1 Kings 2

David's Final Instructions and Death

¹Now the days of David came near that he should die; and he commanded Solomon his son, saying,

²“I am going the way of all the earth. You be strong therefore, and show yourself a man;

³and keep the instruction of the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, his commandments, his ordinances, and his testimonies, according to that which is written in the law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn yourself.

⁴Then the LORD may establish his word which he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your children are careful of their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail you,’ he said, ‘a man on the throne of Israel.’

⁵“Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, even what he did to the two captains of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war on his sash that was around his waist and in his sandals that were on his feet.

⁶Do therefore according to your wisdom, and don’t let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace.

⁷But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table; for so they came to me when I fled from Absalom your brother.

⁸“Behold, there is with you Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite of Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim; but he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by the LORD, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’

⁹Now therefore don’t hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man; and you will know what you ought to do to him, and you shall bring his gray head down to Sheol with blood.”

¹⁰David slept with his fathers, and was buried in David’s city.

¹¹The days that David reigned over Israel were forty years; he reigned seven years in Hebron, and he reigned thirty-three years in Jerusalem.

¹²Solomon sat on David his father’s throne; and his kingdom was firmly established.

Execution of Adonijah

¹³Then Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. She said, “Do you come peaceably?” He said, “Peaceably.

¹⁴He said moreover, I have something to tell you.” She said, “Say on.”

¹⁵He said, “You know that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign. However, the kingdom is turned around, and has become my brother’s; for it was his from the LORD.

¹⁶Now I ask one petition of you. Don’t deny me.” She said to him, “Say on.”

¹⁷He said, “Please speak to Solomon the king (for he will not tell you ‘no’), that he give me Abishag the Shunammite as wife.”

¹⁸Bathsheba said, “All right. I will speak for you to the king.”

¹⁹Bathsheba therefore went to King Solomon, to speak to him for Adonijah. The king rose up to meet her and bowed himself to her, and sat down on his throne and caused a throne to be set for the king’s mother; and she sat on his right hand.

²⁰Then she said, “I ask one small petition of you; don’t deny me.” The king said to her, “Ask on, my mother, for I will not deny you.”

²¹She said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as wife.”

²²King Solomon answered his mother, “Why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also, for he is my elder brother; even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah.”

²³Then King Solomon swore by the LORD, saying, “God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life.

²⁴Now therefore as the LORD lives, who has established me and set me on my father David’s throne, and who has made me a house as he promised, surely Adonijah shall be put to death today.”

²⁵King Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he fell on him, so that he died.

Removal of Abiathar and Appointment of Benaiah

²⁶To Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go to Anathoth, to your own fields, for you are worthy of death. But I will not at this time put you to death, because you bore the Lord GOD’s ark before David my father, and because you were afflicted in all in which my father was afflicted.”

²⁷So Solomon thrust Abiathar out from being priest to the LORD, that he might fulfill the LORD’s word which he spoke concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.

²⁸This news came to Joab; for Joab had followed Adonijah, although he didn’t follow Absalom. Joab fled to the LORD’s Tent, and held onto the horns of the altar.

²⁹King Solomon was told, “Joab has fled to the LORD’s Tent; and behold, he is by the altar.” Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, fall on him.”

³⁰Benaiah came to the LORD’s Tent, and said to him, “The king says, ‘Come out!’” He said, “No; but I will die here.” Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, “This is what Joab said, and this is how he answered me.”

³¹The king said to him, “Do as he has said, and fall on him, and bury him, that you may take away the blood, which Joab shed without cause, from me and from my father’s house.

³²The LORD will return his blood on his own head, because he fell on two men more righteous and better than he, and killed them with the sword, and my father David didn’t know it: Abner the son of Ner, captain of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the army of Judah.

³³So their blood will return on the head of Joab and on the head of his offspring forever. But for David, for his offspring, for his house, and for his throne, there will be peace forever from the LORD.”

³⁴Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and fell on him, and killed him; and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.

³⁵The king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his place over the army; and the king put Zadok the priest in the place of Abiathar.

Execution of Shimei

³⁶The king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem, and live there, and don’t go anywhere else.

³⁷For on the day you go out and pass over the brook Kidron, know for certain that you will surely die. Your blood will be on your own head.”

³⁸Shimei said to the king, “What you say is good. As my lord the king has said, so will your servant do.” Shimei lived in Jerusalem many days.

³⁹At the end of three years, two of Shimei’s slaves ran away to Achish, son of Maacah, king of Gath. They told Shimei, saying, “Behold, your slaves are in Gath.”

