Today, I am reading and commenting on 1 Kings 2-3.
When Solomon was crowned at David’s orders, he allowed his brother Adonijah, who had attempted to take the throne without their father’s blessing, to live with the agreement that he would retire to his estates and allow Solomon to rule. Solomon also allowed Joab and Abiathar to keep their titles: Joab as commander of the army, and Abiathar as priest (possibly High Priest). However, Adonijah would not settle for that and attempted to set himself up to challenge Solomon’s rule by marrying the last of David’s concubines. Solomon was not fooled and ordered Adonijah executed. In addition, Solomon appears to believe that Joab and Abiathar played a role in Adonijah’s ploy. So, he ordered Joab executed and forced Abiathar into retirement, turning all of his priestly duties over to Zadok. Or, perhaps Solomon was just taking advantage of Adonijah’s plot to eliminate threats to his authority, because immediately following this he called Shimei to the palace and ordered him to never leave Jerusalem again, on pain of death. Shimei’s response to Solomon’s command seems to suggest that he had been using his position and connections to undermine Solomon’s authority . I would guess that Shimei was not seeking to overthrow Solomon’s rule, merely to have a powerbase with which Solomon would have to negotiate.
Today, I am reading and commenting on 1 Kings 2-3.
I like reviewing the pragmatic, and fair, way in which Solomon dealt with issues he had left over from the situation surrounding his taking the throne. However, today I want to write about the first part of David’s instructions to Solomon as Solomon took the throne. In particular, David tells Solomon to “be strong, act like a man.” I do believe that David meant that being strong was part of what it meant to act like a man, or to make this lesson more general being strong is part of what it means to act like an adult. We should all strive to act like adults. David goes on to tell Solomon to observe what God requires and walk in obedience to Him. This was also part of what it meant to act like a man, or like an adult. David tells Solomon that if he does these things, he will prosper in whatever he does and wherever he goes. While there was a materialistic element to what David meant by prosper, I believe that plays a minor part in the message which God has for us here. If we choose to be strong, observe what God requires and walk in obedience to Him, we will prosper in all that we do. We may not obtain material wealth, but we will succeed in what we do. As for what it means to prosper in all that we do, I heard a story recently:
A man felt compelled by the Spirit to witness to an atheist friend and co-worker, who he knew was not receptive to the Gospel. He tried to dismiss it, but he felt compelled to invite the man to upcoming Easter Services. So, he yielded to the Spirit and did so. As he had expected his atheist friend turned him down, after the man had once again made the case for Christ and the Resurrection. The man went about his way, thinking he had not succeeded on that day. Some years later, he ran into a former co-worker who had worked with in the same building. This co-worker extended his sincerest thanks to the man. It turns out that while the man was trying to convince his atheist friend to come to services with him on Easter, this other co-worker was beneath another desk in the same office, connecting wires and overheard the conversation. Having heard the case made by the man for Christ and the Resurrection, the co-worker went home and told his wife they should go to services that Easter morning. A year later the co-worker and his wife gave their lives to the Lord. So, the original man thought that he had failed, but he was mistaken. He had instead prospered in what he did because he walked in obedience to God.
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.
Today, I am reading and commenting on 1 Kings 2-3.
I noted yesterday that Shimei was one of the people who refused to support Adonijah’s bid to become King David’s successor. Yet here in today’s passage we see Solomon ordering Shimei to never again leave Jerusalem, and having him executed when he eventually does so. David’s instructions to Solomon regarding Shimei in this passage makes one wonder why David had been so angry with Abishai over Abishai’s wish to kill Shimei for cursing King David. The only conclusion that I can reach is that Shimei controlled a political faction or trade which was essential to the well being of the kingdom of Israel. I would also note that there are hints here, and elsewhere, that Shimei may have worked to undermine King David’s attempts to consolidate power.
