#Adonijah

[whencyclopedia]

Solomon

According to biblical tradition (and some say myth), King Solomon was the third and last king in the ancient United Kingdom of Israel. Other faiths, such as Islam and Rastafarianism, also embrace the notion of Solomon as a sagacious king and powerful prophet of Israel. He was renowned for his wisdom, his prolific writings, and his building accomplishments. Born around 1010 BCE, Solomon was the tenth son of King David (the second king of ancient united Israel) and the second son of Bathsheba. Like King Saul and King David, King Solomon reigned for 40 years in one of the highest and most prosperous periods in Israel's history - called by many, “The Golden Age” of Israel.

During his reign, Solomon controlled the trade routes coming out of Edom, Arabia, India, Africa, and Judea; he constructed an elaborate and profitable web of alliances (cemented by an enormous assemblage of hundreds of wives and concubines), and he purportedly built the first Temple of God in Jerusalem, which was destroyed (along with the entire city of Jerusalem) by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. Despite initial sovereign successes, the end of Solomon's rule was marked by several insurrections and attacks from both foreign and domestic enemies, as well as a disintegration of national and religious integrity because of cultural appeasements within Israel, which compromised and weakened the social fabric of the United Kingdom. He died in 931 BCE at age 80, possibly the most prosperous and productive king ever to rule over Israel.

The Traditional Story of King Solomon

The story of King Solomon begins with his father, King David, and his mother, Bathsheba. In the Hebrew scriptures, 2 Samuel 3 states that King David, anointed by the Prophet Samuel before King Saul's demise to be his replacement, officially became King of Judea (1010 BCE). Later, 2 Samuel 5 states that (in 1002 BCE) all the elders of Israel approached him to be their ruler, and “The king made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel.” King David's reign lasted 40 years, and like King Saul, it started off better than it ended.

David's initial zeal for God and for ethical integrity paved the way for his early fame and fortune, although being a man of warfare and blood (according to the scriptures), God decided that David was not suitable to be the one to build God's Temple (that would be placed in the hands of his son, Solomon). Moreover, David's illicit affair and subsequent devious actions (leading to the assassination of Uriah the Hittite and its cover-up) complicated the rest of David's reign - along with the rape of Tamar, the murder of Ammon, and the attempted coup of Absalom, among other controversies.

By the end of David's life, he had lost touch with Israelite society and eventually lost political control of it, as well. This led to an attempted coup by his son, Adonijah (whose mother was Haggith, David's fifth wife), who proclaimed himself to be king with the assistance of General Joab and Abiathar the Priest; however, the majority of Israel's institutional agents did not support Adonijah's claim. The Hebrew scriptures state that the Prophet Nathan went first to Bathsheba to alert her to Adonijah's usurpation of the throne, who then went to her husband, King David, to break the troubling news to him. Eventually, the Prophet Nathan joined the two, and King David officially made Solomon his heir apparent. David said, “Assuredly Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place” (1 Kings 1).

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[teamivankaye]

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[kdmiller55]

The Final Words of a Godly Man

22 And they made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and they anointed him as prince for the Lord, and Zadok as priest. 23 Then Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king in place of David his father. And he prospered, and all Israel obeyed him. 24 All the leaders and the mighty men, and also all the sons of King David, pledged their allegiance to King Solomon. 25 And the Lord made…

[biblebloodhound]

Dealing with Injustice (1 Kings 1:28-48)

Everyone faces injustice, and things that are not right, in this life. The trick is to deal with it, without becoming unjust ourselves.

Bathsheba appeals to David, by Arent de Gelder, c.1685 Then King David said, “Call in Bathsheba.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before him. The king then took an oath: “As surely as the Lord lives, who has delivered me out of every trouble, I will surely carry out this very day what I swore to you by the Lord, the God of Israel: Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he…

[lordgodjehovahsway]

1 Kings 2: David Gives Charge To Solomon Before He Dies

1 When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son.

2 “I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, act like a man, 

3 and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go 

4 and that the Lord may keep his promise to me: ‘If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’

5 “Now you yourself know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to the two commanders of Israel’s armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. 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. 

6 Deal with him according to your wisdom, but do not let his gray head go down to the grave in peace.

7 “But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai of Gilead and let them be among those who eat at your table. They stood by me when I fled from your brother Absalom.

8 “And remember, you have with you Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, who called down bitter curses on me the day I went to Mahanaim. 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.’ 

9 But now, do not consider him innocent. You are a man of wisdom; you will know what to do to him. Bring his gray head down to the grave in blood.”

10 Then David rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. 

11 He had reigned forty years over Israel—seven years in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem. 

12 So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his rule was firmly established.

Solomon’s Throne Established

13 Now Adonijah, the son of Haggith, went to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. Bathsheba asked him, “Do you come peacefully?”

He answered, “Yes, peacefully.” 

14 Then he added, “I have something to say to you.”

“You may say it,” she replied.

