Verse 1-2
1 Kings 2:1-2. The days of David
drew nigh, that he must die — As
he himself was sensible. And he
charged Solomon his son — After
the example of Abraham, the
father of the faithful, Genesis
18:19. I go the way of all the
earth — Even the sons and heirs
of heaven must go the way of all
the earth, of all who dwell
thereon. But they walk with
pleasure in this way, through
the valley of the shadow of
death. Prophets, yea, kings,
must go this way to brighter
light and honour than prophecy
or sovereignty. Be thou strong —
For, to govern his people
according to the law of God,
required great fortitude or
strength of mind. And show
thyself a man — In manly wisdom,
and courage, and constancy,
though thou art but young in
years.
Verse 3-4
1 Kings 2:3-4. And keep the
charge of the Lord thy God —
Here we find David inculcating,
in his last moments, the great
ruling principle; the
foundation-stone of the Hebrew
state, and which in some measure
distinguishes it from all other
governments that have ever
subsisted. For the whole
strength and stability of that
state was built, not upon the
riches or forces of the kingdom,
but upon a strict observance of
the statutes and commandments of
the Lord. As it is written in
the law of Moses — Which the
prince was enjoined to
transcribe and read,
(Deuteronomy 17:11,) that he
might govern his own and his
people’s actions by it. That
thou mayest prosper — Or, behave
thyself prudently. Hereby he
intimates that religion is the
truest reason of state, and that
all true wisdom and good success
depend upon piety. That the Lord
may confirm his word — Fulfil
his promise, the condition upon
which it was suspended being
performed. Thus, to engage him
to keep the charge of the Lord,
he represents unto him the
gracious promise which God had
made him, to perpetuate the
kingdom in his family without
interruption, provided his
children sincerely and heartily
cleaved to God in faithful and
conscientious obedience to his
commandments.
Verse 5
1 Kings 2:5. Moreover, thou
knowest, &c. — After David had
given Solomon this general
charge, he proceeded to direct
him to do some particular acts
of justice and kindness, and
first of all, bids him remember
how Joab had acted. We must not
look upon this admonition of
David, on his death-bed, as
proceeding from a spirit of
private revenge, but as advising
the execution of a public piece
of justice which the
circumstances of things would
not permit him to inflict
before. Certainly the punishment
of Joab was owing both to God
and man, for his treacherous and
cruel murder of Abner and Amasa;
and, therefore, David here, in
justice to his people, and the
divine laws, ordered his son and
successor to do that, when his
throne was fully established,
which he could not execute
himself for want of sufficient
power, Joab’s interest being
then so great, that it might
have thrown the state into a
fresh civil war, had any steps
been taken to inflict punishment
upon him. What Joab the son of
Zeruiah did to me — That is,
against me. For Joab’s murder of
Abner and Amasa was a great
injury to David, as it was a
breach of his laws and peace, a
contempt of his person and
government, a pernicious example
to his subjects, and a great
scandal to him, giving people
reason to suspect that Joab had
been only David’s instrument, to
effect what he secretly
designed. And shed the blood of
war in peace — He slew them as
if they had been in the state of
war, when there was not only a
cessation of arms, but also a
treaty of peace. And put the
blood of war upon his girdle —
This is added to denote his
impenitence, that although by
his perfidious manner of killing
them, when he pretended to
embrace them, he stained his own
garments with their blood, yet
he was not ashamed of it, but
gloried in it, and marched
boldly along with the army, with
the same girdle and shoes which
were sprinkled with their blood.
Verse 6
1 Kings 2:6. Do therefore
according to thy wisdom — What
in reason and justice thou seest
to be fit. For though I was
forced to forbear him, I never
forgave him. Let not his hoar
head go down to the grave in
peace — Punish him according to
his demerits. “This dying order
of David,” says Dr. Dodd,
referring to Dr. Chandler, “was
an order worthy of a good king,
and fit to be given in the last
moments of his life. The crimes
which drew down this punishment
upon Joab, have already been
expatiated upon. Many reasons
concurred to prevent David’s
calling him to an account; but
it is plain he never forgot nor
forgave his crime: nay, he could
not, consistently with the law,
have forgiven him if he had been
inclined to it. His deferring
his punishment so long, was no
reason why he should always do
it. Reasons of state prevented
its being inflicted before, and
reasons of state required its
being put in execution at this
juncture. In time of war it was
dangerous to attempt it, on
account of the power, influence,
and military skill of Joab; in
time of peace it was safe,
because Joab’s power was then
upon the decline, and his
services were unnecessary. Joab
was ambitions, enterprising, and
restless, and having not proved
very loyal to the father, might
have practised the same perfidy
against the son; who being
young, and scarcely settled in
his throne, might have suffered
from his treachery, his want of
fidelity, and his ambitions
views, which were insatiable.”
