1 Kings Chapter 2

The Securing of Solomon’s Throne

A. The Final Acts of King David

1. (1 Kings 2:1-4) David’s exhortation to Solomon.

“Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die, and he charged Solomon his son, saying, I go the way of all the earth, be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man, And keep the charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, and His commandments, and His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself, That the Lord may continue His word which He spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee, said He, a man on the throne of Israel.”

David’s words to Solomon represent the final counsel of a seasoned king who had walked with God through triumph and failure. Aware that his life was nearing its end, David spoke with the clarity that only a man facing death can possess. When he said, “I go the way of all the earth,” David acknowledged the universal reality that every human being, from the greatest king to the lowliest servant, ultimately faces death. His greatness did not exempt him from the fate of all flesh, and he wanted Solomon to understand that the throne of Israel belonged not to human strength but to the sustaining power of God. First Chronicles 28 and 29 record an expanded version of this charge, where David more fully outlines Solomon’s responsibility to build the temple, underscoring that his reign would be anchored in spiritual duty, not political ambition.

The command, “Be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man,” reflects David’s recognition of the weight Solomon was about to inherit. Leadership in Israel required courage, conviction, and steadiness. David may have perceived in Solomon a gentler temperament that needed bolstering or he may have foreseen the fierce trials Solomon would inevitably face. The phrase echoes the battlefield exhortation of the Philistines in 1 Samuel 4:9, who used the same wording when bracing for combat against Israel. In other words, David was telling Solomon that kingship was not for the fainthearted. It demanded spiritual fortitude and unwavering resolve.

David immediately tied manhood and strength to obedience when he said, “And keep the charge of the Lord thy God.” Biblical manhood is not defined by bravado but by submission to God’s authority. Solomon’s success would not come from intellect, charisma, or political skill. It would arise from walking in the ways of the Lord, keeping His statutes, commandments, judgments, and testimonies as given in the Law of Moses. Prosperity in leadership was directly linked to covenant faithfulness. Obedience and prosperity were never accidental; they were spiritual cause and effect.

David further emphasized that obedience positioned Solomon to receive the fulfillment of God’s covenant promise to the house of David. God had said that if David’s sons walked before Him “in truth with all their heart and with all their soul,” then there would never fail to be a descendant of David upon the throne. This promise was astonishing in its scope. Political empires could rise and fall, foreign nations could threaten Israel, yet none of that could overthrow the Davidic kingdom so long as David’s descendants remained obedient. God Himself would secure the throne.

David’s sons possessed a remarkable promise, yet believers today possess a parallel assurance. Jesus declared in Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” Just as Solomon was called to place God first in his kingship, Christians are instructed to place God first in every aspect of life. The same God who guarded the Davidic throne guards the believer’s needs, provisions, and direction. The principle remains unchanged: when God is honored, God sustains. When His kingdom is our priority, He takes responsibility for the rest.

2. (1 Kings 2:5-9) Advice on dealing with friends and enemies

“Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet. Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace. But shew kindness unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at thy table, for so they came to me when I fled because of Absalom thy brother. And, behold, thou hast with thee Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim, which cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim, but he came down to meet me at Jordan, and I sware to him by the Lord, saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword. Now therefore hold him not guiltless, for thou art a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him, but his hoar head bring thou down to the grave with blood.”

David’s counsel to Solomon reveals a seasoned king settling unfinished matters that required justice, discernment, and courage. These were not personal vendettas driven by bitterness, they were unresolved breaches of righteousness within the kingdom. Joab, Barzillai, and Shimei represented three distinct types of men: the dangerous ally, the faithful supporter, and the treacherous opportunist. Solomon’s treatment of each would shape the moral foundation of his reign. David knew Solomon would need wisdom not only to build the temple but to purge the kingdom of lingering injustices that threatened stability. These words were more than personal reflections, they were the directives of a king ensuring that the throne was secured in righteousness.

a. Do not let his gray hair go down to the grave in peace.

