1 Kings 2:19

_BATHSHEBA THEREFORE WENT UNTO KING SOLOMON, TO SPEAK UNTO HIM FOR ADONIJAH. AND THE KING ROSE UP TO MEET HER, AND BOWED HIMSELF UNTO HER, AND SAT DOWN ON HIS THRONE, AND CAUSED A SEAT TO BE SET FOR THE KING'S MOTHER; AND SHE SAT ON HIS RIGHT HAND._ Bath-sheba therefore went unto king Solomon. The filial reverence and the particular act of respect which BATH-SHEBA THEREFORE WENT UNTO KING SOLOMON. The filial reverence and the particular act of respect which Solomon rendered was quite in accordance with the sentiments and customs of the East. The right bend is the place of honour; and as it is expressly said to have been assigned to "the king's mother," it is necessary to remark, that when a husband dies, his widow acquires a higher dignity and power, as a mother over her son, than she ever possessed before. Besides, the dignity of "king's mother" is a state office, to which certain reve...

12-25 Solomon received Bathsheba with all the respect that was owing to a mother; but let none be asked for that which they ought not to grant. It ill becomes a good man to prefer a bad request, or to appear in a bad cause. According to eastern customs it was plain that Adonijah sought to be king, by his asking for Abishag as his wife, and Solomon could not be safe while he lived. Ambitious, turbulent spirits commonly prepare death for themselves. Many a head has been lost by catching at a crown....

A SEAT - Or, “a throne.” We have here a proof of the high dignity of the Queen-mother. Compare also 1Ki 15:13; 2 Kings 11:1. In the Persian court the Queen-mother had often the chief power....

EXPOSITION ADONIJAH'S INTRIGUE. 1 KINGS 2:12 AND SOLOMON SATE ON THE THRONE OF DAVID HIS FATHER, AND HIS KINGDOM [_i.e; _dominion, sway] was established greatly. [Cf. 2 Chronicles 1:1, 2 Chronicles 1:2. This verse serves as a kind of heading or introduction to the rest of the chapter. It was principally by the removal of rivals and disaffected persons that his sway was established. 1 KINGS 2:13 AND ADONIJAH, the son of Haggith, came to Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon....

BATHSHEBA THEREFORE WENT UNTO KING SOLOMON, TO SPEAK UNTO HIM FOR ADONIJAH,.... She went from her own house to the palace; for she might not live at court; or however had an apartment to herself, from whence she went to the king with her suit in favour of Adonijah: AND THE KING ROSE UP TO MEET HER, AND BOWED HIMSELF UNTO HER; upon her entrance into the presence chamber, in honour to her as a parent, he rose up from his throne, and made his obeisance to her, as a dutiful son: AND SAT DOWN ON HIS THRONE, AND CAUSED A SEAT TO BE SET FOR THE KING'S MOTHER; a magnificent seat or throne, as the word is, was ordered to be set for her: AND SHE SAT ON HIS RIGHT HAND; where he placed her in honour to her as his mother; so Nero a placed Tiridates king of Armenia at his right hand, to do him honour. a Suetonius in Vit. Neron. c. 13....

II. SOLOMON'S GLORIOUS REIGN. HIS FAILURE AND END 1. The Righteous judgment of Solomon CHAPTER 2:12-46) _ 1. Solomon upon the throne (1 Kings 2:12)_ 2. Adonijah's request (1 Kings 2:13) 3. Bath-sheba before Solomon (1 Kings 2:19) 4. Solomon's answer and sentence upon Adonijah (1 Kings 2:22) 5. Adonijah executed (1 Kings 2:25) 6. Abiathar thrust out (1 Kings 2:26) 7. Joab and Shimei executed ...

DEATH OF DAVID; SOLOMON ESTABLISHED ON HIS THRONE. The main source of this chapter is the same as that of 1, but interspersed are Deuteronomic additions (1 Kings 2:3 f., 1 Kings 2:10; 1 Kings 2:27). The authenticity of David's advice to Solomon has been disputed, especially the reasons given for procuring Joab's execution. Judged by any standard it places his character in an unamiable light. Solomon was advised to find a pretext for putting Joab and Shimei to death, and perfidy is inculcated as wisdom (1 Kings 2:6; 1 Kings 2:9). Without attempting to justify its mo

SEAT. throne....

_caused a seat to be set for the king's mother_ For -seat" we should have THRONE. The word is the same as that which occurs earlier in the verse for Solomon's own -throne." In Eastern nations the queen-mother was a very important personage and treated with the same sort of reverence as the king. This we may see in the case of Maachah (1 Kings 15:13) who held authority and was called queen, even during the reign of her grandson Asa. Compare also the influential position of Athaliah, which enabled her to destroy nearly all the seedroyal (2 Kings 11:1). _and she sat on his right hand_ This being the place of greatest honour, cf. Psalms 45:9....

AND SHE SAT ON HIS RIGHT HAND— Nothing can be more respectful than the behaviour of Solomon to his mother; nor could he have shewn her more honour than to seat her on his right hand: for in those times to seat a person on the right hand, was to equal them with one's self, and to make them partakers of the same rank, dignity, and power. See Psalms 110:1....