David held on too long to the throne. I appears he kept putting it off while Solomon was engaged in preparation for the Temple. More than just the materials and plans, with all the organizational tasks necessary to enroll the priesthood and the various Temple workers, along with plans to administer the kingdom if a wholly different manner than his father, Solomon would have been kept busy full time. But the preparation never came to an end, and the actions of others forced David to pass the rule to his son before the construction began. We pick up the story in 1 Kings.
1 Kings 1:1-4 -- David's health had declined to the point he pretty much had to stay in bed. He was now about 70 years of age. Perhaps one of his last tasks was to compile the Psalms that would later be used as the Jewish hymnal of worship. David never lost sight of the goal to build a Temple to Jehovah. Toward the end, he had great difficulty keeping warm. Though the servants pile up the covers, it was not enough before their weight became a threat itself. So it was prescribed a solution still practiced as late as the Middle Ages, that a young woman would lie next to him to keep him warm. This had nothing to do with sex, and no one would have thought so. Nonetheless, she became a member of the royal household. The maiden Abishag ("Blunder") was of the Tribe of Issachar, from Shunem, in the Jezreel at the foot of Mount Hermon.
1:5-10 -- Sensing that his father was as good as dead, Adonijah {"Worshiper of Jehovah"), the younger brother of Absalom, decided he would declare himself king. Quite as handsome as his elder, the young man was a little less bold. However, he pulled the same stunt with runners and a chariot to get everyone used to the idea of him being the next ruler. This was not a revolt per se, as he was the eldest son of David, but a major sin in trying to displace God's chosen, well known by then as Solomon. True to his nature, David never bothered to rein in his headstrong son, so many in the court must have thought it was acceptable. David had not officially named Solomon his heir. Adonijah was joined in this by Joab, David's old commander, and Abiathar. The latter was the last surviving member of Eli's household. Adonijah chose carefully and excluded those unlikely to support him.
Prior to any real effort to take control, Adonijah gathered his conspiracy to the Rock of Zoheleth ("Crawling Snake"), just above the Spring of En-Rogel (The Fuller's Spring). Here the deep shadow of the steep bluff forming the southern face of the Hinnom Valley would stay cool and comfortable most of the day, even in summer. These gather supporters would proclaim him king at this feast, hoping the celebratory mood would prove infectious and usher their candidate into power. They would have offered the standard toast to the king from the beginning of the banquet, "Long live King Adonijah!"
1:11-14 -- Nathan the Prophet had no doubt been watching Adonijah's behavior, and been somewhat bothered by the contradiction to the command of God. When the banquet guests all left the city, headed to the shady spot in the valley below, he noted that he, Zadok the Priest, Benaiah (head of the Royal Messenger and Security Services), and Solomon had been excluded when all the other sons of David had gone.
It is noteworthy here that while Nathan had brought word of God's judgment for the adultery of David and Bathsheba, and the murder of her first husband, he appears to have borne no personal hostility to her. While the issue is Jehovah's command regarding Solomon, there was also the matter that she personally stood to lose a great deal from this mess. He also went to Bathsheba as the one who could bring suit on Solomon's behalf. Clearly David would not stop Adonijah, but perhaps he would at least perform his duty and make the official declaration of his heir. As the only person left in the royal household who could legitimately advocate for her son, Nathan persuaded her to make an official appearance before the king so that he would know this was important business, and would need to rule as judge of the realm. To support her suit, Nathan would come in behind to prevent the need to delay for investigation. Thus, Bathsheba would not seem to be just nagging from fear.
1:15-21 -- Bathsheba's ritual entrance alerted David to be royal, in spite of laying in bed. Bathsheba reminded David of his promise, and how he had neglected his duty by allowing Adonijah to declare himself king with a big banquet and powerful allies. The people were wondering whether David would act to support or deny Adonijah's claim.
1:22-27 -- Before David had time to make an official response, Nathan entered the chamber, announced by court servants. We are not told, but Bathsheba leaves in deference to Nathan's position and the serious nature of his work. Again, the ritual greeting kept things official. Nathan asks rhetorically if David had decided to crown Adonijah as royal heir. He describes the banquet and names the major figures in the conspiracy, and also who was left out. Was this really what the king had planned?
1:28-31 -- David had Bathsheba called back in, so that he could settle open case she had brought. He ruled officially that Solomon was indeed the royal heir; now all debate on the issue was out of bounds. David swore a binding oath before the Lord. Bathsheba closed the proceedings by ritually prostrating herself before the ultimate judicial authority of the kingdom and his final pronouncement.
1:32-37 -- David then called in the faithful members of his staff, those who would be ordered to execute his judgment, as well as anything else necessary to carry it out. Having previously shared duties with Abiathar, Zadok was now acting High Priest alone. Nathan was the ad hoc executor of the judgment, having been involved in the suit, on top of his place as Court Prophet. Benaiah in his role would command the royal escort, lending weight to the action, with the implied threat of violence against any who dared argue.
