1 King 2: King Solomon consolidates his power

Synopsis:

Before David dies he tells his son, Solomon, to seek revenge on Joab because he killed Abner and Amasa,  Adonijahm who was David’s first son and elder brother to Solomon,  is still unhappy that he wasn’t made king. He goes to Solomon’s mom Bath-sheba and asks her to ask Solomon for Abishag the Shunammite girl that was supposed to help warm up king David as his wife. David says NO and orders Adonijah killed. Solomon then purges those who sided with Adonijah. Joab hears of this and goes to the temple and grabs the horns of the altar saying, if you are going to kill me, kill me here. So, Solomon has him killed there at the altar. Solomon sends several people into exile including Abiathar the priest and Shimei. Shimei is told, if you come back, I will kill you. Unfortunately for Shimei, 2 of his servants ran away to Gath and when Shimei went to go get them, David had him killed.

In other words:

Solomon is named king and he immediately purges his enemies to consolidate his power.

Favorite bit:

1 Kings 2:17 – where Adonijah asks Bath-sheba to ask Solomon if he can have the late king’s consort as his wife. That takes some serious cajones.   And it’s clear he is asking for her because he feels it is his due.  From 1 Kings 2:15 “though 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.

Saddest bit:

1 Kings 2:36-46 Shimei is banished and told never to return under threat of death and he has to return to get his 2 servants and for that he is killed. And all this because the guy didn’t really like Solomon’s father David.

Moral Lesson Learned:

Don’t give your enemies an opportunity to attack you (1 Kings 2)