Before David died, he summoned Solomon to come and listen to the King’s final instructions. He advises him to be strong and courageous; to be a man! He instructs Solomon to keep and follow all of the law as given through Moses and he would be a great king.
1 Kings 2:1-4 ESV When David's time to die drew near, he commanded Solomon his son, saying, (2) "I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man, (3) and keep the charge of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, (4) that the LORD may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, 'If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.'
There was unfinished business concerning Joab, who had murdered two men. David left this to Solomon to decide the course of action. He instructed him to be kind to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, because they were loyal to him. Shimei was also not an innocent man because he had cursed David; so Solomon was to give his own discretion in the matter. After giving Solomon these final instruction, David died.
1 Kings 2:5-10 ESV "Moreover, you also know what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with the two commanders of the armies of Israel, Abner the son of Ner, and Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, avenging in time of peace for blood that had been shed in war, and putting the blood of war on the belt around his waist and on the sandals on his feet. (6) Act therefore according to your wisdom, but do not let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace. (7) But deal loyally with the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, for with such loyalty they met me when I fled from Absalom your brother. (8) And there is also with you Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse on the day when I went to Mahanaim. But when he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the LORD, saying, 'I will not put you to death with the sword.' (9) Now therefore do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man. You will know what you ought to do to him, and you shall bring his gray head down with blood to Sheol." (10) Then David slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David.
Adonijah Put To Death For Treachery
Remember, Solomon spared Adonijah with the condition that if he proved to be righteous he would live; but if treachery was in his heart, he would die. So one day Adonijah goes to Bathsheba and asks her to do a favor for him and ask Solomon to give him Abishag, David’s virgin who cared for him at the end of his life. This was not an innocent request because it would have disgraced Solomon and exalted Adonijah and possible give him a foothold for subversion because he still had Abiathar and Joab on his side. So Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada to execute him, and Adonijah was put to death.
1 Kings 2:19-25 ESV So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. And the king rose to meet her and bowed down to her. Then he sat on his throne and had a seat brought for the king's mother, and she sat on his right. (20) Then she said, "I have one small request to make of you; do not refuse me." And the king said to her, "Make your request, my mother, for I will not refuse you." (21) She said, "Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as his wife." (22) King Solomon answered his mother, "And why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also, for he is my older brother, and on his side are Abiathar the priest and Joab the son of Zeruiah." (23) Then King Solomon swore by the LORD, saying, "God do so to me and more also if this word does not cost Adonijah his life! (24) Now therefore as the LORD lives, who has established me and placed me on the throne of David my father, and who has made me a house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death today." (25) So King Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he struck him down, and he died.
Abiathar Expelled From The Priesthood
For his part in the rebellion, Solomon expelled Abiathar from the priesthood and put him in exile. So Solomon spared his life, but made an example of him that the priesthood must stay loyal to the king.
1 Kings 2:26-27 ESV And to Abiathar the priest the king said, "Go to Anathoth, to your estate, for you deserve death. But I will not at this time put you to death, because you carried the ark of the Lord GOD before David my father, and because you shared in all my father's affliction." (27) So Solomon expelled Abiathar from being priest to the LORD, thus fulfilling the word of the LORD that he had spoken concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.
Joab Executed
Joab had sided in with Adonijah in his rebellion and when he heard that Solomon executed him, he fled to the sacred tent of the LORD and held on to the horns of the altar and refused to come out. Then Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada to execute him, and Joab was put to death next to the altar.
1 Kings 2:31-33 ESV The king replied to him, "Do as he has said, strike him down and bury him, and thus take away from me and from my father's house the guilt for the blood that Joab shed without cause. (32) The LORD will bring back his bloody deeds on his own head, because, without the knowledge of my father David, he attacked and killed with the sword two men more righteous and better than himself, Abner the son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah. (33) So shall their blood come back on the head of Joab and on the head of his descendants forever. But for David and for his descendants and for his house and for his throne there shall be peace from the LORD forevermore."
Shimei Defies House Arrest In Jerusalem And Is Executed
Solomon had Shimei brought to him and ordered him to build a house in Jerusalem where he was to live out his life. If he would ever leave Jerusalem for any reason, he would be put to death.
1 Kings 2:36-37 ESV Then the king sent and summoned Shimei and said to him, "Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and dwell there, and do not go out from there to any place whatever. (37) For on the day you go out and cross the brook Kidron, know for certain that you shall die. Your blood shall be on your own head."
Three years later, two of Shimei’s servants ran away and Shimei left Jerusalem to bring them back. When Solomon heard about it, he had Shimei executed.
1 Kings 2:41-46 ESV And when Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and returned, (42) the king sent and summoned Shimei and said to him, "Did I not make you swear by the LORD and solemnly warn you, saying, 'Know for certain that on the day you go out and go to any place whatever, you shall die'? And you said to me, 'What you say is good; I will obey.' (43) Why then have you not kept your oath to the LORD and the commandment with which I commanded you?" (44) The king also said to Shimei, "You know in your own heart all the harm that you did to David my father. So the LORD will bring back your harm on your own head. (45) But King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the LORD forever." (46) 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.
It may seem barbaric to us today in the 21st Century; to execute the conspirators; but even the United States executes military personnel, or even any citizen found guilty of treason. It I hard enough to have to deal with the enemy head on, but to have those within the ranks, turn against the leadership; this is punishable by death. It has to be; else no one would ever have any sense of security. Even in the church, subversion can not be allowed.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for being true and loyal to us. You are the same, yesterday, today and forever. Help me to be loyal and live in truth, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
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