CONTENTS
David, in his old age, unable to keep warmth, hath an handmaid
provided to cherish him. Adonijah, his son, taking advantage of
David's imbecility, usurpeth the kingdom. Solomon, by David's
direction, is anointed king. Adonijah fleeth for refuge to the altar.
These are the principal things... [ Continue Reading ]
(2) Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my
lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and
let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the
king may get heat. (3) So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all
the coasts of Israel, a... [ Continue Reading ]
(5) В¶ Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I
will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men
to run before him. (6) And his father had not displeased him at any
time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also was a very goodly
man; and his mother bare... [ Continue Reading ]
(7) And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar
the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him. (8) But Zadok the
priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and
Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men which belonged to David, were not
with Adonijah.
In thi... [ Continue Reading ]
(9) And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone of
Zoheleth, which is by Enrogel, and called all his brethren the king's
sons, and all the men of Judah the king's servants: (10) But Nathan
the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother,
he called not.
It shoul... [ Continue Reading ]
(11) В¶ Wherefore Nathan spake unto Bathsheba the mother of Solomon,
saying, Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith doth
reign, and David our lord knoweth it not? (12) Now therefore come, let
me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own
life, and the life of thy... [ Continue Reading ]
(15) And Bathsheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the
king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite ministered unto the
king. (16) And Bathsheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And
the king said, What wouldest thou? (17) And she said unto him, My
lord, thou swarest by the LORD t... [ Continue Reading ]
(22) And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet
also came in. (23) And they told the king, saying, Behold Nathan the
prophet. And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself
before the king with his face to the ground. (24) And Nathan said, My
lord, O king, hast thou s... [ Continue Reading ]
(28) Then king David answered and said, Call me Bathsheba. And she
came into the king's presence, and stood before the king. (29) And the
king sware, and said, As the LORD liveth, that hath redeemed my soul
out of all distress, (30) Even as I sware unto thee by the LORD God of
Israel, saying, Assure... [ Continue Reading ]
(32) В¶ And king David said, Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathan
the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the
king. (33) The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of
your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and
bring him down to Gihon:... [ Continue Reading ]
(36) And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said,
Amen: the LORD God of my lord the king say so too. (37) As the LORD
hath been with my lord the king, even so be he with Solomon, and make
his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David. (38) So
Zadok the priest, and Nathan t... [ Continue Reading ]
(41) В¶ And Adonijah and all the guests that were with him heard it
as they had made an end of eating. And when Joab heard the sound of
the trumpet, he said, Wherefore is this noise of the city being in an
uproar?
Reader! do observe the very different state of Adonijah and his party
from that of So... [ Continue Reading ]
(42) And while he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the
priest came: and Adonijah said unto him, Come in; for thou art a
valiant man, and bringest good tidings.
Good tidings indeed, to poor sinners, even rebellious sinners, that
Jesus reigneth. Oh! that the proclamation would cause ev... [ Continue Reading ]
(43) And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, Verily our lord king
David hath made Solomon king. (44) And the king hath sent with him
Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of
Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and they have
caused him to ride upon the king'... [ Continue Reading ]
(50) And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went, and
caught hold on the horns of the altar.
God's altar was considered, in the wilderness state of the church, the
refuge for sinners. No doubt, with an eye to Jesus, who in the gospel
church is our altar himself. The presumptuous man... [ Continue Reading ]
(51) And it was told Solomon, saying, Behold, Adonijah feareth king
Solomon: for, lo, he hath caught hold on the horns of the altar,
saying, Let king Solomon swear unto me today that he will not slay his
servant with the sword. (52) And Solomon said, If he will show himself
a worthy man, there shall... [ Continue Reading ]
REFLECTIONS
READER! do not overlook, in the melancholy view which is given us in
this chapter of poor David's cold and perishing body, what dying worms
the greatest of men are; and how sure and certain it is, that death
passeth upon all men, because all have sinned! Precious Jesus! what a
relief is... [ Continue Reading ]