1 Kings 2:46 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck him down, and he died. So the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

NIV: Then the king gave the order to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck Shimei down and he died. The kingdom was now established in Solomon’s hands.

NASB: So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck him so that he died. And the kingdom was established in the hands of Solomon.

CSB: Then the king commanded Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck Shimei down, and he died. So the kingdom was established in Solomon’s hand.

NLT: Then, at the king’s command, Benaiah son of Jehoiada took Shimei outside and killed him. So the kingdom was now firmly in Solomon’s grip.

KJV: So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; which went out, and fell upon him, that he died. And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

NKJV: So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he went out and struck him down, and he died. Thus the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

Once again, Solomon commands Benaiah, now the commander of Israel's entire army, to carry out an execution. This time, the man sentenced to death is Shimei, who cursed David as he and his men fled from Absalom. Shimei's ranting questioned David's right to rule Israel and showed his support for Absalom's rebellion. Solomon allowed Shimei to live as long as he obeyed the order to stay in Jerusalem. Three years later, Shimei casually defied Solomon's authority, and Solomon brought him to justice for his crimes (1 Kings 2:36–44).

This is the second time Solomon showed mercy to someone, only to have them executed when they violated their own agreement with him. The first was his half-brother Adonijah, who begged for mercy after trying to crown himself king. Solomon agreed, but after David died, Adonijah tried again (1 Kings 2:13–25). In both cases, the executions had the effect of making Solomon's kingdom more secure.

It will remain so for many years. Solomon's Israel will be so rich and powerful that even Egypt will see them as a peer. God will agree to his request for wisdom and pile on honor and riches (1 Kings 3:9–13). Solomon will use that wisdom to build the temple and unite the ark of God's presence, the altar of His mercy, and the king's throne in one city.

And yet, Solomon will forget God's last promise: "And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days" (1 Kings 3:14). Wisdom to know what is right doesn't equate to doing what is right. Solomon will follow his many foreign wives into horrible idolatry (1 Kings 11:1–8). Solomon has established the kingdom for now, but it won't stand. God will raise enemies, and one of them will take the northern tribes from Solomon's son (1 Kings 12).

First Kings 2:36–46 records how Solomon dispatches his last potential conspirator. He has replaced Joab with Benaiah and Abiathar with Zadok. He needs to either confine Shimei the Benjaminite or execute him. He gives Shimei the choice between the two. Shimei agrees to confinement for three years but breaks the agreement and forces Solomon's hand. Now, Solomon's kingdom is firmly established.

In 1 Kings 2, Solomon establishes his kingdom. David tells Solomon to follow God and to deal justly with his officials. After David dies, Solomon executes his rival Adonijah and the murderer Joab. He sends the conspiring priest Abiathar to house arrest and deals with the Benjamite Shimei, who cursed David. Benaiah becomes the military commander, and Zadok the lead priest. Next, Solomon will offer his famous prayer for wisdom (1 Kings 3:6–9).

David's reign ends as his health begins to fail. Watchful rivals try to take advantage of this, attempting to install their preferred heir to the throne (1 Kings 1). This fails, and Solomon is crowned. In 1 Kings 2, Solomon begins the work of inheriting God's covenant with David. Before David dies, he advises Solomon on how to follow God, respond to conspirators, and build the temple (1 Chronicles 22:6–19; 28:9–21). David also throws a more formal coronation ceremony (1 Chronicles 29:22–25). After dealing with the men who would take his crown, Solomon asks God for wisdom; God promises to add honor and wealth (1 Kings 3:6–14).

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.