Introduction
1 Kings 2:1–12: As he prepares to die, David gives final instructions to his son Solomon. These instructions include obedience to the Law of Moses as well as naming those Solomon is to put to death.
Today’s Key Verse: 1 Kings 2:3a
[David said to Solomon:] “Do what the LORD your God orders you to do. Obey all his laws and commands, as written in the Law of Moses.”
Read
2 When David was about to die, he called his son Solomon and gave him his last instructions: 2 “My time to die has come. Be confident and determined, 3 and do what the Lord your God orders you to do. Obey all his laws and commands, as written in the Law of Moses, so that wherever you go you may prosper in everything you do. 4 If you obey him, the Lord will keep the promise he made when he told me that my descendants would rule Israel as long as they were careful to obey his commands faithfully with all their heart and soul.
5 “There is something else. You remember what Joab did to me by killing the two commanders of Israel’s armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. You remember how he murdered them in time of peace as revenge for deaths they had caused in time of war. He killed innocent men, and now I bear the responsibility for what he did, and I suffer the consequences. 6 You know what to do; you must not let him die a natural death.
7 “But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai from Gilead and take care of them, because they were kind to me when I was fleeing from your brother Absalom.
8 “There is also Shimei son of Gera, from the town of Bahurim in Benjamin. He cursed me bitterly the day I went to Mahanaim, but when he met me at the Jordan River, I gave him my solemn promise in the name of the Lord that I would not have him killed. 9 But you must not let him go unpunished. You know what to do, and you must see to it that he is put to death.”
10 David died and was buried in David’s City. 11 He had been king of Israel for forty years, ruling seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. 12 Solomon succeeded his father David as king, and his royal power was firmly established.
Reflect
According to verse 4, what promise is stated by David? To whom is Solomon to show kindness and why (verse 7)? In verse 8, David mentions being cursed by a man named Shimei (see 2 Samuel 16:5–13 and 2 Samuel 19:16–23, as well as Exodus 22:28). A curse is the opposite of a blessing, and a person who cursed another was asking for destruction to happen to that person. Once spoken, a curse (like a blessing) could not be taken back. It may be that David feared that the curse against him might now come down upon Solomon, and the only way to nullify it was to kill the person who made it. What are your thoughts about what David is asking Solomon to do?
Pray
Holy God, I seek to obey all your laws and commands. Strengthen my faith each day and guide me in the way of your truth. In your holy name, I pray. Amen.
Tomorrow’s Reading
1 Kings 4:20–34: Solomon’s reign is prosperous.