David began with Joab, reminding Solomon of Joab’s murder of Abner in 2 Samuel 3:27, where Joab deceitfully drew Abner aside and killed him. He also reminded him of Joab’s murder of Amasa in 2 Samuel 20:9-10, where Joab used an embrace to conceal an assassination. David described these killings as shedding “the blood of war in peace,” meaning Joab committed acts of wartime brutality during peacetime, staining himself with guilt that required judgment. Solomon could not overlook this, because unresolved bloodshed pollutes a nation. Joab’s violent actions endangered the moral credibility of the throne.

Joab is one of the most complex figures in Scripture. He was fiercely loyal to David, yet not obedient. He followed David when it suited his own ambitions, but he defied him when he believed he knew better. He was bold, strategic, and relentless, but also cunning and ruthless. David did not mention Joab’s killing of Absalom in 2 Samuel 18, possibly because he recognized that Absalom’s rebellion, treason, and attempted patricide left no realistic path for mercy. Nevertheless, Joab’s pattern of treachery could not be dismissed.

Some have thought David refrained from executing Joab earlier because Joab knew of David’s sin with Bathsheba and the arranged death of Uriah (2 Samuel 11:14-25). However, others knew of that sin as well, including Nathan and members of David’s court, which weakens the argument that Joab held unique leverage. Far more likely, David tolerated Joab because the man was indispensable in war yet inadmissible in peace. David saw both the loyalty and the danger in Joab and understood that Solomon, as a king stepping into a new era, could not afford to leave such a man unaddressed. As Patterson and Austel note, David simply could not navigate the complex mixture of Joab’s loyalty and his misdeeds during his own lifetime, but the time for justice had come.

b. Show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite.

David then turned from justice to kindness. Barzillai had supplied David during his flight from Absalom (2 Samuel 17:27-29), showing extraordinary generosity at a time when David’s fortunes were collapsing. David instructed Solomon to honor Barzillai’s household by letting them sit at the royal table, which was essentially a royal pension, including regular provision, honor, and protection. As Wiseman notes, eating at the king’s table meant a permanent place of security and recognition. David wanted Solomon to reward loyalty just as diligently as he punished treachery. A righteous king must do both.

c. Shimei… bring his gray hair down to the grave with blood.

Shimei had cursed David viciously during David’s darkest hour (2 Samuel 16:5-13), publicly shaming the king and aligning himself with Absalom’s rebellion. When David later returned in triumph, Shimei begged for mercy, and David swore in the name of the Lord not to kill him (2 Samuel 19:18-23). David kept his vow, but the deeper issue of justice remained unresolved. Shimei had acted treacherously against the Lord’s anointed, and David knew such a man could easily prove dangerous again. David therefore handed the matter to Solomon, instructing him to bring Shimei to justice in a way that honored David’s oath but still upheld righteousness. Solomon, possessing the wisdom God would soon grant him, would know how to deal with him lawfully and decisively.

3. (1 Kings 2:10-12) David’s death

“So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David. And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years, seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem. Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was established greatly.”

a. David rested with his fathers.

The expression “slept with his fathers” will appear repeatedly throughout the Books of Kings as a formal way of describing the death of Israel’s rulers. Yet in David’s case, this phrase carries a deeper weight. David did not merely pass from life; he entered into the eternal rest and reward promised to those who walk in covenant with God. First Chronicles 29:28 states that David died “in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honor.” Trapp notes that Scripture deliberately omits his great sins—his adultery and his involvement in the death of Uriah—not because they were forgotten historically, but because David had made full peace with God through confession, repentance, and restored fellowship. His sins were covered by the mercy of God, not erased from history, but removed from his record before the throne of heaven.

David’s life was extraordinary in its breadth and intensity. He was, as Redpath summarized, a shepherd, a soldier, an outlaw, a king, a fugitive, a sinner, a saint, and a poet. God used every season of his life—his victories and failures, his trials and triumphs—to shape him into a man after God’s own heart. Clarke rightly observes that David lived well and died well. Few men in history have ever held such a diverse legacy of leadership, devotion, courage, humility, worship, and repentance. From the fields of Bethlehem to the throne in Jerusalem, his life stands as a testimony to what God can do with a yielded heart.

b. And was buried in the City of David.

