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Don’t Just Read the Bible — Understand It
My heart behind these commentaries is simple:
to help everyday believers grow confident in God’s Word.
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We’ll walk through each book together — one passage at a time.
1 Kings 1:1–53
Who Will Be King?
God accomplishes His sovereign purposes, but His people are called to faithfully promote those purposes. First Kings 1 shows us the danger of selfish ambition, the importance of wise and courageous action, and the confidence we can have that human schemes cannot overturn what God intends to accomplish.
Who Will Sit on David’s Throne?
First Kings begins with a kingdom in transition.
David is still king.
But David is dying.
The man who defeated Goliath, escaped Saul, united Israel, captured Jerusalem, and led armies into battle can barely keep himself warm.
Everyone around him knows what this means.
Israel will soon need another king.
And one question hangs over the chapter:
Who will sit on David’s throne?
That question matters because God had made a covenant with David.
His house would continue.
His throne would endure.
But God’s promise does not mean the transition will be simple.
David is weak.
Adonijah is ambitious.
Powerful leaders choose sides.
Nathan and Bathsheba must act.
Solomon remains mostly silent.
Yet behind every human decision, God’s purpose continues moving forward.
God’s sovereignty does not make faithfulness unnecessary. It gives faithful people confidence to act without believing everything depends on them.
Nathan speaks.
Bathsheba goes before David.
David decides.
Zadok anoints.
Benaiah obeys.
The people rejoice.
God sovereignly accomplishes His purposes through the faithful actions of His people.
David’s Strength Is Fading 1 Kings 1:1–4
The book opens with an uncomfortable picture.
David is old.
His body is failing.
Even blankets cannot keep him warm.
His attendants find Abishag, a young woman from Shunem, to care for him and help keep him warm.
The writer specifically tells us that David does not have sexual relations with her.
The main point is not to tell us much about Abishag.
It is to show us David’s condition.
The once-powerful king has become physically frail.
The warrior who defeated giants cannot defeat old age.
He still wears the title of king.
But everyone can see that his reign is nearing its end.
Even the Greatest Human Leaders Eventually Grow Weak
David’s condition introduces an important theme that will run throughout Kings.
Human rulers do not last.
Strength fades.
Health fails.
Influence passes.
Every earthly leader eventually leaves the stage.
Human strength fades. God’s purposes do not.
That should humble those who lead.
And it should steady those who follow.
Our ultimate hope cannot rest in a pastor, parent, political leader, ministry leader, or any other human being.
Every earthly leader is temporary.
God is not.
David may be weak.
But the covenant God made with David has not become weak.
The king is dying. God’s promise is still alive.
Adonijah Decides to Make Himself King 1 Kings 1:5–8
Into David’s weakness steps Adonijah.
His ambition is stated clearly:
“I will be king.”
He does not wait for David.
He does not seek the Lord.
He does not ask what God intends.
He simply decides what he wants and begins arranging circumstances around that desire.
He gathers chariots.
Horses.
Fifty men to run ahead of him.
The similarities to his brother Absalom are difficult to miss.
Adonijah begins looking like a king before he has actually been made king.
Adonijah looks like a king.
Moves like a king.
Surrounds himself with the appearance of royalty.
But looking like God’s king does not make someone God’s king.
Unchecked Desire Has Become Entitlement
Verse 6 gives us an important detail.
David had never seriously confronted Adonijah by asking why he behaved as he did.
Adonijah appears to have grown accustomed to getting his way.
He is handsome.
Privileged.
Influential.
And now convinced that the throne should belong to him.
Unchecked desire has become entitlement.
Entitlement has become ambition.
Ambition is becoming rebellion.
Not every desire should be satisfied. Sometimes one of the most loving words we can hear is “No.”
Adonijah Builds His Own Coalition 1 Kings 1:7–8
Adonijah begins gathering powerful supporters.
Joab joins him.
So does Abiathar the priest.
These are not insignificant men.
Joab has commanded David’s army for years.
Abiathar has served through difficult seasons in David’s reign.
Adonijah now has military and religious support.
But notice who does not join him.
Zadok.
Nathan.
Benaiah.
David’s mighty men.
And Solomon.
If we only listen to people who confirm what we already want, we are not really seeking wisdom. We are gathering permission.
Wise counsel does not always tell us what we want to hear.
Sometimes it confronts us.
Sometimes it slows us down.
Sometimes it exposes motives we would rather ignore.
Adonijah does not want that kind of counsel.
He wants a crown.
So he surrounds himself with people willing to help him get one.
Adonijah Celebrates a Kingship God Has Not Given Him 1 Kings 1:9–10
Adonijah holds a great sacrifice near En-rogel.
He invites his brothers.
