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1 Kings 1-11, Proverbs & Ecclesiastes

The Rise and Fall of Solomon

Thomas Nelson

The Rise of Solomon

1 Kings 2:1-3:28

Drawing Near

What are some of the benefits of making compromises? Under what circumstances would you refuse to compromise?

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The Context

The book of 1 Kings begins with the final years of David's reign. By this time David is seventy years of age, and circulatory problems have plagued him to the point that he has trouble keeping warm. So his servants propose a solution in keeping with the medical practices of the day. They find a beautiful young woman named Abishag to watch over him at night and warm him with her body heat. In this manner Abishag joins David's harem, though the text makes it clear that she remained a virgin.

The news of David's failing health soon prompted Adonijah, David's fourth son, to assert his claim to the throne. By this point Adonijah's older brothers Amnon and Absalom (and evidently Chileab) were dead, making him the heir apparent. Like Absalom, Adonijah was an attractive young man, and his ambition led him to raise a small army to support his claim. He soon gained the support of Joab, David's powerful general, and the high priest Abiathar.

However, the prophet Nathan knew Adonijah was not God's choice for the next king. That distinction would fall to Solomon — the second child born to David and Bathsheba. Nathan's intervention prompted David to formally recognize Solomon as his successor, even though he was not next in line for the kingship. Adonijah's support eroded, and he begged Solomon for mercy. Solomon spared his life, provided he proved "himself a worthy man" (1 Kings 1:52) and did not seek to reclaim the throne.

Once the succession was secure, Solomon began his reign on a good footing. He asked God to give him wisdom to shepherd His people, and the Lord answered by giving him not only wisdom but also great riches and power. Solomon's kingdom would grow to be one of the most powerful in the world at the time. Unfortunately, in the process Solomon would allow a number of compromises to creep in that would ultimately set him up for disaster.

Keys to the Text

Read 1 Kings 2:1-3:28, noting the key words and phrases indicated below.

David's Final Instructions: As the time of David's life on earth draws to a close, he summons Solomon, his chosen heir, to impart some final wisdom and instructions to him.

2:1. He charged Solomon: Leaders typically gave final instructions to their successors when they were handing over power to them (see Deuteronomy 31:7-8; Joshua 23:1-16; 1 Samuel 12:1-25). David followed this practice by giving Solomon a final exhortation.

2. BE STRONG, THEREFORE, AND PROVE YOURSELF A MAN: David told Solomon he would be going "the way of all the earth" and that Solomon needed to be strong. In this way David sought to encourage and prepare Solomon for the difficult tasks that lay ahead.

3. Keep the charge of the Lord your God: David admonished Solomon to obey the Mosaic Law so he could have a successful kingship. God had made an unconditional covenant with him in 2 Samuel 7:4-17, and He would confirm that covenant to Solomon (see 1 Kings 9:5). In this way, the Lord promised the perpetuation of the Davidic dynasty over Israel.

4. If your sons take heed to their way: The king's obedience to the Law was a necessary condition for the fulfillment of the divine promise. Unfortunately, none of David's descendants would remain faithful to God's Law, and none of them would meet the conditions for the fulfillment of the promise.

Reward and Punishment: David not only encourages Solomon to be courageous and faithful to the Lord but also charges him with tying up some loose ends from his reign.

5. You know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me: David concluded his instructions by commanding Solomon to reward one man who had been faithful to him and to punish two men who had wronged him. One of those men whom Solomon was to punish was David's former general. Joab's zeal had led him to murder two men — Abner and Amasa — after warfare had ceased, which under the Law made him a murderer (see Deuteronomy 19:11-13). Joab had also gone against David's direct orders to not kill his son Absalom.

7. Show kindness to the sons of Barzillai: The man whom David wanted to reward was Barzillai, who had brought supplies to him and his troops when they fled from Jerusalem (see 2 Samuel 17:27-29). David instructed Solomon to repay this kindness by showing similar kindness to Barzillai's sons. Allowing them to eat at Solomon's table represented a position of honor that could also include a royal stipend.

8. Shimei the son of Gera: Shimei had cursed David and thrown stones at him as he was escaping from Absalom, which were actions worthy of death (see 2 Samuel 16:5-13). David had spared his life at the time, not wanting further bloodshed, but he now counseled Solomon through subtle means to arrange for his just punishment.

11. David reigned over Israel ... forty years: David ruled from approximately 1011 BC to 971 BC, probably with Solomon as co-regent during his final year.

Brotherly Treachery: Solomon's rivals move in after the death of King David to lay their claim to the throne. One of these contenders draws Solomon's mother into his treachery.

