1 Kings 1:20 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And now, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, to tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.

NIV: My lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, to learn from you who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.

NASB: And as for you, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are upon you, to announce to them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.

CSB: Now, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you to tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.

NLT: And now, my lord the king, all Israel is waiting for you to announce who will become king after you.

KJV: And thou, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.

NKJV: And as for you, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, that you should tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.

King David is accustomed to attention. He was a teenager when he slew Goliath (1 Samuel 17). Returning to King Saul's hometown after the battle, the women sang songs about his military prowess (1 Samuel 18:6–7). Before long, he was Israel's favorite military commander, even as he tried to evade Saul's spear (1 Samuel 18:10–16).

By this time, David had been a high-profile king for around forty years. His people have seen him dance as the ark was brought into Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6:16) and weep as his own son Absalom forced him into exile (2 Samuel 15:30). Now, they look to him again.

The king's time is coming to an end. He has acknowledged that both he and God want Solomon to follow him, but David has never made that decision official. Ideally, he would have anointed Solomon as co-regent to ensure a smooth transition. Right now, he's so frail that his well-being is reliant on a young woman. His servants care for his physical needs, but don't give him news of his own kingdom (1 Kings 1:1–4).

David doesn't know that his son Adonijah is currently crowning himself king. Or that the general Joab, the priest Abiathar, the elders of Judah, and David's own sons are at the celebration (1 Kings 1:5–10). The conspirators know that David wants Solomon to be king, but they want Adonijah. They seem to assume David can do nothing about it and will be dead soon, anyway.

It's up to Bathsheba to remind David who he is. He is king. He has vowed to follow God's will, which is that Solomon will follow him as the ruler of Israel (1 Chronicles 22:9–10). David's passivity or distraction, whatever kept him from installing Solomon as co-regent, doesn't matter. Right now, his people need to see him take command one last time.

Bathsheba gives David one more reason to take charge. If he doesn't, Adonijah will become king and will kill her and Solomon (1 Kings 1:21).

First Kings 1:15–21 records Bathsheba calling David to battle one last time. The king is so weak that his son Adonijah is declaring himself king without David's knowledge (1 Kings 1:1–10). Bathsheba follows Nathan's instructions to warn David, reminding him that he promised Solomon would inherit the crown. When she's finished, Nathan will tell David which of his servants have betrayed him and who is still loyal. By the end of the day, David will make sure Solomon sits on the throne (1 Kings 1:22–40).

First Kings 1 records Solomon's first anointing as king. David is weak. His fourth son, Adonijah, convinces Joab, Abiathar, and the officials of Judah to declare him king. Nathan the prophet and Bathsheba convince David to crown Solomon. With the help of Zadok the priest and Benaiah the royal guard commander, Solomon becomes king. His first act is to pardon his brother, although the truce doesn't last long. After David dies, Solomon must execute Adonijah for rebellion and Joab for murder, as well as banish Abiathar the priest (1 Kings 2:13–35).

First Kings 1 picks up the story of David's kingship several years after the events at the end of 2 Samuel. David has protected the kingdom, gathered supplies for the temple, and purchased the land (2 Samuel 24:18–25; 1 Chronicles 21:2–5; 29:1–9). It's time for Solomon to take over and build the temple. First, however, David must ensure Solomon is king and that the throne does not fall to Solomon's brother Adonijah. Once crowned, Solomon solidifies his hold by executing Adonijah, Joab, and David's nemesis, Shimei. He also banishes Abiathar, the priest who supported Adonijah. With Nathan, Benaiah, and Zadok beside him, Solomon is ready to rule (1 Kings 2).

This was originally the first half of a combined text. First Kings records the end of David's reign and the rule of Solomon. After this, the kingdom is split in two. The northern nation of Israel no longer submits to the king of the southern nation, called Judah. The prophet Elijah first appears in this book. The kings mostly fail to honor the Lord. They participate in idolatry and other sins. This will eventually result in their conquest and exile, as depicted throughout the books of Chronicles.