⁴⁰Shimei arose, saddled his donkey, and went to Gath to Achish to seek his slaves; and Shimei went and brought his slaves from Gath.

⁴¹Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and had come again.

⁴²The king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, “Didn’t I adjure you by the LORD and warn you, saying, ‘Know for certain that on the day you go out and walk anywhere else, you shall surely die’? You said to me, ‘The saying that I have heard is good.’

⁴³Why then have you not kept the oath of the LORD and the commandment that I have instructed you with?”

⁴⁴The king said moreover to Shimei, “You know in your heart all the wickedness that you did to David my father. Therefore the LORD will return your wickedness on your own head.

⁴⁵But King Solomon will be blessed, and David’s throne will be established before the LORD forever.”

⁴⁶So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he went out, and fell on him, so that he died. The kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

Previous 1 Kings 1

Next 1 Kings 3

David delivers his final instructions to Solomon, emphasizing obedience to God's law and providing specific guidance about dealing with key figures from his reign. After David's death, Solomon consolidates his power by executing Adonijah for requesting David's concubine Abishag as wife, removing the priest Abiathar, killing Joab who had fled to the altar, and executing Shimei for violating his oath. These decisive actions establish Solomon's authority and eliminate potential threats to his throne.

Context

This chapter transitions from David's reign to Solomon's, following the succession crisis in chapter 1 and setting the stage for Solomon's peaceful and prosperous rule.

Key Themes

Outline

1-9
David's Final Instructions to Solomon David charges Solomon to obey God's law and gives specific counsel regarding Joab, Barzillai's sons, and Shimei.
10-12
David's Death and Solomon's Accession David dies after reigning forty years, and Solomon's kingdom becomes firmly established.
13-25
Execution of Adonijah Adonijah requests Abishag as wife through Bathsheba, prompting Solomon to order his execution for this perceived threat.
26-27
Removal of Abiathar Solomon banishes the priest Abiathar to Anathoth, fulfilling the prophecy against Eli's house.
28-35
Execution of Joab Joab flees to the altar for sanctuary but is killed there by Benaiah on Solomon's orders.
36-46
Execution of Shimei Solomon confines Shimei to Jerusalem, then executes him when he violates the agreement by pursuing runaway servants.

David's Final Instructions and Death

2:1–2:12

narrative instruction solemn

David gives his final instructions to Solomon before his death, charging him to obey God's law and deal wisely with various individuals who had helped or opposed David. David dies after reigning forty years over Israel.

person_contrast

David's deathbed speech uniquely combines covenant language ("keep his statutes, his commandments") with pragmatic political advice about eliminating enemies, blending divine law with royal realpolitik.

Execution of Adonijah

2:13–2:25

narrative dialogue wrathful

Adonijah requests Abishag as his wife through Bathsheba, but Solomon interprets this as a threat to his throne and orders Adonijah's execution. Benaiah carries out the death sentence, eliminating Solomon's rival.

person_contrast

Adonijah's request for Abishag transforms from apparent romantic desire into political suicide, as Solomon recognizes that claiming a king's concubine constitutes treason worthy of death.

Removal of Abiathar and Appointment of Benaiah

2:26–2:35

narrative narration solemn

Solomon removes Abiathar from the priesthood, fulfilling prophecy against Eli's house, and executes Joab for his past murders despite his seeking sanctuary at the altar. Zadok replaces Abiathar as priest and Benaiah becomes army commander.

person_contrast

Solomon's execution of Joab despite his altar sanctuary marks the only instance where Solomon prioritizes divine justice over mercy, contrasting sharply with his typical wisdom-based decisions.

Execution of Shimei

2:36–2:46

narrative narration solemn

King Solomon executes Shimei for violating his oath to remain in Jerusalem, establishing Solomon's authority and fulfilling justice for Shimei's past wickedness against David.

person_contrast

Solomon's execution of Shimei marks the only instance where his wisdom manifests as judicial severity rather than merciful discernment, completing David's unfinished justice.

Insight Character Study

Adonijah's request for Abishag transforms from apparent romantic desire into political suicide, as Solomon recognizes that claiming a king's concubine constitutes treason worthy of death.

Insight Character Study

Solomon's execution of Joab despite his altar sanctuary marks the only instance where Solomon prioritizes divine justice over mercy, contrasting sharply with his typical wisdom-based decisions.

Insight Character Study

Solomon's execution of Shimei marks the only instance where his wisdom manifests as judicial severity rather than merciful discernment, completing David's unfinished justice.