Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 2.djvu/464

 462 I. KINGS, 1.

CHAP. I.

In this chapter, we have, I. David declining in his health, v. 1. . 4. II. Adonijah aspiring to the kingdom, and treating his party, in order to it, v. 5. . 10. III. Nathan and Bath-sheba contriving to secure the succession to Solomon, and prevailing for an order from David for that purpose, v. 11.. 31. IV. The anointing of Solomon accordingly, and the people's joy therein, v. 32. . 40. V. The effectual stop this put to Adonijah's usurpation, and the dispersion of his party, thereupon, v. 41. . 49. VI. Solomon's dismission of Adonijah upon his good behaviour, v. 50. . 53.

OW king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat. 2. Wherefore his servants said unto him. Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin; and let her stand before the king, and let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat. 3. So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunem, and brought her to the king. 4. And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the King knew her not.

David, in the foregoing chapter, had, by the great mercy of God, escaped the sword of the destroying angel; but our deliverances from or through diseases and dangers, are but reprieves; if the candle be not blown out, it will burn out of itself. We have David here sinking under the infirmities of old age, and brought by them to the gates of the grave. He that cometh up out of the pit, shall fall into the snare; and, one way or other, nve must needs die.

1. It would have troubled one to see David so infirm. He was old, and his natural heat so wasted, that no clothes could keep him warm, v. 1. David had been a valiant active man, and a man of business, and very vehement had the flame always been in his breast; and vet now his blood is chilled and stagnated, he is confined to his bed, and there can get no heat. He was now 70 years old. Many, at that age, are as lively and fit for business as ever; but David was now chastised for his former sins, especially that in the matter of Uriah, and felt from his firmer toils, and the hardships he had gone through in his youth, which then he made nothing of, but was now the worse for. Let not the strong man glory in his strength, which may soon be weakened by sickness, or, at last, will be weakened by old age. Let young people remember their Creator in the days of their youth, before these evil days come. What our hand finds to do for God, and our souls, and our generation, let us do with all our might, because the night comes, the night of old age, in which no man can work; and when our strength is gone, it will be a comfort to remember that we used it well.

2. It would have troubled one to see his physicians so weak and unskilful, that they knew no other way of relieving him, than by outward applications. No cordials, no spirits, but, (1.) They covered him with clothes, which, where there is any inward heat, will keep it in, and so increase it; but, where it is not, they have none to communicate, no, not royal clothing. Elihu makes it a difficulty to understand how our garments are warm upon us; (Job 37. 17.) but if God deny his blessing, men clothe them, and there is none warm; (Hag. 1. 6.) David here was not. (2.) They foolishly prescribed nuptials to one that should rather have been preparing for his funeral; (v. 2••4.) but they knew what would gratify their own corruptions, and perhaps were to willing to gratify his, under colour of consulting his health; his prophets should have been consulted, as well as his physicians, in an affairof this nature. However, this might be excused then, when even good men ignorantly allowed themselves to have many wives. We now have not so learned Christ, but are taught, that one man must have but one wife; (Matth. 19. 5.) and further, that it is good for a man not to touch a woman, 1 Cor. 7. 1. That Abishag was married to David before she lay with him, and was his secondary wife, appears from its being imputed as a great crime to Adonijah, that he desired to marry her, (ch. 2. 22.) after his father's death.

5. Then Adonijah the sonofHaggith ex- alted himself, saying, I will be king : and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to riln before him. 6. And his fa- ther had not displeased him at any time in saying. Why hast thou done so ? and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him after Absalom. 7. And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest : and they, following Adonijah, helped him. 8. But Zadok the priest, and Bcnaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men vvnich belonged to David, were not with Adonijah. 9. And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cat- tle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En-rogel, and called all his brethren the king's sons, and all the men of Judah the king's servants : 1 0. But Nathan the pro- phet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he called not.

David had much affliction in his children; Amnon and Absalom had both been his grief; the one his first-born, the other his third: (2 Sam. 3. 2, 3.) his second, whom he had by Abigail, we will suppose he had comfort in; his fourth was Adonijah, (2 Sam. 3, 4.) he was one of those that were born in He- bron; we have heard nothing of him till now, and here we are told that he was a comely jjerson, and that he was next in age, and (as it proved) next in temper, to Absalom, v. 6. And further, that in his father's eyes he had been a jewel, but was now a thorn.

I. His father had made a fondling of him, v. 6. He had not displeased him at any time. It is not said. He never displeased his father; it is probable that he had done so frequently, and his father was secretly troubled at his misconduct, and lamented it before God: but his father had not displeased him, either by crossing him in his humours, or de- nying him any thing he had a mind to, or by calling him to an account, as to what he had done, and where he had been, or by keeping him to his book or his business, or reproving him for what he saw or heard of, that he did amiss; he never said to him, Why hast thou done so? Because he saw it was un- easy to him, and he could not bear it without fret- ting. It was the son's fault that he was displeased at reproof, and took it for an affront, whereby he lost the benefit of it. And it was the father's fault, that, because he saw it displeased him, he did not re- prove him ; and now he justly smarted for indulging him. They who honour their sons more than God