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1 Kings 1:13-25 | Bible Study

Adonijah's Last Attempt

Adonijah's Strange Request

After David's final instructions to Solomon (1 Kings 2:1-12), the narrator turns our attention back to Adonijah.

What follows is a strange story about the events that lead to Adonijah's death.

He approaches Bathsheba and asks to marry the last woman associated with David: Abishag the Shunnamite.

That request doesn't go over well with Solomon and Adonijah ends up dead. If we'll look a little closer, we'll see that more is going on this first catches the eye.

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1 Kings 2:13-25 (NRSVV) with highlights

13 Then Adonijah son of Haggith came to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. She asked, “Do you come peaceably?” He said, “Peaceably.” 14 Then he said, “May I have a word with you?” She said, “Go on.” 15 He said, “You know that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel expected me to reign; however, the kingdom has turned about and become my brother’s, for it was his from the Lord. 16 And now I have one request to make of you; do not refuse me.” She said to him, “Go on.” 17 He said, “Please ask King Solomon—he will not refuse you—to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.” 18 Bathsheba said, “Very well; I will speak to the king on your behalf.”

19 So Bathsheba went to King Solomon, to speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. The king rose to meet her, and bowed down to her; then he sat on his throne, and had a throne brought for the king’s mother, and she sat on his right. 20 Then she said, “I have one small request to make of you; do not refuse me.” And the king said to her, “Make your request, my mother; for I will not refuse you.” 21 She said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to your brother Adonijah as his wife.” 22 King Solomon answered his mother, “And why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom as well! For he is my elder brother; ask not only for him but also for the priest Abiathar and for Joab son of Zeruiah!” 23 Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, “So may God do to me, and more also, for Adonijah has devised this scheme at the risk of his life! 24 Now therefore as the Lord lives, who has established me and placed me on the throne of my father David, and who has made me a house as he promised, today Adonijah shall be put to death.” 25 So King Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he struck him down, and he died.

Adonijah Describes His Situation

After Adonijah’s attempt to take the throne failed, he approached Bathsheba with a “simple” request. This whole passage can be confusing until you stop to pay attention to some of the details. For example, Adonijah describes his situation in a way that is not entirely accurate.

First, he claims that the kingdom was his. He states this as if it were fact. The story doesn’t match that claim, however. Adonijah certainly acted as if he were king, but David never sanctioned the move and there were always significant political obstacles in his way (i.e., Zadok, Nathan, etc.).

Second, Adonijah says that “all Israel” expected him to become king. This statement may be true in the sense that he was the oldest of David’s sons. However, the 1 Kings 1 states that his political allies were all from Judah (1 Kgs 1:9), which is not “all Israel.”

In the end, however, Adonijah admits that Solomon’s reign was arranged by the LORD (1 Kgs 2:15). The question the reader must answer is whether we think Adonijah is genuine in this admission. The statement may be true: God picked Solomon to be king. The truthfulness of that statement, however, does not mean Adonijah is willing to accept it.

Sex and Politics in the Kingdom of Israel

Sex and politics are often intertwined. People use and abuse each other to achieve their desired results. That is as true of today’s world as it was of ancient Israel. Numerous passages in 2 Samuel show that one way to insult the king and make a move for the throne was through sexual conquest (2 Samuel 3:6-7; 12:7-8; 16:21).

This repulsive behavior helps explain what is happening in this story. Until Adonijah requests to take Abishag as his wife, we have no reason to suspect he is interested in her. She served David. So, why does Adonijah want Abishag?

Remember, David was unable to “know” Abishag (i.e., have sex with her). According to Adonijah’s calculations, if he could take Abishag as his wife, he could lay claim to the throne or at least publicly humiliate Solomon.

Clearly, Adonijah’s request is no small thing (1 Kgs 2:20)!

Bathsheba's Version of Adonijah's Request

Before Adonijah asks Bathsheba to approach Solomon about Abishag, he acknowledges Solomon’s position of power. Whether or not he believes it, Adonijah frames his request from a position of humility and vulnerability.

Bathsheba omits this part of the conversation when she relays Adonijah’s request to Solomon. She simply asks Solomon to give Abishag to Adonijah. Consequently, Solomon interprets Adonijah’s move as another attempt to take the throne. He suggests that this request is tantamount to asking to take the whole kingdom from him.

Adonijah: Worthy or Wicked (1 Kgs 1:52)?

Solomon declared Adonijah live if he proved to be a “worthy” man, but he would die if he proved to be “wicked” (1 Kgs 1:52). Within the context of the whole Bible, we are often trained to see these words as statements about someone’s religious morality. These words have a broader range of meanings though.

Solomon’s concept of worthiness and wickedness is tied to Adonijah’s loyalty to the throne. Once Adonijah proves his disloyalty, Solomon has him killed.

Conclusion

This passage is bizarre. Solomon is king and Adonijah’s coup failed. Why does the story circle right back to Adonijah?

First, David just instructed Solomon to use his “wisdom” to consolidate power. Before Solomon can act on those instructions, however, Adonijah makes a political move to upstage him. Unfortunately for Adonijah, Solomon sees straight through the ruse. He recognizes that Adonijah is a major threat to his reign. So, he seizes the opportunity to execute his first rival.

This story raises important questions for us. On a political level, Solomon’s actions make sense. His seat on the throne is under threat by people like Adonijah. On a spiritual level, however, Solomon’s actions are cause for concern. If Solomon’s reign represents the apex of Israel’s history (i.e., wealth and building the temple), why does it start with so much bloodshed?

As we’ll see as we continue to work through 1 Kings 1-11, the presentation of Solomon is complicated. He is simultaneously a wonderful and terrible king. How are we supposed to interpret the significance of Solomon’s mixed character?

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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