1 Kings 1 43

1 Kings 1:43 kjv

And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, Verily our lord king David hath made Solomon king.

1 Kings 1:43 nkjv

Then Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, "No! Our lord King David has made Solomon king.

1 Kings 1:43 niv

"Not at all!" Jonathan answered. "Our lord King David has made Solomon king.

1 Kings 1:43 esv

Jonathan answered Adonijah, "No, for our lord King David has made Solomon king,

1 Kings 1:43 nlt

"Not at all!" Jonathan replied. "Our lord King David has just declared Solomon king!

1 Kings 1 verses

1 Kings 1 43 Meaning

This verse contains Jonathan's concise and devastating announcement to Adonijah, directly refuting Adonijah's perceived ascension to the throne. It clarifies that David, the legitimate reigning king, has already performed the formal act of appointing Solomon as king. This revelation marks the immediate and complete failure of Adonijah's usurpation attempt, firmly establishing Solomon as the rightful heir in fulfillment of divine promise.

1 Kings 1 43 Context

First Kings chapter 1 vividly details the final days of King David's reign and the crucial matter of his succession. With David weakened by age, his ambitious son Adonijah, bypassing his elder brothers (now deceased) and ignoring divine and paternal directives, attempts to seize the throne through a premature self-proclamation and celebration. This public display, reminiscent of Absalom's rebellion, excluded key figures loyal to David and aligned with the divine promise: Bathsheba, Nathan the prophet, Zadok the priest, Benaiah, and crucially, Solomon. Jonathan, the loyal son of Abiathar the priest, is dispatched by his father to report on Solomon's official, divinely sanctioned, and publicly celebrated anointing and enthronement. This verse marks the pivotal moment when the truth shatters Adonijah's deceptive festive atmosphere.

1 Kings 1 43 Word analysis

• And Jonathan answered Adonijah: Jonathan, son of Abiathar the priest, was known for his loyalty and role as a messenger, previously during Absalom's rebellion. His answer is direct and authoritative, given his proximity to those who executed David's will.
• "No" (הִנֵּה hineh): While hineh often translates as "Behold!" or "Indeed!", in this context, coupled with the information that follows, it strongly serves as a emphatic negative. It dismisses Adonijah's assumed kingship and announces the contrary, absolute reality. It delivers a devastating blow to Adonijah's aspirations.
• "for" (כִּי ki): This conjunction introduces the cause or reason for the "No." It presents the irrefutable truth that dismantles Adonijah's premise.
• "our Lord King David" (אֲדֹנֵינוּ הַמֶּלֶךְ דָּוִד adoneynu hammelech Dawid):
  • adoneynu ("our Lord"): Signifies the unwavering acknowledgment of David's legitimate and reigning authority by Jonathan and the loyalists. It highlights David's continued active kingship despite his old age, thereby rendering Adonijah's actions an illegal usurpation.
  • hammelech ("the king"): Reinforces David's established position, not a past or symbolic title, but current reigning monarch.
  • Dawid: The emphasis is on David's specific person and authority, whose word is sovereign.
• "has made Solomon king" (הִמְלִיךְ אֶת־שְׁלֹמֹה himlich 'et-Shlomoh):
  • himlich: This is the Hiphil perfect form of the verb malak (to be king). The Hiphil stem means "to cause to reign" or "to enthrone." The perfect tense indicates a completed action. David has already definitively and formally enthroned Solomon. This is not a proposal or an ongoing event, but a finished, undeniable fact.
  • 'et-Shlomoh: Identifies the object of the action: Solomon.
• Words-group analysis:
  • "No, for...": This stark two-word beginning encapsulates the immediate downfall of Adonijah's ambitions. "No" refutes the very premise of Adonijah's celebration, and "for" instantly provides the undeniable justification from David, the true king.
  • "our Lord King David has made Solomon king": This phrase directly counters Adonijah's self-proclamation by emphasizing that David, the living, reigning monarch, not Adonijah, has exercised his royal prerogative. The phrasing highlights David's agency in securing the divine promise, thus giving the utmost legitimacy to Solomon's rule and confirming it as a fait accompli (accomplished fact) before Adonijah's rebellion could solidify. This ensures proper succession under divine guidance.

1 Kings 1 43 Bonus section

The immediate and devastating psychological impact on Adonijah and his guests, transforming their revelry into fear and flight (1 Kgs 1:49), demonstrates the power of truth and legitimate authority. Jonathan's message serves as the definitive legal pronouncement of Solomon's kingship, publicly confirmed by David's decree and the people's acclamation, acting as the counter-proclamation to Adonijah's illegal claim. This highlights the concept that God works through legitimate channels and authorities, even if His divine choice has already been revealed. The speed with which this crucial information travelled and impacted the coup reveals the highly charged atmosphere in the capital regarding succession. The scene further emphasizes God's sovereign control over king-making, orchestrating events to fulfill His covenant with David, ensuring His chosen king, Solomon, inherits the throne.

1 Kings 1 43 Commentary

1 Kings 1:43 delivers the fatal blow to Adonijah's attempted coup, signifying the triumph of legitimate, divinely ordained succession over human ambition. Jonathan's report, brief yet precise, dismantles Adonijah's self-coronation by declaring that King David himself has definitively installed Solomon as king. This immediately voids Adonijah's actions as a pre-emptive strike by a son seeking power rather than a lawful transfer of authority. The verse highlights David's enduring royal authority, even in his final days, and God's faithfulness to the Davidic Covenant through Solomon, contrasting the hasty, earthly machinations of Adonijah with the divinely guided and publicly affirmed transfer of kingship. The festive sounds of rebellion instantly give way to fear and dispersion as the reality of God's choice is revealed.