Royal officials.
The people who can help make his claim look legitimate.
But his guest list is revealing.
Nathan is not invited.
Zadok is not invited.
Benaiah is not invited.
Solomon is not invited.
Adonijah knows exactly what he is doing.
He excludes the people most likely to challenge his claim.
Adonijah has a crowd.
Powerful supporters.
Sacrifices.
Momentum.
But success cannot be measured merely by what looks impressive.
Something can grow and still be wrong.
Something can attract people and still be wrong.
Something can look spiritual and still be built around human pride.
The deeper question is:
Is this what God wants?
Faithfulness is not simply accomplishing what we set out to do. Faithfulness is accomplishing what God has called us to do in the way God has called us to do it.
Nathan Refuses to Remain Silent 1 Kings 1:11–14
Nathan understands what is happening.
He also understands what is at stake.
So he goes to Bathsheba.
He tells her Adonijah has made himself king and that David apparently does not know.
Then Nathan proposes a plan.
Bathsheba will go to David first.
She will remind him of his promise concerning Solomon.
Nathan will then enter and confirm what she has said.
Nathan believes God has a purpose for Solomon.
But he does not conclude:
“God is sovereign, so there is nothing for us to do.”
He acts.
Wisely.
Carefully.
Decisively.
God’s sovereignty is never an excuse for disobedience. It is the confidence that allows us to obey without fear.
There are moments when faith waits.
There are moments when faith speaks.
There are moments when faith moves.
Wisdom is learning which moment we are in.
We act faithfully because God is sovereign.
And because God is sovereign, we do not have to control what happens after we act.
Bathsheba Goes Before David 1 Kings 1:15–21
Bathsheba enters David’s room.
The scene carries the scars of David’s past.
Years earlier, David had used royal power sinfully in his relationship with Bathsheba.
Now David is weak, Bathsheba stands beside his bed, and the future of the kingdom is connected to their son.
God’s grace has not erased the past.
But He is still working through a deeply complicated story.
Bathsheba bows before David and reminds him of his promise that Solomon would become king.
Then she explains what Adonijah has done.
The situation is urgent.
She cannot control David’s response.
But she can faithfully tell him the truth.
Faithfulness does not always mean keeping the peace.
Sometimes faithfulness means having the conversation everyone else wants to avoid.
There are times when love requires us to speak.
A friend may be making a destructive choice.
A family may be drifting.
A ministry may be moving in an unhealthy direction.
An injustice may need to be confronted.
Truth without love becomes harsh.
Love without truth can become cowardice.
Faithful love knows when silence is no longer loving.
Nathan Helps David See What He Has Failed to Address 1 Kings 1:22–27
While Bathsheba is still speaking, Nathan enters.
He approaches David respectfully.
Then he begins asking pointed questions.
Did David make Adonijah king?
Was this the king’s decision?
If so, why were Nathan, Zadok, Benaiah, and Solomon not told?
Nathan is doing more than passing along information.
He is forcing David to face what his inaction has allowed to develop.
A faithful friend is not someone who always makes us comfortable. A faithful friend helps us remain faithful.
Nathan had confronted David before.
When David sinned against Bathsheba and Uriah, Nathan told the king the truth.
Years later, Nathan is still willing to speak when David needs correction.
We need people like that.
Not merely people who agree with us.
Not people who are impressed by us.
But people who love God enough—and love us enough—to tell us what we need to hear.
David Finally Acts 1 Kings 1:28–31
David responds.
He calls Bathsheba back.
Then he renews the promise that Solomon will become king.
But David grounds his confidence in something greater than himself.
He speaks of:
“The LORD who has redeemed my life from every difficulty.”
Those words carry the weight of David’s whole life.
The lion.
The bear.
Goliath.
Saul.
The wilderness.
The Philistines.
Absalom.
His own terrible failures.
Family heartbreak.
War.
Loss.
Again and again, God had preserved him.
David’s body is weak.
But the memory of God’s faithfulness gives him courage to act.
When the future feels uncertain, remember the past faithfulness of God.
That does not mean tomorrow will be easy.
It means we know who will meet us there.
The God who carried you yesterday will still be God tomorrow.
Solomon Is Publicly Made King 1 Kings 1:32–40
David gives immediate instructions.
Zadok.
Nathan.
Benaiah.
They are to take Solomon and place him on David’s own mule.
They will bring him to Gihon.
There Zadok and Nathan will anoint Solomon king.
The trumpet will sound.
The people will shout:
“Long live King Solomon!”
Then Solomon will sit on David’s throne.
The Contrast Is Deliberate
Adonijah said:
“I will be king.”
Solomon is made king.
Adonijah gathers his own supporters.
Solomon receives legitimate authority.
