ESSENTIALLY THE BOOK OF KINGS WILL TAKE US FROM THE ERA OF DAVID HANDING THE THRONE OVER TO SOLOMON ALL THE WAY DOWN TO NEBUCHADNEZZAR DESTROYING YERUSHALIM AND TAKING JUDAH CAPTIVE AND YISHARAL’S EXILE TO BABYLON. THE FIRST 11 CHAPTERS OF THE BOOK OF KINGS ARE ABOUT KING SOLOMON AND HIS 40 YEAR REIGN OVER A UNITED, PROSPEROUS, AND INFLUENTIAL KINGDOM OF YISHARAL. SO LET’S GO …
ALL THE EVENTS OF THIS CHAPTER OCCUR WITH SUCH URGENCY, SPANNING ONLY A FEW HOURS.
KINGS (1Kings.1)
King David was now an old man and he always felt cold (even under a lot of blankets).
UNLIKE MOSES WHO WAS STILL OF GOOD HEALTH AND STILL HAD EXCELLENT EYESIGHT AT THE AGE OF 120 YEARS (BEFORE HIS DEATH), DAVID IS FRAIL AND IN ILL HEALTH AT THE AGE OF ONLY 70, DUE TO A LIFETIME OF STRESS, BATTLE, LIVING IN EXTREME CONDITIONS IN THE DESERT WILDERNESS, EXPOSURE AND FATIGUE.
One day his officials said, “Your Majesty, we’ll go look for a young woman to take care of you. Then she can lie down beside you and keep you warm.” So they looked everywhere in Yisharal until they found a very beautiful young woman named Abishag, who lived in the town of Shunem. Then they brought her to David, and she took care of him. But David did not have sex with her.
ADONIJAH (ALSO A VERY HANDSOME MAN) WAS JUST COPYING THE POLITICAL CAMPAIGNING OF HIS DEAD BROTHER ABSALOM, AS WELL AS THE TOTAL DISRESPECT TOWARDS HIS FATHER. SINCE DAVID WAS AN OVERLY INDULGENT FATHER WHO NEVER DISCIPLINED HIS SONS, THEY OBVIOUSLY FELT ENTITLED AND ARROGANT.
Adonijah met with Joab the son of Zeruiah and Abiathar the High Priest (LOYAL TO NORTHERN TRIBES) and asked them if they would help him become King, and both of them agreed to help. But Zadok, the other High-Priest (LOYAL TO SOUTHERN TRIBES) Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, Nathan the Prophet, Shimei, Rei and David’s bodyguards all refused to help him. Adonijah invited his Brothers and David’s officials from Judah to go with him to Crawling Rock near Rogel Spring, where he sacrificed some sheep, cattle, and fat calves. But he did not invite Nathan, Benaiah, the bodyguards, or even his own brother Solomon.
IT WAS A STANDARD MEDICAL PRACTICE FROM THAT ERA, AND STILL TAUGHT TODAY AS AN EMERGENCY TREATMENT FOR HYPOTHERMIA: A PERSON WHO HAS BEEN OVERLY EXPOSED TO COLD AND THEIR CORE BODY TEMPERATURE IS DANGEROUSLY LOW OUGHT TO SNUGGLE CLOSELY WITH SOMEONE ELSE TO ABSORB THE BODY HEAT THAT OTHER PERSON IS GENERATING.
Adonijah was David’s fourth son (from Haggith and was Absalom and Tamar’s younger brother) who was very handsome. One day, Adonijah started bragging, “I’m going to make myself King!” So he got some chariots and horses, and hired fifty men as bodyguards. And David did not want to hurt his feelings, so he never asked Adonijah why he was doing all these crazy things.
THIS WAS NOT AN OUTRIGHT REBELLION, RATHER ADONIJAH JUST ASSUMED HE WAS NEXT IN LINE FOR THE THRONE SINCE HIS 3 OLDER BROTHERS (AMNON, ABSALOM AND CHILEAB) WERE DEAD.
And when Nathan heard what had happened, he asked Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, “Have you heard that Adonijah has made himself King? And David doesn’t know a thing about it. You and your son Solomon will surely be killed, unless you do what I say. Go to David and say, 'You promised me that Solomon would be the next King. So why is Adonijah now King?' And while you're talking to David, I’ll come in and confirm everything you’re saying”.
