1 Kings 1 41

1 Kings 1:41 kjv

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?

1 Kings 1:41 nkjv

Now Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the horn, he said, "Why is the city in such a noisy uproar?"

1 Kings 1:41 niv

Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they were finishing their feast. On hearing the sound of the trumpet, Joab asked, "What's the meaning of all the noise in the city?"

1 Kings 1:41 esv

Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished feasting. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, "What does this uproar in the city mean?"

1 Kings 1:41 nlt

Adonijah and his guests heard the celebrating and shouting just as they were finishing their banquet. When Joab heard the sound of the ram's horn, he asked, "What's going on? Why is the city in such an uproar?"

1 Kings 1 verses

1 Kings 1 41 Meaning

First Kings 1:41 describes the exact moment Adonijah and his co-conspirators, gathered at a celebratory feast to mark his self-proclaimed kingship, heard the overwhelming sounds of acclamation for the newly anointed King Solomon. This simultaneous timing dramatically highlights the divine counter-action to Adonijah's usurpation, signaling the immediate and public exposure of his futile attempt as it collided with the legitimate, God-ordained enthronement.

1 Kings 1 41 Context

The setting for 1 Kings 1:41 is a crucial point in David's life and reign: the succession of the throne. David is old and weak, creating an opportune moment for Adonijah, David's fourth and eldest surviving son, to stage a coup. Adonijah gathered support from key figures like Joab (David's commander) and Abiathar (a priest), proclaiming himself king with a public feast at En Rogel. Unbeknownst to Adonijah, David, prompted by Nathan the prophet and Bathsheba (Solomon's mother), had already designated Solomon as his successor, confirmed by an oath to Bathsheba. Just as Adonijah’s self-coronation feast was concluding, David acted decisively, sending Solomon to be formally anointed by Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet at Gihon. The joyous noise emanating from Solomon's true anointing, including trumpet blasts and the shouts of the people, dramatically and instantly exposed Adonijah’s fraudulent claim, transforming his celebration into an alarm.

1 Kings 1 41 Word analysis

• And Adonijah (וַאֲדֹנִיָּהוּ - va-adoniyahu): "Adonijah" means "My Lord is Yahweh." The irony here is poignant: one whose name professes allegiance to the true God attempts to seize power contrary to God's will. This introduces him as the primary figure experiencing the sudden shift of events.
• and all the guests that were with him (וְכָל־הַקְּרֻאִים אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ - v'khol-haq-q'ru'im asher itto): The term for "guests" (הַקְּרֻאִים - haq-kru'im) means "the invited ones," highlighting the formality and conspiratorial nature of Adonijah's gathering, lending it a deceptive air of legitimacy. It emphasizes the collective nature of their involvement and their shared experience of the startling realization.
• heard it (שָׁמְעוּ - shama'u): This Hebrew verb means more than just physically perceiving sound; it implies an act of understanding, attention, and often, an acknowledgement of authority or consequence. Here, it signifies the full, immediate comprehension by Adonijah and his company of the implications of the clamor, recognizing it as a direct threat to their aspirations. The "it" refers to the sounds of Solomon's acclamation described in the preceding verses (trumpet, pipes, people rejoicing).
• as they had made an end of eating (כְּכַלֹּתָם לֶאֱכֹל - k'khallotam le'ekhol): The precise timing is crucial. This phrase means "as they finished eating," or "at their completion of eating." This timing introduces dramatic irony: just as their presumptuous celebration reached its apex, signifying their assumed control, the true king's anointing broke forth, indicating their plans were completely thwarted. It juxtaposes the culmination of Adonijah's scheme with the true fulfillment of God's plan for Solomon. The act of eating together in ancient contexts often sealed covenants or signified shared authority, making the interruption particularly impactful.

1 Kings 1 41 Bonus section

The juxtaposition of Adonijah’s private, usurpatory feast and Solomon’s public, divinely sanctioned anointing emphasizes a core theological principle: God’s chosen plan will prevail over all human machinations. The "great noise" (1 Kgs 1:40) that accompanies Solomon’s ascent is not mere celebration; it is a profound declaration of divine authority breaking into human affairs, rendering Adonijah’s plot obsolete in an instant. This dramatic irony also highlights the folly of pride and rebellion against God's appointed leadership. The guests, who had come to share in Adonijah's presumed power, were now witnesses to his immediate downfall, and would soon scatter in fear. This event serves as a microcosm of how swiftly and decisively God can bring down those who exalt themselves.

1 Kings 1 41 Commentary

This verse captures a pivotal and highly dramatic moment in the biblical narrative of Davidic succession. The silence of Adonijah's illegitimate feast is shattered by the thunderous shouts of acclamation and instruments marking Solomon's rightful enthronement. This immediate, public clash of two distinct celebrations perfectly illustrates the contrast between human presumption and divine sovereignty. Adonijah's grand dinner, intended to solidify his grasp on the throne, concludes not with a successful coronation, but with an earth-shattering announcement of his rival's legitimate claim. The act of "hearing it" signifies a moment of dawning, terrifying realization for Adonijah's party—that their clandestine, rebellious actions have been exposed and overthrown by an irresistible force, literally the voice of the people acting under divine decree. The end of their meal symbolically marks the end of their ambitions and their perceived authority, directly confronting their self-proclaimed legitimacy with the undeniable evidence of God's established king.