David was buried in the city that bore his name, a permanent mark of his central place in Israel’s national identity. Peter, preaching at Pentecost, referred to David’s tomb as still known in Acts 2:29, demonstrating that it remained a recognized site nearly a thousand years after his death. Jerome, writing in the fourth century, also attested to its location. Yet the structure known today as “David’s Tomb” is almost certainly not the genuine burial location. Dilday notes that 2 Kings 11:10 indicates David’s weapons were kept in the sanctuary as revered relics, while Josephus reports that treasures from David’s reign were buried with him. Whatever the exact location, his burial in Jerusalem immortalized the city as the political and spiritual center of Israel.

c. Solomon sat on the throne of his father David; and his kingdom was firmly established.

This declaration emphasizes the covenant faithfulness of God. Solomon’s peaceful ascension was not merely political success; it was the direct fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant in 2 Samuel 7:12-16, where God promised David an enduring dynasty. While the ultimate and eternal fulfillment of that promise comes in Jesus Christ, the greater Son of David, Solomon’s enthronement was a genuine historical fulfillment, demonstrating God’s reliability in preserving the Davidic line.

Morgan notes that with Solomon began a period of unmatched brilliance in Israel’s national history. It was a golden age of wisdom, construction, literature, and wealth, but its strength was largely material and intellectual, not spiritual. Israel under Solomon reached its greatest splendor, yet it also began drifting toward the seeds of future decline. The throne was established, but the heart of the nation was already vulnerable.

B. Solomon Secures His Throne

1. (1 Kings 2:13-18) Adonijah asks Bathsheba to make an appeal on his behalf

“And Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably. He said moreover, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And she said, Say on. And he said, Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign, howbeit the kingdom is turned about, and is become my brother’s, for it was his from the Lord. And now I ask one petition of thee, deny me not. And she said unto him, Say on. And he said, Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, for he will not say thee nay, that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife. And Bathsheba said, Well, I will speak for thee unto the king.”

Adonijah’s approach to Bathsheba reveals that although he had outwardly submitted to Solomon’s kingship, his ambition was far from dead. Understanding the political vulnerability of his position, he attempted to present himself peaceably, but his motives were layered beneath calculated flattery and subtle manipulation. Bathsheba’s first words, “Comest thou peaceably?”, were entirely reasonable given Adonijah’s recent attempt to seize the throne. As the mother of the newly crowned king, she was a natural target for resentment or retaliation. The tension beneath this exchange reminds the reader that the transition of power in ancient monarchies was rarely calm or without danger.

Adonijah’s claim, “Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me,” demonstrates his self-deception and inflated sense of entitlement. He imagined broad national support, yet in reality only a small faction had supported his unlawful attempt at the throne. When Solomon was rightfully crowned, Adonijah’s supporters immediately abandoned him, proving that their loyalty was shallow and self-serving. His statement that the throne was “his” reflects a mindset still living in rebellion against God’s revealed will. He admitted the kingdom was turned to Solomon “for it was his from the Lord,” yet even in confessing this, he framed himself as the dispossessed ruler rather than the pretender he truly was.

Adonijah’s true intent surfaced when he asked Bathsheba to request that Solomon give him Abishag the Shunammite as his wife. Abishag, though not engaged in marital relations with David, was still regarded as part of the king’s household, effectively functioning as a royal concubine. To marry her was not a romantic request but a political act. In the ancient world, especially among Near Eastern kingdoms, taking the former king’s concubine was a symbolic claim to the throne. This pattern appears in 2 Samuel 16:20-23, when Absalom publicly slept with David’s concubines to assert his rebellion. Adonijah’s request therefore carried clear political implications. It was a veiled attempt to strengthen his legitimacy in the eyes of the nation by aligning himself with the last woman associated with David’s intimate household.