Verse 7
1 Kings 2:7. Show kindness to
the sons of Barzillai — David’s
gratitude here expressed is
remarkable. Barzillai only
desired him to show kindness to
Chimham, 2 Samuel 19:37; but he
extends it to all his sons. Let
them be of those that eat at thy
table — As Mephibosheth had done
at David’s table. It is probable
Mephibosheth was now dead, for
otherwise David would not have
forgotten him. For so they came
to me — Such kindness they
showed me; inviting him to
Barzillai’s house, who sustained
him in his great distress, 2
Samuel 19:32.
Verse 8
1 Kings 2:8. Behold thou hast
with thee Shimei, &c., which
cursed me with a grievous curse
— “David,” says Delaney, “when
he was importuned to punish
Shimei, (2 Samuel 16:9; 2 Samuel
19:21,) imitated the mercy of
God, who waits that he may be
gracious. Had he copied after
any lower pattern, he had not
spared Shimei, in the very
instant of passion and
provocation; nor would he
afterward have forgiven him, in
the fulness of prosperity and
power. He very well knew how
much the remission of personal
injuries became the kingly
character, and, therefore, he
gave Shimei his life, and
confirmed the grant by an oath.
But then it must be remembered,
that the obligation of the oath
was purely personal; for so he
himself explains it, saying, I
sware unto him by the Lord, I
will not put thee to death by
the sword. And, therefore,
though David was bound, Solomon
was at full liberty to vindicate
the majesty of kings, in
chastising this high insult upon
his father in such a manner as
he thought fit: nor was there
any danger of doing this to
excess, when the chastisement
was deferred to the calm and
cool season of dispassionate
justice; when neither passion
nor personal resentment could
inflame the vengeance. David
well knew how much it became the
piety of his character to submit
himself and his concerns to the
divine disposal, throughout the
whole course of his life; but
could he, for this reason,
wholly renounce the interest of
justice? Or, if he could, he
very well knew how dangerous an
example it might be to his
successors, to suffer such
injuries and insults upon
majesty to pass unpunished: and,
therefore, when he had acted up
to the piety and dignity of his
own character, he very wisely
admonished his son to act up to
the wisdom of his.”
Verse 9
1 Kings 2:9. Now therefore hold
him not guiltless — Though I
spared his life, do not treat
him as an innocent person, nor
consider him as one reconciled
to my family, and to thy
succession to the throne. He is
Shimei still, and wants nothing
but a fair opportunity to
declare it. Clear him not,
therefore, as I did, if thou
findest him guilty of any
mal-practices; but his hoar head
bring down, &c. — Cut him off as
an old offender and dangerous
enemy, to secure thy own peace,
and the safety of thy
government. In this sense
Josephus understands the words.
But, certainly, David’s telling
Solomon, that he sware to Shimei
he would not put him to death
for his outrage and treason, is
a demonstrative proof that he
did not advise Solomon to put
him to death for the crime that
he himself had solemnly
forgiven; for can any one
imagine David would tell Solomon
that he had sworn not to put
Shimei to death, and in the same
breath order him, in defiance of
his oath, to be put to death? If
he had intended that Solomon
should immediately put him to
death, there would have been
neither reason nor sense in the
words, Thou art a wise man, and
knowest what thou oughtest to do
unto him. For to what purpose
was it to tell Solomon that he
knew how to behave to Shimei, if
David’s command was immediately
to cut him off, and Solomon
understood him in that sense?
But it is certain Solomon did
not understand his father in
that sense, by his ordering him
to build a house for himself in
Jerusalem, (1 Kings 2:36,) as
well as from the different
manner in which he treated
Shimei and Joab. The fact is,
David advised his son to keep a
strict watch over Shimei, and to
put him to death only, if, on
any new offence, he should again
forfeit his life; and this, it
is hoped, has been made appear
to be the truth of the case.
Now, how is this inconsistent
with piety, or the advice of a
prince on his death-bed? It is
true, forgiveness of enemies is
a duty, provided they cease to
become our enemies; but no man
is obliged, by any law, so to
forgive an enemy, continuing
such, as not to take the proper
methods to guard against the
effects of his enmity, and bring
him to justice, if no other
method will prove effectual.
