(13) And Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably. (14) He said moreover, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And she said, Say on. (15) And he said, Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign: howbeit the kingdom is turned about, and is become my brother's: for it was his from the LORD. (16) And now I ask one petition of thee, deny me not. And she said unto him, Say on. (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. (18) And Bathsheba said, Well; I will speak for thee unto the king. (19) Bathsheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king's mother; and she sat on his right hand. (20) Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; I pray thee, say me not nay. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother: for I will not say thee nay. (21) And she said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother 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. (23) Then king Solomon sware by the LORD, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life. (24) Now therefore, as the LORD liveth, which hath established me, and set me on the throne of David my father, and who hath made me an house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death this day. (25) And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he fell upon him that he died.
Unless we take into our account certain circumstances which very probably operated on the mind of Adonijah, as well as the probability that this Shunammite had been really married to David, by which the intention of Adonijah was incestuous, the great displeasure of Solomon cannot be well explained. Solomon was appointed by the Lord to the kingdom, as the successor of his father, and therefore we find that during the rebellion of Adonijah he appeared as one not anxious for the event. But now he is king, and his throne fully established, wherefore doth he take alarm at Adonijah's request? But it will throw a light upon the subject if we suppose, as hath been conjectured by some, that the Shunammite was betrothed to David, though, from his age and imbecility, it is said he knew her not. Yet the proposed alliance with his son Adonijah, if granted, would have led to incest. But, beside this, the object put on another appearance, as it respected the kingdom. When Absalom usurped the crown, it was the advice of Ahithophel that he should go in unto his father's concubines, by way of intimating publicly that he and his father were in hatred. See 2 Samuel 16:20-21. Hence this attempt of Adonijah to do the same respecting Abishag, Solomon considered as implying the same. And as Solomon was so eminent for wisdom, he discovered this design, and crushed it in the bud. But, Reader, let you and I gather improvement from it, and consider how much it behoves us to bring every enemy, both secret and open, under the feet of Jesus.