1 Kings 1

1 Kings 1 is the first chapter of the Books of Kings in the Hebrew Bible and of the First Book of Kings in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. The Books of Kings incorporate earlier materials, including royal records and narrative traditions, within a framework commonly associated with the Deuteronomistic history. This chapter belongs to the section concerning the reign of Solomon over the united kingdom of Israel and Judah (1 Kings 1–11). It narrates the succession struggle at the end of David's reign, including Adonijah's attempt to claim the throne and culminating in Solomon's anointing as king.

Text This chapter was originally written in Biblical Hebrew and is divided into is divided into 53 verses in the Masoretic Text.

Textual witnesses Some early manuscripts containing this chapter in Biblical Hebrew belong to the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Codex Cairensis (895), Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008). Fragments containing parts of this chapter in Hebrew were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls as 5Q2 (or 5QKgs; ) with extant verses 1, 16–17, and 27–37.Dead sea scrolls - 1 Kings5Q2 at the Leon Levy Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library

A translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint was also compiled in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B; B; ) and Codex Alexandrinus (A; A; ).

Analysis

Literary and historical setting First Kings 1–2 describes the final phase of David's reign and the accession of Solomon, forming a narrative transition between the Books of Samuel and the Books of Kings. Since the work of Leonhard Rost, much of 2 Samuel 9–20 and 1 Kings 1–2 has often been treated as a connected "succession narrative" or "court history" concerned with the transfer of power from David to Solomon. The proposed unit's extent, literary unity, date, and original purpose remain disputed.

The chapter presents the succession as a contest between two groups within the royal court. Adonijah is supported by the military commander Joab and the () Abiathar, whereas Solomon's supporters include Bathsheba (his mother), Nathan, the priest Zadok, the military commander Benaiah and David's royal guard. Adonijah asserts his claim by acquiring chariots, horse riders, and runners and by holding a sacrificial feast for selected members of the royal family and court. Solomon is instead installed by David's order, placed on the royal mule, escorted by royal officials, anointed () by Zadok at the Gihon Spring and acclaimed by the people.

The opening description of David as unable to keep warm () establishes both his physical decline and the uncertainty surrounding the succession. Although he initially appears unaware of Adonijah's actions, David resumes the exercise of royal authority after Bathsheba and Nathan approach him: he specifies who is to accompany Solomon, orders that Solomon ride his mule, and directs that Zadok and Nathan anoint him at Gihon. In contrast to explanations of Solomon's accession based on direct divine intervention, the chapter itself recounts his installation through court deliberation, David's command, priestly anointing, military support, and public acclamation. James W. Flanagan argues that this absence of an explicit statement of divine participation distinguishes Solomon's installation from parts of the preceding David narrative.

Biblical parallels Adonijah's conduct recalls Absalom's earlier challenge to David. Both sons acquire chariots, horses, and fifty runners, and both use public royal display before obtaining legitimate authority. The narrator further associates Adonijah with Absalom by describing his appearance, identifying his birth in relation to Absalom, and observing that David had never questioned his conduct. The parallel is not exact, however: Absalom openly revolts against an active king, while Adonijah acts when David is already physically diminished and the succession has become urgent.

The reappearance of Bathsheba, Nathan and Solomon recalls the account of David and Bathsheba and of Solomon's birth in 2 Samuel 11–12. In 1 Kings 1, Nathan informs Bathsheba of Adonijah's actions and instructs her to approach David; Nathan then enters separately and asks whether David has authorized Adonijah's accession. Their coordinated intervention prompts David to declare that Solomon will succeed him. The connection between these passages has played an important role in scholarly reconstructions of a succession narrative, although scholars disagree over whether the passages once formed an independent literary work.

Solomon's accession may also be read in relation to the promise in 2 Samuel that David's offspring would succeed him and that David's dynasty would endure. First Kings 1, however, contains no new divine oracle identifying Solomon as the promised successor. David acts after Bathsheba invokes an otherwise unrecorded oath that Solomon would reign after him, and the chapter establishes Solomon's authority through David's command and the public installation at Gihon.

The presentation in 1 Chronicles differs from that in Kings. Chronicles omits Adonijah's attempted accession and depicts David publicly presenting Solomon as chosen by God for the construction of the Temple. It then describes Solomon and Zadok as anointed before a national assembly, states that all Israel accepted Solomon, and reports that David's officials, warriors, and sons gave him their support. Kings consequently preserves a contested, narrowly secured succession, whereas Chronicles presents the transfer of power through divine choice, public designation and broad national assent.

