1 Kings 2:13

ADONIJAH'S FOOLISH REQUEST TO MARRY ABISHAG

"Then Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said Peaceably. He said moreover, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And she said, Say on. And he said, Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign: howbeit the kingdom is turned about, and is become my brother's; for it was his from Jehovah. And now I ask one petition of thee; deny me not. And she said unto him, Say on. And he said, Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king (for he will not say thee nay), that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife. And Bathsheba said, Well; I will speak for thee unto the king."

There are two ways of explaining Adonijah's request: (1) He was extremely naive and ignorant of the political implications of his request, perhaps being blinded by a passionate infatuation with the beautiful Abishag, or (2) he, in league with Abiathar and Joab, was involved in a conspiracy to take the throne away from Solomon. Montgomery accepted the first of these explanations, calling the affair "an innocent love affair."[12] It is immaterial and irrelevant that such might indeed have been the true explanation of Adonijah's actions; because Solomon interpreted it as a wicked conspiracy; and Solomon's opinion was the only one that made any difference. He immediately ordered the execution of Adonijah, who apparently was waiting near the throne for an answer. Of course, according to the opinions of that time, taking one of the king's harem was the equivalent of demanding his throne, as we observed in the actions of Absalom (2 Samuel 16:20-23).