The story of Adonijah and Solomon fighting over Abishag is found in 1 Kings chapter 2. To summarize the background, David was old and feeble, and his servants brought a young woman named Abishag to care for him and keep him warm at night. However, the Bible specifies that David did not have intimate relations with Abishag (1 Kings 1:4).
When David was nearing death, his son Adonijah declared himself king even though David had already chosen Solomon as his successor. After David died and Solomon became king, Adonijah approached Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, and asked her to ask Solomon for permission to marry Abishag. However, Solomon saw through this request and knew it was Adonijah’s way of trying to assert his claim to the throne. Marrying a king’s wife or concubine was considered an act only a king could rightly do. So Solomon ordered Adonijah to be killed for this request (1 Kings 2:13-25).
At surface level, it may seem like this conflict was simply about marrying Abishag. But the deeper issue was that Adonijah still wanted to try to take the throne away from Solomon. By asking to marry one of David’s concubines, Adonijah knew he was making a power play for the kingship. Solomon likely saw Adonijah as a threat that needed to be definitively removed. So while Abishag was the outward reason, the real issue was the power struggle for the right to be king.
Here are some key points that provide evidence this was about more than just Abishag:
- Adonijah already had his eye on the throne earlier and tried to declare himself king before Solomon was officially appointed (1 Kings 1:5-53). This shows his ambition.
- Abishag had not even had relations with David, so marrying her would not have fulfilled any normal desires for Adonijah.
- Asking to marry one of the king’s wives was a clear power move that only another king could get away with.
- Solomon specified that Adonijah’s request was essentially asking for the kingdom (1 Kings 2:22).
- Solomon saw Adonijah as a threat and found a reason to execute him.
Adonijah likely knew asking to marry Abishag could provoke Solomon, but he was willing to take the risk because he still desired the throne. Unfortunately for Adonijah, Solomon saw right through the ploy and reacted swiftly to eliminate the threat. This story shows how seriously kings guarded their power and how the practice of marrying a predecessor’s wife was reserved only for those already in power.
While we do not have insight into every motivation, the evidence strongly suggests Adonijah was testing Solomon and making a last-ditch effort to assert his right to the throne when he requested Abishag. This was not merely about attraction to Abishag or fulfilling normal marital desires. It was a calculated political move that cost Adonijah his life. The issue on the surface was Abishag, but the deeper, driving issue was truly who had the rightful claim as king over Israel.
1. Adonijah’s Prior Ambition for the Throne
To understand the actions of Adonijah and Solomon, it is important to see Adonijah’s earlier attempts to make himself king even when David was still alive. 1 Kings 1:5-10 describes how Adonijah began boasting that he would be king and exalting himself. He even held a great sacrificial feast and invited certain guests in order to gain influence and power behind his self-promotion. However, Adonijah did not invite Solomon or those loyal to Solomon, showing his intentions were not good.
Additionally, 1 Kings 1:11-27 relates how Nathan the prophet and Bathsheba both encouraged David to declare Solomon king and fulfill his earlier promise. They knew Adonijah was already trying to make himself king even though David had not chosen him. So David declared Solomon king and organized a great procession to install Solomon on the throne (1 Kings 1:38-53). This initial rebellion was suppressed, but it showed Adonijah’s heart and ambition.
This background provides critical context for understanding Adonijah’s later request for Abishag. He already tried to seize the kingdom once, so Solomon had good reason to be suspicious of Adonijah’s motives. Given his prior actions, Adonijah’s request involving Abishag was rightly perceived as another effort to take the throne.
2. Abishag Had No Relations with David
The Bible makes it clear that while David received care from Abishag, he did not actually have marital relations with her. 1 Kings 1:1-4 explains that David was old and frail, and Abishag was brought in to be his servant and nurse. Verse 4 emphasizes, “the king knew her not.” The phrase “knew her not” refers to not having sexual intercourse (cf. Genesis 4:1).
So Adonijah’s request to marry Abishag could not have been driven by a normal desire for intimacy or relations with a woman. She was not even David’s true wife or concubine. Adonijah’s interest in Abishag had to be about something else – staking claim to royal power.
3. Marrying a King’s Wife Was a Power Move
During this time, marrying one of the previous king’s wives or concubines was a symbolic act that asserted one’s claim to the throne. When Abner had relations with one of Saul’s concubines, Ish-bosheth saw this as taking Saul’s kingdom (2 Samuel 3:6-11). Absalom publicly had relations with David’s concubines to show his rebellion and usurpation from David (2 Samuel 16:21-22). So Adonijah was attempting to follow the same playbook to seize power from Solomon.
The practice of marrying a predecessor’s wives appears to signify that someone was assuming the full royal authority of the previous king. So Adonijah’s request to marry Abishag – even though she was not really David’s wife – would have been perceived as an effort to take the kingdom from Solomon. Only a king could rightly marry another king’s wife.
