David’s Dying Instructions to Solomon
2“As for me, I am going the way of all of the earth.2:2 Jos 23:14 Be strong and be a man,2:2 Jos 1:6–7,9; 1Sm 4:9
3and keep your obligation to the Lord your God to walk in his ways and to keep his statutes, commands, ordinances, and decrees. This is written in the law of Moses, so that you will have success in everything you do2:3 Dt 29:9; 1Ch 22:12–13 and wherever you turn,
5“You also know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me2:5 2Sm 18:5,12,14 and what he did to the two commanders of Israel’s army, Abner son of Ner2:5 2Sm 3:27 and Amasa son of Jether.2:5 2Sm 20:10 He murdered them in a time of peace to avenge blood shed in war. He spilled that blood on his own waistband and on the sandals of his feet.2:5 LXX, Old Lat read on my waistband and... my feet; v. 31
6Act according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray head descend to Sheol in peace.
7“Show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite and let them be among those who eat at your table2:7 2Sm 9:7; 19:28 because they supported me when I fled from your brother Absalom.2:7 2Sm 19:31–39
8“Keep an eye on Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim who is with you. He uttered malicious curses against me the day I went to Mahanaim.2:8 2Sm 16:5–13 But he came down to meet me at the Jordan River, and I swore to him by the Lord, ‘I will never kill you with the sword.’2:8 2Sm 19:16–23
9So don’t let him go unpunished, for you are a wise man. You know how to deal with him to bring his gray head down to Sheol with blood.”
10Then David rested with his ancestors2:10 Ac 2:29; 13:36 and was buried in the city of David.2:10 2Sm 5:7
Adonijah’s Foolish Request
“Peacefully,” he replied,2:13 1Sm 16:4–5
14and then asked, “May I talk with you?” 2:14 Lit then said, “I have a word for you.”
“Go ahead,” she answered.
15“You know the kingship was mine,”2:15 1Kg 1:11 he said. “All Israel expected me to be king, but then the kingship was turned over to my brother,2:15 1Kg 1:38–46 for the Lord gave it to him.2:15 1Ch 23:9–10; 28:5,7; Dn 2:21; 4:17; Jn 19:11; Rm 13:1
16So now I have just one request of you; don’t turn me down.”2:16 Lit don’t make me turn my face
She said to him, “Go on.”
18“Very well,” Bathsheba replied. “I will speak to the king for you.”
20Then she said, “I have just one small request of you. Don’t turn me down.”
“Go ahead and ask, mother,” the king replied, “for I won’t turn you down.”
21So she said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to your brother Adonijah as a wife.”
22King Solomon answered his mother, “Why are you requesting Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Since he is my elder brother,2:22 1Kg 1:6; 1Ch 3:2,5 you might as well ask the kingship for him,2:22 2Sm 16:20–22 for the priest Abiathar, and for Joab son of Zeruiah.”2:22 LXX, Vg, Syr read kingship for him, and on his side are Abiathar the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah2:22 1Kg 1:7
23Then King Solomon took an oath by the Lord: “May God punish me and do so severely2:23 Ru 1:17; 1Sm 3:17 if Adonijah has not made this request at the cost of his life.
24And now, as the Lord lives — the one who established me, seated me on the throne of my father David, and made me a dynasty as he promised2:24 2Sm 7:11–13 — I swear Adonijah will be put to death today!”
Abiathar’s Banishment
26The king said to the priest Abiathar,2:26 1Kg 1:7,19 “Go to your fields in Anathoth.2:26 Jos 21:18; Jr 1:1 Even though you deserve to die, I will not put you to death today, since you carried the ark of the Lord God in the presence of my father David2:26 2Sm 15:24–25,29 and you suffered through all that my father suffered.”2:26 1Sm 22:20–23; 2Sm 19:11
27So Solomon banished Abiathar from being the Lord’s priest, and it fulfilled the Lord’s prophecy he had spoken at Shiloh against Eli’s family.2:27 1Sm 2:31–35
Joab’s Execution
28The news reached Joab. Since he had supported Adonijah2:28 1Kg 1:7 but not Absalom,2:28 2Sm 18:1–5 Joab fled to the Lord’s tabernacle and took hold of the horns of the altar.2:28 Ex 21:12–14; 1Kg 1:50
29It was reported to King Solomon, “Joab has fled to the Lord’s tabernacle and is now beside the altar.”
Then Solomon sent2:29 LXX adds Joab a message: “What is the matter with you, that you have fled to the altar?” And Joab replied, “Because I feared you, I have fled to the Lord.” And Solomon the king sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada2:29 1Kg 1:8 and told him, “Go and strike him down!” 2:29 Ex 12:12,14; 2Sm 3:27; 18:14; 20:10
But Joab said, “No, for I will die here.”
So Benaiah took a message back to the king, “This is what Joab said, and this is how he answered me.”
31The king said to him, “Do just as he says. Strike him down and bury him in order to remove from me and from my father’s family the blood that Joab shed without just cause.2:31 Nm 35:33; Dt 21:8–9
32The Lord will bring back his own blood on his head because he struck down two men more righteous and better than he, without my father David’s knowledge. With his sword, Joab murdered Abner2:32 2Sm 3:26–27 son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa2:32 2Sm 20:8–10 son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army.
33The responsibility for their deaths will come back to Joab and to his descendants2:33 Lit Their blood will return on the head of Joab and on the head of his seed forever, but for David, his descendants, his dynasty, and his throne, there will be peace from the Lord forever.”2:33 2Sm 3:28–29
Shimei’s Banishment and Execution
36Then the king summoned Shimei2:36 2Sm 16:5–13; 1Kg 2:8–9 and said to him, “Build a house for yourself in Jerusalem and live there, but don’t leave there and go anywhere else.
38Shimei said to the king, “The sentence is fair; your servant will do as my lord the king has spoken.” And Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time.
39But then, at the end of three years, two of Shimei’s slaves ran away to Achish2:39 1Sm 27:2 son of Maacah, king of Gath.2:39 Jos 13:3; 1Sm 6:16–17; 21:10 Shimei was informed, “Look, your slaves are in Gath.”
40So Shimei saddled his donkey and set out to Achish at Gath to search for his slaves. He went and brought them back from Gath.
41It was reported to Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned.
42So the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Didn’t I make you swear by the Lord and warn you, saying, ‘On the day you leave and go anywhere else, know for sure that you will certainly die’? And you said to me, ‘The sentence is fair; I will obey.’
43So why have you not kept the Lord’s oath and the command that I gave you?”
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