Adonijah
(my Lord is Jehovah).
The fourth son of David by Haggith, born at Hebron while his father was king of Judah. (2 Samuel 3:4) (B.C. about 1050.) After the death of his three brothers, Amnon, Chileab and Absalom, he became eldest son; and when his father’s strength was visibly declining, put forward his pretensions to the crown. Adonijah’s cause was espoused by Abiathar and by Joab the famous commander of David’s army.
[Joab] His name and influence secured a large number of followers among the captains of the royal army belonging to the tribe of Judah, comp. (1 Kings 1:5) and these, together with all the princes except Solomon, were entertained by Adonijah at the great sacrificial feast held “by the stone Zoheleth, which is by En-rogel.” [EN-ROGEL] Apprised of these proceedings, David immediately caused Solomon to be proclaimed king, (1 Kings 1:33,34) at Gihon.
[Gihon] This decisive measure struck terror into the opposite party, and Adonijah fled to the sanctuary, but was pardoned by Solomon on condition that he should “show himself a worthy man.” (1 Kings 1:52) The death of David quickly followed on these events; and Adonijah begged Bath-sheba to procure Solomon’s consent to his marriage with Abishag, who had been the wife of David in his old age.
(1 Kings 1:3) This was regarded as equivalent to a fresh attempt on the throne [Absalom; Abner]; and therefore Solomon ordered him to be put to death by Benaiah. (1 Kings 2:25) A Levite in the reign of Jehoshaphat. (2 Chronicles 17:8) The same as Adonikam. (Nehemiah 10:16) [Adonikam, Or Adonikam]
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia on Adonijah
Adonijah ad-o-ni'-ja ('adhoniyahu or 'adhoniyah, "my lord is Yahweh"): ⇒See a list of verses on ADONIJAH in the Bible. (1) The son of David and Haggith, the forth of David's sons, born in Hebron after David became king of Judah, principally known for his attempt to become king instead of Solomon (2Sa 3:4; 1Ch 3:2; 1Ki 1:1-53 and 1Ki 2:1-46). The record gives no details concerning Chileab, the son of David and Abigail. Leaving him out, Adonijah was the oldest living son of David, after the death of Amnon and Absalom. In treating the record it has been needlessly obscured by neglecting or distorting the time data. It says that the rebellion of Absalom broke out "at an end of forty years" (2Sa 15:7). The natural meaning is not forty years after the last-mentioned preceding date, but at the close of the fortieth calendar year of the reign of David. Since David reigned 40 1/2 years (2Sa 5:4-5), the close of his fortieth calendar year was the beginning of has last year. That the date intended was at the beginning of a vernal year is confirmed by the references to the season (2Sa 17:19,28).…
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible on Adonijah
1. The name of the fourth son of David (2 S .3^ 1 Ch 3^). After the death of Absalom, Adonijah, who was next in order of birth, naturally regarded himself as the heir to the throne. His expectation was doubtless shared by the nation, and seems to have been for a time encouraged by his father. The situation had brcn altered, however, by the introduction of Bath- sb(,ba into the royal harem, and by tlie birth of Solomon. The inlluence and the ambition of this latest of David's queens rendered it certain that Adonijah would encounter a dangerous rival in his younger brother. It was probably his knowledge that intrigues against his interests were being carried on in the harem that led to the premature and ill-starred attempt of Adonijah to seize the crown before his father's death. The narrative (1 K 1 and 2) is from the same pen as the section in 2 S which contains the story of Absalom's rebellion, and is evidently the work of one who had access to trustworthy sources of information. There are several features of resemblance be- tween the two nanatives ; and the two chief actors therein…
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia