1 Kings 1:48 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And the king also said, ‘Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who has granted someone to sit on my throne this day, my own eyes seeing it.’"

NIV: and said, ‘Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has allowed my eyes to see a successor on my throne today.’ "

NASB: The king has also said this: ‘Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who has granted one to sit on my throne today while my own eyes see it.’?'

CSB: And the king went on to say this: ‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel! Today he has provided one to sit on my throne, and I am a witness.’"

NLT: and he said, ‘Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, who today has chosen a successor to sit on my throne while I am still alive to see it.’'

KJV: And also thus said the king, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which hath given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing it.

NKJV: Also the king said thus, ‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who has given one to sit on my throne this day, while my eyes see it!’ ”

Adonijah and those who supported his unsanctioned attempt to be Israel's next king probably thought David was too weak to intervene. Among these are Joab and Abiathar. But Abiathar's son, Jonathan, brought news that David had learned of the scheme and had commanded his servants to make Solomon king, even though David was not there (1 Kings 1:43–47).

Jonathan concludes his report by quoting David's prayer of blessing on God for allowing him to see someone else take his throne with his own eyes before he died. In the Septuagint, the word translated as "someone" means "one of my offspring." It's unclear why David waited so dangerously long to make Solomon king in his place, but he is now grateful to God for allowing him to witness it.

David will recover and give Solomon a proper coronation (1 Chronicles 29:22). Before he dies, David will give Israel and Solomon a public charge, focusing on a commission to build the temple (1 Chronicles 28:1–21). David will pray thanksgiving to God for His blessings, ending with a request that Solomon have a whole heart to keep God's commandments (1 Chronicles 29:10–19).

David will also give Solomon private advice on how to establish his authority as the new king. He will tell Solomon to execute Joab, not for sedition but rather for murder. Shimei the Benjaminite cursed David as he fled from Absalom; David leaves his punishment up to Solomon's discretion. But David says to remember the sons of Barzillai who are in the court because of the kindness of their father (1 Kings 2:5–9). Solomon follows his father's advice well: "So the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon" (1 Kings 2:46).

First Kings 1:41–48 shows Adonijah's reaction when he learns he's failed to take the throne. He's the oldest surviving eligible son of an ailing king who had not officially named a successor. He knows that his father promised to appoint Solomon, but that hasn't happened. So Adonijah took matters into his own hands and arranged for his own coronation ceremony (1 Kings 1:1–10). As his guests feast, they hear a loud commotion in Jerusalem. Jonathan arrives and gives the news: David has installed Solomon as king. Adonijah's guests flee, and the would-be king runs to the tabernacle, hoping that Solomon will be forgiving (1 Kings 1:49–50).

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.