Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 1:6
And his father 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] bore him after Absalom.
6. had not displeased him at any time ] Had never administered a rebuke whatever wrong act he might have done. We may almost judge that Absalom was in like manner a spoilt child, brought under no correction.
a very goodly man] A fine and commanding figure was no small recommendation for an aspirant to a throne. Compare the account of Saul’s personal appearance (1Sa 9:2).
and his mother bare him after Absalom ] The Hebrew has ‘and she bare him &c.,’ the italics his mother being added in A.V. to mark that the verb in the original is feminine. The same device is adopted in Num 26:59. But the English of the A.V. in the present passage might be taken to mean that Absalom and Adonijah were both sons of Haggith, whereas Absalom’s mother (2Sa 3:3) was Maacah, daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur. It is better to render and he was born, thus avoiding any ambiguity.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Had not displeased him – i. e. His father had never checked or thwarted him all his life.
A very goodly man – Here, too, Adonijah resembled Absalom 2Sa 14:25. The Jews, like the other nations of antiquity, regarded the physical qualities of rulers as of great importance, and wished their kings to be remarkable for strength, stature, and beauty 1Sa 9:2. Adonijahs personal advantages no doubt helped to draw the people to him.
His mother … – i. e. Haggith bare Adonijah after Maacah bare Absalom 2Sa 3:3-4. The words in italics are not in the original; hence, some, by a slight alteration, read David begat him.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
His father had not displeased him at any time: this is noted as Davids great error, and the occasion of Adonijahs presumption. Why hast thou done so? he neither restrained him from, nor reproved him for his miscarriages; which was a great sin against that plain law, Lev 19:17, and severely punished in Eli, which David was not ignorant of, except Adonijahs errors were small, or concealed from David.
He also: this particle relates, either, first, To Absalom here following, who also was a goodly man. Or rather, secondly, To what goes before, to signify that this was a second ground of his confidence, because his great comeliness made him amiable in the peoples eyes, as his fathers indulgence was the first.
After Absalom, i. e. next after Absalom was born of his mother: see 2Sa 3:3,4.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And his father had not displeased him at any time,…. Always humoured him in everything, let him have his own way and will, and granted him what he desired, and never corrected him for his faults, or made him ashamed, as the Targum, by telling him of them, and chastising him for them; this was not to the credit of David, being guilty of the same sin with Eli; and on this Adonijah presumed much, that he would not contradict and countermand in this as he had not in other things before:
in saying, why hast thou done so? never so much as asked a reason of his conduct, so far was he from reproving him for it:
and he [also] was a very goodly [man]; of a comely countenance, tall and well proportioned, as his brother Absalom, and which was another thing on which he built his hopes of succeeding in his enterprise; for in those times, as in later times, and other nations, a comely aspect and personable appearance recommended a man to the choice of the people for a supreme magistrate, [See comments on 1Sa 9:2];
and [his mother] bare him after Absalom; not that the same woman bore him as did Absalom; for Absalom’s mother was Maachah, this man’s Haggith; but she bore him after Absalom’s mother had bore him, so that he was next son; and now Amnon, Chileab, or Daniel, and Absalom, being all dead, he was the eldest son living, and upon this he founded his claim to the throne, and his hope of succeeding.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
6. His father had not displeased him By attempting to correct his youthful follies and ambitious actions. Here was one of David’s weaknesses. His parental tenderness ran away with his judgment, and caused him many sorrows.
At any time , from his days; that is, from Adonijah’s days. All his life David had allowed him to have his own way. Schmidt, Keil, and others understand “from his days” to refer to the days of Adonijah’s ambitious movements to attain the throne; but if that were the meaning, the phrase in question would seem entirely superfluous.
A very goodly man That is, good-looking. Like Absalom his brother, whose beauty was praised in all the gates of Israel. 2Sa 14:25.
His mother bare him after Absalom His mother Haggith bore him after Maacah had borne Absalom.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Ki 1:6. And his father had not displeased him at any time Strange weakness in parents and cruelty to their children, to suffer them to become incorrigible in error, or inveterate in vice, rather than restrain and correct them while correction is kindness! An extreme indulgence to his children, seems to have been one of David’s greatest failings. Houbigant renders the last clause of the verse, and he was born to, or begotten by David after Absalom: for not Haggith, but Maacah, was the mother of Absalom. 2Sa 3:3.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
1Ki 1:6 And his father 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.
Ver. 6. And his father had not displeased him at any time. ] Heb., From his days, i.e., from his childhood; therefore he displeased his father in his age; little caring to crush his heart when now bedridden, by his disloyalty and usurpation. But thus was still fulfilled what had been forethreatened. 2Sa 12:11
In saying, Why hast thou done so?
And he also was a very goodly man.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
his mother: i.e. “Haggith”. See 1Ki 1:5.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
had not: 1Sa 3:13, Pro 22:15, Pro 23:13, Pro 23:14, Pro 29:15, Heb 12:5, Heb 12:6
at any time: Heb. from his days
very: 1Sa 9:2, 1Sa 10:23, 2Sa 14:25
bare him: 2Sa 3:3, 2Sa 3:4, 1Ch 3:2
Reciprocal: Jdg 18:7 – magistrate 1Sa 2:23 – Why 2Ch 11:23 – dispersed Heb 12:7 – for what
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Ki 1:6-7. His father had not displeased him at any time This is mentioned as Davids great error, and the occasion of Adonijahs presumption. In saying, Why hast thou done so? He had neither restrained him from, nor reproved him for his miscarriages, which David knew was a great sin. He also was a very goodly man This was a second ground of his confidence, because his great comeliness made him amiable in the peoples eyes. His mother bare him after Absalom This is mentioned as a third reason why he expected the crown. Absalom being dead, he was next to him in order of birth. See 2Sa 3:3-4. He conferred with Joab and with Abiathar Whom it is likely he knew to be two discontented persons; the former on account of Davids putting Amasa in his place, and the other because he saw Zadok in greater favour than himself. They helped him Probably, not so much because they thought the right of the crown was his, as with a view to oppose Solomon, and to secure and advance their own interest. It seems that God left them to themselves, to correct them for former miscarriages, with a rod of their own making.