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1 Kings 2:26-35 | Bible Study

Solomon Eliminates His Rivals

Solomon's First Moves

After Solomon eliminates Adonijah (1 Kings 2:13-25), he moves to consolidate his power with two more political maneuvers.

As readers, though, we must grapple with an important question: were Solomon's actions necessay

From a political perspective, Solomon's moves make sense. From the divine perspective, however,

Let's look at the passage to help us decide.

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1 Kings 2:26-35 (NLT) with highlights

26 Then the king said to Abiathar the priest, “Go back to your home in Anathoth. You deserve to die, but I will not kill you now, because you carried the Ark of the Sovereign Lord for David my father and you shared all his hardships.” 27 So Solomon deposed Abiathar from his position as priest of the Lord, thereby fulfilling the prophecy the Lord had given at Shiloh concerning the descendants of Eli.

28 Joab had not joined Absalom’s earlier rebellion, but he had joined Adonijah’s rebellion. So when Joab heard about Adonijah’s death, he ran to the sacred tent of the Lord and grabbed onto the horns of the altar. 29 When this was reported to King Solomon, he sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada to execute him.

30 Benaiah went to the sacred tent of the Lord and said to Joab, “The king orders you to come out!”

But Joab answered, “No, I will die here.”

So Benaiah returned to the king and told him what Joab had said.

31 “Do as he said,” the king replied. “Kill him there beside the altar and bury him. This will remove the guilt of Joab’s senseless murders from me and from my father’s family. 32 The Lord will repay him for the murders of two men who were more righteous and better than he. For my father knew nothing about the deaths of Abner son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and of Amasa son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah. 33 May their blood be on Joab and his descendants forever, and may the Lord grant peace forever to David, his descendants, his dynasty, and his throne.”

34 So Benaiah son of Jehoiada returned to the sacred tent and killed Joab, and he was buried at his home in the wilderness. 35 Then the king appointed Benaiah to command the army in place of Joab, and he installed Zadok the priest to take the place of Abiathar.

Abiathar and the Prophecy Against Eli

According to the prophecy in 1 Samuel 2:27-36, one of Eli’s descendants would live in shame and grief. The rest would be killed. The narrator of 1 Kings 2:27 connects Solomon’s decision to let Abiathar live directly to this prophecy.

As we work through 1 and 2 Kings we will encounter moments like this frequently. The narrator will draw the reader’s attention to the fulfillment of YHWH’s word.

Joab's Execution and Solomon's Explanation

Solomon frames Joab’s execution as a way to clear his father of any wrongdoing (vv. 31-32). Joab killed Abner and Amasa. Solomon’s explanation contains several ironies.

First, the narrator provides a different rationale for the execution: Joab joined Adonijah’s rebellion (v. 28). If Joab’s murder is about the vindication of David’s righteousness, it is much more about the elimination of a political threat to Solomon.

Second, people clearly thought that David was responsible for the death of Abner and Amasa. Both this passage and one in 2 Samuel insists there is no truth to the rumors that David orders these men to be killed (1 Kings 2:32; 2 Samuel 3:37).

The Political Effect of Solomon's Moves

According to the narrator, Solomon’s throne was firmly established when David died (1 Kings 2:12). This statement may be true from the divine perspective, but Solomon’s actions reveal his assessment differs from that of the narrator.

The execution of Adonijah and Joab coupled with the banishment of Abiathar effectively eliminates the rival entity in the kingdom. These three men were key figures in Adonijah’s attempt to take David’s throne before he died. While their rebellion did not succeed, they certainly had a substantial amount of support among the people.

Summary

Solomon shows his political prowess and power in these scenes. He recognizes a potential threat to his throne and systematically dismantles it.

Read from a modern vantage point, Solomon seems cold and vindictive in his banishment of Abiathar and his execution of Joab. However, set in the context of ancient Near Eastern politics, politics throughout human history more generally, Solomon’s moves make sense. He is consolidating power.

As readers, though, we know something that makes Solomon’s actions tragic: his kingdom is secure. God has chosen him to be king over Israel. Perhaps the executions would not have happened if Solomon had trusted the Lord.

Recommended Resources

This blog post is a part of the Passage of the Week. Join the email list to get guided study notes sent to your inbox every Monday and Friday.

Check out the notes for this passage here and here.

Here are a couple of commentaries you might find helpful on the book of Kings.

Wray Beal, Lissa M. 1 & 2 Kings. Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 2014.

Leithart, Peter J. 1 & 2 Kings. Grand Rapids, Mich: Brazos Press, 2006.

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