Solomon is born
David and Bathsheba's first child died because the LORD utterly scorned the deed David did in killing Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites then taking his wife. David fasted until the child died to see if the LORD would be gracious, but he cleaned up and worshiped and ate again when the child died, as, "I shall go to him, but he will not return to me."
David comforted his wife, Bathsheba, and went in to her and lay with her, and she bore a child. He called his name Solomon. The LORD loved him and sent a message by Nathan the prophet, so he called his name Jedidah because of the LORD.
The Shulammite remembers the apple tree under which Bathsheba bore Solomon. "Under the apple tree I awakened you. There your mother was in labor with you; there she who bore you was in labor. (Song of Solomon 8:5)
God came to him in a dream and granted him wisdom, wealth, and a long life. He ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt. (1 Kings 4:21) He had dominion over all the region west of the Euphrates from Tiphsah to Gaza, over all the kings west of the Euphrates. (1 Kings 4:24) He had peace on all sides of him. (1 Kings 4:24-25)
Solomon prophesied as the King of Israel
Nathan the prophet spoke the LORD's word to David, a prophecy that seems to refer to both Solomon and Jesus: "When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever." (2 Samuel 7:12-16)
Solomon's coronation
Nathan the prophet, Bathsheba, and King David responded to Adonijah's self-exaltation as king. David called Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, “Take with you the servants of your lord and have Solomon my son ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon. And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet there anoint him king over Israel. Then blow the trumpet and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ You shall then come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne, for he shall be king in my place. And I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.”
Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered, “Amen! May the Lord, the God of my lord the king, say so. As the Lord has been with my lord the king, even so may he be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.”
They and the Cherethites and Pelethites went down to Gihon as Solomon rode on King David's mule. Zadok anointed him with the horn of oil from the tent, and they blew the trumpet. All the people said, "Long live King Solomon!" and went up after him, playing on pipes, and rejoicing so loudly, Joab could hear it in En-rogel during Adonijah's feast.
Adonijah learned of Solomon's coronation and went and took hold of the horns of the altar. Solomon was told Adonijah said, "Let King Solomon swear to me first that he will not put his servant to death with the sword," and Solomon replied, "If he will show himself a worthy man, not one of his hairs shall fall to the earth, but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die.” King Solomon had him brought down from the altar and, after he paid homage, sent him to his house.
Solomon receives David's parting advice
When David's time to die drew near, he commanded Solomon, "I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, that the LORD may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, 'If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.'" He also told Solomon that Joab avenged in time of peace for blood shed in war, so he told him to act according to his wisdom but not to let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace. He told him to deal loyally with the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite and let them eat at his table for the loyalty they gave David as he fled from Absalom. He also told him Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, cursed him with a grievous curse, so though David had promised not to kill him, Solomon should bring his gray head down with blood to Sheol. (1 Kings 2:1-9)
Adonijah asks for Abishag the Shunammite as wife
Bathsheba came to King Solomon. He rose to meet her and bowed then sat on his throne and had a seat brought out for her on his right. She said, "I have one small request to make of you; do not refuse me." He said, "Make your request, my mother, for I will not refuse you." She said, "Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as his wife." Solomon answered, "And why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also, for he is my older brother, and on his side are Abiathar the priest and Joab the son of Zeruiah." Also, "God do so to me and more also if this word does not cost Adonijah his life! Now therefore as the LORD lives, who has established me and placed me on the throne of David my father, and who has made me a house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death today." He sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada to strike him down.
He told Abiathar the priest, "Go to Anathoth, to your estate, for you deserve death. But I will not at this time put you to death, because you carried the ark of the Lord GOD before David my father, and because you shared in all my father's affliction."
It was told King Solomon, "Joab has fled to the tent of the LORD, and behold, he is beside the altar." So he sent Benaiah to strike him down. He returned, telling him that Joab refused to come out and wanted to die there. Solomon replied, "Do as he has said, strike him down and bury him, and thus take away from me and from my father's house the guilt for the blood that Joab shed without cause. The LORD will bright back his bloody deeds on his own head, because, without the knowledge of my father David, he attacked and killed with the sword two men more righteous and better than himself, Abner the son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah. So shall their blood come back on the head of Joab and on the head of his descendants forever. But for David and for his descendants and for his house and for his throne there shall be peace from the LORD forevermore." Benaiah left to strike him down.
Solomon put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada over the army in place of Joab, and he put Zadok the priest in Abiathar's place.
Solomon summoned Shimei and told him to build a house in Jerusalem and dwell there without leaving. The day he crosses the brook Kidron, he can know for certain that he shall die. Shimei agreed, but three years later, Solomon was told Shimei had visited Gath. He summoned Shimei and told him, "Did I not make you swear by the LORD and solemnly warn you, saying, 'Know for certain that on the day you go out and go to any place whatever, you shall die'? And you said to me, 'What you say is good; I will obey.' Why then have you not kept your oath to the LORD and the commandment with which I commanded you?" Also, "You know in your own heart all the harm that you did to David my father. So the LORD will bring back your harm on your own head. But King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the LORD forever." He sent Benaiah to strike Shimei down.
(1 Kings 2)
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Bathsheba crowned King Solomon on the day of his wedding. (Song of Solomon 3:11)
Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon; he let out the vineyard to keepers; each one was to bring for its fruit a thousand pieces of silver. (Song of Solomon 8:11)