Bible Strands
1 Kings 1:25
For today he has gone down and sacrificed an abundance of oxen, fattened calves, and sheep, and has invited all the sons of the king, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest. And behold, they are eating and drinking before him, saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Nathan addresses King David, reporting Adonijah’s public feast and proclamation of kingship while David still lives. The moment captures a succession crisis as royal brothers, military commanders, and the priest Abiathar gather to acclaim Adonijah.
The words — יָרַד (ya-rad) means “he has gone down,” marking Adonijah’s descent to the site of sacrifice. לְרֹב (le-rav) means “in abundance,” quantifying the oxen, fatlings, and sheep offered for the occasion.
The thread — The banquet repeats Adonijah’s earlier sacrifice at the stone of Zoheleth (1 Kings 1:9) and echoes the invitation of the king’s sons (1 Kings 1:19). It stands in contrast to Saul’s divinely sanctioned acclamation (1 Samuel 10:24) by showing a politically engineered coronation.
Why it lands — The text records guests eating, drinking, and shouting “Long live King Adonijah,” while deliberately excluding David’s chosen heir and his loyal servants. It demands the reader distinguish between human political consolidation and authorized succession, requiring clear-eyed assessment of who truly holds divine mandate.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
For he is gone down this day, and hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the king’s sons, and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they eat and drink before him, and say, God save king Adonijah.
Cross-references
- 1 Samuel 10:24 Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the one the LORD has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.” And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”
- 1 Kings 1:9 And Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fattened calves near the stone of Zoheleth, which is next to En-rogel. He invited all his royal brothers and all the men of Judah who were servants of the king.
- 1 Kings 1:19 And he has sacrificed an abundance of oxen, fattened calves, and sheep, and has invited all the other sons of the king, as well as Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of the army. But he has not invited your servant Solomon.
- 1 Samuel 11:14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingship there.”
- 2 Samuel 16:16 And David’s friend Hushai the Archite went to Absalom and said to him, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”
- 1 Kings 1:34 There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet are to anoint him king over Israel. You are to blow the ram’s horn and declare, ‘Long live King Solomon!’
- 2 Kings 11:12 Then Jehoiada brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, presented him with the Testimony, and proclaimed him king. They anointed him, and the people clapped their hands and declared, “Long live the king!”
- 1 Chronicles 29:13 Now therefore, our God, we give You thanks, and we praise Your glorious name.
- 1 Chronicles 29:21 The next day they offered sacrifices and presented burnt offerings to the LORD: a thousand bulls, a thousand rams, and a thousand lambs, along with their drink offerings, and other sacrifices in abundance for all Israel.
- 2 Chronicles 23:11 Then Jehoiada and his sons brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, presented him with the Testimony, and proclaimed him king. They anointed him and shouted, “Long live the king!”