Several cultures provide historical precedent for this custom. Among ancient Persian and Arabian monarchies, control of the royal harem signified rightful succession. The harem was not merely a collection of wives but a symbol of dynastic authority. Thus, Adonijah’s request for Abishag was nothing less than an attempt to subtly challenge Solomon’s kingship. It was an effort to reclaim lost ground under the guise of harmless petition, a political maneuver wrapped in personal language. Bathsheba, perhaps unaware of the deeper implications or choosing to reserve judgment, simply agreed to convey the request to Solomon.

2. (1 Kings 2:19-21) Bathsheba brings the request to Solomon

“Bathsheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king’s mother, and she sat on his right hand. Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; I pray thee, say me not nay. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother, for I will not say thee nay. And she said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother to wife.”

Bathsheba approached Solomon with both dignity and duty, understanding that the matter Adonijah brought to her was politically sensitive and spiritually dangerous. The text emphasizes Solomon’s deep respect for his mother. When Bathsheba entered, the king rose, bowed himself to her, and seated her at his right hand, the position of highest honor beside the king. This gesture demonstrated Solomon’s reverence for the commandment, “Honour thy father and thy mother,” and it also reflected the Eastern custom of the queen mother (the gebirah) holding a recognized and influential position in the royal court. Solomon’s actions highlight the humility and stability of his early reign.

Bathsheba presented the request exactly as Adonijah instructed her, but the narrator gives subtle clues that she understood the weight of what she was asking. Her phrase “one small petition… say me not nay” was almost certainly spoken with irony. She was not deceived. She knew Adonijah’s request was anything but small. To give Abishag to Adonijah would be to place in his hands a symbolic claim to the throne. Even if Bathsheba did not fully understand the legal ramifications, she certainly recognized that Solomon needed to hear this request directly from her, so that he could gauge the true intentions of his older brother.

Bathsheba’s willingness to relay the petition does not suggest sympathy for Adonijah. More likely, she believed transparency was essential. Adonijah’s ambitions had already threatened the stability of the monarchy once, and Bathsheba wisely ensured that Solomon received the information firsthand. Her statement carried a subtle warning embedded in its very phrasing. By calling it a “small petition,” she underscored just how brazen and inappropriate Adonijah’s request was, ensuring Solomon would recognize the manipulative nature behind it. Her role in this moment reflects her discernment, her protective instinct for Solomon’s kingdom, and her understanding that the intentions of dangerous men must be brought into the open, not hidden in shadows.

3. (1 Kings 2:22-25) Solomon has Adonijah executed for his challenge to the throne

“And king Solomon answered and said unto his mother, And why dost thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? ask for him the kingdom also, for he is mine elder brother, even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah. Then king Solomon sware by the Lord, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life. Now therefore, as the Lord liveth, which hath established me, and set me on the throne of David my father, and who hath made me an house, as He promised, Adonijah shall be put to death this day. And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he fell upon him that he died.”

Solomon’s immediate response unveiled the true gravity of Adonijah’s request. While Bathsheba simply relayed the petition, Solomon recognized its political implications the moment the words left her lips. His rhetorical reply, “Ask for him the kingdom also,” exposed the underlying motive with perfect clarity. To grant Abishag to Adonijah would have been to concede legitimacy to his lingering claim as the elder brother, thereby destabilizing the throne God had established. Solomon’s discernment revealed that he was not naïve, nor was he easily manipulated by familial appeals or political gamesmanship.

Solomon swore by the LORD—the highest and most solemn oath possible—declaring that Adonijah’s request was nothing less than treason. He said Adonijah had “spoken this word against his own life,” meaning that the request itself constituted a self-inflicted death sentence. Solomon’s statement makes clear that his kingship rested not on palace intrigue, nor on military might, but on the covenant faithfulness of God. He declared that the Lord had “established me, and set me on the throne of David my father, and… made me an house, as He promised.” Solomon understood that his authority flowed from God’s promise in the Davidic Covenant, and therefore any challenge to his throne was ultimately rebellion against God Himself.

