SERIES L --- THE NATION DIVIDES --- LESSON 03

SOLOMON THE KING

SOLOMON’S ENEMIES

From 1 Kings 2:12-46

After the death of King David, Solomon reigned as the king of Israel, replacing David on his throne. As time went by, Solomon prospered more and more and his control over the kingdom became more secure. However, Solomon’s half-brother Adonijah made one more attempt to gain control of the kingdom. This is how he did it. One day he approached Solomon’s mother, Bathsheba. [Are you coming in peace or to make trouble?] she asked him. [Peace,] he answered. [I have something I would like you to do for me.] [Tell me what it is,] Bathsheba replied. [Well, you know that at one point the whole kingdom was mine,] Adonijah said. [In fact, the entire nation assumed that I would be the next king. However, things changed and Solomon became king. Now, all I ask of him is that he let me marry Abishag the Shunammite, the young lady who took care of King David. If I ask Solomon, he probably will not let me do it. So will you please ask him for me?] [All right, I will ask him,] said Bathsheba. When Bathsheba went to see King Solomon, he rose to meet her and bowed down to her. Then he had a special seat brought for his mother so she could sit in the honoured place at his right hand. [I have a special request for you,] said Bathsheba. [Please do not refuse me.] [Tell me what it is and I’m sure I will not refuse you,] Solomon answered. [Then let your brother Adonijah marry Abishag the Shunammite,] Bathsheba said. [Why are you asking this for Adonijah?] Solomon responded. [Don’t you realize that you may be asking the kingdom for him? This is a plot to gain power over me. If I grant it, then Adonijah, Joab and Abiathar will try to conquer me.] Then King Solomon made a vow. [May YHVH punish me if I do not execute Adonijah today for trying to overthrow me,] he said. [I vow this by Adonai who has placed me on the throne of my father David, as He promised He would do. Adonijah must die!] Then King Solomon called for Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and sent him to execute Adonijah, which he did. Solomon also called for Abiathar the priest, who had conspired with Adonijah to make him king. [I should have you put to death,] Solomon told him. [But you carried Adonai’s Ark while my father was king and suffered many things with him. Instead of executing you, I am taking you away from your place as priest and sending you back to your home in Anathoth.] In so doing, Solomon fulfilled the prophecy concerning Eli’s descendants, as Adonai had spoken at Shiloh. Joab soon heard that Adonijah had been executed and realized that his own life was in danger, for he had tried to help Adonijah become king instead of Solomon. [He had not however, sided with Absalom when he rebelled against his father David.] Joab ran to the tabernacle and clung to the horns of the altar, thinking he would be safe there. Solomon heard that Joab was there and sent Benaiah to execute him. [Come out of there!] Benaiah called to Joab. [No, you’ll have to kill me in here,] Joab answered. Benaiah wasn’t sure what he should do, so he went back to talk with King Solomon. [Kill him there if that’s what he wants,] Solomon commanded. [Then bury him. This execution will take away the guilt of his murders from me and my father’s household. Joab unjustly killed Abner and Amasa, two men more righteous and noble than he. Adonai will let the guilt of these murders remain on Joab and his family, but peace will remain with David and his descendants concerning this matter.] Then Benaiah went back to the tabernacle and killed Joab beside the altar. Joab was buried in his own house in the desert. After that King Solomon made Benaiah commander of the army in the place of Joab. He also appointed Zadok the priest in Abiathar’s place. Next, King Solomon sent for Shimei, the man who had cursed David as he fled from Absalom. [Build a house for yourself here in Jerusalem,] he commanded. [From now on you are confined to the city. The day you leave Jerusalem and cross the Kidron Brook, you will be executed. You will condemn yourself to death.] [I will do exactly as you say,] Shimei replied. Shimei lived in Jerusalem for about three years. Then two of his servants ran away to Achish the son of Maachah, king of Gath. When someone reported this to Shimei, he saddled his donkey and went to Gath to get his slaves back. As soon as he had found them, Shimei brought them back to Jerusalem. King Solomon soon learned what had happened and summoned Shimei before him. [Didn’t I make you swear before Adonai and solemnly warn you not to leave Jerusalem?] he asked. [You agreed to do this, so why have you broken your promise? Surely you have not forgotten the wicked things you did to my father David. Now it is time for you to be punished for your wickedness, for you have condemned yourself to death. May Adonai keep me and the throne of David secure forever.] King Solomon gave orders to Benaiah, who took Shimei out and executed him. Thus, by eliminating all his enemies, Solomon made himself and his kingdom secure.

COMMENTARY

HORSES AND THEIR GEAR

In ancient times the horse was an animal of war, valued mostly for its strength in pulling war chariots. Only kings and special warrior classes owned their own horses, for them the animal was like a weapon and its popularity grew along with the use of war chariots throughout the Middle East. A warlike group of people from areas east of Mesopotamia was responsible for introducing both horses and chariots. Around 1800 B.C. they invaded northern Mesopotamia and built large horse-breeding farms. With their lightweight chariots and trained animals, they easily conquered Syria and then moved through Palestine into Egypt. The conquered peoples quickly learned to build their own chariots. They began raising horses as well and by 1500 B.C. the horse drawn chariot formed the most important division of Middle Eastern armies. The Israelites discovered the impressive power of a chariot army during the conquest of Canaan. Canaanite kings with armed chariots repeatedly defeated Israelite foot soldiers. Since they had no chariots of their own, the Israelites had no use for captured horses, and Joshua ordered them to cripple any they caught. Not until Solomon’s reign did the Israelites begin to rely on horse and chariot teams. He imported thousands of animals and built stables for them throughout the country. Establishing this powerful chariot force may have been his greatest military achievement. But Solomon did not stop with furnishing horses for his own army. His merchants bought the finest steeds in Cilicia and exchanged them for Egyptian chariots. Horse and chariot teams were then sold to Syria at great profit. From this time on, horses and chariots were an essential part of the Israelite army.