Adonijah exalts himself.
Solomon is exalted by another.
God’s kingdom is received humbly, not seized selfishly.
We do not have to manufacture the position God wants us to have.
That does not mean we avoid hard work.
It does not mean ambition itself is always wrong.
It means we refuse to sacrifice character in order to control position.
Jerusalem Rejoices Over the Rightful King 1 Kings 1:38–40
Solomon rides David’s mule.
Zadok anoints him.
The trumpet sounds.
The people shout.
Jerusalem erupts in celebration.
The sound is so great that the writer pictures the earth itself shaking.
While Adonijah celebrates his own claim at En-rogel, the rightful king is publicly recognized at Gihon.
Everything is changing.
Adonijah has momentum.
Powerful supporters.
A plan.
None of it can overturn God’s purpose.
God does not need ideal circumstances to accomplish His purposes.
Human opposition may complicate the story.
It does not take control of the story.
Adonijah’s Celebration Suddenly Ends 1 Kings 1:41–49
Adonijah and his guests hear the noise from Jerusalem.
Then Jonathan, son of Abiathar, arrives.
Adonijah assumes he is bringing good news.
He is not.
Solomon has been made king.
Zadok and Nathan have anointed him.
The people are rejoicing.
Solomon sits on the throne.
Adonijah’s attempt is over.
His guests begin trembling.
Then they leave.
The crowd disappears almost instantly.
Crowds are not always evidence of God’s approval.
One moment Adonijah is surrounded by supporters.
The next moment he is almost alone.
Public opinion changes.
Popularity shifts.
People remain loyal only as long as association remains beneficial.
Faithfulness must therefore be anchored somewhere deeper than applause.
Faithfulness asks what God thinks before asking who is applauding.
Adonijah Runs to the Altar 1 Kings 1:50–53
Now Adonijah is afraid.
The man who confidently declared:
“I will be king”
is suddenly clinging to the horns of the altar.
He knows Solomon now has the authority he tried to seize.
And he fears for his life.
So he asks for mercy.
For the first time in the chapter, Solomon speaks and acts for himself.
He does not immediately execute Adonijah.
Instead, he offers conditional mercy.
If Adonijah proves faithful, he will live.
If wickedness is found in him, he will die.
Adonijah comes before Solomon.
He bows.
And Solomon sends him home.
The man who tried to seize the throne
now bows before the king who actually possesses it.
Solomon has every reason to view Adonijah as an enemy.
If Adonijah’s plan had succeeded, Solomon’s own life could have been in danger.
Yet Solomon begins by extending mercy.
Rebellion is not ignored.
But judgment is not Solomon’s first response.
Mercy is.
And here the story begins pointing beyond Solomon.
1 Kings 1 and the Greater Son of David
Solomon’s coronation gives us a glimpse of a greater King.
Solomon rides the royal mule.
Centuries later, Jesus enters Jerusalem riding a donkey.
Solomon is publicly declared king.
Jesus enters Jerusalem while crowds call Him the Son of David.
Solomon receives David’s throne.
Jesus is the ultimate Son of David whose kingdom will never end.
But the comparison only goes so far.
Solomon is an imperfect king.
Jesus is the perfect King.
Solomon eventually dies.
Jesus defeats death.
Solomon’s throne eventually disappears.
Jesus reigns forever.
Solomon offers mercy to a rebel who bows before him. Jesus offers mercy to rebels like us.
Adonijah’s declaration—“I will be king”—echoes something inside every sinful heart.
We want our own way.
Our own rule.
Our own kingdom.
Every sin is, in some sense, an attempt at self-rule.
But Jesus does something Solomon could never do.
He does not merely spare rebels.
He dies for them.
At the cross, the rightful King takes the judgment deserved by His enemies.
Then He rises.
He ascends.
And He reigns.
Adonijah bows before Solomon because he fears death.
The gospel invites us to bow before Jesus and receive life.
The question is not whether Jesus will be King. He already is. The question is whether we will gladly surrender to Him now.
Theological Themes
God’s Sovereignty
Human beings scheme throughout the chapter, but God’s purpose stands above every plan and every act of ambition.
Human Responsibility
Nathan speaks, Bathsheba acts, David decides, and others obey. God’s sovereignty does not erase meaningful human action.
The Danger of Pride
Adonijah tries to seize what God has not given him, illustrating the destructive path of self-exaltation.
Wise Counsel
Adonijah gathers supporters who confirm his ambition, while Nathan demonstrates the value of courageous and godly counsel.
The Weakness of Human Kings
David’s physical decline reminds us that even Israel’s greatest king is temporary and points toward the need for a better King.
Covenant Faithfulness
David is fading, but God’s promise to David is not. The royal line continues according to God’s purpose.