12. HIS KINGDOM WAS FIRMLY ESTABLISHED: Solomon enjoyed the Lord's approval for his succession, but not everyone had agreed with God's choice.

15. All Israel had set their expectations on me: As the direct heir to the throne, Adonijah might have been correct in his claim that "all Israel" expected him to be king. However, as the Lord would say through the prophet Isaiah, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways" (55:8). He had already chosen Solomon to be the next ruler.

17. Give me Abishag: Adonijah went to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, and asked her to persuade Solomon to give him Abishag as his wife. In the ancient Near East, possession of the royal harem was a sign of kingship, so Adonijah's request was an attempt to support his claim and perhaps generate a revolt. Bathsheba didn't see through the treachery.

22. Ask for him the kingdom also: Solomon immediately recognized Adonijah's request as the prelude to his usurping of the throne. Adonijah's request violated the terms of loyalty Solomon had previously specified, so he pronounced a legal death sentence on him.

26. Go to Anathoth: This was a priestly town located three miles northeast of Jerusalem. It was there that Abiathar, the disloyal high priest who had previously supported Adonijah as king, lived in banishment.

27. Fulfill the word of the Lord: Solomon's removal of Abiathar from the office of priest fulfilled God's prophecy in 1 Samuel 2:30-35 that Eli's line of priests would be cut off. The subsequent appointment of Zadok for this position reestablished the line of Eleazar/Phinehas as God had promised (see Numbers 25:10-13).

The End of Joab and Shimei: After dealing with the treachery of Adonijah, Solomon fulfills his father's last wishes to punish Joab and Shimei for their deeds.

28. Joab fled to the tabernacle: For years Joab had served David as commander of his army, but after the king's death he defected from God's choice and supported Adonijah. When Joab heard Adonijah had been put to death, he fled to the tabernacle and took hold of the altar. Joab knew he would have been killed already if he had not been so popular with the army.

31. STRIKE HIM DOWN: The Law of Moses offered protection at the altar for those guilty of accidental crimes, but not premeditated murder (see Exodus 21:12-14). For this reason, Solomon ordered Benaiah to administer the violent death sought by David.

34. HE WAS BURIED ... IN THE WILDERNESS: The tomb of Joab's father was near Bethlehem. Joab's house was probably on the edge of the Judean wilderness, east of Bethlehem.

36. DO NOT GO OUT: Shimei had not provoked Solomon as directly as Adonijah had, so Solomon kept him under close watch by confining him to Jerusalem. Shimei agreed to remain in Jerusalem, but when two of his slaves escaped, he went in search of them.

40. Went to Achish at Gath: Achish was the ruler of Gath, a major Philistine city about thirty miles southwest of Jerusalem. Shimei ultimately found his slaves there, but word reached Solomon that he had broken his order. It would prove to be the last mistake Shimei ever made.

45. The throne of David shall be established: In contrast to Shimei's curse against David in 2 Samuel 16:5-8, the Lord's blessing was to come through the ruler of David's line, not through Saul's line. With the death of Shimei, all the rival factions were eliminated.

The Reign of Solomon: Now that the succession has been settled, Solomon begins to make political alliances to secure the land for the Israelites.

3:1. Solomon made a treaty with Pharaoh: This pharaoh was probably Siamun, the next-to-last ruler of the twenty-first dynasty. Solomon's alliance with him demonstrated how powerful Israel was becoming, as the Egyptians did not ordinarily make such agreements.

And married Pharaoh's daughter: Pharaoh's daughter would be the most politically significant of Solomon's 700 wives. However, the Lord had expressly forbidden His people to intermarry with the pagan nations, warning them such marriages would lead the people astray.

2. SACRIFICED AT THE HIGH PLACES: The Canaanites worshiped their gods on hilltops, frequently in open-air shrines. The Israelites were commanded to destroy these altars, and after the temple was completed, God's people were forbidden to use the sites at all. But they didn't listen, and their disobedience eventually led Israel into syncretism, the act of combining pagan practices with God's ordained worship.

NO HOUSE BUILT FOR THE NAME OF THE LORD: In the ancient Near East, to identify a temple with a god's name meant the god owned the place and dwelt there. God had promised to choose one place "to put His name for His dwelling place" (Deuteronomy 12:5), and the temple at Jerusalem was to be that place.

A Blank Check: The Lord appears to Solomon in a dream and offers to give him anything he desires. Solomon's request to the Lord is surprising.

3. Solomon loved the Lord: Solomon began well. He loved the Lord and followed his father's example of walking according to God's Word. He sincerely desired to be faithful to the Lord and be a good king, as David had been for most of his reign.