4. Solomon Saw This as Requesting the Kingdom
When Solomon heard of Adonijah’s request, he immediately saw it represented something greater than just marriage to Abishag. 1 Kings 2:22 records Solomon’s words:
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.
Solomon said asking for Abishag was essentially asking for the kingdom. He knew exactly what Adonijah was trying to do – make a power play for the throne by doing something only the king could rightly do. So the issue was definitely not merely about Abishag herself.
5. Solomon Saw Adonijah as a Threat
If this was simply about marrying Abishag, Solomon could have forbid the marriage or punished Adonijah in a less severe manner. But he immediately ordered Adonijah’s execution, saying “God do so to me and more also if this word does not cost Adonijah his life” (1 Kings 2:23). This drastic action indicates Solomon perceived Adonijah as a legitimate threat who needed to be eliminated.
Solomon also put Abiathar the priest to death and removed Joab from his military position due to their loyalty to Adonijah (1 Kings 2:26-35). Solomon was decisively removing anyone who could pose a challenge to his power. This ruthless response shows the issue was ultimately about firming up Solomon’s kingship, not just about Abishag.
6. Adonijah Was Willing to Risk His Life
Adonijah certainly knew that asking to marry one of David’s concubines could be perceived as making a play for the throne. But he was willing to take the risk because he still desired the kingship for himself. The request either would have worked to elevate his status, or he would be put to death. So Adonijah’s boldness further indicates his motivation went beyond just relations with Abishag.
As a summary, Adonijah clearly had ambition for the throne from the beginning. His request involving Abishag neatly aligned with common practice for claiming royal power. Solomon immediately recognized the deeper meaning of the request. And Solomon’s decisive response proves he saw Adonijah as a true threat, not just someone interested in Abishag. When all the evidence is considered, it is clear the driving issue was really a power struggle for control of the kingdom.
7. Illustration of Guarding Royal Power
This account provides a good illustration of how seriously kings guarded their power and authority. Any potential threats were dealt with harshly and decisively. Marrying a predecessor’s wife or concubine was a known way to assert royal right. So Solomon instantly recognized Adonijah’s ploy and moved to eliminate him.
While as Christians we may be troubled by Solomon’s harsh treatment, this story provides insight into the intense dynamics around succession and kingly power during that era. Rulers had to firmly establish their authority. So ultimately, the conflict was about stamping out challenges to Solomon’s kingship, not specifically punishing interest in Abishag.
The author of 1 Kings likely included this account to provide background for the transition from David to Solomon as king. This drama over Abishag showed the ruthlessness that was sometimes necessary to secure the throne without question or challengers. While shocking to modern sensibilities, in that cultural context, Solomon was behaving as expected of kings at that time to protect his power.
8. A Warning Against Deception and Ambition
Though the practice of marrying a former king’s wife is foreign to our context today, this account still contains timeless warnings against deception, ambition, and impure motivations. Adonijah crafted his request as something innocent on the surface, but it was actually meant to elevate his status at the expense of Solomon’s rightful authority.
This account warns against deceptive methods and secret, selfish ambition. As Christians, our actions and requests should be sincere, not cloaking ulterior motives. Though we may not relate directly to the royal dynamics, we can still learn from this story and examine our own motivations to make sure they are pure.
9. God’s Sovereignty Overcomes Human Schemes
A final perspective is that ultimately God was in control, despite all the scheming. Solomon clearly saw Adonijah as a threat and seemed to rely on his own wisdom and authority in responding. But the author of 1 Kings wanted the reader to understand that Solomon’s kingship was established by God’s decree first and foremost. No challenge could upend God’s choice.
David had already made clear that Solomon was God’s chosen successor (1 Kings 1:30). No crafty human effort like Adonijah’s could override the will of God. So this conflict highlights how God’s sovereignty supersedes human ambition, even when it may not seem immediately obvious. The following chapters of 1 Kings continue to make clear that Solomon’s reign unfolded according to God’s purposes.
As Christians, we can take comfort knowing that God’s will cannot ultimately be thwarted. There will always be human resistance and schemes, but God reigns supreme over human authorities. So we should view political dynamics through the lens of God’s sovereign plan.
Conclusion
In summary, the conflict between Adonijah and Solomon over Abishag went far deeper than just marrying a woman. It was actually a veiled power play by Adonijah to try to assert kingly authority and take the kingdom from Solomon. Adonijah was willing to risk his life because he still desired the throne. Solomon saw through this scheme and decisively acted to eliminate the threat. While shocking to modern sensibilities, this account showed how seriouslyclaims to royal power were guarded in ancient Israel. The issue on the surface was Abishag, but the deeper driving force was maintaining and securing Solomon’s right to rule.
Ultimately, this drama highlighted human ambition and deception. But it also displayed God’s sovereignty over earthly kingdoms. However, as Christians, we must evaluate such acts in light of God’s full revelation in the New Testament. While this story provides insight into ancient politics, for believers today, it is most useful for gaining wisdom, not modeling behavior.