Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 1:43
And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, Verily our lord king David hath made Solomon king.
43. Verily our lord, &c.] The adverb implies some such sense as ‘Nay but’. Jonathan wishes to say ‘It is not as you hoped, but on the contrary Solomon is proclaimed and anointed.’ Comp. Gen 17:19, where the word is rendered in A. V. ‘indeed,’ but the sense is ‘ Nay but Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son,’ instead of Ishmael being made the hope of thy family.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verily – Nay, but (or, Not so).
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 43. Jonathan answered] He was properly a messenger about the court; we have met with him and Ahimaaz before, 2Sa 15:36. He had now been an observer, if not a spy, on all that was doing, and relates the transactions to Adonijah, in the very order in which they took place.
1. David has nominated Solomon his successor.
2. Zadok, Nathan, and Benaiah, have been appointed to set him on the king’s mule.
3. They have taken him to Gihon, and anointed him there.
4. They have brought him up to Jerusalem and placed him on the throne of the kingdom.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Verily, or, but, or, nay but, i.e. the matter is not as thou expectest, but quite contrary.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, verily,…. Or, “nay, but” k it is not so as you imagine; it is not good tidings, but bad tidings to thee I bring:
our lord King David hath made Solomon king; of which he gives the following account in proof of it.
k “nequaquam”, V. L. Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Jonathan replied: , “yea but,” corresponding to the Latin imo vero , an expression of assurance with a slight doubt, and then related that Solomon had been anointed king by David’s command, and the city was in a joyous state of excitement in consequence ( as in Rth 1:19), and that he had even ascended the throne, that the servants of the king had blessed David for it, and that David himself had worshipped and praised Jehovah the God of Israel that he had lived to see his son ascend the throne. The repetition of three times (1Ki 1:46-48) gives emphasis to the words, since every new point which is introduced with raises the thing higher and higher towards absolute certainty. The fact related in 1Ki 1:47 refers to the words of Benaiah in 1Ki 1:36 and 1Ki 1:37. The Chethib is the correct reading, and the Keri an unnecessary emendation. The prayer to God, with thanksgiving for the favour granted to him, was offered by David after the return of his anointed son Solomon to the royal palace; so that it ought strictly to have been mentioned after 1Ki 1:40. The worship of grey-headed David upon the bed recalls to mind the worship of the patriarch Jacob after making known his last will (Gen 47:31).
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(43) And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, Verily our lord king David hath made Solomon king. (44) And the king hath sent with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and they have caused him to ride upon the king’s mule: (45) And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon: and they are come up from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang again. This is the noise that ye have heard. (46) And also Solomon sitteth on the throne of the kingdom. (47) And moreover the king’s servants came to bless our lord king David, saying, God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne. And the king bowed himself upon the bed. (48) And also thus said the king, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which hath given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing it. (49) And all the guests that were with Adonijah were afraid, and rose up, and went every man his way.
If the relation of this event of Solomon’s accession to the throne became so alarming to Adonijah and his guests; think, Reader, what terror will appall the souls of sinners at the last day, when Jesus whom they have despised, shall burst forth in the clouds to judgment, and the whole world be summoned by the archangel’s trump to stand before his awful throne! The Holy Ghost hath recorded somewhat of those alarms among the guilty, who despised Jesus in this life, but who will then call to the mountains and rocks to fall on them, and to hide them from his presence. Rev 6:15-17 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
1Ki 1:43 And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, Verily our lord king David hath made Solomon king.
Ver. 43. Verily our lord king David, ] q.d., Good news say you? truly not so good as you think, for all is like to be nought on your side: Postea nullus eris. Afterward it will be nothing.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
And = But.
Jonathan. David’s faithful messenger of 2Sa 15:36 with 2Sa 17:17.
Verily = of a truth; or, truth to tell.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Verily: 1Ki 1:32-40
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
WELCOME THE COMINGSPEED THE GOING KING!
