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DAVID’S FINAL DAYS. I Kings 1:1-10. 2/13/2022. #1.
1 Kings 1:1-10 [New King James Version]
1 Now King David was old, advanced in years; and they put covers on him, but he could not get warm. 2 Therefore his servants said to him, “Let a young woman, a virgin, be sought for our lord the king, and let her stand before the king, and let her care for him; and let her lie in your bosom, that our lord the king may be warm.” 3 So they sought for a lovely young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 4 The young woman was very lovely; and she cared for the king, and served him; but the king did not know her. 5 Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king”; and he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. 6 (And his father had not rebuked him at any time by saying, “Why have you done so?” He was also very good-looking. His mother had borne him after Absalom.) 7 Then he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they followed and helped Adonijah. 8 But Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and the mighty men who belonged to David were not with Adonijah. 9 And Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fattened cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En Rogel; he also invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah, the king’s servants. 10 But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, or Solomon his brother.
1. Preparing to exit
a. David is old & feeble, preparing to die
a1. Though only 70, ancient lifestyles took a toll on the body
a2. David cannot stay warm, even with many covers on him
b. Like much of David’s life, his exit is sloppy
a1. He has not named a successor
a2. He will instruct Solomon to kill several who had wronged him
c. David’s servants find a beautiful young virgin, Abishag, to be his nurse & hot water bottle to keep him warm
2. Adonijah’s power grab
a. Adonijah is the 3rd son that David did not properly discipline
a1. Amnon raped Tamar
a2. Absalom killed Amnon & later he rebelled
b. Adonijah figures that he is next in line to the throne
a1. He was Absalom’s younger brother
a2. He gathers footmen, chariots, & trumpeters to announce his assent to the throne
c. Adonijah is somewhat premature
a1. David is not yet dead
a2. David had not been consulted
a3. His power is weak & superficial
d. Several factors worked against Adonijah
a1. He did not have either his father’s or the leaders of Israel’s sanction
a2. David remained silent throughout Adonijah’s ceremony (no endorsement)
a3. He gathered powerful people around him, but he chose them & they did not choose him (no popular mandate)
e. Adonijah gathers to himself Joab & a couple priests
a1. Joab had gone with David against Absalom, but now he sides with Adonijah
b1. No hint why Joab made this decision
b2. Joab is usually shrewder than this
a2. Notice that Adonijah did not invite Zadok the High Priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the Captain of the Guard, or any of the Mighty Men
b1. These are key figures for support
b2. Adonijah did not seek their support for he knew that he could not get it
f. Since Adonijah did this secretly, he knew that he could not receive David’s blessing openly
a1. Trying to take advantage of David’s weakened position
a2. He tried to make his ascent an accomplished fact
3. Ceremony is not Coronation
a. Adonijah sacrifices at En Rogel, south of Jerusalem (ironically, this is where spies from David’s camp received messages from Hushai with Absalom)
b. It is noted that Solomon was not invited
a1. It must have been known that David had promised Bathsheba that her son, Solomon, would sit on throne after him
a2. Solomon skips over many sons to throne
c. By not going through proper channels, Adonijah guarantees failure
a1. Dan. 2:21 God sets up & removes kings
a2. Adonijah did not learn from Absalom