1 Kings 2:19-25 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 2:12-25

Here is, I. Solomon's accession to the throne, 1 Kgs. 2:12. He came to it much more easily and peaceably than David did, and much sooner saw his government established. It is happy for a kingdom when the end of one good reign is the beginning of another, as it was here. II. His just and necessary removal of Adonijah his rival, in order to the establishment of his throne. Adonijah had made some bold pretensions to the crown, but was soon obliged to let them fail and throw himself upon Solomon's... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 2:19

Bathsheba therefore went unto King Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah ,.... She went from her own house to the palace; for she might not live at court; or however had an apartment to herself, from whence she went to the king with her suit in favour of Adonijah: and the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her ; upon her entrance into the presence chamber, in honour to her as a parent, he rose up from his throne, and made his obeisance to her, as a dutiful son: and sat... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 2:20

Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee ,.... It was but one, and a little one, and therefore she hoped it would be granted: I pray thee , say me not nay ; do not refuse it, or deny it me, or turn away my thee with shame and disappointment: and the king said, ask on, my mother, for I will not say thee nay ; since it is a small one, as thou sayest, and provided it is fit and lawful to be granted. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 2:21

And she said, let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother to wife. For so Adonijah was by his father's side; and Bathsheba makes use of the relation, the more to move upon him to grant the request. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 2:22

And King Solomon answered and said unto his mother ,.... With as much gentleness and mildness as he could, but inwardly fired at her request, and amazed at it, and could not forbear using some degree of tartness and resentment: and why dost thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah ? is this a small petition? is this a fit and lawful one? ask for him the kingdom also ; for this is what he means by it, that by marrying the king's widow he may step into the throne whenever any... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 2:23

Then King Solomon sware by the Lord ,.... To prevent his mother pressing him to have her petition granted: saying, God do so to me, and more also ; lay such and such evils upon me, and more than I care to express: if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life ; to his own prejudice, and even to the loss of his life; in which Solomon suggests it would issue, being a fresh overt act of treason; he knew, from what Bathsheba said, that this was his petition, and that he had... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 2:24

Now therefore, as the Lord liveth ,.... Which is another oath; and one may easily perceive hereby in what a temper and disposition Solomon was, how warm, earnest, and vehement, how resolute against the petition, and how determined he was to punish Adonijah and his confederates: which hath established me, and set me upon the throne of David my father, and who hath made me an house, as he promised ; who had placed him on his father's throne, and established him there, in spite of all his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 2:25

And King Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada ,.... Orders to execute him, and proper persons to do it; perhaps some of the Cherethites and Pelethites under him, to assist at least in it: and he fell upon him, that he died ; Benaiah rushed in upon him with his men, and thrust his sword into him, and killed him; executions used to be done in those times and countries by great personages, as the instances of Gideon, Doeg, and others, show, and not by common executioners. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 2:25

Solomon sent - Benaiah - and he fell upon him that he died . - Benaiah seems to have been the public state executioner, and yet he was generalissimo of all the forces. See him employed in a similar work, 1 Kings 2:34 ; (note), 1 Kings 2:46 ; (note). I suppose him to have been such another general as Suwarrow, butcher-general of the Turks and Poles to the late Empress Catharine of Russia: like mistress, like man. But they have long since been called to an impartial... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Kings 2:19

Bathsheba therefore [lit; And Bathsheba ] went unto king [Heb. the king ] Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, [the LXX . reads, "and kissed" her ( καὶ κατεφίλησεν αὐτὴν ). There is not necessarily a pregnant construction, as Keil insists: "rose up and went down to meet her." We get here a glimpse of the stateliness of Solomon's court] and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat [lit; throne, same... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 2:12-25

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 2:19

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 2:20

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 2:21

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 2:22

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 2:23

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 2:24

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 2:25

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 2:25

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Kings 2:19

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