I always debate about writing about Solomon responding to God by asking for wisdom, or his decision between the two women. Today, I am going to try to combine them. When God told Solomon to ask him for whatever he wanted God to give him, Solomon asked for the discerning heart needed to properly govern God’s people. This was consistent with the wisdom which Solomon showed in recognizing that Adonijah’s request to marry Abishag was a second attempt to steal the throne (Solomon had given Adonijah the benefit of the doubt on his first attempt as Adonijah could claim he thought the throne would come to him as the elder son), and in giving Shimei an opportunity to live out his life, despite Shimei’s apparent attempts to undermine the power of the throne. Then in his judgement between the two women Solomon shows his true wisdom. Usually I here people who comment on this judgement say that Solomon showed great wisdom in determining which of the women was the boy’s biological mother. In fact, Solomon did not determine which was the child’s biological mother. Instead, he determined which woman loved the boy in the way that a mother ought to love her son. Solomon did not care which woman had given birth to the boy. He sought to determine which woman would be mother to the boy, and the answer to that question was the one who would rather give up her claim than see the boy harmed. Let us judge people as Solomon judged these two women and let us treat others as the woman who was willing to see another benefit at her expense rather than see someone else come to harm.
Today, I am reading and commenting on 1 Kings 2-3.
I like the insights into the politics of ancient Israel, and really into politics in general, which one gets from the way King Solomon solidified his reign by dealing with those whose loyalty to himself, or to his father, were questionable. I also like the way in which Solomon acknowledged that no one person could know enough to rule over a numerous population; that the only way he could successfully rule Israel was with God’s guidance.
However, I really love the insight into judging people which his ruling in the dispute between the two women who both claimed to be the mother of the baby. The woman who wanted the baby to live was the child’s mother, regardless of whether the child came out of her womb or not. Let us care more for the well-being of others than for our own selfish desires.
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.
Today, I am reading and commenting on 1 Kings 2-3.
David’s final instructions to Solomon are interesting. He took the time to single out three people for special treatment by Solomon. First, he instructed Solomon to bring Joab to justice for the murders of Abner and Amasa, both of whom David had made his army commander in Joab’s place. The basis for the animosity that David had for Joab is unclear, perhaps it was these murders, but they each appear to come after an attempt by David to get rid of him. Second, he asks Solomon to look after the sons of Barzillai (which is technically more than one person, but it is Barzillai who, in the form of his sons, is getting special treatment). This is simple pay back for what Barzillai did for David when he fled Absalom. Finally, David asks Solomon to make Shimei pay for cursing him when he fled Absalom. Even in the way David asks Solomon to arrange Shimei’s death we see that Shimei held some power limiting the king’s ability to kill him.
Shortly after this, Solomon’s brother Adonijah made another play for the throne by attempting to marry David’s final concubine. As a result, Solomon consolidated his power by having Adonijah and Joab executed while deposing Abiathar from his priesthood. Then Solomon ordered Shimei to build himself a house in Jerusalem and never again leave the city on pain of death. When, after some time, Shimei violates this command, Solomon has him executed. It is interesting that this account of Shimei’s execution is included with the conspirators who tried to usurp the throne since Shimei was listed among those of David’s advisers who refused to support Adonijah’s attempt for the throne.
As part of his consolidation of power, Solomon went to Gideon to offer sacrifices. While there he experienced a vision in which God offered him his deepest desire. By seeking wisdom rather than wealth, long life, or vengeance against his enemies, Solomon chose wisely. If we do not seek wisdom we will not find it, while wisdom may bring us wealth and long life. It may even grant us vengeance against our enemies. Of course, once we obtain wisdom it may lead us to no desire other things more than those.
I love the story of Solomon’s decision regarding the child claimed by two women. When he realized that he had no evidence to choose which woman was the child’s mother, he offered to kill the child and split him between them. One woman begged him to instead give the child to the other, while the other was happy that if she could not have the child neither could her rival. Solomon’s ruling was that the former was the child’s real mother and gave her the child. When I was growing up, I was told that by their answers Solomon knew which woman was truly the birth mother and thus gave her the child. As I have gotten older I realized that Solomon’s decision was much wiser than that. Solomon realized that it did not matter which woman was the birth mother of the child. The one which was willing to sacrifice her own interests for those of the child was the one who would provide the better home for him. The child’s real mother was willing to sacrifice herself for her child whether or not she was the child’s birth mother.
The first part of today’s passage was about Solomon consolidating power, but, in some ways, so was the part about Solomon seeking wisdom and making a wise judgment. Solomon’s judgment between the two women is an example of how he balanced the conflicting interests of his people. Those who were willing to give up what they desired for the greater good were demonstrating that they sought the greater good (suggesting that what they desired was likely for the greater good).
