ESV Global Study Bible :: Footnotes for 1 Kings 2

1 Kings 2:2–3 Be strong, and show yourself a man. David’s parting words to Solomon echo God’s words to Joshua when he became the leader of Israel after Moses’ death (Josh. 1:6–9).

1 Kings 2:4 his word that he spoke concerning me. The reference is apparently to 2 Sam. 7:11b–16, although that passage does not mention any conditions attached to the promise (If your sons pay close attention to their way).

1 Kings 2:5 what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me. Joab is to be killed to clear David’s house of “the guilt for the blood” that Joab “shed without cause” (v. 31). It is interesting, however, that David himself had apparently not been concerned enough about this previously to take action against someone who had been so useful to him (e.g., 2 Sam. 11:15; 14:1–33).

1 Kings 2:6 according to your wisdom. Solomon must find a way to ensure that Joab’s death is not a peaceful and natural death in old age (do not let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace). For “Sheol,” see note on 1 Sam. 2:6.

1 Kings 2:10 David slept with his fathers. The metaphor of sleep hints at the expectation of awakening sometime in the future. “With his fathers” suggests that previous generations also join in this hope, and that David is somehow now with them.

1 Kings 2:11 David reigned over Israel for forty years, and died in 970 b.c.

1 Kings 2:12 his kingdom was firmly established. God has done for Solomon what he had done earlier for David (2 Sam. 5:12), keeping his promise to David (1 Kings 2:24).

1 Kings 2:17 give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife. Second Samuel 16:20–22 suggests that sexual relations with the king’s concubines amounted to a claim to the throne. Solomon interprets Adonijah’s request as a revival of his conspiracy (1 Kings 1). It was precisely the “wickedness” against which Solomon had warned Adonijah in 1:52 (compare 2:22).

1 Kings 2:22 my older brother. At least some Israelites would have believed that the eldest son had a special claim to the throne.

1 Kings 2:26 you deserve death. There is no evidence that Abiathar and Joab had anything to do with Adonijah’s request regarding Abishag, but both are pronounced guilty by association.

1 Kings 2:27 thus fulfilling the word of the Lord . . . concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh. Compare 1 Sam. 2:27–36. Abiathar is identified as a member of Eli’s house in 1 Sam. 22:20, and the “faithful priest” of 1 Sam. 2:35 is now discovered to be Zadok (1 Kings 2:35).

1 Kings 2:28–34 Following David’s instructions (see vv. 5–6 and notes on 1 Kings 2:5–6), Solomon moves to have Joab killed. horns of the altar. See note on 1:50. Benaiah . . . struck him down. Joab does not think that Solomon will be as ruthless as Joab had shown himself to be, that is, prepared even to have someone killed in the sanctuary. Though this was not strictly in compliance with Ex. 21:12–14 (which states that a murderer is to be taken away from the altar and put to death), taking refuge in the sanctuary applied only to the case of accidental death (Ex. 21:13), not intentional murder. David’s view (see note on 1 Kings 2:5) was that Joab deserved death for the murder of both Abner (2 Sam. 3:27) and Amasa (2 Sam. 20:10).

1 Kings 2:36–46 Solomon moves next to kill Shimei, who had cursed David as he fled from Absalom (see vv. 7–8; 2 Sam. 16:5–13). When Shimei ignores Solomon’s order not to go from Jerusalem to any other place, Solomon orders his execution.