1 Kings 2

King James Version

Full text for 1 Kings Chapter 2

1¶ Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying,

2I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man;

3And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:

4That the LORD may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.

5Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, [and] what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that [was] about his loins, and in his shoes that [were] on his feet.

6Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace.

7But shew kindness unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at thy table: for so they came to me when I fled because of Absalom thy brother.

8And, behold, [thou hast] with thee Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim, which cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim: but he came down to meet me at Jordan, and I sware to him by the LORD, saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword.

9Now therefore hold him not guiltless: for thou [art] a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; but his hoar head bring thou down to the grave with blood.

10So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.

11And the days that David reigned over Israel [were] forty years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.

12¶ Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was established greatly.

13And Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably.

14He said moreover, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And she said, Say on.

15And he said, Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and [that] all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign: howbeit the kingdom is turned about, and is become my brother's: for it was his from the LORD.

16And now I ask one petition of thee, deny me not. And she said unto him, Say on.

17And he said, Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, (for he will not say thee nay,) that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife.

18And Bathsheba said, Well; I will speak for thee unto the king.

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

20Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; [I pray thee], say me not nay. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother: for I will not say thee nay.

21And she said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother to wife.

22And king Solomon answered and said unto his mother, And why dost thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? ask for him the kingdom also; for he [is] mine elder brother; even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah.

23Then king Solomon sware by the LORD, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life.

24Now therefore, [as] the LORD liveth, which hath established me, and set me on the throne of David my father, and who hath made me an house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death this day.

25And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he fell upon him that he died.

26¶ And unto Abiathar the priest said the king, Get thee to Anathoth, unto thine own fields; for thou [art] worthy of death: but I will not at this time put thee to death, because thou barest the ark of the Lord GOD before David my father, and because thou hast been afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted.

27So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto the LORD; that he might fulfil the word of the LORD, which he spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.

28Then tidings came to Joab: for Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he turned not after Absalom. And Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.

29And it was told king Solomon that Joab was fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD; and, behold, [he is] by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him.

30And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the LORD, and said unto him, Thus saith the king, Come forth. And he said, Nay; but I will die here. And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.

31And the king said unto him, Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him; that thou mayest take away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me, and from the house of my father.

32And the LORD shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing [thereof, to wit], Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah.

33Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed for ever: but upon David, and upon his seed, and upon his house, and upon his throne, shall there be peace for ever from the LORD.

34So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and slew him: and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.

35¶ And the king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his room over the host: and Zadok the priest did the king put in the room of Abiathar.

36And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Build thee an house in Jerusalem, and dwell there, and go not forth thence any whither.

37For it shall be, [that] on the day thou goest out, and passest over the brook Kidron, thou shalt know for certain that thou shalt surely die: thy blood shall be upon thine own head.

38And Shimei said unto the king, The saying [is] good: as my lord the king hath said, so will thy servant do. And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days.

39And it came to pass at the end of three years, that two of the servants of Shimei ran away unto Achish son of Maachah king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, Behold, thy servants [be] in Gath.

40And Shimei arose, and saddled his ass, and went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants: and Shimei went, and brought his servants from Gath.

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

42And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Did I not make thee to swear by the LORD, and protested unto thee, saying, Know for a certain, on the day thou goest out, and walkest abroad any whither, that thou shalt surely die? and thou saidst unto me, The word [that] I have heard [is] good.

43Why then hast thou not kept the oath of the LORD, and the commandment that I have charged thee with?

44The king said moreover to Shimei, Thou knowest all the wickedness which thine heart is privy to, that thou didst to David my father: therefore the LORD shall return thy wickedness upon thine own head;

45And king Solomon [shall be] blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the LORD for ever.

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

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

As King David nears death, he charges Solomon to walk in God's ways and to deal with specific individuals: Joab and Shimei for their past transgressions, and to show kindness to Barzillai's sons. After David's death and Solomon's ascension, Solomon swiftly consolidates his power. He executes Adonijah for seeking Abishag, banishes Abiathar the priest, and later executes Joab and Shimei for their disloyalty or past offenses. Through these decisive actions, Solomon firmly establishes his kingdom.