Much less is a prince obliged so
to forgive an implacable enemy
to his crown and government, and
one who is likely to disturb the
settlement of the crown in his
successor, as not to order the
successor to be upon his guard
against him, and punish him,
when guilty, according to his
demerits. Such a caution and
order is what he owes to his
people; he may die as a private
person, in charity with all
mankind, and forgive every
private injury against himself;
and yet, as a prince, advise
what is necessary for the public
good after his decease, and even
the execution of particular
persons, if, by abusing the
lenity and respite they once
received, they should be guilty
of new and capital offences. —
Chandler. Doctor Waterland, Le
Clerc, and Calmet, give the same
interpretation with Doctor
Chandler. The reader will
probably think that the above
reasoning sufficiently justifies
David in this particular, even
on supposition that the text is
rightly translated, which,
however, Dr. Delaney is of
opinion it is not. The Hebrew
particle, ו, vau, he thinks,
ought to have been rendered
here, as in all similar cases,
not connectively, but
disjunctively, as it is Proverbs
30:8, and in many other places.
“Agur,” says he, “beseeches God
to keep him from the extremes of
poverty and wealth. If the
particle vau were to be
interpreted here connectively,
the petition would run thus:
Give me not poverty and riches.
Every one sees the absurdity of
this petition; and therefore the
translators rightly rendered it,
Give me neither poverty nor
riches. In the same analogy, the
passage in question, rightly
translated, will stand thus:
Now, therefore, neither hold him
guiltless, (for thou art a wise
man, and knowest what thou
oughtest to do unto him,) nor
his hoar head bring thou down to
the grave with blood. This
advice, in this sense, is full
of humanity, as well as wisdom,
and Solomon (we see) understood
and observed it in this sense,
and in no other.”
Verse 10-11
1 Kings 2:10-11. So David slept
with his fathers — He died with
the satisfaction of seeing his
own son his successor, the
wisest and the hopefulest prince
of the whole earth, and with the
assurance of God’s peculiar
favour to his posterity, from
whence he had already, in the
clearest light of prophetic
vision, seen the Messiah, the
Lord of life, to arise; of whose
dominion, and the increase of
his government and glory, he
well knew, by the Spirit of God
upon him, there would be no end.
And was buried in the city of
David — In that part of
Jerusalem which was called by
his name, because he took it
from the Jebusites. Seven years
reigned he in Hebron — More
precisely, seven years and six
months; (2 Samuel 5:5;) but
smaller numbers are often
omitted in Scripture
computations, and only the
larger noticed.
Verse 12
1 Kings 2:12. Then sat Solomon
upon the throne, &c. — The
kingdom was settled upon him
with universal consent and
approbation. His kingdom was
established — He had the hearty
affections of his people, which
all men know to be a prince’s
best and surest establishment.
Verses 13-15
1 Kings 2:13-15. She said,
Comest thou peaceably? — Or with
some evil design against me or
my son? which she might well
suspect, knowing his ambition
and envy at Solomon, and his
hatred against her, as the chief
cause of his being cast down
from his aspiring views and high
hopes. He said, Thou knowest
that the kingdom is mine — Both
by right of primogeniture and
actual inauguration. And all
Israel set their faces on me —
They looked on me as their king
and my father’s successor, and
expected that he would confirm
my election. He pretends that
the generality of the people
favoured his views, and wished
him to be king. Howbeit the
kingdom is turned about, and is
become my brother’s — Is
translated from me to him by the
vicissitude of human affairs,
and the changeable humour of the
people. For it was his from the
Lord — Either, 1st, By God’s
providence so disposing David’s
mind, and the people’s hearts:
or rather, 2d, By God’s
appointment, and particular
designation: wherein he seems to
acquiesce, affectionately
terming Solomon his brother,
that he might deceive both her
and him into a belief that he
was far from any design of
usurping the government.
Verse 17
1 Kings 2:17. That he give me
Abishag to wife — It is not
likely that either Adonijah or
Bath-sheba was ignorant that it
was unlawful for any man to
marry his father’s wife: but
they perhaps thought that as
David knew her not, the marriage
had not been completed.
