This is part 3 (or 4, including the introduction) of my Melachim series. Please read the other sheets as well!
To recap: Two powerful coalitions were created towards the end of David's reign. One was trying to appoint Adoniah as David's successor, while the other chose Shlomo. David made a decision to support Shlomo, and in chapter 1 of Melachim, he is crowned as the heir to throne.
(י) וַיִּשְׁכַּב דָּוִד עִם אֲבֹתָיו וַיִּקָּבֵר בְּעִיר דָּוִד. (יא) וְהַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר מָלַךְ דָּוִד עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה בְּחֶבְרוֹן מָלַךְ שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים וּבִירוּשָׁלִַם מָלַךְ שְׁלֹשִׁים וְשָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים. (יב) וּשְׁלֹמֹה יָשַׁב עַל כִּסֵּא דָּוִד אָבִיו וַתִּכֹּן מַלְכֻתוֹ מְאֹד.
Shlomo begins his reign. His kingdom is established firmly... until the old coalition begins to rise again.
(יז) וַיֹּאמֶר אִמְרִי נָא לִשְׁלֹמֹה הַמֶּלֶךְ כִּי לֹא יָשִׁיב אֶת פָּנָיִךְ וְיִתֶּן לִי אֶת אֲבִישַׁג הַשּׁוּנַמִּית לְאִשָּׁה.
(כב) וַיַּעַן הַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה וַיֹּאמֶר לְאִמּוֹ וְלָמָה אַתְּ שֹׁאֶלֶת אֶת אֲבִישַׁג הַשֻּׁנַמִּית לַאֲדֹנִיָּהוּ וְשַׁאֲלִי לוֹ אֶת הַמְּלוּכָה כִּי הוּא אָחִי הַגָּדוֹל מִמֶּנִּי וְלוֹ וּלְאֶבְיָתָר הַכֹּהֵן וּלְיוֹאָב בֶּן צְרוּיָה.
(17) And he said: ‘Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king—for he will not say thee nay—that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife.’
(22) And king Solomon answered and said unto his mother: ‘And why dost thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? ask for him the kingdom also; for he is mine elder brother; even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah.’
At first, it seems that the king is overreacting. Shlomo's reaction, however, can be explained with a few stories.
Reuven violates his father's wife to show that he is bechor Ya'akov, the leading son of Jacob.
Avshalom's behavior was a ploy to be recognized as the successor of his father. He wanted to show that he had complete control over David's kingdom. What better way to do that than to emphasize his control over David's wives?
Shlomo clearly reads Adoniah behavior in the same fashion. He realizes that the old followers of Adoniah may start a rebellion. To counteract this uprising before it starts, Shlomo orders a flurry of punishments:
First Adoniah is killed...
Then Yoav is punished for his support of Adoniah...
(א) וַיְהִי הַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה מֶלֶךְ עַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל.
(ד) וּבְנָיָהוּ בֶן יְהוֹיָדָע עַל הַצָּבָא וְצָדוֹק וְאֶבְיָתָר כֹּהֲנִים.
(1) And king Solomon was king over all Israel.
(4) and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the host; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests;
Evyatar is exiled to Anatot, banished from the capital city, until the dust clears. Once the rebellion is nipped in the bud, however, he is allowed to enter Jerusalem again.
Shimei was an enemy of David. He lives in the territory of Benjamin, and Shlomo quickly realizes that it is too dangerous to let him talk with Evyatar. So, Shlomo forces him to move to the capital, and then places him under house arrest.
After all the executions of insubordinate officials, Shlomo's kingdom is finally secure.
Thanks for reading!
This was the last installment of Unit A in my Melachim series, which over the course of four source sheets talked about the succession crisis at the end of David's rule. Look for a new sheet starting Unit B!