Chapter 1 finds "David old and cold". Two solutions were suggested to help him.
Here we have recorded for us another rebellion against David by his number 4 son, A-don-i-jah, son of Haggith, who decided because his father was incapacitated, to have himself crowned King of Israel. Notice who joined in with him in this rebellion. Joab, Commander-in-Chief of the army and Abiathar, the Priest. Zadok, a Priest, Benaiah, Captain of David's bodyguard, Nathan the Prophet, Shimei, Rei and David's Army Chiefs did not join in with Adonijah. Adonijah went to En-rogel, a spring outside Jerusalem near the Dung Gate, close to the Kidron Brook, to make sacrifices and to plan his coronation.
Notice that he invited all of his brothers except Solomon and he also invited all the Leaders of Judah, but he did not invite Nathan, the Prophet, or Benaiah, David's Captain of his bodyguard. When Nathan hears of Adonijah's treachery, he goes to Bathsheba and suggests to her that she go to David and ask him if he knew that Adonijah was having himself crowned King, and remind him that he had promised her that her son, Solomon, would be the next King of Israel. She did as Nathan suggested, and as she was telling David these things, Nathan arrived and confirmed what Bathsheba had said. When David heard this, he ordered Nathan to take Solomon to Gihon, a spring outside the walls of Jerusalem near the Water Gate, and anoint him King of Israel and Judah.
Nathan took Benaiah and Zadok, the Priest, and took Solomon, mounted on David's mule, to the spring and anointed him King with oil from the Tabernacle. They returned to Jerusalem with much shouting and celebration and when Joab heard the noise he inquired as to what was going on and Jonathan, the son of the Priest Abiathar, told him that David had declared Solomon the next King. Solomon had been anointed and was sitting on the throne and all the people were celebrating and rejoicing.
When Adonijah and his guests heard this, they fled in panic. Adonijah took refuge in the Tabernacle, claiming sanctuary and pleading for clemency, to which Solomon replied, "If he behaves himself, he will not die. But if he does not, he will surly die." Then Adonijah was brought before Solomon and he bowed down before the King and Solomon dismissed him with these words, "Go home." and that's what he did.
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