Fg – David’s Last Charge to Solomon First Kings 2:1-9

David’s Last Charge to Solomon
First Kings 2:1-9

David’s last charge to Solomon DIG: What kind of king does David want Solomon to be? What does this say about David? When was David given the promise referred to in verse 4 (Second Samuel 7:12-13 and 16)? Why does he want it fulfilled? What kind of advice does David give in verses 5-9? What divisions always plagued him (see Second Samuel 2:4, 10-17, 5:3-5, 15:13-14)? Why did Joab kill Abner (see Second Samuel 17:24-26, 19:10-13)? Is David really against vengeance? Why did Shim’i curse David (Second Samuel 16:5-8)? How will David set aside Shim’i’s curse?

REFLECT: When you face tough situations in your life, where do you turn? Only one person at a time can sit on the throne of your heart? Who’s on your throne? You? Or Jesus? Do you find it hard to “forgive and forget?” Do you hold grudges? How does the desire for vengeance, even if justified, affect your life? What factions do you find at your place of worship? Are political games played? Does unity mean conformity?

970 BC

David served God’s purpose in his own generation (Acts 13:36), but he was also concerned about Solomon and the next generation. David had his enemies, some of whom were in his own household and inner circle, and he wanted to be certain that the new king didn’t inherit old problems. During his long reign of forty years, David had unified the nation, defeated their enemies, successfully organized kingdom affairs, and made more than adequate preparation for the building of the Temple.⁵⁴⁷

There can be no doubt that much of Solomon’s early spiritual vitality and dedication to YHVH may be attributed to David’s deep personal relationship with ADONAI and a desire to honor Him. So David’s legacy to Solomon was therefore much more than a great kingdom with secure borders, tributary nations, and considerable wealth and prestige. Far more importantly, he installed in Solomon a love for God and His Word.

David’s last, private, instructions to Solomon came in two parts. The first had to do with Solomon’s spiritual life in verses 2-4, where the king summarized the message of Deuteronomy and reminded his son of God’s promise and exhortation: When your days come to an end and you sleep with your ancestors, I will establish one of your descendants to succeed you, one of your own flesh and blood; and I will set up his rulership. He will build a house for My name, and I will establish his royal throne forever. I will be a father for him, and he will be a son for Me. If he gets punished: nevertheless, my grace will not leave him, as I took it away from Sha’ul, whom I removed before you. (2 Sam 7:12-16 CJB). The second gives instruction concerning the nature of unfinished business pertaining to Joab, to Shim’i, and to the sons of Barzillai in verses 5-9.⁵⁴⁸

When the time drew near for David to die, he gave his last charge to Solomon his son (First Kings 2:1). The TaNaKh records the last words of Jacob (Genesis 49); Moses (Deuteronomy 33); Joshua (Joshua 23:1-24:27) and David.

Solomon’s spiritual life: The old king was on his deathbed, and he knew it, saying: I am about to go the way of all the earth. Then he proceeds to give his last will and testament. Solomon was a young man who had lived a sheltered life, so David knew he needed this instruction, “Be strong, and act like a godly man. Observe the charge of ADONAI your God to go in His ways and keep His regulations, mitzvot, rulings and instructions in accordance with what is written in the Torah of Moshe” (First Kings 2:2-3a CJB). In his famous last words, David used seven different terms to describe the Word of God (charge, ways, regulations, mitzvot, rulings, instructions, and the Torah). Each of these terms comes from the Word of God itself (Deut. 4:29, 6:1-2, 8:6, 11:1 and 29:9). Each term has a slightly different emphasis. But David’s main point in using all these different words is that his son should live by every word that comes from the mouth of ADONAI.

There was not one situation Solomon would face in his life as a man or the ruler of his kingdom that the Bible would not address in some practical way. The same is true for us. God’s Word teaches us how to think, how to speak, and how to live. It tells us what to love and what to hate. It shows us how to glorify God forever. When we use the Bible as our “owner’s manual,” it will help make us the godly men and godly women were created to be.

If Solomon kept God’s charge, ways, regulations, mitzvot, rulings, instructions and Torah, God promised that he would succeed spiritually in all he did, wherever he went. David knew what he was talking about. If we want to have God’s blessing, we must walk in God’s ways. The same principle holds true for us, especially if we define success in biblical terms. This doesn’t mean then we won’t ever suffer, or that every difficulty we face in life is the direct result of our own personal sin. But it does mean that obedience has God’s blessing. We may experience this blessing in our relationships, as the Word of God teaches us how to love. We may experience this blessing in our homes as the Word of God teaches us how to take care of our family. We may experience His blessing in our daily lives, as the Word of God teaches us how to work hard and pursue excellence. But whether we have success in the workplace or not, we will certainly be successful spiritually. Obeying the Word of God will keep us close to the Holy Spirit; it will help us bring more people to Messiah, and it will show us more of the glory of God.⁵⁴⁹