Verse 19
1 Kings 2:19. The king rose up
to meet her, and bowed himself —
For the high dignity to which he
was advanced, did not make him
forget the honour due to a
parent: an amiable example this,
to teach all children to
continue to show respect to
their parents, how much soever
they may be advanced above them
in wealth, dignity, or honour.
She sat on his right hand — The
most honourable place, next to
the king.
Verse 20-21
1 Kings 2:20-21. I desire one
small petition of thee — So she
esteemed it, because she did not
perceive Adonijah’s design in
it, nor the circumstances
connected with it. I will not
say thee nay — Supposing thy
request can be lawfully and
safely granted, and will be
productive of no injury to
myself or others. Let Abishag be
given to Adonijah thy brother —
That is, thy brother by the
father’s side, and whom
brotherly affection and relation
oblige thee to gratify; at
least, in small things.
Verse 22
1 Kings 2:22. Ask for him the
kingdom also — His design is not
upon Abishag, but upon the
kingdom; which by this means he
hopes to recover. “That Adonijah
had such a design is very
probable,” says Poole, “both
from his temper, for he was an
aspiring and designing man,
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 had some great design
in it.” For he is my elder
brother — And therefore looks on
the kingdom as his by
birthright, and the law of
nations, and thinks he may
lawfully endeavour to recover
his own, and cast me out as a
usurper; to accomplish which the
seeking Abishag to wife is the
first step. Even for him, and
for Abiathar and Joab — “It is
very likely,” says the author
last quoted, “though not
expressed, that he, and Joab,
and Abiathar, were engaged in
some design against Solomon, and
that Solomon had obtained
information of it; and therefore
he did, and reasonably might,
take this attempt of Adonijah to
obtain Abishag, for an
indication, and the first overt
act of his treason.”
Verse 23
1 Kings 2:23. Then King Solomon
sware by the Lord — Once here,
and again 1 Kings 2:24, which he
did to oblige himself
irrevocably to perform his
resolution, and to prevent all
intercession for Adonijah’s
life, the matter being, he
believed, of the greatest
importance to him.
Verse 24
1 Kings 2:24. And set me on the
throne of David — For, though
Adonijah be my elder brother,
yet I have an undoubted right
and title to the crown, from the
promise and appointment of that
God who disposes of all
kingdoms, and especially this of
Israel, to whom he pleaseth; and
therefore Adonijah in this and
his former attempt is guilty of
treason against me, and of
rebellion against God. And who
hath made me a house — Who hath
given me posterity, as this
phrase often means; see Exodus
1:21; for Rehoboam was probably
born before this time: or
rather, who hath established me
in the house and throne of
David, and so hath fulfilled in
and to me the promise made to
him respecting his house, (2
Samuel 7:11,) and the settlement
of the crown in him and his
seed. Adonijah shall be put to
death this day — “Had Adonijah
lived under our constitution, he
would have had a fair hearing
before conviction. But we should
remember that in the kingdoms of
the East the government was
absolute, and the power of life
or death entirely in the prince;
so that Solomon, without the
formality of any process, could
pronounce his brother dead; and
because he conceived that in
cases of this nature delays were
dangerous, might send
immediately and have him
despatched; though we cannot but
say that it would have been more
to his commendation, had he
showed more clemency and spared
his life.” — Dodd.
Verse 25
1 Kings 2:25. Solomon sent by
the hand of Benaiah, &c. — For
the execution of justice was not
then committed to obscure
persons, as it is now, but to
persons of great honour and
authority. Notwithstanding what
has been observed in the two or
three preceding notes, probably
the reader will be inclined to
think, as certainly many are,
that it is far from being clear
Solomon acted right in putting
Adonijah to death, or that the
latter had any ill design in
asking Abishag. And yet, what
certainly is of great weight, we
nowhere find Solomon censured in
the Scriptures for this action.
Verse 26-27
1 Kings 2:26-27. Unto Abiathar —
said the king, Get thee to
Anathoth — This was a city of
the priests, (Joshua 21:28,)
where he commanded him to lead a
private life; either in that
part of the suburbs which fell
to his share, or in some land
which he had purchased. I will
not, at this time, put thee to
death — He does not fully pardon
him, but reserves to himself a
liberty of punishing him
afterward if he should see
occasion. This he does to keep
him in awe, that he might not
dare to raise or foment
discontents or tumults among the
people, which otherwise he might
have been inclined to do.
