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1 Kings 1:5

in 1 Kings 1

At that time Adonijah, David’s son by Haggith, began to exalt himself, saying, “I will be king!” And he acquired chariots and horsemen and fifty men to run ahead of him.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV

ASV

Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

KJV

Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

This verse in 1 Kings 1

Commentary

6 notes on this verse
The narrative concerning - Abishag, the Shunammite (see the margin reference “a”), is introduced as necessary for a proper understanding of Adonijah’s later history (see 1Ki 2:13-25.) But even as it stands, it heightens considerably the picture drawn of the poor king’s weak and helpless condition, of which Adonijah was not ashamed to take advantage for his own aggrandizement. Adonijah was born while David reigned at Hebron, and was therefore now between thirty-three and forty years of age. He was David’s fourth son, but had probably become the eldest by the death of his three older brothers.

This site's exposition

I will be king

on 1 Kings 1:5-6

Adonijah exalts himself, and the narrator hands the reader the cause before he hands the verdict: his father had not displeased him at any time, one of Scripture's few explicit judgments on a parent's failure. The chariots, horsemen and fifty men who run before him repeat David's son Absalom's own self-coronation almost word for word from 2 Sam 15:1, so Adonijah stages the same rebellion his half brother staged, this time without a war. Verse six adds that his mother bare him after Absalom, placing him next in birth order and next in the pattern.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

This entail Adonijah attempted by force to cut off, in contempt both of God and his father. Thus is the kingdom of Christ opposed, and there are those that say, "We will not have him to reign over us." 2.

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)

proposed

Then - Upon notice of the desperateness of the king's disease, and the approach of his death. Exalted - Entertained high thoughts and designs. I will - As the right of the kingdom is mine, ver. 6, so I will now take possession of it.
Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself,....

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

Adonijah the son of Haggith - Who this woman was we know not; Adonijah was evidently David’s eldest son now living, and one of whom his father was particularly fond; see 1Ki 1:6. Prepared him chariots and horsemen - He copied the conduct of his brother Absalom in every respect. See 2Sa 15:1.

The words behind it

15 Hebrew words

Every 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.

  • וַאֲדֹנִיָּ֧הand Adonijah

    vaadoniyahH13826 times

  • בֶן־[the] son of

    ven-H11214930 times

  • חַגִּ֛יתHaggith

    chagitH22945 times

  • מִתְנַשֵּׂ֥א[was] exalting himself

    mitnase'H5375656 times

  • לֵאמֹ֖ר<to> saying

    lemorH5595305 times

  • אֲנִ֣יI

    ʾaniH589874 times

  • אֶמְלֹ֑ךְI will become king

    ʾemlokhH4427348 times

  • וַיַּ֣עַשׂand he acquired

    vaiyaasH62132628 times

  • ל֗וֹfor himself

    lo

  • רֶ֚כֶבa chariot

    rekhevH7393119 times

  • וּפָ֣רָשִׁ֔יםand horsemen

    ufarashimH657157 times

  • וַחֲמִשִּׁ֥יםand fifty

    vachamishimH2572163 times

  • אִ֖ישׁman

    ʾishH3761663 times

  • רָצִ֥ים[were] running

    ratzimH7323103 times

  • לְפָנָֽיו׃<to> before him

    lefanavH64402123 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    Luke 14:11

    For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

    it leads to

    • Luke 18:14

      I tell you, this man, rather than the Pharisee, went home justified. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

    • Matthew 23:12

      For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

    • Proverbs 29:23

      A man’s pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor.

    • James 4:6

      But He gives us more grace. This is why it says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

    • 1 Peter 5:5

      Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

  • Through

    1 Chronicles 29:1

    Then King David said to the whole assembly, “My son Solomon, the one whom God has chosen, is young and inexperienced. The task is great because this palace is not for man, but for…

    it leads to

    • 1 Chronicles 22:5

      And David said, “My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the LORD must be exceedingly magnificent—famous and glorious throughout all lands. Therefore I must make preparations for…

    • 1 Kings 3:7

      And now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king in my father David’s place. But I am only a little child, not knowing how to go out or come in.

  • Through

    1 Kings 1:11

    Then Nathan said to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, “Have you not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has become king, and our lord David does not know it?

    it leads to

    • 2 Samuel 3:4

      his fourth was Adonijah, the son of Haggith; his fifth was Shephatiah, the son of Abital;

Where this verse is studied

On this page

Studies2

On this chapter

About 1 Kings

The Judgment of Solomon, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
The Judgment of Solomon, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.

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 (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil, The Books of the Kings and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.