Solomon then decreed, “Adonijah shall be put to death this day.” This was not an impulsive or vindictive act. It was a fulfillment of the conditions Solomon himself had publicly declared in 1 Kings 1:52, “If he will shew himself a worthy man, there shall not an hair of him fall to the earth, but if wickedness shall be found in him, he shall die.” Adonijah had been warned plainly. Solomon had extended mercy, providing him a path to life if he would remain loyal and submit to the divinely appointed throne. Instead, Adonijah chose to test Solomon’s resolve through a thinly veiled coup attempt. Solomon simply enforced the terms of Adonijah’s probation.

The execution was carried out by Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the trusted leader of the king’s personal guard—a man known for integrity, courage, and absolute loyalty. Benaiah’s act signified the moral seriousness of Solomon’s rule. Treason would not be tolerated. The foundation of Solomon’s kingdom needed to be secured early, firmly, and righteously, before rebellion could take root and threaten the stability of Israel.

Adonijah’s actions raise a striking question: why would he dare attempt such a brazen move after Solomon’s warning? Perhaps he judged Solomon as too young or too gentle to enforce justice. Perhaps he believed influence through Bathsheba would bypass the king’s discernment. Whatever his reasoning, he gravely underestimated the wisdom God had already granted Solomon. The early chapters of Solomon’s reign reveal a ruler who combined grace with decisiveness, mercy with firmness, and discernment with unwavering commitment to God’s will for the throne.

4. (1 Kings 2:26-27) The exile of Abiathar

“And unto Abiathar the priest said the king, Get thee to Anathoth, unto thine own fields, for thou art worthy of death, but I will not at this time put thee to death, because thou barest the ark of the Lord God before David my father, and because thou hast been afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted. So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto the Lord, that he might fulfil the word of the Lord, which He spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.”

a. You are deserving of death.

Solomon’s words to Abiathar are blunt, just, and fully deserved. Abiathar, though a priest, had knowingly aligned himself with Adonijah’s rebellion in 1 Kings 1:7, directly opposing both David and the revealed will of God. His actions constituted treason not merely against the earthly king but against the divine order God Himself established for the throne of Israel. In a theocratic kingdom, rebellion against God’s chosen king was rebellion against God. Thus Solomon’s statement, “Thou art worthy of death,” was not political rhetoric, it was a righteous declaration grounded in law and covenant.

b. I will not put you to death at this time.

Despite the seriousness of Abiathar’s crime, Solomon demonstrated remarkable restraint. He spared his life because Abiathar had once been a faithful priest who carried the ark of the Lord during David’s early reign and suffered alongside David during the hardships of Saul’s persecution and the turmoil of Absalom’s revolt. Abiathar had a long record of loyalty before his recent failure. Solomon honored that history, showing mercy without neglecting justice. By exiling him to Anathoth and removing him from office, Solomon struck the perfect balance. He ensured accountability while acknowledging past faithfulness. His phrase “at this time” communicates that mercy was not unconditional. Abiathar’s life was spared but not secured, and Solomon made it clear that any future treachery would receive immediate judgment.

c. That he might fulfill the word of the LORD which He spoke concerning the house of Eli at Shiloh.

With this act, Solomon unknowingly brought to completion a prophecy more than a century old. In 1 Samuel 2:27-36, God announced judgment on the house of Eli because Eli’s sons had corrupted the priesthood and Eli had failed to restrain them. This judgment was reaffirmed in 1 Samuel 3:11-14 when the Lord told Samuel that the iniquity of Eli’s house would not be purged. Abiathar was a direct descendant of Eli, and his removal from priestly office brought the final fulfillment of God’s decree. Solomon did not act with prophetic intent, yet his political decision accomplished God’s Word in exact detail.

This moment is a powerful reminder that God’s judgments never expire. They may wait for generations, but they will not fail. Human decisions, even when motivated by political necessity, ultimately fall under the sovereign orchestration of the Lord who ensures His Word stands firm. Abiathar’s exile was not merely a political maneuver, it was the unfolding of divine prophecy written into the fabric of Israel’s history.

