1 Kings 1:5 kjv
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.
1 Kings 1:5 nkjv
Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, "I will be king"; and he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.
1 Kings 1:5 niv
Now Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, put himself forward and said, "I will be king." So he got chariots and horses ready, with fifty men to run ahead of him.
1 Kings 1:5 esv
Now Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, "I will be king." And he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.
1 Kings 1:5 nlt
About that time David's son Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, began boasting, "I will make myself king." So he provided himself with chariots and charioteers and recruited fifty men to run in front of him.
1 Kings 1 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Prov 16:18 | Pride goes before destruction... | Adonijah's self-exaltation as a form of pride. |
| Jas 4:6 | ...God resists the proud... | God's opposition to Adonijah's presumptuous act. |
| 1 Pet 5:5 | ...God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. | Calls for humility, contrary to Adonijah. |
| Isa 14:12-15 | How you are fallen from heaven... you said in your heart... I will ascend to heaven... | Reflects the language of self-exaltation. |
| Dan 4:30-31 | The king spoke, saying, “Is not this great Babylon...?” While the word was in the king’s mouth... | Nebuchadnezzar's pride leading to his downfall. |
| 2 Sam 15:1 | After this, Absalom got himself a chariot and horses... and fifty men to run before him. | Direct parallel to Absalom's rebellion and means. |
| 2 Sam 3:4 | ...the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith... | Identifies Adonijah among David's sons. |
| Deut 17:16 | ...He [the king] shall not acquire many horses... | Adonijah's actions disobey Israelite kingly commands. |
| Psa 20:7 | Some trust in chariots and some in horses... | Contrasts with trust in the Lord; Adonijah trusts human might. |
| Psa 33:17 | A horse is a false hope for salvation... | Underscores the futility of human military power alone. |
| Isa 31:1 | Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses... | Warning against reliance on military strength. |
| 1 Chr 22:9-10 | ...his name shall be Solomon... he shall build a house for My name... | God's predetermined choice for Solomon. |
| 1 Chr 28:5-6 | And of all my sons... he has chosen Solomon my son... | David confirms God's choice for Solomon as successor. |
| Psa 2:2 | The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed... | Adonijah's challenge is against God's appointed one. |
| Prov 21:30 | There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel against the Lord. | No human plot can thwart God's sovereign will. |
| 2 Sam 7:12-16 | ...I will raise up your offspring after you... and I will establish his kingdom. | God's covenant with David, pointing to Solomon. |
| Jer 17:5 | Cursed is the man who trusts in man... | Adonijah trusts in his own power and display. |
| Rom 9:16 | So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. | God's sovereignty over human desires. |
| Heb 5:4 | And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God... | Principle of divine calling for leadership, contrary to Adonijah. |
| 1 Kgs 2:15 | ...the kingdom was turning toward him [Solomon]... for it was his from the Lord. | Solomon's legitimate claim, divinely sanctioned. |
| Num 16:3 | ...why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord? | Korah's rebellion, another example of self-exaltation. |
| Gen 49:10 | The scepter shall not depart from Judah... | David's lineage is blessed, but succession is by divine choice. |
| Psa 75:6-7 | For promotion comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the Judge: He puts down one and exalts another. | God's control over exaltation and authority. |
1 Kings 1 verses
1 Kings 1 5 Meaning
This verse describes Adonijah, the son of Haggith and David's fourth eldest son, actively taking steps to seize the throne. It highlights his self-exaltation and declaration to become king, without any divine or parental mandate. His immediate actions, preparing a royal retinue of chariots, horsemen, and an honor guard of fifty men, signify his serious intention and attempt to emulate the visible markers of royalty, thereby laying claim to the kingship through human means and power display.
1 Kings 1 5 Context
1 Kings chapter 1 opens with King David, advanced in age and frail, creating an unspoken power vacuum within the kingdom. Although Solomon had been implicitly designated by God through David for succession (1 Chr 22:9-10, 28:5-7), no formal public proclamation or anointing had taken place. This situation set the stage for Adonijah's audacious bid for the throne. His actions directly parallel the earlier rebellion of Absalom, another of David's sons, against their father (2 Sam 15:1). This verse marks the beginning of the succession crisis, revealing Adonijah's prideful ambition and reliance on visible displays of strength, challenging both David's remaining authority and, by extension, God's divine plan for the throne.