Because thou didst bear the ark
of the Lord before my father —
When he thought fit to carry it
out with him; and when thou, as
high-priest, wast called to
attend upon it. Thus Solomon
shows his respect to the sacred
office. Because thou hast been
afflicted, &c. — Exposed to all
the hardships David endured all
the time of his exile under
Saul, 1 Samuel 22:20, &c. Here
Solomon mixes mercy with
justice, and requites Abiathar’s
former kindness to David; hereby
teaching princes, that they
should not write injuries in
marble, and benefits in sand and
water, as they have been too
often observed to do. So Solomon
thrust out Abiathar — Either
from his office, or at least
from the execution of it. That
he might fulfil the word of the
Lord — Solomon did not do this
that he might fulfil the word of
the Lord, but because Abiathar
had taken the part of Adonijah.
But by Solomon’s being moved to
do this on account of Abiathar’s
rebellion, the word of the Lord
was fulfilled, which he had
spoken concerning the house of
Eli in Shiloh. And in this sense
we are to take the same kind of
expressions in the New
Testament, where things are
frequently said to be done to
fulfil certain prophecies.
Verse 28
1 Kings 2:28. Then tidings came
to Joab — Concerning Adonijah’s
death, and Abiathar’s
deposition. And Joab fled unto
the tabernacle of the Lord —
This makes it appear that Joab
had had a hand in the counsel
mentioned 1 Kings 2:22, as
Solomon suspected. And caught
hold on the horns of the altar —
It appears from this and some
other instances, that it was now
become a custom among the
Israelites, though by no divine
law, to flee to the altar of the
Lord, as to an asylum; however,
by Solomon’s treatment of Joab
on this occasion, it appears,
that this privilege was only
allowed for some misdemeanours,
and not for capital offences,
especially murder. And Solomon
(1 Kings 2:31) showed that the
altar had better be stained with
the blood of a murderer, than be
polluted with his touch, in
seeking an asylum from it, and
thereby escaping the punishment
which the divine laws required
to be inflicted on him.
Verse 29-30
1 Kings 2:29-30. Go, fall upon
him — Namely if he will not come
out from thence, as I foresee he
will not. Thus saith the king,
Come forth — That the king gave
this command, though it be not
mentioned before, is evident,
both from the nature of the
thing, for Solomon would not
pollute the altar without
necessity, and from Benaiah’s
affirmation of it; for why
should he tell a lie without a
cause? It appears, also, from
his returning to the king for
new orders, upon Joab’s
resolution not to come out
thence, He said, Nay, but I will
die here — For he supposed,
either that Solomon would not
defile that place with his
blood, but would spare him for
his respect to it, as he had
done Adonijah; or, he had a
superstitious conceit, that his
dying there might give his
guilty and miserable soul some
advantage.
Verse 31
1 Kings 2:31. Do as he hath said
— Kill him, though he be there;
take him from that place, and
then kill him: for Exodus 21:14,
doth not command the ruler to
kill the murderer there, but to
remove him thence; to take him
from the altar, that he may die.
That thou mayest take away the
innocent blood from me — Kings
or judges owe that justice to
God, whose vicegerents they are,
as to inflict those punishments
on offenders which the divine
laws require them to inflict: or
otherwise, the punishment due to
the offenders may with justice
fall upon their own heads, as,
by not executing the punishment,
they, in some measure, give
their approbation to the crime.
Verses 32-34
1 Kings 2:32-34. The Lord shall
return his blood — The guilt of
the blood which he hath shed.
Upon his own head — Shall make
him alone bear the punishment of
his iniquity. Who fell upon two
men more righteous than he — Of
more ingenuous and generous
tempers, abhorring such
treacherous practices; and both
of them devoted to, and employed
in my father’s service.
Prejudice, however, and anger
seem here too much to have
dictated Solomon’s expressions;
for, it is certain, Joab had
always been a firm friend to
David, and had done him
considerable service at a time
when both Abner and Amasa had
acted against him. Upon the head
of his seed for ever — Either as
long as he shall have a
posterity, or for a long time,
as that phrase is frequently
used. So that Solomon here
pronounces that Joab’s own death
should not expiate his guilt;
but that his posterity should
suffer for it in future
generations, according to what
David had said, 2 Samuel
3:28-29. If Solomon spoke by
inspiration of God when he
uttered these words, no doubt
the prediction was fulfilled,
and God visited the sins of the
father upon the children, as he
often does, when the children
tread in their progenitors’
sinful steps. But whether, or
how far, this was the case, the
Scriptures give us no
information. But upon David and
upon his seed — shall there be
peace — In and by this execution
of justice upon Joab and such
malefactors, my throne shall be
established, and God will bless
me and mine with peace and
prosperity, He was buried in his
own house — That is, in some
ground belonging and adjoining
to his house, and accounted a
part of the mansion. In the
wilderness — So they called
those parts of the country which
were but thinly inhabited.
