1 Kings 1:13

13 "Go ^[a]at once to King David and say to him, 'Have you not, my lord, O king, sworn to your maidservant, saying, "¹Surely Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne "? Why then has Adonijah become king?'

1 Kings 1:13 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 1:13

Go and get thee in unto King David
That is, go into the chamber where the king lay, at once, without any ceremony:

and say unto him, didst not thou, my lord, O king, swear unto thine
handmaid, saying, assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and
he shall sit upon my throne?
though no mention is elsewhere made of such an oath, there undoubtedly was one, of which Nathan had knowledge, either from David or Bathsheba, or from them both, or might be present himself at the making of it; for not only Bathsheba affirms it, ( 1 Kings 1:17 ) ; but David owns it and confirms it, ( 1 Kings 1:30 ) ;

why then doth Adonijah reign?
surely it cannot be with the king's knowledge and consent, so manifestly contrary to his promise and oath.

1 Kings 1:13 In-Context

11 Then Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, "Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king, and David our lord does not know it?

12 "So now come, please let me give you counsel and save your life and the life of your son Solomon.

13 "Go at once to King David and say to him, 'Have you not, my lord , O king, sworn to your maidservant, saying, "Surely Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne "? Why then has Adonijah become king?'

14 "Behold, while you are still there speaking with the king, I will come in after you and confirm your words."

15 So Bathsheba went in to the king in the bedroom. Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was ministering to the king.

Cross References

• 1. 1 Kings 1:30; 1 Chronicles 22:9-13

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "and enter"