28 Then King David said , "Call Bathsheba to me." And she came into the king's presence and stood before the king . 29 The king vowed and said , " As the Lord lives , who has redeemed my life from all distress , 30 surely as I vowed to you by the Lord the God of Israel , saying , 'Your son Solomon shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place '; I will indeed do so this day ." 31 Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground , and prostrated herself [1]before the king and said , " May my lord King David live forever ."
32 Then King David said , "Call to me Zadok the priest , Nathan the prophet , and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada ." And they came into the king's presence . 33 The king said to them, "Take with you the servants of your lord , and have my son Solomon ride on my own mule , and bring him down to Gihon . 34 "Let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there as king over Israel , and blow the trumpet and say , ' Long live King Solomon !' 35 "Then you shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne and be king in my place ; for I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah ." 36 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said , "Amen ! Thus may the Lord , the God of my lord the king , say . 37 " As the Lord has been with my lord the king , so may He be with Solomon , and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David !" 38 So Zadok the priest , Nathan the prophet , Benaiah the son of Jehoiada , the Cherethites , and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David's mule , and brought him to Gihon . 39 Zadok the priest then took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon . Then they blew the trumpet , and all the people said , " Long live King Solomon !" 40 All the people went up after him, and the people [2]were playing on flutes and rejoicing with great joy , so that the earth [3]shook at their noise .
41 Now Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished eating . When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet , he said , "Why [4]is the city making such an uproar ?" 42 While he was still speaking , behold , Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came . Then Adonijah said , "Come in, for you are a valiant man and bring good news ." 43 But Jonathan replied to Adonijah , "No ! Our lord King David has made Solomon king . 44 "The king has also sent with him Zadok the priest , Nathan the prophet , Benaiah the son of Jehoiada , the Cherethites , and the Pelethites ; and they have made him ride on the king's mule . 45 "Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon , and they have come up from there rejoicing , so that the city is in an uproar . This is the noise which you have heard . 46 "Besides , Solomon has even taken his seat on the throne of the kingdom . 47 "Moreover , the king's servants came to bless our lord King David , saying , 'May your God make the name of Solomon better than your name and his throne greater than your throne !' And the king bowed himself on the bed . 48 "The king has also said thus , 'Blessed be the Lord , the God of Israel , who has granted one to sit on my throne today while my own eyes see it."'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Kings 1:28-48
Commentary on 1 Kings 1:11-31
(Read 1 Kings 1:11-31)
Observe Nathan's address to Bathsheba. Let me give thee counsel how to save thy own life, and the life of thy son. Such as this is the counsel Christ's ministers give us in his name, to give all diligence, not only that no man take our crown, Revelation 3:11, but that we save our lives, even the lives of our souls. David made a solemn declaration of his firm cleaving to his former resolution, that Solomon should be his successor. Even the recollection of the distresses from which the Lord redeemed him, increased his comfort, inspired his hopes, and animated him to his duty, under the decays of nature and the approach of death.
Commentary on 1 Kings 1:32-53
(Read 1 Kings 1:32-53)
The people expressed great joy and satisfaction in the elevation of Solomon. Every true Israelite rejoices in the exaltation of the Son of David. Combinations formed upon evil principles will soon be dissolved, when self-interest calls another way. How can those who do evil deeds expect to have good tidings? Adonijah had despised Solomon, but soon dreaded him. We see here, as in a glass, Jesus, the Son of David and the Son of God, exalted to the throne of glory, notwithstanding all his enemies. His kingdom is far greater than that of his father David, and therein all the true people of God cordially rejoice. The prosperity of his cause is vexation and terror to his enemies. No horns of the altar, nor forms of godliness, nor pretences to religion, can profit those who will not submit to His authority, and accept of his salvation; and if their submission be hypocritical, they shall perish without remedy.