was still speaking, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came. Then Adonijah said, “Come in, for you are a worthy man and surely bring good news.”
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But Jonathan answered Adonijah, “No! Our lord King David has made Solomon king.
44
The king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, together with the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and they have set him on the king’s mule.
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Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him at Gihon as king, and from there they have come back rejoicing, so that the city is in an uproar. That is the noise you heard.
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Now Solomon sits on the royal throne;
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and the king’s servants have also come to bless our lord King David, saying, ‘May your God make Solomon’s name more famous than your name, and his throne greater than your throne.’ And the king bowed himself on his bed,
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and said this: ‘Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who has given one to sit on my throne this day, while my own eyes still see it.’”
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Then all the guests of Adonijah were afraid, and each one rose and went his way.
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And Adonijah was afraid of Solomon, so he arose and went and took hold of the horns of the altar.
51
Then it was told Solomon, “Behold, Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon, and he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon first swear to me that he will not kill his servant with the sword.’”
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And Solomon said, “If he proves himself a worthy man, not a hair of his head shall fall to the ground; but if evil is found in him, he shall die.”
53
And King Solomon sent men to bring him down from the altar. When he came in, he bowed down before King Solomon, and Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.”
👑⚔️🕊️ Summary of 1 Kings 1 – The Struggle for the Throne and Solomon’s Anointing
1 Kings 1 opens the story of the transition of leadership from David to Solomon. In his old age, King David became weak and no longer ruled actively. At that time, Adonijah, David’s handsome and ambitious son, tried to seize the throne quietly. But through the intervention of Nathan and Bathsheba, Solomon was established and anointed as king, according to David’s promise. This chapter teaches about faithfulness, the will of God, and the danger of personal ambition.
📌 1. David Was Old and Weak (verses 1–4)
➡️ David was very old and could not keep himself warm
➡️ Abishag, a young woman from Shunem, was chosen to serve him and keep him warm
🎯 David’s physical weakness opened a political gap that others wanted to use.
📌 2. Adonijah Exalts Himself as King (verses 5–10)
➡️ Adonijah, son of Haggith, declared himself king without David’s permission
➡️ He received support from Joab (the commander of the army) and Abiathar the priest
➡️ However the prophet Nathan and Zadok the priest did not support him
➡️ Adonijah held a great feast — showing ambition and a struggle for power
🎯 Ambition without God’s calling only brings confusion.
📌 3. Nathan and Bathsheba Act to Preserve the Promise (verses 11–27)
➡️ Nathan told Bathsheba about Adonijah’s plan
➡️ Bathsheba went before David and reminded him that he had sworn to make Solomon king
➡️ Nathan followed and confirmed the political emergency
🎯 Timely action and wisdom can save a nation.
📌 4. Solomon Anointed as King (verses 28–40)
➡️ David acted at once: he ordered the priest Zadok, Nathan, and Benaiah to take Solomon on his mule and anoint him as king at Gihon
➡️ The people shouted, “Long live King Solomon!”
➡️ Adonijah and his followers were frightened when they heard the news of the official coronation
🎯 The rightful throne comes from God’s appointment and the blessing of the anointed leader.
📌 5. Adonijah Becomes Afraid and Seeks Protection (verses 41–53)
➡️ Adonijah heard the news and became panicked
➡️ He ran to the altar and grasped its horns, asking not to be killed
➡️ Solomon promised not to kill him if he proved himself to be an upright man
🎯 Forgiveness is available, but with the condition of repentance and faithfulness.
📖 Main Lesson
- True leadership is not about ambition, but about God’s calling
- God’s promise must be upheld even when challenged by human power
- Wise people (such as Nathan and Bathsheba) play an important role in preserving the truth
- God intervenes in political affairs to preserve His line
- Forgiveness may be given, but not without the requirement of integrity
✨ Spiritual Meaning (New Testament)
“Whoever wants to become great… must be a servant.”
➡️ In contrast to Adonijah, who wanted the throne through feasting and personal ambition.
“There is no authority except from God.”
➡️ Solomon’s coronation was not because of strength, but because of authority from God through David.
“Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands…”
➡️ Leaders must be appointed with prayer, wisdom, and rightful authority — as Solomon was.
“For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there is disorder.”
➡️ Adonijah’s plan is a clear example of disorder caused by selfish ambition.
🕊️ “Adonijah… exalted himself, saying: I will be king.” – 1 Kings 1:5
🕊️ “Have you not sworn by the LORD to your servant…” – 1 Kings 1:17
🕊️ “Take him down to Gihon, and Zadok shall anoint him there as king.” – 1 Kings 1:33
🕊️ “If he shows himself to be a worthy man, not a hair of his head shall fall to the ground.” – 1 Kings 1:52
