Useful Bible Studies > 1 Kings Commentary > chapter 2
It was a shock for Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, when Adonijah came to visit her. Men would not usually visit women in this way. Bathsheba had previously said that, after David’s death, Adonijah intended to kill both her and Solomon (1:21). At that time, of course, Adonijah was trying to become king.
So at this visit, Adonijah was eager to emphasise how much had changed since then. He proudly remembered how all of Israel had seemed under his control. He even said that the whole country belonged to him as king. He was the right person to be king, and he deserved to rule the nation. However, God, who rules all things, decided differently about this matter. That was the only reason why Solomon, and not Adonijah, now ruled as king.
Adonijah’s words should have upset Bathsheba. In reality, he never gained the authority that he pretended to have. He had some powerful supporters, but the nation had not chosen him to be king. Rather, the people were waiting for David to decide who should be king (1:20). In addition, Adonijah was speaking about God’s decisions as if they were merely a matter of luck or chance. That is a terrible thing to say.
However, Bathsheba thought that Adonijah was saying something different. Adonijah seemed to be a polite and pleasant young man. At one time he had great ambitions, but God chose Solomon instead of him. So now Adonijah must find himself a wife and he must have a simple life. That was what Bathsheba believed to be the meaning of his words.
Next part: Bathsheba agrees to support Adonijah's plan to marry Abishag (1 Kings 2:16-18)
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