I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 1 Kings 2-3.

Today’s passage begins with what I believe is an account of the same event described in 1 Chronicles 28.  Here King David advises Solomon to keep the Law of Moses and instructs him to settle “debts” which David considers to still be outstanding.  David lists two men whom David asks Solomon to see suffer the consequences of the wrongs they have done and the sons of a man whom David asks Solomon to care for because of the good their father had done him.  I find it interesting that of all the people David had interacted with it was Barzillai whom David made a point of rewarding on his deathbed.  I don’t know the significance of it, but I find it interesting.

Later, Adonijah goes to Bathsheba and asks her to get King Solomon to allow him to marry Abishag, the last of King David’s concubines.  When Bathsheba takes this request to her son, King Solomon, he reacts badly, ordering the execution of Adonijah.  Further he orders Abiathar to retire from all priestly duties.  When Joab heard of Adonijah’s execution he sought sanctuary at the altar that was with the Ark of the Covenant.  It is only when Solomon hears that Joab has done this that he orders Joab’s execution.  I am less than clear on what happened here.  Joab and ABiathar had supported Adonijah’s attempt to claim the crown before King David’s death, but when Solomon granted his brother the right to live out his life in peace as long as he stayed out of politics, they appear to have been granted a similar deal.  Now, I understand how Adonijah’s attempt to marry King David’s concubine violated his deal, I do not see that Abiathar or Joab played a role in that.  

Perhaps we really see what was happening here when the passage tells us that after doing these things King Solomon sent for Shimei.  While Shimei had not supported Adonijah’s bid for the throne he had also not actively supported Solomon either.  And we know that Shimei had relished King David’s temporary loss of power during Absalom’s rebellion (even though he had not actively supported Absalom).  What we have here is King Solomon consolidating power.  He eliminated those who had power and opposed him and acted to limit those who had power and whose support for him was ambivalent.  By forcing Shimei to remain in Jerusalem, Solomon limited his ability to maintain connections which could threaten Solomon’s hold on the throne.  Then when Shimei acted to exert his power outside of Jerusalem, Solomon had him killed.

Finally today’s passage ends with King Solomon seeking wisdom and with an illustration of that wisdom.  You can look at the incident at Gibeon as an actual event (as I do) or as a figurative event and the lesson is the same either way.  Early in his reign, King Solomon recognized that the task of governing, of leading, the people of Israel was more than he could accomplish on his own.  Rather than seeking his own gratification he sought the ability to better serve others.  Because King Solomon sought God’s wisdom to govern His people God granted him wealth and fame.  If we seek and strive to serve God, God may not grant us fame and wealth as He did King Solomon, but He will grant us that which truly makes us happy.