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1 Kings 1:5-10 | Bible Study

A Two-Sided Battle for David's Throne

Two Political Factions

After the opening scene of 1 Kings, the drama begins in earnest.

Remember, the monarchy is only two generations old (Saul and David). Prior to the first two kings, Israel was ruled by judges and the tribes coexisted in something like a confederation.

David's death represented the first time that the monarchy would be passed to another member of the same family.

As the oldest surviving son, Adonijah presumed that he would become king.

Naturally, Adonijah makes his power move when he perceives his father is close to death (see the blog post on 1 Kings 1:1-4).

Let's look at 1 Kings 1:5-10 to see how two political factions open up in Israel when Adonijah tries to take the throne.

1 Kings 1:5-10 (NRSV) with highlights

5 Now Adonijah son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king”; he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. 6 His father had never at any time displeased him by asking, “Why have you done thus and so?” He was also a very handsome man, and he was born next after Absalom. 7 He conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with the priest Abiathar, and they supported Adonijah. 8 But the priest Zadok, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the prophet Nathan, and Shimei, and Rei, and David's own warriors did not side with Adonijah.

9 Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fatted cattle by the stone Zoheleth, which is beside En-rogel, and he invited all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the royal officials of Judah, 10 but he did not invite the prophet Nathan or Benaiah or the warriors or his brother Solomon.

Adonijah's Side

Chariots and horsemen and 50 men to run
The chariots, horsemen, and 50 runners are typical images of royalty predicted by Samuel in 1 Samuel 8:11.

Joab (read this bible dictionary entry)
Joab was an important military figure for David’s early years.

Abiathar (read this Bible dictionary entry)
He was a priest whose lineage could be traced back to the house of Eli (1 Samuel). Abiathar’s support of Adonijah ultimately leads to the fulfillment of a prophecy about Eli’s priestly family line (see 1 Samuel 2:27-36; 1 Kgs 2:26-27).

All his brothers
Adonijah is the oldest surviving son of David. David had many other children with his numerous wives and concubines. You can read the full list in 1 Chronicles 3:1-9.

All the royal officials of Judah
This is yet another way that Adonijah tries to stack the deck in his favor.

Summary

As you can see, Adonijah gathered a formidable group to his side. He selected key figures from the early years of David's reign. This group included a military figure (Joab) and a priest (Abiathar). He also solicited the support of David's other sons and political officials in the kingdom. As we'll see, however, he made some key mistakes in the formation of this group.

Not on Adonijah's Side

Zadok (read this Bible dictionary entry)
Zadok is a priest from a different family line than Abiathar. The two of them are frequently listed together (see 2 Samuel 8:17; 15:35; 17:15; 19:11). This scene represents the parting of the ways between the two priestly lines. The Zadokite line will take center stage after Abiathar wrongly backs Adonijah.

Benaiah (read this Bible dictionary entry)
He was an important military figure throughout David’s career.

Nathan (read this Bible dictionary entry)
Nathan plays an important role in crucial moments of David’s reign. First, when David wants to build the temple. Second, during the awful episodes with Bathsheba. Third, in this passage and the next when David’s successor must be named.

Shimei (read this Bible dictionary entry)
Shimei came from the same family line as Saul. He infamously cursed David when David was running from his son Absalom (2 Samuel 16:5-14).

Rei
This person is completely unknown in the Bible. Some scholars suggest the word is actually an adjective meaning “the friend.” Others even think this may have been an official position in the royal court.

David’s own warriors
David’s mighty men are famous for their exploits. You can read about them in 2 Samuel 23:8-39.

Solomon
Solomon will obviously play a crucial role in 1 Kings 1-11. We know almost nothing about him at this point, however. His birth was mentioned in 2 Samuel 12:24-25. He is not mentioned again until this scene. Although the narrator has not informed us yet, Solomon is the direct threat to Adonijah’s claim to the throne.

Summary

While Adonijah enjoyed support from many important figures, the ones who did join him were critical. Among this group were some of the kingdom's greatest warriors (David's mighty men) and a key prophetic figure in David's life (e.g., Nathan). Additionally, Zadok turns out to be a more important priestly figure in Israel's history, because Abiathar and the house of Eli were destined to be diminished (1 Samuel 2:27-36).

Adonijah? or Absalom Part 2??

In addition to setting up serious opposition to his play for the throne, the narrator foreshadows Adonijah's downfall by reminding the reader of Absalom. The following verses highlight the similarities between these two sons who attempted to take David's throne.

2 Samuel 15:1

After this Absalom got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run ahead of him.

1 Kings 1:5

Now Adonijah son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king”; he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

Compare David’s negligence of Absalom in 2 Samuel 13-18

1 Kings 1:6a

6 His father had never at any time displeased him by asking, “Why have you done thus and so?”

2 Samuel 14:25

25 Now in all Israel there was no one to be praised so much for his beauty as Absalom; from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.

1 Kings 1:6b

He was also a very handsome man, and he was born next after Absalom.

Final Thoughts

It’s easy to gloss over passages like this because the names are difficult to pronounce or we can’t quite remember who they are. If we will slow down, however, we can learn a great deal by paying attention to the cast of characters.

1 Kings 1:5-10 sets up two opposing sides. On the one side, Adonijah presumes he will take his father’s throne. He is the eldest surviving son after all. So, he creates a royal entourage and solicits the help of a military official (Joab) and a priest (Abiathar).

On the other side, a group of men did not join Adonijah for reasons unspecified. This second group also includes a royal son (i.e., Solomon), military personnel (Benaiah and David’s mighty men), and a priest (i.e., Zadok).

If we recall earlier stories from 1 & 2 Samuel we can know that Adonijah’s claim to the throne has three major problems.

First, the narrator wants the reader to remember Absalom’s failed coup even as he introduces us to Adonijah. He gathers the appropriate images of royalty around him (e.g., chariots, horsemen, and runners). Absalom did the same (2 Sam 15:1; 1 Kings 1:5).

Second, he selects Joab who was David’s right-hand man but had fallen out of favor.

Third, Adonijah recruited Abiathar the priest. Unfortunately, Abiathar was from the line of Eli. As readers, we already know this line of priests is doomed (see 1 Samuel 2:27-36; 1 Kings 2:26-27).

As we’ll see in the next few passages, Adonijah was not destined to be the king. The last person mentioned in these verses turns out to be the next king of Israel: Solomon.

Recommended Resources

This blog post is a part of the Passage of the Week. Join the email list to get guided study notes sent to your inbox every Monday and Friday.

Check out the notes for this passage here and here.

Here are a couple of commentaries you might find helpful on the book of Kings.

Wray Beal, Lissa M. 1 & 2 Kings. Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 2014.

Leithart, Peter J. 1 & 2 Kings. Grand Rapids, Mich: Brazos Press, 2006.

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