David’s Final Words to Solomon

2:1 When David was close to death, he told Solomon his son: 

 

David was about to die. He wanted to pass some very important information to the new king of Israel, just as Moses passed information to Joshua.

 

2:2 “I am about to die. Be strong and become a man! 

 

David was a real man. He was a peasant shepherd boy who grew up and became an outstanding musician, a rugged warrior, and a powerful king. His music was so powerful, that demons who were influencing Saul would refuse to listen to it. When David picked up his lyre, the demons left Saul as fast as possible. David lived and survived in the tough wilderness of Israel. He lived in tents and caves. He killed lions and giants with slings. He served Saul as commanding general. As king, he turned Israel into a world power. He conquered all of his enemies without ever losing a battle. He built Jerusalem, making it the religious and political capital of Israel. He stamped out idolatry, making the worship of Jehovah universal in the land. He extended the borders of Israel, which produced many tribute nations who funded Israel. He cornered the gold market, making Israel the wealthiest nation on earth. He kept the twelve tribes together in unity. He planned the temple. He gathered all of the supplies of the temple. He wrote 73 psalms which glorified God.

 

Solomon was a sissy. Instead of experiencing the hardships like his father David, he was brought up in a comfortable palace among his father’s harems.  This is why Solomon would later possess a harem of one thousand women. He enjoyed the company of women more than men. He was a Momma’s boy, and David knew it. This is why David’s first advice to this new king was to “become strong and become a man!”

 

Solomon was a sissy king.  Israel was now subject to a sissy king. They were getting the kind of king that they deserved.

 

2:3 Do the job the Lord your God has assigned you by following his instructions and obeying his rules, commandments, regulations, and laws as written in the law of Moses. Then you will succeed in all you do and seek to accomplish, 

 

Skeptics claim that the Pentateuch was not even written until the Babylon Captivity, but this verse destroys that theory. The Pentateuch was available in the days of Solomon and he was to study and apply it. The study and application of bible doctrine is also the responsibility of modern politicians. The electorate is to do the same, so that they can elect men in office who know and apply bible doctrine.

 

2:4 and the Lord will fulfill his promise to me, ‘If your descendants watch their step and live faithfully in my presence with all their heart and being, then,’ he promised, ‘you will not fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’

 

If the kings of Israel would study and apply bible doctrine, then they would be successful. As long as the seed of Solomon is obedient to bible doctrine, then they would stay in power. However, no king of Israel was able to accomplish this task and rule in righteousness. Even Solomon, the wisest man in history, was not able to accomplish this task. Only Jesus will be able to fulfill this requirement. Therefore, Jesus will be the last dynastic king in the line of Solomon.

 

2:5 “You know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me – how he murdered two commanders of the Israelite armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. During peacetime he struck them down like he would in battle; when he shed their blood as if in battle, he stained his own belt and the sandals on his feet. 

 

David reminded Solomon that Joab was a dangerous man. Joab supported Adonijah, so he was still dangerous to Solomon’s throne.

 

2:6 Do to him what you think is appropriate, but don’t let him live long and die a peaceful death.

 

David ordered the death of Joab. David did not execute Joab in his life, because Joab was always loyal to him. However, Joab was not loyal to Solomon. If left alive, then Joab would do everything in his power to remove Solomon from the monarchy and replace him with Adonijah.

 

2:7 “Treat fairly the sons of Barzillai of Gilead and provide for their needs, because they helped me when I had to flee from your brother Absalom.

 

If Barzillai would not have helped David during his flight from Absalom, then David and his men would have starved to death in the wilderness. Solomon was to give his children access to the royal table.

 

2:8 “Note well, you still have to contend with Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, who tried to call down upon me a horrible judgment when I went to Mahanaim. He came down and met me at the Jordan, and I solemnly promised him by the Lord, ‘I will not strike you down with the sword.’ 

