We come to 1 Kings 2, a chapter I never read without thinking of the scene near the end of the movie Godfather 1. June and I saw it when it came out in 1972. I think I read the book when I was on a remote tour in Turkey early in my Air Force career, September 1970 – September 1971. “The Baptism Scene” juxtaposes Michael, heir of the Corleone crime family, and his wife Kay in a huge cathedral at the baptism of their baby with Michael’s lieutenants taking out enemies of Michael and the family. The result of the carnage is that Michael is firmly in control. It’s a powerful scene, not for the faint of heart.

Even though Solomon is King of Israel, God’s chosen people, not the head of a crime family, securing power is no mean feat.

The chapter opens with David giving final instructions to Solomon, starting with a call for obedience:

When David’s time to die approached, he charged his son Solomon, saying, “I’m about to go the way of all the earth, but you—be strong; show what you’re made of! Do what GOD tells you. Walk in the paths he shows you: Follow the life-map absolutely, keep an eye out for the signposts, his course for life set out in the revelation to Moses; then you’ll get on well in whatever you do and wherever you go. Then GOD will confirm what he promised me when he said, ‘If your sons watch their step, staying true to me heart and soul, you’ll always have a successor on Israel’s throne.'” (1 Kings 2.1 – 4, MSG)

Then David gives explicit instruction (see 1 Kings 2.5 – 9):

• Take out Joab for the murders of two commanders of Israel’s army
• Show generosity to Barzillai in return for his hospitality
• Deal with Shimei who cursed David when he was fleeing Absalom

Then David dies, and before Solomon can tend to Joab and Shimei, Adonijah pops up, asking Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, if he can marry Abishag, David’s concubine. We know from our readings the significance of sleeping with the king’s concubines. Ish-bosheth loses the civil war to David over a flap with his general, Abner, over one of Saul’s concubines. Absalom demonstrates his contempt for his father, King David, by sleeping with David’s concubines. And now Adonijah is making a power play involving Abishag. He tells Bathsheba:

You know that I had the kingdom right in my hands and everyone expected me to be king, and then the whole thing backfired and the kingdom landed in my brother’s lap—GOD’s doing. (1 Kings 2.15, 16, MSG)

He then asks Bathsheba to ask Solomon for Abishag, which she does. Solomon sees through the ruse and tells his mother:

What kind of favor is this, asking that Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah? Why don’t you just ask me to hand over the whole kingdom to him on a platter since he is my older brother and has Abiathar the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah on his side!…May God do his worst to me if Adonijah doesn’t pay for this with his life! As surely as GOD lives, the God who has set me firmly on the throne of my father David and has put me in charge of the kingdom just as he promised, Adonijah will die for this—today! (1 Kings 2.22 – 24, MSG)

And who does it? Benaiah – the lion in a pit on a snowy day guy!

King Solomon dispatched Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he struck Adonijah and he died. (1 Kings 2.25, MSG)

Then Benaiah takes out Joab per David’s instructions (see 1 Kings 2.26 – 35).

Solomon warns Shimei to stay in Jerusalem. But three years later he left to look for his escaped slaves. No more Shimei:

Solomon then called for Shimei and said, “Didn’t I make you promise me under GOD, and give you a good warning besides, that you would not leave this area? That if you left you would have decreed your own death sentence? And didn’t you say, ‘Oh, thank you—I’ll do exactly as you say’? So why didn’t you keep your sacred promise and do what I ordered?” Then the king told Shimei, “Deep in your heart you know all the evil that you did to my father David; GOD will now avenge that evil on you. But King Solomon will be blessed and the rule of David will be a sure thing under GOD forever.” The king then gave orders to Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he went out and struck Shimei dead. (1 Kings 2.42 – 46, MSG)

And the chapter ends with:

The kingdom was now securely in Solomon’s grasp. (last part of verse 46)

The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3.8, ESV)

But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. (1 Corinthians 15.23 – 25, ESV)