15 “As you know,” he said, “the kingdom was mine. All Israel looked to me as their king. But things changed, and the kingdom has gone to my brother; for it has come to him from the Lord. 

16 Now I have one request to make of you. Do not refuse me.”

“You may make it,” she said.

17 So he continued, “Please ask King Solomon—he will not refuse you—to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.”

18 “Very well,” Bathsheba replied, “I will speak to the king for you.”

19 When Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah, the king stood up to meet her, bowed down to her and sat down on his throne. He had a throne brought for the king’s mother, and she sat down at his right hand.

20 “I have one small request to make of you,” she said. “Do not refuse me.”

The king replied, “Make it, my mother; I will not refuse you.”

21 So she said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given in marriage to your brother Adonijah.”

22 King Solomon answered his mother, “Why do you request Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? You might as well request the kingdom for him—after all, he is my older brother—yes, for him and for Abiathar the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah!”

23 Then King Solomon swore by the Lord: “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if Adonijah does not pay with his life for this request! 

24 And now, as surely as the Lord lives—he who has established me securely on the throne of my father David and has founded a dynasty for me as he promised—Adonijah shall be put to death today!” 

25 So King Solomon gave orders to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he struck down Adonijah and he died.

26 To Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go back to your fields in Anathoth. You deserve to die, but I will not put you to death now, because you carried the ark of the Sovereign Lord before my father David and shared all my father’s hardships.” 

27 So Solomon removed Abiathar from the priesthood of the Lord, fulfilling the word the Lord had spoken at Shiloh about the house of Eli.

28 When the news reached Joab, who had conspired with Adonijah though not with Absalom, he fled to the tent of the Lord and took hold of the horns of the altar. 

29 King Solomon was told that Joab had fled to the tent of the Lord and was beside the altar. Then Solomon ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada, “Go, strike him down!”

30 So Benaiah entered the tent of the Lord and said to Joab, “The king says, ‘Come out!’”

But he answered, “No, I will die here.”

Benaiah reported to the king, “This is how Joab answered me.”

31 Then the king commanded Benaiah, “Do as he says. Strike him down and bury him, and so clear me and my whole family of the guilt of the innocent blood that Joab shed. 

32 The Lord will repay him for the blood he shed, because without my father David knowing it he attacked two men and killed them with the sword. Both of them—Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army—were better men and more upright than he. 

33 May the guilt of their blood rest on the head of Joab and his descendants forever. But on David and his descendants, his house and his throne, may there be the Lord’s peace forever.”

34 So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up and struck down Joab and killed him, and he was buried at his home out in the country. 

35 The king put Benaiah son of Jehoiada over the army in Joab’s position and replaced Abiathar with Zadok the priest.

36 Then the king sent for Shimei and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and live there, but do not go anywhere else. 

37 The day you leave and cross the Kidron Valley, you can be sure you will die; your blood will be on your own head.”

38 Shimei answered the king, “What you say is good. Your servant will do as my lord the king has said.” And Shimei stayed in Jerusalem for a long time.

39 But three years later, two of Shimei’s slaves ran off to Achish son of Maakah, king of Gath, and Shimei was told, “Your slaves are in Gath.” 

40 At this, he saddled his donkey and went to Achish at Gath in search of his slaves. So Shimei went away and brought the slaves back from Gath.

41 When Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned, 

42 the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the Lord and warn you, ‘On the day you leave to go anywhere else, you can be sure you will die’? At that time you said to me, ‘What you say is good. I will obey.’ 

43 Why then did you not keep your oath to the Lord and obey the command I gave you?”

44 The king also said to Shimei, “You know in your heart all the wrong you did to my father David. Now the Lord will repay you for your wrongdoing. 

45 But King Solomon will be blessed, and David’s throne will remain secure before the Lord forever.”

46 Then the king gave the order to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck Shimei down and he died.

The kingdom was now established in Solomon’s hands.

[devilmen-collector]

TV miniseries: King Solomon the Wise

So I'm having this idea for a while, it could be understood to be a WHB AU that is depicted like a TV miniseries.

Here's the overall synopsis

After a mysterious incident, MC is sent back to the past, to the biblical and historical period of Israelite people under King David, Solomon's father. They become associated with the young Solomon and his mother, Bathsheba. Things get complicated as MC has to navigate through the power struggle within the royal family and political intrigues. Last but not least, they have to deal with their own jealousy seeing Solomon gets together with the devils they love.

I can't write the whole series for this, that's too ambitious for me, but here I write the synopsis for each episode. Story will be based on narratives from the Bible and what I read from Jewish / Ethiopian tradition, with details I add or fix to fit with WHB lore and to include MC's role in the story.

(Reader's POV: you/your)

Episode 1: The Past

You wake up in a dark room and find that you are bound and put lying inside a magic circle. A person in dark hood appears and apologizes before reciting an incantation, the whole room is brightened up by the light of the magic circle.