Meanwhile, David was in his bedroom where Abishag was taking care of him because he was so old. And Bathsheba went in and bowed down. “What can I do for you my dear?” David asked.
Bathsheba answered, “My King, you promised me in the name of Yahuah your Alahim that my son Solomon would be the next King ...
But Adonijah has already been made King, without you even knowing about it. He sacrificed a whole lot of cattle, calves, and sheep, and invited Abiathar the High Priest, Joab your Army Commander and all your sons to be there, except Solomon, your loyal servant. My King, everyone in Yisharal is waiting for you to announce who will be the next King. So if you don’t, they’ll say that Solomon and I have rebelled and treat us like criminals and kill us as soon as you die”.
THE ONE WHO BECOMES KING USUALLY EXECUTES OTHERS IN HIS FAMILY WHO MIGHT BE SEEN AS A THREAT TO HIS CROWN, WHETHER THAT THREAT IS REAL OR IMAGINED - AND BATHSHEBA'S WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POPULAR AMONG DAVID'S OTHER WIVES AND CHILDREN.
Just then Nathan the prophet arrived. Someone told David that he was there, and Nathan came in, bowing with his face to the ground, then said, “My King, did you say that Adonijah would be King? Earlier today he sacrificed a whole lot of cattle, calves, and sheep and invited the Army Commanders, Abiathar and all your sons to be there. Right now they're eating and drinking and shouting, “LONG LIVE KING ADONIJAH!” But he didn’t invite me or Zadok the High Priest or Benaiah or Solomon. Did you say they could do this, without telling the rest of us who'd be the next King?
Then David said, “Tell Bathsheba to come here.” So she came and stood in front of him and he said, “The living Yahuah, Alahim of Yisharal has kept me safe, and so today, I will keep the promise I made to you in His name, and Solomon will be the next King!” And Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground and said, “My King, I pray that you will live a long time!”
IN THIS DISCUSSION OF DEATH AND ETERNAL LIFE, MORE IS BEING IMPLIED UNDER THE SURFACE. YAHUAH HAD PROMISED DAVID THAT HIS DYNASTY WOULD GO ON INDEFINITELY, AND THAT HE'D NEVER REPLACE IT WITH ANOTHER. FURTHER ITS CONTINUATION WOULD GO ON THROUGH DAVID’S SON SOLOMON. SO BATHSHEBA IS TELLING THE DYING DAVID THAT WHAT HE’S DONE BY FORMALLY APPOINTING SOLOMON AS KING (IN ACCORDANCE WITH YAHUAH’S WILL) IS TO BRING ABOUT HIS OWN ONGOING AFTERLIFE AND ETERNAL CONTINUATION OF HIS DYNASTY. THIS IS BECAUSE IT WAS STILL BELIEVED IN YISHARAL (AS ELSEWHERE) THAT A MAN’S LIFE ESSENCE LIVED ON IN HIS SON. IN DAVID’S CASE, HIS KINGSHIP WOULD ALSO LIVE ON IN HIS SON SOLOMON (AND IN HIS SONS AFTER HIM) AND SO ONE COULD SAY IN A VERY REAL AND TANGIBLE SENSE THAT DAVID WOULD BE KING FOREVER. THIS WAS MEANT AS A COMFORT TO DAVID, NOT AS FLOWERY IDLE WORDS.
Then David said, “Tell Zadok, Nathan, and Benaiah to come here.” And when they arrived, he told them, “Take along some of my officials and have Solomon ride my own royal mule to Gihon Spring. When you get there, Zadok and Nathan will anoint Solomon the new King of Yisharal. Then after the ceremony is over, have someone blow a trumpet and tell everyone to shout, “LONG LIVE KING SOLOMON!” Bring him back here, and he'll take my place as King. He is the one I've chosen to rule both united nations of Yisharal (NORTH) and Judah (SOUTH).
And Benaiah answered, “We will do it, your Majesty. I pray that Yahuah your Alahim will let it all happen. Yahuah has always watched over you and I pray that He'll now watch over Solomon. May Yahuah help Solomon to be an even greater King than you.”
OF THE TWO HIGH PRIESTS WHO SERVED DAVID AT THAT TIME (ABIATHAR AND ZADOK) ONLY TZADOK WAS THE TORAH-AUTHORISED HIGH-PRIEST BECAUSE ONLY HE WAS OF THE PROPER LINEAGE (AARON’S FIRSTBORN) AND SO WITH ZADOK DOING THE ANOINTING, FUTURE GENERATIONS COULD NOT DISPUTE THE VALIDITY OF THE CEREMONY.