5. (1 Kings 2:28-35) The execution of Joab

“Then tidings came to Joab, for Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he turned not after Absalom. And Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the Lord, and caught hold on the horns of the altar. And it was told king Solomon that Joab was fled unto the tabernacle of the Lord, and, behold, he is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him. And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the Lord, and said unto him, Thus saith the king, Come forth. And he said, Nay, but I will die here. And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me. And the king said unto him, Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him, that thou mayest take away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me, and from the house of my father. And the Lord shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah, whom David my father knew not. Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed for ever, but upon David, and upon his seed, and upon his house, and upon his throne, shall there be peace for ever from the Lord. So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and slew him, and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness. And the king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his room over the host, and Zadok the priest did the king put in the room of Abiathar.”

This passage records the long-delayed and righteous judgment upon Joab, David’s hardened and violent commander. The moment Solomon began securing his kingdom by addressing those who opposed the will of God, the news came to Joab that Adonijah was dead and Abiathar removed. Knowing he was next, Joab ran to the tabernacle and seized the horns of the altar, echoing Adonijah’s earlier attempt to claim sanctuary. The text notes that Joab had defected to Adonijah, even though he had not supported Absalom. This distinction highlights Joab’s opportunism; he did not act out of loyalty, but out of personal calculation. When he believed Solomon was weak or inexperienced, he threw his support behind the rival he thought more advantageous to his own power.

a. And took hold of the horns of the altar.

Joab’s sudden interest in sacred things was utterly hypocritical. Spurgeon notes that Joab had seldom shown any devotion or reverence for the things of God. A man who lived by bloodshed and intrigue, he had little use for the altar—until judgment threatened him. His attempt to grasp the horns of the altar illustrates the desperate superstition of a guilty conscience. He hoped that by clutching the physical symbol of sacrifice, he could escape the justice his actions had earned. Spurgeon’s warning is timeless: many cling to outward forms, rituals, or sacraments, imagining they can secure refuge while their hearts remain unrepentant. Joab’s example proves that no outward gesture can shield a guilty soul from divine justice.

b. Go, strike him down.

Solomon understood Scripture clearly. While many ancient cultures recognized sanctuary at a sacred altar, God’s law specifically prohibited using the altar as protection for a murderer. Exodus 21:14 declares, “But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile, thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.” Joab was precisely such a man. His murders of Abner (2 Samuel 3:27) and Amasa (2 Samuel 20:9-10) were acts of treachery, committed under pretense of peace. He had filled his belt and sandals with innocent blood, and the stain could not remain unanswered. Solomon therefore sent Benaiah with authority to strike him down. When Joab refused to come out, Solomon ordered his execution on the spot, removing any illusion that sanctuary could protect a guilty murderer. Clarke notes that David should have judged Joab long before, but political realities made it difficult. Solomon, free from such complications, enforced justice swiftly and righteously.

c. But upon David and his descendants… there shall be peace forever from the LORD.

Solomon pronounced a theological verdict as well as a legal one. Joab’s bloodguilt would return upon his own head and upon his descendants. His legacy would bear the mark of his violence. But David’s house would not suffer for Joab’s crimes. The king made clear that executing Joab removed the bloodguilt from David’s line and restored peace to the throne. This peace, however, remained conditional upon obedience. Solomon earlier quoted the covenant promise of God: 1 Kings 2:4, “If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul… there shall not fail thee a man on the throne of Israel.” Divine blessing is always connected to covenant faithfulness. Solomon recognized that purging Joab’s treachery was necessary for God’s peace to rest upon his kingdom.

Benaiah faithfully executed the king’s command and was subsequently elevated to Joab’s former position as commander of the army. Likewise, Zadok replaced Abiathar as priest, completing the transition of authority to those who were loyal, faithful, and aligned with the will of God. The removal of Joab and Abiathar not only secured Solomon’s throne but purified the nation’s leadership, establishing the stability and righteousness necessary for the early peace of Solomon’s reign.