Our lord king David hath made Solomon king
1Ki 1:43
The news of Adonijahs coronation was brought at once, by the faithful Nathan, to the ears of the feeble sovereign. The prophet indignantly inquires. Is this thing done by my lord?
I. Many a man asks a question about matters concerning which he is in no doubt whatsoever.Sometimes he asks a question in order to convey information in that indirect manner. Sometimes he uses the interrogative form as the more respectful method of seeking directions which he knows are ready to be given. Sometimes he speaks in that way for the purpose of making more evident the propriety of the negative. A question is not always to be considered as an evidence of a doubting mind. This should be borne in mind by us in our giving and in our hearing questions; also in our reading of the Bible questions and in our very modes of private prayer. The Bible is full of questionings: What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? If God be for us, who can be against us? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Questions in our approaches to God in prayer may be the best guard against doubting. Lord, I have often turned to Thee in trouble, and never have turned in vain. Shall I come to Thee doubtingly at this time? Lord, I have Thy promise for this very hour of need. Can I not claim that promise from Thee? Questioning may at one time be a proof that there is no doubting, as well be a proof of doubt at another time. And there was no doubt in the mind of the old king. The king sware, and said, Even as I sware unto thee; even so will I certainly do this day. The fire of his prompter years seemed, for a moment, to return to David. Instinctively he apprehended that it would avail nothing for him, in his decrepitude, to attempt, in his own name, to put down so formidable a rising; so with admirable decision, he sent for Zadok, who remained loyal, and Benaiah and Nathan, to bring forth Solomon, putting him on the kings own mule, and surrounding him with the insignia of rank, in order that he might be made monarch, and at once invested with supreme authority.
II. Was it not kingly of the old man to say that his promise should be made good?The word of Gods royal representative ought to be a sure word. There ought to be no need of doubt concerning it. However it may be with any earthly representative of God, on a throne or off a throne, the word of God Himself does stand sure. One of His promises can be rested on when all the universe seems going to ruin. David said he would not lie to God; says that He cannot lie. Davids word did hold good in this instance. Gods word holds good in every instance. Yet there are plain promises of God which not all his children count sure.
III. Gladly was the new sovereign welcomed.The enthusiastic people came up the road after him, piping with pipes, and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them. This was heard by Adonijah and his guests; fear and consternation put an end to their eating, and filled them with unutterable alarm. Each of the insurrectionists fled his own way. Adonijah fled, and laid hold upon the horns of the altar. There Solomon found him, pitied and pardoned him, magnanimously dismissing him uninjured to his own house, promising him good if he behaved himself.
The coronation of Solomon, amid joy that made the earth ring, again carries the heart on to the moment when the Lord Jesus shall be proclaimed as King, not only of His Church, but of the world. Then shall trembling take hold on His foes, and the earth itself shall break into song.
Illustrations
(1) When a man must go forth to leave the duties of his earthly station, it is becoming that he should carefully consider in whose hands he shall leave them.
When a man has an important question to decide, he seldom loses anything by inviting his wife to assist at the conference.
When a man is called to the test, he ought not to be long in making good his promises, if it is in his power to do so.
When a man is nearing the point of death, it is folly to defer doing as he has promised until the future. So will I certainly do, this day.
When a man has humbled himself to do, it will seldom harm his wife to humble herself to thank him.
When a man is nearing the point of death, such a cry as Let my lord king David live for ever, has its very serious aspects.
(2) The solemnity of Davids appeal to the Most High is increased by the memory of his own personal obligations to Him Who had rescued his life from all the perils and troubles to which he had been exposed from the persecution of Saul. While it was temporal deliverances which David here had in mind, his language may suggest to us our own obligations, not only for providential favours, but for spiritual and everlasting mercies. David here, as elsewhere (cf. Psalms 18), recognises the hand of God in his preservation from past dangers and his elevation to the throne, attributing it, not to his own skill or valour, but to Gods goodness. In the time of his prosperity he did not forget, as men so often do, Him whose aid he had invoked in the time of his distress.