It was ordered that Solomon would be placed on David's own onager, the white royal mount recognized by everyone. They were to hold this ceremony at the city's main spring, Gihon, still regarded as the location for public announcements. While prophets called of God had His power and Spirit anointing as their spiritual badge of authority, priests and kings were symbolically anointed to an official office among men. Then they were to use the ancient symbol of the shofar to call attention of all men to the declaration that Solomon was king. "For I have appointed him" would be next to the last official act of the aged warrior. The officers closed the pronouncement by asking God to bless the choice.
1:38-40 -- There is little chance anyone in town missed knowing of this massive parade from the high terrace of the palace down the center of the old city, to the gate that opened on the Gihon Spring near the city wall. There, they carried out the ceremony as prescribed. All the residents of the city, who had not been invited to Adonijah's banquet, would have gathered around to watch. It is noted that Zadok used the ceremonial oil he carried for use in the Tabernacle, still standing over at Gibeon. As the officers pronounced the ritual toast to the king, the whole crowed joined in gleefully. The celebration included all the usual musical instruments, dancing and singing, shouting and general hullabaloo. The earth shook, and the noise carried quite far.
1:41-49 -- Just at the feast at Zoheleth was winding down, the noise of the celebration in the city reached them. The guests and host began discussing what it might be, when Abiathar's son Jonathan arrived. Adonijah greeted him still in the magnanimous spirit of a new king, and said surely he brought good news. On the contrary, Jonathan recounted the coronation scene ordered by David. Solomon at that very moment was seated on the throne, and everyone was paying their respects, wishing the new king greater prosperity and fame. David himself celebrated having an heir on the throne before he died. The conspiracy collapsed immediately, and everyone slinked away, hoping to avoid notice.
1:50-53 -- Adonijah did the one thing that made sense at that point, and fled straight to the Tabernacle. There, he grasped two of the horns on the corners of the Altar of God. He knew that his actions had become a de facto revolt. This symbolic act was supposed to guarantee he would be spared, since there was a general prohibition against killing humans in the Court of the Tabernacle. He refused to let go until guaranteed a pardon. Solomon issued a ruling of probation: Adonijah could live only on good behavior. Then he sent guards to drag him from the altar, and present him before the throne. Adonijah prostrated himself before his brother, indicating his voluntary subjection to the new king. He was curtly dismissed.
The story now jumps back to 1 Chronicles. Internal evidence indicates that David help the prerogative to make one last official act as king after the coronation. He calls a solemn assembly, as much of the nation had not yet heard of coronation of his son.
1 Chronicles 28 -- The year was about 971 BC. David killed two birds with one stone. This solemn assembly was called to insure no one misunderstood who was king, and to offer everyone a chance to participate in building the Temple. He recited the whole story about God revealing who was to build the Temple, thus signaling a great shift in the identity of the Nation of Israel. By degrees they had gone from being conquering nomads, to primary residents, warring constantly on all borders and internally, until all resistance to their supremacy was quelled. With the passing of David's rule was the last of the warlord kings. With Solomon would begin the settled monarchy of an established nation. It was critical that the symbolic house of Jehovah their God should also reflect this change.
In everyone's presence, David made a show of presenting to Solomon all the plans and the precious materials for the furnishings, along with the completed enrollment of priests and various offices in the Temple. He also added some new gifts from his personal wealth. This ceremony would have taken at least two hours. Then, David publicly charged Solomon with the task of bringing it all to reality.
29:1-20 -- Then David turned to the assembly and invited them to give toward the effort. No doubt informed in advance, they had brought a vast hoard of treasures in an attempt to match what David had already gathered. David composed one of his numerous Psalms in worship to Jehovah. Many forget how advanced was the theology of this "primitive" nation as revealed in David's Psalms.
29:21-25 -- This whole affair took place in the shadow of the Tabernacle at Gibeon. The next day was taken up by yet one more ceremony, Solomon's coronation, a second time now in the presence of the whole nation. All the officials and the whole royal household joined in declaring their loyalty. This extravagant ritual included a seemingly endless train of sacrificial animals, along with all the usual drink and food offerings. This was the offering one brought to consume before the Lord, a ritual meal shared with God. Zadok was also confirmed as High Priest in preparation for the new Temple. The sad old years of instability and doubt about David's reign were forgotten, as the nation now seemed comfortable with this new situation. Solomon was king in every way.
29:26-30 -- We are given an epilogue of David's 40-year reign. We are told of the records of his rule in the various books composed by the prophets Samuel and Nathan, and the seer Gad. Of these, only that of Samuel survived to us today.
[ Return to Lesson Index ]
[ <-- Previous Lesson ]
[ --> Next Lesson ]
Ed Hurst
08 October 2004
COPYRIGHT NOTICE: People of honor need no copyright laws; they are only too happy to give credit where credit is due. Others will ignore copyright laws whenever they please. If you are of the latter, please note what Moses said about dishonorable behavior -- "be sure your sin will find you out" (Numbers 32:23)