 

Shimei was a dangerous Benjaminite who cursed David. This was a capital offense. David promised not to administer capital punishment to Shimei,  but Solomon could do whatever he needed to do to stop Shimei’s dangerous motives. 

 

2:9 But now don’t treat him as if he were innocent. You are a wise man and you know how to handle him; make sure he has a bloody death.”

 

Shimei would most likely attempt to place the house of Saul back on the throne. As long as Shimei was living, then he would become a threat to Solomon’s throne. David ordered Shimei's execution.

 

2:10 Then David passed away and was buried in the city of David. 

 

The Hebrew word for “passed away” is שָׁכַב (shakav), meaning that David slept. When David died, then his physical body went to sleep. His soul went to Paradise to be with his son who died in childbirth. David died as Israel’s greatest king. He left Israel a sissy king who would be in charge of the most powerful nation in the world. The supposed tomb of David is a prominent landmark in modern Jerusalem, located on Mount Zion.

 

2:11 David reigned over Israel forty years; he reigned in Hebron seven years, and in Jerusalem thirty-three years.

 

David ruled from 1011–971 B.C., probably with Solomon as co-regent during his final year. David turned Israel into a world power in one generation.

 

Solomon Secures the Throne

2:12 Solomon sat on his father David’s throne, and his royal authority was firmly solidified.

 

After David died, Solomon was completely in control.

 

2:13 Haggith’s son Adonijah visited Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. She asked, “Do you come in peace?” He answered, “Yes.” 

 

Adonijah still wanted to become king. He began to execute his plan to eliminate Solomon as king. Notice that Adonijah did not dare approach his younger brother. Instead, he approached Bathsheba, who was slow at recognizing political upheavals.

 

2:14 He added, “I have something to say to you.” She replied, “Speak.” 

 

Adonijah began his attack on King Solomon by going through his weaker mother. Bathsheba was not as politically astute as her son.

 

2:15 He said, “You know that the kingdom was mine and all Israel considered me king. But then the kingdom was given to my brother, for the Lord decided it should be his. 

 

Since Adonijah was the oldest son, he expected to be the next king. He believed that the people supported himself over Solomon. However, Adonijah was affirming (at least in words to Bathsheba) that Jehovah chose Solomon to become king.

 

2:16 Now I’d like to ask you for just one thing. Please don’t refuse me.” She said, “Go ahead and ask.” 

 

Adonijah wanted to flatter the queen-mother in order to steal the throne from her son. There are motives to flattery.

 

2:17 He said, “Please ask King Solomon if he would give me Abishag the Shunammite as a wife, for he won’t refuse you.”

 

The purpose of Adonijah’s flattery attempt was to give Bathsheba the honor of becoming his match-maker. This was a dangerous request, because Abishag was a part of David’s royal harem. Even though David and Abishag never engaged in marital relations, she was considered publicly as the last royal wife of David. Adonijah could assassinate Solomon and claim the throne. He knew that Solomon would not deny the request of the queen-mother. Even if Adonijah was innocent in his request, then this incestuous relationship would become a capital offense violation of the Mosaic Law.

 

2:18 Bathsheba replied, “That’s fine, I’ll speak to the king on your behalf.”

 

Bathsheba was so flattered and so politically ignorant, that she did not understand the sinister motives behind Adonijah’s request.

 

2:19 So Bathsheba visited King Solomon to speak to him on Adonijah’s behalf. The king got up to greet her, bowed to her, and then sat on his throne. He ordered a throne to be brought for the king’s mother, and she sat at his right hand. 

 

Bathsheba made an appointment to visit her son. Solomon showed respect to his mother by offering her a throne.

 

2:20 She said, “I would like to ask you for just one small favor. Please don’t refuse me.” He said, “Go ahead and ask, my mother, for I would not refuse you.” 

 

Bathsheba began her match-making skills with a request that was not to be denied.

 

2:21 She said, “Allow Abishag the Shunammite to be given to your brother Adonijah as a wife.” 