So Zadok, Nathan, and Benaiah left and took along the two groups of David’s special bodyguards. Solomon rode on David’s royal mule as they led him to Gihon Spring. Zadok the High Priest brought some olive oil from the set-apart tent (where the Ark was) and poured it on Solomon’s head to anoint him as the new King. A trumpet was blown and everyone shouted, “LONG LIVE KING SOLOMON!” Then they played flutes and celebrated as they followed Solomon back to Yerushalim, making so much noise that the ground shook.
Adonijah and his guests had almost finished eating when they heard the noise. Joab also heard the trumpet and asked, “What’s all that noise about in the city?” Just then, Jonathan son of Abiathar came running up. “Come in, an important man like you must have some good news.” Adonijah said.
But Jonathan answered: “Yeah ... Nah mate I don’t sorry! David's just announced that Solomon's the King. Your bro Solomon rode David’s own royal mule to Gihon Spring, and Zadok, Nathan, Benaiah and the King's Royal bodyguards went with him. Then Zadok and Nathan anointed Solomon the King. Now everyone's celebrating all the way back to Yerushalim. That’s the noise you can hear in the city mate. Solomon's now King, not you ya'boof! And ... get this: David’s own officials even told him that they pray Alahim will help Solomon to be an even greater King than David is! ... I mean what about that!”
SOLOMON WAS ACTUALLY THE LEAST LIKELY TO BE KING (AS THE YOUNGEST OF DAVID’S LIVING SONS AND LIKELY NO OLDER THAN LATE TEENS). HE’S ALSO THE PRODUCT OF A SCANDALOUS SITUATION (BEING DAVID & BATHSHEBA'S 2ND SON AFTER THE FIRST DIED AS PUNISHMENT FOR THEIR ADULTEROUS AFFAIR). AND EVEN THOUGH DAVID AND BATHSHEBA WERE MARRIED WHEN SOLOMON WAS CONCEIVED, NEITHER BATHSHEBA NOR SOLOMON WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY WELCOME IN THE HAREM OR RESPECTED BY THE YISHARALITE COMMUNITY AT LARGE. THE WHOLE SEEDY THING WAS TAINTED WITH ADULTERY AND MURDER AND FAVOURITISM.
David was in his bed at the time of the celebration, but he bowed and prayed, “I praise you, Yahuah Alahim of Yisharal, for You have made my son Solomon King and have let me live to see it.”
Adonijah’s guests shook with fear when they heard this news, and left as fast as they came. And Adonijah himself was petrified of what Solomon might do to him, so he ran to the set-apart tent and grabbed hold of the corners of the altar for protection. And someone told Solomon, “Adonijah's all afraid of you now, he's all scaredy-cat clutching onto the altar for dear life, insisting you promise not to kill him.”
So Solomon answered, “If Adonijah doesn’t cause any more trouble, I won’t hurt him. But if he does, I’ll have him killed.” Then he sent someone to the altar to get Adonijah, and when he arrived, Adonijah bowed down, and Solomon said, “ADONIJAH ... go home!”
SO AS OF THIS MOMENT, SOLOMON IS KING OF A UNITED YISHARAL. DAVID IS TECHNICALLY NO LONGER KING, BUT RETAINS A KIND OF SYMBOLIC SENIORITY UNTIL HE DIES. SOLOMON (LIKE DAVID) WILL BE KING OVER JUDAH AND YISHARAL, WHICH WAS NOT AUTOMATIC OR A GIVEN AND IT NEEDED TO BE CLARIFIED. DAVID COULD HAVE EASILY MADE EVERYONE HAPPY BY MAKING SOLOMON KING OVER JUDAH (PLEASING BATHSHEBA) AND MAKING ADONIJAH KING OVER THE NORTHERN TRIBES (KEEPING THE CUSTOM OF THE FIRSTBORN INHERITANCE), BUT HE DOESN'T ... AND EVEN THOUGH THE HEBREWS WON'T GET OVER THEIR POLITICAL FACTIONS AND SQUABBLES (STILL IDENTIFYING THEMSELVES AS NORTH OR SOUTH) ... YISHARAL IS INFACT A UNITED SOVEREIGN NATION OF 12 TRIBES (FOR NOW).
