Verse 14
“ Look, while you are yet talking there with the king, I also will come in after you, and confirm your words.”
Then he promised that while she was thus speaking with the king, he himself would enter and confirm her words. Thus would the king know that these were not just the hysterical fears of a woman and mother. It is apparent that Nathan was acting in order that the king might be crowned whom he knew to have been appointed by YHWH (2 Samuel 12:24-25), but that he recognised that the reminder to the king about his oath came best from the person to whom he had made it and who could thus vouch for it.
‘ And Bath-sheba went in to the king into the inner chamber, and the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was ministering to the king.’
So Bathsheba approached the inner chambers of the sick king. She would be one of the few who had easy access. We are then reminded that the king was very old, and that he was being ministered to by Abishag. It is noteworthy that Abishag was permitted to be present at all the audiences sought with the king, even though, when Nathan arrived, Bathsheba was excluded. Abishag’s relationship with the king was clearly very close, with the result that she was therefore privy to all the state’s secrets. All would see her as one of his wife-concubines, and we can therefore see why later Solomon took Adonijah’s attempt to marry her as a political move. He had after all good reason to be suspicious of Adonijah.
‘ And Bath-sheba bowed, and did obeisance to the king. And the king said, “What is your desire?” ’
In spite of her position Bathsheba had to make a formal approach. And when she entered the inner chamber she bowed and did obeisance. It was thus more than a curtsey, but possibly not the full length obeisance required from others. The king then asked her what it was that she wanted.
‘ And she said to him, “My lord, you swore by YHWH your God to your handmaid, saying, “Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he will sit upon my throne.” ’
Bathsheba then reminded the king that he had sworn by YHWH his God that Solomon would rule after him, and would sit on his throne. The serious form of the oath excludes the idea that Bathsheba was making it up. To have suggested this, had it not been true, would have been high treason.
‘ And now, see, Adonijah reigns, and you, my lord the king, do not know it, and he has slain oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the host, but Solomon your servant he has not called.”
She then explained why she was disturbed. It was because Adonijah was basically taking the co-regency for himself, without the king’s knowledge, and had made clear his intentions by a special feast to which he had called all those who were supporting his cause, including all the sons of the king apart from Solomon. This latter fact was pregnant with significance, as David would immediately realise. He was not senile. The special mention of Abiathar and Joab would also make clear who was not supporting him (Nathan, Zadok and Benaiah).
‘ And as for you, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, that you might tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.’
Then she urged him to make the true position about who was to succeed him crystal clear, in view of the fact that all Israel were awaiting his instruction as to who should be his heir, and be king after him.
‘ Otherwise it will come about that, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.’
And she drew attention to Adonijah’s clear indication that once he became king, and David was dead, Solomon, and therefore his mother, would be liquidated as ‘offenders, lawbreakers, sinners’ (those who missed the mark). In other words some technicality would be utilised so as to put them to death. She was thus playing on the affection and loyalty that she knew that David had for her, and for all his sons, including Solomon. We must not play down the situation. She was fully aware that she and Solomon (the one whom YHWH loved and to whom He had given a special, unique name - 2 Samuel 12:24-25) undoubtedly faced elimination if Adonijah became king.
The description of death as ‘sleeping with his fathers’ theoretically meant being placed in the family tomb. But it had become just a loose way of describing death. David would not in fact be placed in his family tomb, any more than Ahab would be, of whom the same thing could be said (1 Kings 22:37).
‘ And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet came in. And they told the king, saying, “See, Nathan the prophet.” And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.”
While Bathsheba was talking with David he was informed that Nathan had come to see him. Such an important visitor had to be given preference and at this point Bathsheba was required to leave (1 Kings 1:28), prior to Nathan being invited in to David’s inner chamber. David recognised the right of Nathan to both precedence and privacy (apart that is from the presence of Abishag). And when Nathan came in he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground. Even prophets had to abase themselves before the king when on normal visits.
‘ And Nathan said, “My lord, O king, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?’ ”
Nathan then asked the king to confirm whether it was genuinely his intention that Adonijah would reign after him, and sit on his throne, and whether he had actually stated the fact?
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