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

On his deathbed King David asked Solomon to settle some scores that he, David, had never been able to settle.  David asked Solomon to make sure that Joab and Shimei did not go into the grave in peace, but he also asked Solomon to care for the sons of Barzillai.  I find it interesting that King Solomon did not take action against Joab or Abiathar until after Adonijah asked to marry Abishag, King David’s final concubine.  It is clear that Solomon considered Adonijah’s request to marry Abishag as an attempt to position himself to take the throne from Solomon, a study of the history of dynastic wars shows Solomon to have reason to believe this to be the case.  So, did Solomon take action against Abiathar and Joab at that point because he believed that they had conspired with Adonijah to make this move?  While the passage does not tell us that they had so conspired, they may well have done so.

The passage then goes on discuss King Solomon’s wisdom.  When Solomon had a dream of God telling him to ask God for whatever he wanted God to give him, Solomon responded by requesting discernment in order to better govern the people of Israel.  God was so pleased by Solomon’s request that He promised to grant Solomon discernment, wealth, and a long life.  The writer is not even trying to be subtle in praising King Solomon for his wisdom.  If we ask God for wisdom, He will always grant it to us.  That wisdom may lead us to wealth and a long life, but even if it does not, we will still have wisdom.  On the other hand, if we seek wealth and/or a long life as our first priority, the pursuit of those things will not lead to wisdom, nor the joy which comes from wisdom.

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