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DAVID’S DEATHBED INSTRUCTIONS. I Kings 2:1-25. 3/6/2022. #4
I Kings 2:1-25 [New Kings James Version]
1 Now the days of David drew near that he should die, and he charged Solomon his son, saying: 2 “I go the way of all the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man. 3 And keep the charge of the Lord your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn; 4 that the Lord may fulfill His word which He spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul,’ He said, ‘you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’ 5 “Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner and Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed. And he shed the blood of war in peacetime, and put the blood of war on his belt that was around his waist, and on his sandals that were on his feet. 6 Therefore do according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray hair go down to the grave in peace. 7 “But 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 “And see, you have with you Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a malicious 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.’ 9 Now therefore, do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man and know what you ought to do to him; but bring his gray hair down to the grave with blood.” 10 So David rested with his fathers, and was buried in the City of David. 11 The period that David reigned over Israel was forty years; seven years he reigned in Hebron, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years. 12 Then Solomon sat on the throne of his father David; and his kingdom was firmly established. 13 Now Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. So she said, “Do you come peaceably?” And he said, “Peaceably.” 14 Moreover he said, “I have something to say to you.” And she said, “Say it.” 15 Then he said, “You know that the kingdom was mine, and all Israel had set their expectations on me, that I should reign. However, the kingdom has been turned over, and has become my brother’s; for it was his from the Lord. 16 Now I ask one petition of you; do not deny me.” And she said to him, “Say it.” 17 Then he said, “Please speak to King Solomon, for he will not refuse you, that he may give me Abishag the Shunammite as wife.” 18 So Bathsheba said, “Very well, I will speak for you to the king.” 19 Bathsheba therefore went to King Solomon, to speak to him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her and bowed down to her, and sat down on his throne and had a throne set for the king’s mother; so she sat at his right hand. 20 Then she said, “I desire one small petition of you; do not refuse me.” And the king said to her, “Ask it, my mother, for I will not refuse you.” 21 So she said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as wife.” 22 And King Solomon answered and said to his mother, “Now why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also—for he is my older brother—for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah.” 23 Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, “May God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life! 24 Now therefore, as the Lord lives, who has confirmed me and set me on the throne of David my father, and who has established a house for me, as He promised, Adonijah shall be put to death today!” 25 So King Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he struck him down, and he died.
1. David’s spiritual instruction to Solomon
a. David is about to die, so he calls for Solomon
a1. Solomon has been placed on the throne
a2. Solomon had superseded many other older sons of David to the throne (1 Chronicles 3)
b1. Abigail’s son, Chileab (Daniel), was the oldest surviving son of David
b2. Bathsheba had 3 older sons
b. David gave sound spiritual advice to Solomon
a1. David charged (commanded) Sol. to be strong and show himself to be a true man
a2. Solomon = keep the commandments of the Lord
b1. Walk in his ways (holiness, integrity)
b2. Keep statutes (specific decrees to him) and commandments (laws; precepts)
b3. Keep judgments (rulings) and testimonies (situational rulings, such as
covenant with Gibeonites or prohibition against the Moabites)
c. If Sol. honors God, he will prosper
a1. Difficult = David and Bathsheba/Uriah
a2. Solomon is drawn off by women and wealth
d. If David’s royal progeny walked with God, the royal line would not end (ends with Zedekiah in 586 BC)
a1. Jesus will ascend to the throne in Millen.
a2. Jesus is the ultimate royal son of David
2. Of revenge and protection
a. David instructs Sol. to execute Joab and Shimei
a1. Joab = murdered Abner and Amasa
a2. Shimei = cursed David when fleeing from Absalom during the rebellion
b. David had not brought Joab to account
a1. Joab had won many victories for David
a2. Joab had killed Absalom
a3. Joab had sided with Adonijah to be king
a4. David’s decree is both revenge and justice
c. David had pardoned Shimei, both at the time of his mocking of David and when he returned to Jerusalem
a1. David had not forgotten the insult
a2. It is odd that David did not execute him
a3. Again, revenge is a motive, but removing threats to Solomon’s rule may also been a factor
3. Death of a king
a. After a 40 year reign, David dies at 70 (II Samuel 5:4)
a1. Psalm 90 considered a full lifetime
a2. 1 Chronicles 29 = was prosperous and blessed
b. Solomon’s throne was well established
c. David’s reign was blessed, but sin tainted it
a1. Anointed king to take Saul’s place
a2. Slaying of Goliath solidified David’s fame
a3. David’s army division defeated Philistines
a4. Saul attempted to kill David due to jealousy
a5. After Saul fell against Philistines, David was anointed to be king
a6. David’s reign was successful
a7. God declared David to be a man after His own heart (writer of Psalms; led worship)
a8. David committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband, Uriah, killed
a9. Judgment on David’s household costs the rape of one daughter, and death of 3 sons
d. David repented, but faced the consequences