1 Kings 2 - Introduction
CHAP. II _David gives his last charge to his son Solomon. Adonijah, Joab, and Shimei, are put to death, and Abiathar deprived of the priesthood._ _Before Christ 1015._... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAP. II _David gives his last charge to his son Solomon. Adonijah, Joab, and Shimei, are put to death, and Abiathar deprived of the priesthood._ _Before Christ 1015._... [ Continue Reading ]
LET NOT HIS HOAR HEAD GO DOWN TO THE GRAVE IN PEACE— David's dying order was an order worthy of a good king, and fit to be given in the last moments of his life. The crimes which drew down this punishment upon Joab, have already been expatiated upon in the course of these notes. Many reasons concurr... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU HAST—SHIMEI—HIS HOAR HEAD BRING THOU DOWN TO THE GRAVE WITH BLOOD— The reader will not forget who Shimei was; see 2 Samuel 16:5; 2 Samuel 19:16. It appears by the expression, _Behold, thou hast with thee,_ that he was now in Jerusalem; and therefore David thought this a proper opportunity for c... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
ASK FOR HIM THE KINGDOM ALSO— That is, "Ask, I say, the kingdom for him, for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah, by whose counsel he endeavours to invade the kingdom:" which is as much as to say, "If Abishag be given to him, all the people will conclude that the kingdom belongs to... [ Continue Reading ]
SOLOMON SENT BY THE HAND OF BENAIAH, THE SON OF JEHOIADA— It was formerly very customary among princes to employ their officers, or greatest confidants, in such executions. Among the Romans, the soldiers were always the persons who carried to prison, to torture, or to execution, such as were found g... [ Continue Reading ]
AND UNTO ABIATHAR—SAID THE KING, GET THEE TO ANATHOTH, &C.— How far the high-priest Abiathar was concerned in the plot against Solomon, the sacred history does not particularly inform us: but such was the reverence paid to the sacerdotal character, that Solomon would have hardly dared to have depose... [ Continue Reading ]
WENT OUT, AND FELL UPON HIM— The reader is desired to recur to the defence of David's charge relating to Joab and Shimei, as given above. It is there asserted, that the charge was different, as it respected each of them. This difference is farther evident from the different manner in which Solomon t... [ Continue Reading ]