Mercy
Solomon’s first recorded royal act toward Adonijah shows mercy while still taking rebellion seriously.
Jesus the True King
Solomon’s enthronement ultimately points beyond itself to Jesus, the eternal Son of David whose kingdom will never end.
Truths and Lessons for Today
1. Human Strength Fades, but God’s Purposes Continue
David once commanded armies. Now he cannot keep himself warm.
Application: Do not build your ultimate security around your health, abilities, accomplishments, influence, or another human leader.
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” — Hebrews 13:8
Leaders change. Seasons change. God does not.
2. Do Not Force What God Has Not Given You
Adonijah decides, “I will be king,” and begins arranging everything around his ambition.
Application: Be careful when desire becomes entitlement. Not every opportunity must be seized.
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time.” — 1 Peter 5:6
What God wants to give you does not require sinful shortcuts to obtain it.
3. Surround Yourself With People Who Will Tell You the Truth
Adonijah surrounds himself with supporters. David has Nathan.
Application: Invite spiritually mature people into your life who love you enough to disagree with you when necessary.
“The wounds of a friend are trustworthy.” — Proverbs 27:6
Sometimes the voice we least want to hear is the voice we most need.
4. Trusting God Does Not Mean Doing Nothing
Nathan trusts God’s purpose but still acts wisely and decisively.
Application: Pray deeply, trust completely, and faithfully do what God has placed before you.
“For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose.” — Philippians 2:13
Trust God with what only He can do while faithfully doing what He has called you to do.
5. Speak When Faithfulness Requires It
Nathan and Bathsheba both enter uncomfortable conversations because something important is at stake.
Application: Ask God for wisdom to know when silence is appropriate and when love requires you to speak.
“Speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head—Christ.” — Ephesians 4:15
Courage is not saying everything we think. It is saying what faithfulness requires.
6. Remember God’s Faithfulness When the Future Is Uncertain
David remembers the Lord who delivered him through every difficulty.
Application: When you cannot see what God will do next, remember what He has already done.
“Because of the LORD’s faithful love we do not perish, for his mercies never end.” — Lamentations 3:22
Remembering yesterday’s grace gives us courage to trust God with tomorrow.
7. Do Not Confuse Popularity With God’s Approval
Adonijah has a crowd until the situation changes.
Application: Do not measure faithfulness merely by applause, numbers, influence, or popularity.
“Am I now trying to persuade people, or God? Or am I striving to please people?” — Galatians 1:10
Crowds change quickly. God’s truth does not.
8. Bow Before the Rightful King
Adonijah’s rebellion ends with him bowing before Solomon.
Application: Turn from self-rule and gladly surrender to Jesus now.
“At the name of Jesus every knee will bow.” — Philippians 2:10
Jesus is not merely someone to add to your life. He is King.
Leave the Throne in God’s Hands
First Kings begins with a weak king lying beneath blankets.
David is fading.
And almost immediately another man declares:
“I will be king.”
Adonijah gathers chariots.
Supporters.
Religious and political leaders.
He throws a celebration.
For a moment, it looks as though his plan may succeed.
But Nathan speaks.
Bathsheba acts.
David responds.
Zadok anoints.
Benaiah obeys.
The trumpet sounds.
The people rejoice.
And Solomon sits on the throne.
The chapter reminds us that God’s sovereignty and human responsibility are not enemies.
God has purposes He will accomplish.
And God calls His people to faithfully participate in those purposes.
We cannot control every circumstance.
We cannot control other people.
We cannot guarantee outcomes.
We cannot force God’s timing.
But we can pray.
Speak truth.
Seek wisdom.
Reject selfish ambition.
Act courageously.
Obey.
And trust God with everything beyond our control.
Adonijah tried to build a kingdom around himself.
Solomon received a kingdom according to God’s purpose.
But even Solomon is not the King this story ultimately makes us long for.
David grows weak.
Solomon will eventually fail.
Every king in Kings will remind us in one way or another that human rulers cannot give God’s people the kingdom they truly need.
We need the greater Son of David.
Jesus does not seize a throne through selfish ambition.
He humbles Himself.
Takes the form of a servant.
Goes to a cross.
Dies for rebels.
Rises from the grave.
And the Father exalts Him above every name.
His throne is not threatened.
His kingdom will not collapse.
His promises will not fail.
Human ambition can complicate God’s purposes, but it can never conquer them. Trust the sovereign King, act faithfully where He has placed you, and leave the throne in His hands.
God’s sovereignty does not make His people passive. Trust Him with what only He can control, faithfully do what He has placed before you, and remember that the true throne belongs to Jesus—the eternal Son of David whose kingdom will never fail.