Verse 36
1 Kings 2:36. Go not forth
thence any whither — Solomon, it
is likely, suspected Shimei’s
loyalty and fidelity, and
therefore ordered this, 1st, for
his own security. For by
confining him to the royal city,
he would have him always under
his eye, and in a place where,
as in a public theatre, all his
words and actions would be
narrowly observed. And by
removing him from that part of
the country where his kindred,
and estates, and interest lay,
to a place where he was almost a
stranger, and yet sufficiently
odious for his former and never
to be forgotten insolence toward
his lord and king, he would be
rendered utterly incapable of
raising any tumults or
seditions. Solomon enjoined
this, 2d, as a kind of penalty
for his former wickedness,
wherein yet there was more mercy
than justice, and from which
David had not promised him any
security, but had only given him
his life for the present, or
during his own life and reign.
Verse 37
1 Kings 2:37. In the day thou
passest over the brook Kidron,
&c. — Which Solomon mentions,
because it was in the way to
Bahurim, where Shimei’s former
and settled habitation was, as
appears by comparing 2 Samuel
15:23, with 1 Kings 16:5. But
Solomon’s meaning was, and so,
no doubt, was understood by
Shimei, that if he went out of
Jerusalem any way, to a greater
distance than Kidron was from
thence, he should die for it;
for when he went to Gath, after
his servants, he went not over
Kidron, but the direct contrary
way, that city lying westward of
Jerusalem, as Kidron did
eastward. Thy blood shall be
upon thine own head — The blame
and guilt of thy blood shall lie
upon thyself only. In other
words, his death should be owing
to himself only, as the
condition of his holding his
life was known to him and
accepted by him, as appears from
the next verse.
Verse 38
1 Kings 2:38. The saying is good
— Thy sentence is much more
merciful than I expected or
deserve. As my lord hath said,
so will thy servant do — And it
appears from 1 Kings 2:42-43,
that he not only promised this,
but confirmed his promise by an
oath, being required by Solomon
so to do.
Verse 39-40
1 Kings 2:39-40. Achish king of
Gath — A king, but subject and
tributary, first to David, and
then to Solomon: permitted to
enjoy the title and honour of a
king, but not the full power:
whence it was, that Achish could
not keep these servants, though
they had fled to him for
protection; but suffered Shimei
to take them away from his royal
city. Shimei arose and went to
Gath to seek his servants — In
three years’ time he thought
Solomon might have forgotten his
injunction, or he presumed he
would not hold him strictly to
it, especially since he did not
go from Jerusalem for his
pleasure, but to recover what he
had lost, which he thought was
pardonable, these servants being
probably worth a great deal of
money. “By seeking his
servants,” says Bishop Hall, “he
lost himself. These earthly
things either are, or should be,
our servants. How commonly do we
see men run out of the bounds
set by God’s laws, to hunt after
them, till their souls incur a
fearful judgment!”
Verse 43-44
1 Kings 2:43-44. Why hast thou
not kept the oath of the Lord? —
He lay under the guilt of two
crimes: of disobeying the king’s
express command, and violating
his oath to God, which latter
Solomon terms the oath of the
Lord, because it was taken in
the Lord’s presence, and the
Lord was called upon as a
witness of it, and as the
avenger of all such violations,
and because the law of the Lord
obliged him to the performance
of it. The wickedness which thy
heart is privy to — For which
thine own conscience accuseth
thee, and there is no need of
other witnesses. The Lord shall
return — God hath punished thee
for thy former wickedness, by
suffering thee to expose thyself
to thy deserved death.
Verse 45-46
1 Kings 2:45-46. The throne of
David — To which Shimei had
wished confusion; the royal
power and dignity conferred upon
him and his heirs. Shall be
established — By the execution
of such righteous judgments as
this. Before the Lord for ever —
In the presence of that God who
is both an observer and rewarder
of all such righteous actions;
or under his inspection, and by
his blessing. Which went out —
Carrying Shimei along with him
to the place of execution, which
was to be in the king’s
presence. The kingdom was
established in the hand of
Solomon — His secret and worst
enemies being taken out of the
way. |