6. (1 Kings 2:36-46) Solomon settles the past with Shimei

“And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Build thee an house in Jerusalem, and dwell there, and go not forth thence any whither. For it shall be, that on the day thou goest out, and passest over the brook Kidron, thou shalt know for certain that thou shalt surely die, thy blood shall be upon thine own head. And Shimei said unto the king, The saying is good, as my lord the king hath said, so will thy servant do. And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days. And it came to pass at the end of three years, that two of the servants of Shimei ran away unto Achish son of Maachah king of Gath, and they told Shimei, saying, Behold, thy servants be in Gath. And Shimei arose, and saddled his ass, and went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants, and Shimei went and brought his servants from Gath. And it was told Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and was come again. And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Did I not make thee to swear by the Lord, and protested unto thee, saying, Know for a certainty, on the day thou goest out, and walkest abroad any whither, that thou shalt surely die? and thou saidst unto me, The word that I have heard is good. Why then hast thou not kept the oath of the Lord, and the commandment that I have charged thee with? The king said moreover to Shimei, Thou knowest all the wickedness which thine heart is privy to, that thou didst to David my father, therefore the Lord shall return thy wickedness upon thine own head. And king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord for ever. So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, which went out, and fell upon him that he died. And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.”

This final act of justice completes Solomon’s early consolidation of the kingdom. Joab, Adonijah, and Abiathar had already been dealt with according to their treasonous actions. The last unresolved figure was Shimei, a man whose past treachery against David could not be ignored. Shimei had cursed David with malicious hatred when David fled Jerusalem during Absalom’s rebellion (2 Samuel 16:5-8). Though David later spared him, the king charged Solomon in 1 Kings 2:9 not to allow him to die in peace. Solomon answered this by placing Shimei under a carefully structured house arrest. This was not vindictive, but judicial. Solomon granted Shimei life on the condition of strict obedience, giving him a gracious opportunity to prove submission to the new king.

a. Do not go out from there anywhere.

Shimei’s confinement within Jerusalem served a dual purpose. It prevented him from stirring up rebellion among Benjaminite loyalists to Saul’s former dynasty, and it tested the sincerity of his claimed repentance. Shimei had identified himself as an enemy of David’s house in the past, and Solomon could not afford to let such a man move freely across the tribal regions. By restricting him to Jerusalem, Solomon made mercy possible without compromising national security.

b. The saying is good.

Shimei acknowledged Solomon’s mercy and agreed wholeheartedly to the conditions. Solomon’s generosity was evident—Shimei deserved death, yet he was given life, a home, freedom within Jerusalem, and stability. Shimei even expressed gratitude, proving that he understood he was receiving far more mercy than justice required. For three years he remained compliant, living peacefully in Jerusalem.

c. Why then have you not kept the oath of the LORD and the commandment that I gave you?

Shimei’s downfall came through negligence, not open rebellion. When his slaves fled to Gath, a Philistine city, he impulsively left Jerusalem to retrieve them. Though understandable from a human perspective, his decision was a direct violation of a sworn oath made before the LORD. Solomon had crafted the terms carefully: Shimei’s life depended upon obedience to a simple boundary. When Shimei stepped beyond the Brook Kidron, he crossed not merely a geographical line but a covenant boundary. Solomon reminded him that he had agreed to these terms and declared that his death was the consequence of his own actions.

This moment proves a biblical principle: mercy never nullifies responsibility. When God or God’s anointed assigns terms to mercy, those terms must be honored. Shimei treated the oath casually, revealing that his allegiance was shallow and his repentance insincere.

d. Thus the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

Shimei’s execution by Benaiah completed the full removal of those who posed latent threats to Solomon’s rule. Solomon acted according to justice, not vengeance. The text stresses that “the kingdom was established” after these decisive actions. Clarke observes that Solomon believed the nation could not prosper so long as wicked men who opposed David’s throne remained unpunished. Payne notes that unlike Saul and David, whose early reigns were marked by hesitation and opposition, Solomon secured his kingdom swiftly and firmly by eliminating treacherous elements. Trapp, in spiritual application, exhorts believers to be equally ruthless against the sins that threaten their souls, reminding us that unchecked rebellion—whether in a heart or a kingdom—must be put to death.

Solomon’s early reign, therefore, is marked by wisdom, justice, decisiveness, and fidelity to the covenant promises of God. Each judgment strengthened the throne and fulfilled the divine order God intended for the kingdom of Israel.