EXCEPT THAT HE SACRIFIED: This dangerous word except alerts us to Solomon's area of weakness. These "high places," even if they were now dedicated to the Lord, were likely former sites of Baal worship. At the least, they were an example of God's people imitating the ways of the world, worshiping Him at places of convenience rather than in the tabernacle.

4. The king went to Gibeon: A town about seven miles northwest of Jerusalem, where the tabernacle of Moses and the original bronze altar were located.

5. The Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream: God often gave revelation in dreams, but this dream was unique because it was a two-way conversation between Him and Solomon. The Lord permitted Solomon to ask for anything he desired, and in so doing tested Solomon's heart to discover his priorities. In spite of David's adultery, he had been a man after God's own heart. Solomon now had the opportunity to show he would follow his father's footsteps.

6. GREAT MERCY ... GREAT KINDNESS: These terms imply covenant faithfulness. Solomon viewed his succession to David as evidence of the Lord's faithfulness to His promises to David.

7. I am A little child: Solomon was probably twenty years old when he assumed the throne. His answer to the Lord demonstrated a wholesome humility, as he recognized it was a huge responsibility to lead God's people. At this point, he acknowledged his own limitations and understood he could not shepherd Israel under his own power. He needed God's help.

8. In the midst of Your people: Solomon underscored the fact that Israel was the Lord's nation, not his own, and that he was accountable to God for the welfare of His people. Based on the census in 2 Samuel 24:9, which recorded 800,000 men of fighting age in Israel and 500,000 in Judah, the total population at this time was more than four million people.

9. AN UNDERSTANDING HEART: The Hebrew word translated understanding means "to hear, listen to, obey." Solomon wisely asked the Lord to give him an obedient heart that was turned fully toward the Word of God.

A Good Choice: Solomon's request pleases the Lord, and He grants wisdom in abundance — along with things that Solomon didn't ask for.

10. The speech pleased the Lord: God was delighted Solomon had not asked for personal benefits (long life or riches) or the death of his enemies. Christians would do well to imitate Solomon's example, asking God to give them a hunger to understand and obey His Word. A heart for God is a gift and not something that a person can attain by sheer willpower. But today, we have the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and He is eager to give us this very thing.

11. Long life ... riches ... the life of your enemies: Requests such as these are more typical of what a person might ask if given such carte blanche by the Lord — yet these things reflect the wisdom of the world, not the wisdom of God.

12. THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANYONE LIKE YOU: God gave Solomon a unique type of wisdom and insight. This great understanding would enable him to write the bulk of what is known as the Wisdom Literature, including the books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon.

13. I have also given you what you have not asked: Solomon asked for wisdom and understanding, and the Lord granted his request in superabundance. This is the way God loves to give to His people. As James reminds us, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him" (1:5).

14. If you walk in My ways: God's gift of wisdom to Solomon was conditional, but He placed stipulations on His offer of long life. Unfortunately, Solomon would not meet those conditions and would die before reaching seventy — a relatively young age in Solomon's day.

Wisdom in Practice: Two prostitutes come to Solomon with a difficult case. There are no witnesses, and it will require great wisdom to discern the truth.

16. HARLOTS CAME TO THE KING: It seems surprising that two prostitutes would stand before the greatest king of the age and plead their private cases, but this shows how wisely Solomon ruled. In Israel, the king was the ultimate "judge" of the land, and Solomon made himself available to all types of people within his kingdom. His wisdom and justice were accessible to all.

23. The one says ... and the other says: The difficulty of this case was there were no witnesses to corroborate one woman's story over the other. It was a matter of choosing which one to believe, and neither prostitute would have been considered a reliable witness.

25. Divide the living child in two: Solomon bypassed the conflicting claims of the women and searched their hearts for the truth. In ordering his servants to cut the child in two, Solomon knew the liar would not object, while the real mother would never permit such a horrible fate.

28. feared the king: Israel was in awe of Solomon and willing to submit to his rule because of his wisdom from God.

Unleashing the Text

1) What were David's final instructions to Solomon? How did the actions of Joab and Shimei lead to Solomon fulfilling these instructions and putting the two men to death?

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2) Why did Joab flee to the tabernacle and grab hold of the altar? Why was no protection afforded to him there?

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3) Why did Solomon ask for wisdom instead of power or wealth or freedom from his enemies? Why did God grant his request so generously?

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4) If you had been in Solomon's place, how would you have dealt with the two prostitutes? How did Solomon's judgment demonstrate wisdom?

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Excerpted from 1 Kings 1-11, Proverbs & Ecclesiastes by John MacArthur. Copyright © 2016 John MacArthur. Excerpted by permission of Thomas Nelson.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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