 

This was a foolish request which threatened the lives of both Bathsheba and Solomon. According to ancient Persian history, this marriage would make Adonijah king of Israel. Since Adonijah was older than Solomon, the people would demand that Adonijah deserved the right to become king.

 

2:22 King Solomon answered his mother, “Why just request Abishag the Shunammite for him? Since he is my older brother, you should also request the kingdom for him, for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab son of Zeruiah!”

 

Bathsheba was too naive to see anything sinister in this request, but Solomon saw three men in this conspiracy. He will now have to move against these three men in order to protect the lives of himself, his mother, and the royal court.

 

2:23 King Solomon then swore an oath by the Lord, “May God judge me severely, if Adonijah does not pay for this request with his life! 

 

Solomon vowed to execute Adonijah that very day. This will be the fourth and final son of David to die. Nathan’s predictions were now fulfilled. David paid for the sin of adultery and murder four-fold.

 

2:24 Now, as certainly as the Lord lives (he who made me secure, allowed me to sit on my father David’s throne, and established a dynasty for me as he promised), Adonijah will be executed today!” 

 

Solomon made the execution of Adonijah his immediate and major priority.

 

2:25 King Solomon then sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he killed Adonijah.

 

Benaiah was the commander-in-chief of Solomon’s elite royal guard. He killed Adonijah, eliminating the oldest son of David from contention for the throne.

 

2:26 The king then told Abiathar the priest, “Go back to your property in Anathoth. You deserve to die, but today I will not kill you because you did carry the ark of the sovereign Lord before my father David and you suffered with my father through all his difficult times.” 

 

Abiathar was a co-conspirator, so he deserved to die as well. However, Solomon spared him, because he carried the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem. Therefore, he was assigned to lifetime house imprisonment.  Under the Mosaic Law, tax supporters did not support criminals. Criminals were either executed, mutilated (eye-for-en-eye), house imprisoned, or imprisoned in a city of refuge. This type of punishment relieved the law-abiding citizens of spending their hard-earned money for the support of criminals.

 

2:27 Solomon dismissed Abiathar from his position as priest of the Lord, fulfilling the decree of judgment the Lord made in Shiloh against the family of Eli.

 

One hundred years earlier, Samuel predicted that the priestly line of Levi would come to an end. This prophecy was now fulfilled.

 

2:28 When the news reached Joab (for Joab had supported Adonijah, although he had not supported Absalom), he ran to the tent of the Lord and grabbed hold of the horns of the altar. 

 

General Joab was the most dangerous co-conspirator of the three. He was going against the will of God, because he was conspiring against God’s anointed king. Joab knew that he was going to be the next person to be executed, so he ran to the tabernacle and grabbed the horns of the altar. He was hoping that his life would be saved so that he could attempt another conspiracy. 

 

2:29 When King Solomon heard that Joab had run to the tent of the Lord and was right there beside the altar, he ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada, “Go, strike him down.” 

 

The tabernacle was not a city of refuge. A city of refuge was only a safe haven for those who accidentally killed someone. Joab had committed at least two pre-meditated murders. The cities of refuge were not even options for Joab.

 

2:30 When Benaiah arrived at the tent of the Lord, he said to him, “The king says, ‘Come out!’” But he replied, “No, I will die here!” So Benaiah sent word to the king and reported Joab’s reply. 

 

Benaiah did not want to spill a man’s blood on the altar of God.

 

2:31 The king told him, “Do as he said! Strike him down and bury him. Take away from me and from my father’s family the guilt of Joab’s murderous, bloody deeds. 

 

Solomon wisely ordered Joab’s execution. Solomon would not be able to reign in peace as long as Joab was left intact to plan more conspiracies. The death penalty keeps criminals from repeating the evil desires of their hearts upon innocent women and children.

 

2:32 May the Lord punish him for the blood he shed; behind my father David’s back he struck down and murdered with the sword two men who were more innocent and morally upright than he – Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army. 