David also reminded his son of the special covenant Ha’Shem had made with his family (to see link click Ct – The LORD’s Covenant with David). ADONAI would fulfill what He promised to David when He said: If your children pay attention to how they live (Wow, did David ever learn that lesson the hard way.), conducting themselves before me honestly with all their heart and being, you will never lack a man on the throne of Isra’el (First Kings 2:3b-4 CJB). The covenant was unconditional with respect to its ultimate goal of bringing the Messiah from the line of David, but each individual king needed to live in obedience to God’s Word in order to experience the blessing of ADONAI.⁵⁵⁰ In other words, the king would be disciplined if he lived in disobedience to the Torah, but would always be loved. The subsequent history of the nation then seems to confirm the promise. By the end of Kings the monarchy is no more, and both the northern kingdom of Isra’el and the southern kingdom of Judah were in exile (as Deuteronomy 4:25-28 had foretold).

So what kind of promise did Ha’Shem really give to David? Was it conditional or unconditional? Did the establishment of David’s throne depend on Solomon keeping the covenant or not? These questions are answered for us in the gospel of Yeshua Messiah, who is the final Son (descendant) of David. The sad truth about Solomon is that, like his father David, he did not fully obey God’s Word. Solomon started well, but he declined into idolatry, greed and immorality. And to one degree or another, the same was true of every last king in Isra’el. They all failed to walk in God’s ways and to keep God’s Torah.

All except Jesus, that is. Jesus of Nazareth was the only Son (descendant) of David who was faithful to God’s covenant, keeping all 613 of His charges, ways, regulations, mitzvot, rulings, instructions and Torah (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Dg – The Completion of the Torah). This is why God’s promises to David were both conditional and unconditional. They were conditional because the king was required to be obedient to God’s Word; but they were unconditional because YHVH knew that one day a King would come and fulfill His rulings perfectly. The dynasty would be established on the basis of the full and perfect obedience of Yeshua, and thus God’s absolute promise would not fail.

At the end of His perfect, promise-fulfilling life, Jesus had some famous last words of His own – words that offered forgiveness to His enemies and promised paradise to anyone who trusted in Him. Then Messiah finished his saving work by dying on the cross, suffering the violence and death that we deserve for our sins. This was not the end, however, because Yeshua rose from the dead to take His eternal throne.⁵⁵¹

Unfinished Business: David knew that there was danger lurking in the shadows of the kingdom, and he warned Solomon to act immediately and deal with two dangerous men. Men like Joab and Shim’i would continue to be a menace to the young king and to the peace of the country. Joab, the commander of David’s army was the first to be named. Now you yourself know what Joab did to me (see Dz – Joab Kills Absalom), and what he did to the two commanders of Isra’el’s armies, Abner (see Ck – Joab Murders Abner) and Amasa (see Ee – Sheba Rebels Against David: The Murder of Amasa). He killed them, shedding their blood in peacetime as if in battle, and with that blood he stained the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet. The murders were committed when peace reigned in the Land; or by treachery under the mask of friendship. And all that might have been forgiven, but when Joab supported Adonijah in his quest for the throne (see En – Adonijah Sets Himself Up as King), that could not be forgiven. David knew that Joab would be a threat to Solomon. So he advised: Deal with him according to your wisdom, but do not let his grey head go down to Sh’ol or die a natural death (First Kings 2:5-6).

The second dangerous man was Shim’i. He was a Benjamite, a relative of Sha’ul who wanted Sha’ul’s line restored to the throne. And remember Shim’i who called down bitter curses on me the day I went to Mahanaim (see Ds – Shim’i Curses David). Later, when David returned to power, Shim’i humbled himself before the king and David forgave him. When he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the LORD, “I will not put you to death by the sword.” The threat of Shim’i to Solomon was twofold. First, David doubtless made this promise in a moment of profound relief that the kingdom had been restored to him. But must have later realized that Shim’i’s “repentance” was not sincere and that he could a potential threat to the young king. But now, do not consider him innocent. You are a man of wisdom; you will know what to do to him. But more importantly, Shim’i embodied the continuing threat of Benjamin and the ten northern tribes Isra’el that David was never quite sure how deep their loyalty was. Shim’i’s seemingly out-of-control act was a gesture that had powerful political forces behind it. Therefore, David counseled his son, “Bring his gray head down to the grave in blood “ (First Kings 2:8-9).⁵⁵²

David not only remembered dangerous men like Joab and Shim’i, but he also remembered faithful men like Barzillai. Barzillai, a wealthy landowner, who stood by me when I fled from your brother Absalom (see Ed – David Returns to Yerushalayim: Barzillai the Gileadite). Solomon was obligated to continue to pay what the royal family owed this man who intervened on David’s behalf at a poignant and dangerous moment. David had wanted to reward Barzillai with a place at his table, but the old man preferred to die in his own hometown. Barzillai asked David to give the honor to his son Khimham, but now David instructed Solomon to care for Khimham’s sons. But show kindness to the grandchildren of Barzillai and let them be among those who eat at your table (First Kings 2:7).