1 Kings 1:9
in 1 Kings 1And Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fattened calves near the stone of Zoheleth, which is next to En-rogel. He invited all his royal brothers and all the men of Judah who were servants of the king.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fatlings by the stone of Zoheleth, which is beside En-rogel; and he called all his brethren, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah, the king’s servants:
KJV
And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle 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:
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This verse in 1 Kings 1
Commentary
5 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Adonijah’s feast was probably of a sacrificial character, and intended to inaugurate him as king. Compare the “sacrifices” of Absalom 2Sa 15:12. Zoheleth - No satisfactory explanation has been given of this name. Large blocks of stone always attract attention in the East, and receive names which are often drawn from some trivial circumstance. Sinai and Palestine are full of such “Hajars,” which correspond to the “Ebens” or “stones” of Holy Scripture. (Compare Gen 28:22; Jos 4:9; 1Sa 6:14.) For En-Rogel, see the margin reference.
This site's exposition
near the stone of Zoheleth
on 1 Kings 1:9-10
Adonijah sacrifices “sheep, oxen, and fattened calves near the stone of Zoheleth, which is next to En-rogel”, a coronation feast held outside the city. He invites “all his royal brothers and all the men of Judah”. He leaves out Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men and his brother Solomon.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
) at En-rogel, not far from Jerusalem; his guests were the king's sons, and the king's servants, whom he feasted and caressed to bring them over to his party; but Solomon was not invited, either because he despised him or because he despaired of him,
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Slew sheep and oven - Making a royal feast, in reference to his inauguration. As he had Abiathar the priest with him, no doubt these animals were offered sacrificially, and then the guests fed on the flesh of the victims. He had not only a splendid feast, but a great sacrifice; and he gave by this a popular color to his pretensions, by affecting to receive his authority from God.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
And his brother Shlomo, he did not invite. For he knew that the prophet had prophesied about him that he would reign.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
23 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּזְבַּ֣ח | vaiyizbach | and he sacrificed | H2076 → | 134 times |
| אֲדֹנִיָּ֗הוּ | ʾadoniyahu | Adonijah | H138 → | 26 times |
| צֹ֤אן | tzon | sheep | H6629 → | 274 times |
| וּבָקָר֙ | uvakar | and cattle | H1241 → | 183 times |
| וּמְרִ֔יא | umeri' | and fatling | H4806 → | 8 times |
| עִ֚ם | ʾim | near | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| אֶ֣בֶן | ʾeven | [the] stone of | H68 → | 273 times |
| הַזֹּחֶ֔לֶת | hazochelet | <the> Zoheleth | H2120 → | |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| אֵ֖צֶל | ʾetzel | [was] beside | H681 → | 61 times |
| עֵ֣ין | ʾein | En | H5883 → | |
| רֹגֵ֑ל | rogel | Rogel | H5883 → | |
| וַיִּקְרָ֗א | vaiyikra' | and he invited | H7121 → | 733 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אֶחָיו֙ | ʾechav | brothers his | H251 → | 630 times |
| בְּנֵ֣י | benei | [the] sons of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| וּלְכָל־ | ulekhol- | and <to> all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אַנְשֵׁ֥י | ʾanshei | [the] men of | H582 → | 566 times |
| יְהוּדָ֖ה | yehudah | Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
| עַבְדֵ֥י | ʾavdei | [the] servants of | H5650 → | 799 times |
| הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
וַיִּזְבַּ֣חand he sacrificed
vaiyizbachH2076 →134 times
אֲדֹנִיָּ֗הוּAdonijah
ʾadoniyahuH138 →26 times
צֹ֤אןsheep
tzonH6629 →274 times
וּבָקָר֙and cattle
uvakarH1241 →183 times
וּמְרִ֔יאand fatling
umeri'H4806 →8 times
עִ֚םnear
ʾimH5973 →1050 times
אֶ֣בֶן[the] stone of
ʾevenH68 →273 times
הַזֹּחֶ֔לֶת<the> Zoheleth
hazocheletH2120 →
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
אֵ֖צֶל[was] beside
ʾetzelH681 →61 times
עֵ֣יןEn
ʾeinH5883 →
רֹגֵ֑לRogel
rogelH5883 →
וַיִּקְרָ֗אand he invited
vaiyikra'H7121 →733 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
אֶחָיו֙brothers his
ʾechavH251 →630 times
בְּנֵ֣י[the] sons of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְthe king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
וּלְכָל־and <to> all
ulekhol-H3605 →5413 times
אַנְשֵׁ֥י[the] men of
ʾansheiH582 →566 times
יְהוּדָ֖הJudah
yehudahH3063 →819 times
עַבְדֵ֥י[the] servants of
ʾavdeiH5650 →799 times
הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃the king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 15:8The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is His delight.
it leads to
- Proverbs 15:29
The LORD is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous.
- 1 Chronicles 29:17
I know, my God, that You test the heart and delight in uprightness. All these things I have given willingly and with an upright heart, and now I have seen Your people who are…
- Proverbs 21:27
The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable—how much more so when brought with ill intent!
- Isaiah 1:10–15
Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah!
- Jeremiah 6:20
What use to Me is frankincense from Sheba or sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable; your sacrifices do not please Me.”
- Proverbs 15:29
Through
2 Samuel 17:17Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En-rogel, where a servant girl would come and pass along information to them. They in turn would go and inform King David, for they dared not be…
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 15:36
Indeed, their two sons, Ahimaaz son of Zadok and Jonathan son of Abiathar, are there with them. Send them to me with everything you hear.”
- 2 Samuel 15:27
The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer? Return to the city in peace—you with your son Ahimaaz, and Abiathar with his son Jonathan.
- Joshua 15:7
Then the border went up to Debir from the Valley of Achor, turning north to Gilgal, which faces the Ascent of Adummim south of the ravine. It continued along the waters of En-shemesh and…
- 2 Samuel 15:36
Where this verse is studied
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About 1 Kings
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.