1 Kings 1:5
in 1 Kings 1At 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.
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This verse in 1 Kings 1
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
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
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.
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
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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַאֲדֹנִיָּ֧ה | vaadoniyah | and Adonijah | H138 → | 26 times |
| בֶן־ | ven- | [the] son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| חַגִּ֛ית | chagit | Haggith | H2294 → | 5 times |
| מִתְנַשֵּׂ֥א | mitnase' | [was] exalting himself | H5375 → | 656 times |
| לֵאמֹ֖ר | lemor | <to> saying | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֲנִ֣י | ʾani | I | H589 → | 874 times |
| אֶמְלֹ֑ךְ | ʾemlokh | I will become king | H4427 → | 348 times |
| וַיַּ֣עַשׂ | vaiyaas | and he acquired | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| ל֗וֹ | lo | for himself | ||
| רֶ֚כֶב | rekhev | a chariot | H7393 → | 119 times |
| וּפָ֣רָשִׁ֔ים | ufarashim | and horsemen | H6571 → | 57 times |
| וַחֲמִשִּׁ֥ים | vachamishim | and fifty | H2572 → | 163 times |
| אִ֖ישׁ | ʾish | man | H376 → | 1663 times |
| רָצִ֥ים | ratzim | [were] running | H7323 → | 103 times |
| לְפָנָֽיו׃ | lefanav | <to> before him | H6440 → | 2123 times |
וַאֲדֹנִיָּ֧הand Adonijah
vaadoniyahH138 →26 times
בֶן־[the] son of
ven-H1121 →4930 times
חַגִּ֛יתHaggith
chagitH2294 →5 times
מִתְנַשֵּׂ֥א[was] exalting himself
mitnase'H5375 →656 times
לֵאמֹ֖ר<to> saying
lemorH559 →5305 times
אֲנִ֣יI
ʾaniH589 →874 times
אֶמְלֹ֑ךְI will become king
ʾemlokhH4427 →348 times
וַיַּ֣עַשׂand he acquired
vaiyaasH6213 →2628 times
ל֗וֹfor himself
lo
רֶ֚כֶבa chariot
rekhevH7393 →119 times
וּפָ֣רָשִׁ֔יםand horsemen
ufarashimH6571 →57 times
וַחֲמִשִּׁ֥יםand fifty
vachamishimH2572 →163 times
אִ֖ישׁman
ʾishH376 →1663 times
רָצִ֥ים[were] running
ratzimH7323 →103 times
לְפָנָֽיו׃<to> before him
lefanavH6440 →2123 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
Luke 14:11For 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.”
- Luke 18:14
Through
1 Chronicles 29:1Then 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.
- 1 Chronicles 22:5
Through
1 Kings 1:11Then 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;
- 2 Samuel 3:4
Where this verse is studied
On this page
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About 1 Kings

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.
