1 Kings 1 25

1 Kings 1:25 kjv

For he is gone down this day, and hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the king's sons, and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they eat and drink before him, and say, God save king Adonijah.

1 Kings 1:25 nkjv

For he has gone down today, and has sacrificed oxen and fattened cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king's sons, and the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest; and look! They are eating and drinking before him; and they say, 'Long live King Adonijah!'

1 Kings 1:25 niv

Today he has gone down and sacrificed great numbers of cattle, fattened calves, and sheep. He has invited all the king's sons, the commanders of the army and Abiathar the priest. Right now they are eating and drinking with him and saying, 'Long live King Adonijah!'

1 Kings 1:25 esv

For he has gone down this day and has sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king's sons, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest. And behold, they are eating and drinking before him, and saying, 'Long live King Adonijah!'

1 Kings 1:25 nlt

Today he has sacrificed many cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and he has invited all the king's sons to attend the celebration. He also invited the commanders of the army and Abiathar the priest. They are feasting and drinking with him and shouting, 'Long live King Adonijah!'

1 Kings 1 verses

1 Kings 1 25 Meaning

In 1 Kings 1:25, Bathsheba confronts King David with a rhetorical question, asking if he did not promise Adonijah the throne after him, implying a contradiction with his earlier oath to her regarding Solomon. This statement is not a direct quotation of David, but rather a strategic plea designed to provoke David into immediate action concerning the succession, highlighting Adonijah's usurpation and reminding David of the dire implications for her and Solomon if he fails to act. She uses the imagery of "sitting on my throne" to emphasize the comprehensive transfer of royal authority.

1 Kings 1 25 Context

This verse is situated during King David's old age and feebleness (1 Ki 1:1), when his succession became a critical issue. Adonijah, David's eldest living son, takes matters into his own hands, self-proclaiming himself king, gathering prominent supporters like Joab (commander of the army) and Abiathar (a priest). His actions are presented as a presumptuous attempt to seize the throne before David's death, bypassing divine will and any prior arrangement David had made. Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, orchestrated by the prophet Nathan, approaches David to remind him of his oath to her that Solomon would be his successor (1 Ki 1:13, 1 Ki 1:17). Her words in verse 25 are part of this urgent appeal, designed to shock the incapacitated David into understanding the immediate danger to her, Solomon, and his own royal legacy. She frames Adonijah's illicit coronation as something David must have permitted if he remains silent, a powerful rhetorical tactic to galvanize the king. Historically, succession crises were common in ancient Near Eastern monarchies, often leading to civil war or power struggles. This specific crisis highlights the tension between a dynastic right, public assumption, and divine appointment, which in this narrative is central to God's plan for David's lineage and the building of the Temple.

1 Kings 1 25 Word analysis

• Did you not say (הֲלֹא־אַתָּה אָמַרְתָּ - halo-ʾattah ʾāmarta): The initial particle halo- is a rhetorical question, strongly expecting an affirmative answer, "Surely you said, did you not?" It conveys a sense of disbelief and a challenge, implicitly accusing David of hypocrisy or forgetfulness. It functions not as a literal reminder of something David did say about Adonijah (which he did not), but as a device to underscore the blatant contradiction between Adonijah's actions and the established expectation that Solomon would succeed David. This masterful rhetorical strategy forces David to confront the implications of Adonijah's current behavior as if it were a direct affront to David's own word.
• Adonijah (אֲדֹנִיָּהוּ - ʾĂdoniyyāhû): Means "My Lord is Yahweh." The name ironically contrasts with his actions, where he attempts to establish himself as lord, seemingly against Yahweh's actual will as later revealed through David's oath for Solomon. This contrast highlights the spiritual aspect of his usurpation—not just against a king, but against God's preordained plan.
• shall reign after me (יִמְלֹךְ אַחֲרָי - yimloch ʾaḥărāy): Yimloch means "he shall be king." Aḥaray means "after me," indicating direct succession. Bathsheba frames Adonijah's presumption as an accomplished fact if not swiftly countered. The term "reign" signifies assumption of ultimate political and judicial authority, crucial for stable government and covenant continuity.
• and he shall sit on my throne (וְהוּא יֵשֵׁב עַל־כִּסְאִי - wəhûʾ yēshēḇ ʿal-kissəʾî): This is a powerful, idiomatic expression signifying the complete assumption of royal power, legitimacy, and authority. The "throne" (כִּסֵא - kis·seʾ) is the quintessential symbol of a monarch's power, judgment, and government. Sitting on it is the public, formal act of becoming king. For Adonijah to "sit on my throne" would imply divine or royal endorsement, which was utterly lacking, underscoring the audacity and illegitimacy of his actions.
• Words-group Analysis:
  • "Did you not say, 'Adonijah shall reign after me...'": This phrase functions as a sophisticated rhetorical accusation. Bathsheba isn't truly asking David if he remembers saying this specific statement, but rather implying, "Since Adonijah is currently acting as if he is your chosen successor and receiving support from key figures, it is as if you authorized it. How can this be, given your true promise for Solomon?" It strategically forces David to confront the perception and reality of his own lack of control and inaction. This highlights the urgency and personal danger she and Solomon face if Adonijah's plot succeeds. It's a direct challenge to David's honor and divine responsibility.
  • "...and he shall sit on my throne": This phrase completes the picture of usurpation. It's not just about a nominal kingship but the full and formal occupation of the locus of royal authority. This image would immediately evoke the gravity of Adonijah's act in David's mind, stressing that Adonijah was taking his divine and earthly power. This would serve to rouse the aged king to decisive action.

1 Kings 1 25 Bonus section

• The rhetorical question form (halo-) employed by Bathsheba is designed not for new information, but for emphasis, challenge, and an expected "no, I did not say that" answer, leading David to acknowledge his actual previous promises for Solomon.
• This verse contributes to the portrayal of Bathsheba as a perceptive and decisive character, actively participating in securing the divinely chosen succession, demonstrating wisdom in crisis.
• The immediate peril to Bathsheba and Solomon ("they will be counted offenders," 1 Ki 1:21) underscores the life-or-death stakes involved in this succession dispute for them personally. Their actions are not just political maneuvering but survival.
• The absence of direct intervention from Yahweh in this crisis, requiring human actors like Nathan and Bathsheba to spur David, highlights God working through human means and strategic action to accomplish His will.

1 Kings 1 25 Commentary

1 Kings 1:25 is a masterstroke of rhetorical persuasion by Bathsheba. It's crucial to understand that David is never recorded as having said Adonijah would reign. Instead, this statement is Bathsheba's pointed strategy, framed as a question, to force David to acknowledge the serious implications of Adonijah's unauthorized coronation. She implies, by their shared understanding of the circumstances, that Adonijah's assumption of power would mean David himself had sanctioned it—a falsehood that serves to alarm and activate the infirm king. The use of "my throne" particularly connects Adonijah's actions to David's personal legacy and God's covenant with him. Bathsheba and Nathan work in tandem, appealing to David's oath regarding Solomon and reminding him of his divinely mandated succession plan. This verse underscores the fragile state of leadership in David's old age, the threat of human ambition attempting to supersede divine will, and the urgent need for divine intervention through proper succession. It precipitates David's decisive action to confirm Solomon's anointing, ensuring the continuation of God's covenant.