1 Kings 2:1

EXPOSITION

THE LAST WORDS AND DEATH OF DAVID .—The death of David, and of course the charge which preceded it, did not follow immediately (as the casual reader might be tempted to suppose) on the events related in 1 Kings 1:1-53 . We find from 1 Chronicles 23-29:23, that the aged king recovered sufficient strength to leave his sick room, to gather round him the princes of Israel ( 1 Chronicles 23:9 ), to make a number of fresh arrangements respecting the priests and Levites and the services of the sanctuary, and even to "stand up upon his feet" ( 1 Chronicles 28:2 ) and address a large assembly respecting the erection and adornment of the Temple. And once more, in strains which are among the noblest and sweetest which the sweet singer of Israel ever penned, he "blessed the Lord before all the congregation" ( 1 Chronicles 29:10 . sqq.); he also instituted festal sacrifices on a scale of great magnificence, and witnessed a second and probably more formal and public consecration of his son to the kingly office ( 1 Chronicles 29:21 , 1 Chronicles 29:22 ; cf. 1 Samuel 11:15 ; 2 Samuel 5:3 ). But the recovery cannot have been otherwise than transient—it was but the sudden brightening of the flame before it dies out in the socket—and we see him in this second chapter, once more in the ante-chamber of death. Now, he has already given his parting charge to the princes of the realm, and has publicly exhorted Solomon to discharge his duties faithfully ( 2 Chronicles 28:9 , 2 Chronicles 28:10 ); but as he feels the end approaching, he summons him to his side to impart to him his last and private instructions, and addresses him thus:

I go the way [lit; I am walking (same word as in 1 Kings 2:3 ) in the way] of all the earth [ i.e; of all the sons of earth, all mankind (of. 1 Samuel 17:46 ; 1 Kings 10:24 ; Psalms 66:4 , etc.) The path to Sheol, the path which all his forefathers, and untold millions more, have trod, he is treading it now. The words sound like a reminiscence of Joshua 23:1-16 :24. Perhaps, too, the thought of Joshua suggested to his mind the next words]: but be thou strong, and be a man. [Similar, though not identical, words were four times addressed to Joshua ( Joshua 1:6 , Joshua 1:7 , Joshua 1:9 , Joshua 1:18 ), and David may well have thought that his son, in entering upon his difficult duties, was not at all unlike Joshua when he succeeded Moses in the leadership of Israel, and that he needed similar encouragement. It is not necessary to suppose, as Canon Rawlinson does, that in the words, "show thyself a man," we have a reference to Solomon's youth; for words precisely similar were addressed to each other by the Philistines at Aphek ( 1 Samuel 4:9 ). The age of Solomon at his accession is very doubtful. David said, "Solomon my son is young and tender" ( 1 Chronicles 22:5 ; 1 Chronicles 29:1 ); and Solomon says of himself, "I am a little child" נַעַר קָטֹן ( 1 Kings 3:7 ). Josephus, probably reflecting the tradition of his time, fixes his age at fourteen; Eupolemus at twelve. I incline to think that the words "young and tender" almost forbid the favourite opinion that he was about twenty.]