1 Kings 2:22

And King Solomon answered and said unto his mother,.... With as much gentleness and mildness as he could, but inwardly fired at her request, and amazed at it, and could not forbear using some degree

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: his design is not upon Abishag, but upon the kingdom; which, by this means, he thinks to recover; partly because she was the last king’ s wife, or concubine, which might strengthen his pretence to the crown; see 12:8 16:21; and partly because by her eminent beauty, and near relation to David, she had a powerful interest in the court. Quest. Was not this too harsh a censure, and the following punishment of it too severe? Answ. 1. That Adonijah had such a design is very probable, both from his temper, for he was an aspiring and designing man, and highly discontented with Solomon’ s government, and desirous of a change; and from the nature of the thing, because he would not have made so daring and presumptuous a request, if he had not some great design in it. 2. It is very likely from the following words, though not expressed, that he, and Joab, and Abiathar were engaged in some design against Solomon, and that Solomon had got information of it; and therefore he did and might reasonably take this for an indication, and the first overt act of his treason. 3. Solomon did not pardon Adonijah’ s treason simply and absolutely, but upon condition that he carried himself worthily, ; and this being confessedly a bold and unworthy action, and arguing more confidence and presumption than became him, and carrying in it the appearance and intention of an incestuous marriage, he might justly revive his guilt, and take this occasion to execute the sentence which he formerly deserved. If it be said, That it is very improbable that Adonijah should expect to get the kingdom from Solomon, who was so firmly established in it with universal applause; it may be answered, That Adonijah was not the only man that hath fed himself with vain hopes, and engaged himself in high and treasonable designs, where to other wise men there was but little likelihood of success; and that he might now be only laying the foundation of what he further intended, when he saw a fit time, and getting a pretence for his future attempts upon the crown; either when Solomon should lose the people’ s affections, as David had done; or when Solomon should die, which also Adonijah might secretly procure and hasten; and he had only Solomon’ s young and tender son to contest with. All which, and many other things, Solomon in his great wisdom might easily discern; yea, or have some secret intelligence of, though it be not recorded. He is mine elder brother; he looks upon the kingdom as his by nature and birthright, and the law of nations; and therefore he may seek to recover his own, and to cast me out as a usurper. And for Abiathar and for Joab; who have all a hand in the plot, though he alone appear in it; which appears the more likely, because of Solomon proceeding against them all at the same time, as appears in the following verses.

1 Kings 2:22 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.Ver. 22. Ask for him the kingdom also.] For that is it he gapes after, and seeks to strengthen his cracked title by marrying the late king’ s concubine, who was likely grown very gracious with the great ones, and as potent at court, as was once here Dame Alice Pierce, King Edward III’ s concubine, who did whatsoever she pleased. And for Abiathar the priest and for Joab.] Who are his counsellors, and fellow conspirators. This he knew, by a specal instinct of the Spirit.

(22) And why dost thou ask?—In Solomon’s answer there is a certain bitterness, venting itself in irony, which seems to argue the mingling with kingly dignity and policy of some passionate feeling, not unlike the bursts of passion in his father, as in the case of Nabal (1 Samuel 25:21-22). It certainly gives some probability to the conjecture (see Note on 1:3) that Abishag was the “fair Shulamite” of the Song of Solomon, already loved by the youthful king. In his wrath he infers, rightly or wrongly, that the hand of the conspirators is seen in this petition, and executes vengeance accordingly, summarily and without giving them any trial or opportunity of excusing themselves.

22. and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah] These two having aided Adonijah in his attempt on the throne, would naturally have been his chief ministers and advisers had he succeeded. So Solomon includes them with him, and thus Bath-sheba may see whither the design of Adonijah is tending. The Vulgate renders the clause ‘even for him’ (literally and for him) in a different sense, ‘et habet Abiathar, &c.’ making the words imply that Adonijah is already equipped with advisers for the kingdom at which he is aiming. The LXX. has ‘And he has Abiathar and Joab the son of Zeruiah, the chief captain as his friend’ (ἑταῖρος). The last word of the Hebrew text is φψειδ. It would seem as though the LXX. had read after this ψςδε or ψςε, = his friend, which is not very unlike the final letters of the present Hebrew. Whether there was some word there which has fallen out or the version is the result of a misreading we cannot be sure. There is, without doubt, some awkwardness in the text as it now stands.

Ask for him the kingdom also - Bath-sheba had not seen anything dangerous or suspicious in Adonijah’s request. Solomon, on the contrary, takes alarm at once. To ask for Abishag was to ask for the kingdom.

22. Ask for him the kingdom also — To marry Abishag, who was virtually a concubine of the deceased king, (see note on chap. 1 Kings 1:3,) was ostensibly to invade the royal harem, and thus assume royal prerogatives.