Jewish interpretation The opening account of Abishag became the subject of rabbinic legal interpretation. In its discussion of restrictions governing a king's wives, the Talmud asks why David did not marry Abishag and presents a dialogue in which Abishag challenges David concerning her status. The discussion uses the narrative to examine the limits placed on royal marriage rather than treating Abishag only as evidence of David's physical decline. The Talmud also gives ritual significance to Solomon's installation at Gihon. It teaches that kings are anointed beside a spring as a favorable sign that their reign will continue, citing the instruction to bring Solomon down to Gihon and anoint him there. This interpretation develops the narrative setting into a general principle concerning royal anointing.

Medieval Jewish commentators also address the ambiguity of Nathan's address to David in verse 24. The Hebrew may be understood either as Nathan declaring that David must have authorized Adonijah or as Nathan asking whether David had done so. Rashi (), Radak (), and Ralbag () understand the words interrogatively: Nathan asks whether David has said that Adonijah will succeed him. On this reading, Nathan's speech respectfully confronts David with the possibility that a royal decision has been made without informing the officials who expect Solomon to succeed.

David's old age and Abishag (verses 1–4)

The Books of Kings opens with David old and unable to warm himself. His attendants bring Abishag the Shunammite to serve him and lie beside him, but the narrator states that David was not intimate with her. The episode establishes David's physical decline at the beginning of the succession crisis. Abishag does not speak in the narrative, but her relationship to David later becomes central to Adonijah's request to marry her and Solomon's interpretation of that request as a claim to the throne.

Verse 2 The expression translated "a young woman, a virgin" in the Christian NET Bible is (). The second noun more specifically defines the first, forming an appositional expression.

Adonijah's claim to the throne (verses 5–10) Adonijah, David's fourth son, was apparently the oldest surviving royal son after the deaths of Amnon and Absalom. He presented himself as the prospective king by acquiring chariots, horse riders and fifty runners. The display recalls Absalom's preparations before his revolt.

Adonijah obtained the support of Joab, the commander of David's army, and Abiathar, the priest, but he was not supported by Zadok, Benaiah, Nathan, David's warriors, or Solomon. He then held a sacrificial feast near the stone of Zoheleth at En-rogel, inviting the king's sons and officials from Judah while excluding Solomon and Solomon's supporters. The selective invitations reveal the division within David's court and distinguish Adonijah's gathering from a publicly authorized royal installation.

David designates Solomon (verses 11–37) Nathan informs Bathsheba of Adonijah's actions and instructs her to approach David. Bathsheba reminds David of his oath that Solomon would succeed him and warns that she and Solomon would be endangered if Adonijah's claim prevailed. Nathan then enters separately and asks whether David has authorized Adonijah to succeed him.

David responds by reaffirming his oath to Bathsheba that Solomon will reign after him. He summons Zadok, Nathan, and Benaiah and orders them to place Solomon on the royal mule, bring him to the Gihon Spring, and anoint him as king. Solomon is then to be brought back to sit on David's throne. David does not formally abdicate in this passage; rather, he authorizes Solomon's immediate installation while continuing to be identified as king.

Solomon's installation (verses 38–53)

Zadok, Nathan, Benaiah, the Cherethites and Pelethites, and other members of David's household escort Solomon to Gihon on David's mule. Zadok takes oil from the tent and anoints Solomon, after which a trumpet is sounded, and the people acclaim him as king. Riding David's mule and receiving anointing from the royal priest publicly identify Solomon as David's authorized successor.

The sound of the celebration reaches Adonijah's feast, where Jonathan ben Abiathar reports that David has made Solomon king and that Solomon has taken the royal throne. Adonijah's guests disperse, and Adonijah seeks protection by grasping the horns of the altar. This action recalls the legal distinction in the book of Exodus between accidental killing, for which refuge may be available, and deliberate murder, for which the altar offers no protection.

Solomon grants Adonijah conditional clemency, declaring that he will be spared if he proves worthy but will die if wrongdoing is found in him. Adonijah is brought down from the altar, bows before Solomon, and is ordered to return home. The chapter thus ends with Solomon exercising royal authority, although the conflict with Adonijah is not finally resolved until the following chapter.

1 Kings 1

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