1 Kings 1 5 Word analysis
Adonijah (אֲדֹנִיָּהוּ, ’Ăḏōniyyāhū): Meaning "My Lord is Yahweh." Ironical name, as his actions rebel against the very God he proclaims as Lord, usurping a role God had already designated for another (Solomon). He was David's fourth son, born in Hebron (2 Sam 3:4).
the son of Haggith: A precise identification, showing he was a legitimate son of David, which made his claim significant despite being junior to Amnon, Absalom, and Chileab.
exalted himself (וַיִּתְנַשֵּׂא, wayyitnasseʾ): From the root נָשָׂא (nasa’), "to lift, bear." In the Hitpael conjugation, it means "to lift oneself up," "to magnify oneself," "to be presumptuous," or "to behave arrogantly." This term powerfully conveys pride, self-assertion, and presumption. It implies taking authority that was not rightfully given.
saying, I will be king: A direct, personal declaration of intention, without seeking or receiving permission, endorsement, or divine mandate from David or God. This is an act of sheer will and ambition.
prepared him (וַיַּעַשׂ, wayyaʿas): "And he made" or "he did." Denotes deliberate action, actively setting up the apparatus of power rather than passively waiting.
chariots and horsemen (רֶכֶב וּפָרָשִׁים, rekhev ūfārāšîm): Symbols of royal power, military might, and prestige in the Ancient Near East. Kings possessed them, and by acquiring them, Adonijah projected an image of already being king. This was a direct violation of Deut 17:16 for a king to "multiply horses" for himself.
and fifty men to run before him: A royal retinue or personal bodyguard. This was a conspicuous display of status and readiness, indicating his pre-kingly claim and security. Absalom employed the identical display (2 Sam 15:1), further cementing the parallel of rebellious usurpation.
"Adonijah... exalted himself": This phrase immediately reveals Adonijah's fundamental error: an act of prideful self-promotion. Instead of waiting on divine timing or a proper succession process, he takes matters into his own hands, revealing a spirit of arrogance and presumptuousness akin to rebellion against established authority, whether human (David) or divine.
"I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him": This grouping demonstrates the swift transition from an arrogant declaration to concrete actions aimed at securing power through human means. The display of military and symbolic royal apparatuses signifies his reliance on outward show and personal strength rather than divine appointment or rightful claim. It's an exhibition of kingly ambition translated into material display.
1 Kings 1 5 Bonus section
- Fatherly Permissiveness: The subsequent verse (1 Kgs 1:6) states David "had never thwarted him [Adonijah] at any time by asking, ‘Why have you done this?’" This paternal indulgence may have contributed to Adonijah's bold presumptuousness and lack of discipline.
- Usurpation Parallels: Adonijah's actions closely echo those of Absalom (2 Sam 15:1), suggesting a learned pattern of rebellious behavior against an aging or perceived weakened monarch, rather than trusting in a legitimate succession. Both sons created a visual display of kingly power before formally being king.
- Violation of Mosaic Law: Adonijah's immediate gathering of "chariots and horsemen" was in spirit, a transgression against the spirit of Deuteronomy 17:16, which cautioned the future king against multiplying horses for himself, promoting reliance on military strength rather than divine protection.
1 Kings 1 5 Commentary
1 Kings 1:5 serves as the pivotal point introducing the crisis of succession to David's throne. Adonijah, rather than awaiting divine or kingly appointment, presumptuously declared himself king. His self-exaltation ("exalted himself") reflects an act of arrogant usurpation, mirroring the pattern of those who take honor without a divine call. His actions, assembling chariots, horsemen, and an elite personal guard, were overt displays of royal power, strategically chosen to project authority and cement his claim in the eyes of the populace. These visible trappings were a direct emulation of the outward signs of kingship and mirrored the tactics of his rebellious brother Absalom, indicating a rejection of God's hidden counsel for leadership and a reliance on human pomp and strength. This sets the stage for a conflict not just between brothers, but between human ambition and divine sovereign choice.