Bible Strands
1 Kings 1:38
Then Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, along with the Cherethites and Pelethites, went down and set Solomon on King David’s mule, and they escorted him to Gihon.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator records a succession event during David’s reign when Zadok, Nathan, Benaiah, and their guards escort Solomon to Gihon to establish his kingship.
The words — The Hebrew verb וַיֵּרֶד (va.yēreḏ) translates literally as “he went down,” marking the descent to the spring. The name צָדוֹק (Ṣāḏōq) identifies the priest who initiates the procession.
The thread — These same leaders appear in 1 Kings 1:8 as officials who refused to support Adonijah, and Benaiah is separately noted in 2 Samuel 8:18 as commanding the Cherethites and Pelethites.
Why it lands — The passage requires a reader to see that the transfer of royal authority in this narrative depends on coordinated movement to a specific water site rather than a formal ceremony.
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
So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David’s mule, and brought him to Gihon.
Cross-references
- 2 Samuel 8:18 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and Pelethites; and David’s sons were priestly leaders.
- 1 Kings 1:8 But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s mighty men would not join Adonijah.
- 1 Samuel 30:14 We raided the Negev of the Cherethites, the territory of Judah, and the Negev of Caleb, and we burned down Ziklag.”
- 2 Samuel 15:18 and all his servants marched past him—all the Cherethites and Pelethites, and six hundred Gittites who had followed him from Gath.
- 2 Samuel 20:20 “Far be it!” Joab declared. “Far be it from me to swallow up or destroy!
- 1 Kings 1:26 But me your servant he has not invited, nor Zadok the priest, nor Benaiah son of Jehoiada, nor your servant Solomon.
- 1 Kings 1:33 “Take my servants with you,” said the king. “Set my son Solomon on my own mule and take him down to Gihon.
- 1 Chronicles 18:17 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief officials at the king’s side.
- Zephaniah 2:5 Woe to the dwellers of the seacoast, O nation of the Cherethites! The word of the LORD is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines: “I will destroy you, and no one will be left.”