 

Joab was receiving the punishment in which he deserved.

 

2:33 May Joab and his descendants be perpetually guilty of their shed blood, but may the Lord give perpetual peace to David, his descendants, his family, and his dynasty.” 

 

King Solomon could not rule in peace with this dangerous conspirator alive. No king of Israel will be able to accomplish perpetual peace, except for Jesus. 

 

2:34 So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up and executed Joab; he was buried at his home in the wilderness. 

 

Benaiah executed Joab, but Solomon did allow Joab to be buried as a hero in his own hometown.

 

2:35 The king appointed Benaiah son of Jehoiada to take his place at the head of the army, and the king appointed Zadok the priest to take Abiathar’s place.

 

Benaiah became the new commander-in-chief of the Israelite army. Zadok became the new High Priest. Zadok’s descendants will become the priests of the Millennial Kingdom. Abiathar was removed from office, fulfilling Samuel’s prophecy about the priestly line of Eli coming to an end. 

 

2:36 Next the king summoned Shimei and told him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and live there – but you may not leave there to go anywhere! 

 

Shimei was a Benjaminite who cursed King David during the Absalom rebellion. This was a capital offense under the Mosaic Law.  Shimei had demonstrated that he was a traitor. He was only alive, because David had made an oath not to touch him. David was a man who kept his word. A man is only as good as his word. Neither David or Solomon trusted Shimei, so Solomon gave Shimei life imprisonment under house arrest in Jerusalem. In this way, Solomon could keep his eyes on Shimei. 

 

2:37 If you ever do leave and cross the Kidron Valley, know for sure that you will certainly die! You will be responsible for your own death.” 

 

Solomon did not want Shimei crossing the Kidron Valley and causing insurrection among the Benjaminites. The Benjaminites were the tribe of Saul. Shimei believed that the tribe of Saul, not the God-given tribe of Judah, should be ruling in Israel.

 

2:38 Shimei said to the king, “My master the king’s proposal is acceptable. Your servant will do as you say.” So Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time.

 

Shimei was placed under house arrest.

 

2:39 Three years later two of Shimei’s servants ran away to King Achish son of Maacah of Gath. Shimei was told, “Look, your servants are in Gath.” 

 

Gath was a former Philistine city across the Kidron Valley. Bath was the former home city of the giant Goliath.

 

2:40 So Shimei got up, saddled his donkey, and went to Achish at Gath to find his servants; Shimei went and brought back his servants from Gath. 

 

Shimei committed a capital offense when he disobeyed King Solomon’s orders.

 

2:41 When Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had then returned, 2:42 the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “You will recall that I made you take an oath by the Lord, and I solemnly warned you, ‘If you ever leave and go anywhere, know for sure that you will certainly die.’ You said to me, ‘The proposal is acceptable; I agree to it.’ 

 

Solomon arrested Shimei and reminded him of his oath to God.

 

2:43 Why then have you broken the oath you made before the Lord and disobeyed the order I gave you?” 

 

The breaking of an oath to God was a serious matter. 

 

2:44 Then the king said to Shimei, “You are well aware of the way you mistreated my father David. The Lord will punish you for what you did. 

 

Solomon reminded Shimei that he deserved capital punishment for cursing King David when he was alive.

 

2:45 But King Solomon will be empowered and David’s dynasty will endure permanently before the Lord.” 

 

The line of Saul was not God’s choice. Shimei was conspiring against the will of God. It was God’s will that the line of Judah through David would bring an eternal dynasty to all of the earth through Jesus.

 

2:46 The king then gave the order to Benaiah son of Jehoiada who went and executed Shimei. So Solomon took firm control of the kingdom.

 

Shimei was executed by General Benaiah. Solomon now possessed strong control of his kingdom without the threat of any internal insurrections. Solomon had completed the charge made to him by his father David. Solomon had removed most of the contenders to the throne. Now, he could reign in peace.