Medium Summary

As King David approaches death, he instructs his son Solomon to walk in the ways of the Lord and to wisely administer justice. David specifically commands Solomon to punish Joab for his treacherous murders and Shimei for his grievous curse, while showing favor to the sons of Barzillai. After David's peaceful death and burial, Solomon assumes the throne, and his reign is immediately challenged. Adonijah, David's elder son, seeks Abishag, which Solomon interprets as a renewed claim to the kingship, leading to Adonijah's execution. Subsequently, Solomon banishes Abiathar the priest for his past support of Adonijah, fulfilling a divine prophecy. Joab, also a supporter of Adonijah, flees to the altar but is executed by Solomon's command for his previous shedding of innocent blood. Finally, Shimei, who had been confined to Jerusalem, is executed after violating his oath by leaving the city. Through these decisive actions, Solomon eliminates potential threats and firmly establishes his kingdom.

Long Summary

The second chapter of 1 Kings opens with King David's final charge to his son Solomon as his death approaches. David exhorts Solomon to be strong, to walk in God's ways, and to keep His statutes, commandments, judgments, and testimonies, promising divine prosperity and the continuation of his dynastic line if he adheres to these principles. David then gives specific instructions regarding key figures: he commands Solomon to ensure Joab, who had treacherously murdered Abner and Amasa, does not die peacefully, and to show kindness to the sons of Barzillai for their loyalty. Furthermore, David instructs Solomon to deal with Shimei, who had cursed him, ensuring his death despite David's earlier oath. Following David's death and burial, Solomon ascends the throne, and his kingdom is greatly established. However, the stability is immediately tested when Adonijah, David's elder son, approaches Bathsheba with a request to marry Abishag the Shunammite. Solomon perceives this seemingly innocuous request as a cunning attempt to reassert a claim to the throne, given Abishag's association with David. Swearing by the Lord, Solomon declares that Adonijah's request is an act against his own life, and he orders Benaiah to execute Adonijah immediately. Next, Solomon addresses Abiathar the priest, who had supported Adonijah; he banishes Abiathar to Anathoth, sparing his life due to his past service to David, thereby fulfilling the prophecy concerning the house of Eli. Joab, another prominent supporter of Adonijah, hears these tidings and flees to the tabernacle, grasping the horns of the altar for sanctuary. Solomon, however, commands Benaiah to kill Joab there, explicitly stating that Joab's execution is necessary to remove the guilt of the innocent blood he shed from David's house and his throne. Benaiah carries out the command, and Joab is buried. Solomon then appoints Benaiah as commander of the army and Zadok as chief priest in Abiathar's place. Lastly, Solomon deals with Shimei, confining him to Jerusalem under penalty of death if he crosses the Kidron brook. Three years later, Shimei violates this injunction by leaving Jerusalem to retrieve runaway servants. Upon hearing this, Solomon confronts Shimei, reminding him of his oath and his past wickedness against David. Solomon then orders Benaiah to execute Shimei, ensuring that his wickedness returns upon his own head. Through these decisive and often ruthless actions, Solomon systematically eliminates all potential rivals and threats, consolidating his power and firmly establishing his kingdom.

Core Concepts

  • David's Final ChargeDavid's dying instructions to Solomon emphasize adherence to God's law for prosperity and the continuation of the Davidic covenant. He also gives specific directives concerning the fate of Joab, Shimei, and Barzillai's sons.
  • Consolidation of PowerSolomon systematically eliminates potential threats and rivals, including Adonijah, Abiathar, Joab, and Shimei. These decisive actions secure his newly established kingdom.
  • Divine Justice and RetributionThe principle that the wickedness of individuals, particularly Joab and Shimei, would return upon their own heads. This fulfills divine or kingly judgment for past transgressions and the shedding of innocent blood.
  • The Davidic CovenantDavid reminds Solomon that the continuation of his dynasty on the throne of Israel is contingent upon his children walking before the Lord in truth with all their heart and soul.
  • Sanctuary and Its LimitsJoab's attempt to seek refuge at the altar of the tabernacle ultimately proves ineffective against the king's decree. This demonstrates that even sacred spaces do not always offer immunity from justice.
  • Succession and LegitimacyThe narrative highlights the transition of power from David to Solomon, emphasizing that Solomon's kingship was divinely ordained and was firmly established through his decisive actions.
  • Political PrudenceSolomon's wisdom is evident in discerning Adonijah's true intentions behind the request for Abishag. His calculated actions to remove threats demonstrate a shrewd understanding of political dynamics.