The next time you open your eyes, you find yourself in a strange place with strange people speaking a strange language, but somehow you are able to understand it. You soon realize you are in the past. When you are lost and don't know where to go (and how to get back to your time period), you are found by Nathan the prophet, who sees resemblances between you and Bathsheba, Prince Solomon's mother. Thinking you are her relative, Nathan takes you to her. You and Bathsheba hit it off and she considers you as her own child. You become her retainer/lady-in-waiting and live in the royal palace. You meet the young Solomon who is secretly studying magic. He asks you to keep it a secret and he will share his knowledge with you, to which you agree.

Episode 2: The Throne

King David has multiple wives before Bathsheba and they gave him many sons before Bathsheba gave birth to Solomon. However, King David has sworn that Solomon would succeed him as king. After the death of the rebellious prince Absalom, the court is divided between Adonijah's faction and Solomon's faction, which in reality is led by Bathsheba because Solomon is still too young. Solomon's faction includes Nathan the prophet, some priests and the soldiers who once fought under King David.

King David is old and ill, and Adonijah takes the chance to proclaim himself king. Nathan the prophet, when he learns that Adonijah is trying usurp the throne, goes in the palace and reminds King David of his oath. King David gathers his men and orders for Solomon to be proclaimed king.

However, no one can find the young prince, Bathsheba asks you to find him, which you manage to do within a short time. Solomon tells you that he's not sure whether he wants to be king or not because of the heavy responsibility and he also wants to enjoy his freedom, but if he doesn't become king, the other faction will kill him and his mother. You say that you can't help Solomon but promise you will stay by his side to offer your (probably insignificant) support.

Solomon is taken to Nathan the prophet and is anointed and proclaimed king. Many men of Adonijah's faction become scared and flee. Adonijah has to surrender and submit to the young Solomon.

Episode 3: Retainer

King David dies and Solomon officially reigns over the kingdom, his mother Bathsheba becomes the Queen Mother. Adonijah asks to marry the young woman who took care of King David before he died (the old king never had sexual relation with her). Solomon takes this as a sign that Adonijah still desires the throne. He comes to you and asks for your opinion. You state your opinion that it might not be Adonijah's intention to attempt to gain the throne through such marriage, but you believe that Adonijah still habors the desire for the throne and there was no way he would give it up easily, at least without a fight. Solomon thanks you for your opinion. The next day, he orders that Adonijah be put to death, along with major members of his faction.

After the death of his rival for the throne, Solomon appoints you as his official retainer. And soon people know that you are his most trusted advisor.

Episode 4: Contract with the devil

Some years later, the kingdom of Egypt allies itself with the angels of God and attacks Jerusalem, putting the whole kingdom in danger. The Israelite army is no match for the Egyptian who has the help of the angelic power. Many just give up and advise Solomon to surrender, to which Solomon rages and says he would put to death whoever advises him to surrender.

Solomon once again comes to you for your opinion. You know that he already has the answer in his mind and you remember the story Satan told you so you tell him to act what he thinks is the best. However, you excuse yourself from meeting the devils with him because you don't want to mess up the timeline, although Solomon takes it that you are too religious to face the devil.

You help Solomon gather the materials needed before leaving him alone when he summons Satan, the king of wrath.

Episode 5: The Devils

Soon enough, with the help of the devils, Solomon is able to defeat the invaders. Solomon is then invited to Hell. Before taking the trip to Hell, Solomon appoints you as the regent. You also tell Solomon that he must not tell the devils your real name if he ever mentions you with them. Solomon then asks what fake name he should give the devils if he happens to mention you, you answer "Ra-on".

Solomon leaves for Hell and you are left in charged of the kingdom for some months. After some time, Solomon returns but you feel something is strange with him. Soon enough, two women bring a child to the king, both claiming to be the mother of the child, Solomon orders for the child to be cut in half. Although the problem is resolved because the real mother is willing to give up the child rather than seeing him dead, you realize the king is not the real Solomon. You summon the priests, and with their help, you are able to expel the devil pretending to be Solomon.

Episode 6: The Temple

The real Solomon finally returns and he begins to gather more virgins to be his wives and concubines. You take it to be the influence of Hell. Although King David did have many wives, it never reached the scale of Solomon.

The angel Lucifer appears to Nathan the prophet, telling him to remind Solomon to build for God a worthy temple, for which God has put Solomon on the throne. You are nearly caught by Lucifer because he can feel the angel's brand, but he has to get back immediately to solve a conflict between his brothers, and so you manage to avoid him.

With the help of the devils, despite their indignation, Solomon manages to build a worthy temple for God.

People start to notice that you look the same even though many years have passed. You decide to wear a mask/veil to hide your face from then on. You come to the conclusion that it must be because you are living in the wrong time period so your body is not growing old.

Episode 7: Envy

God appears to Solomon in a dream, asking for what he desires. God is pleased that Solomon asks for wisdom and He promises to give Solomon many other things. Solomon soon finds favor with God.

Over the years, Solomon keeps going to Hell and back, everytime he tells you, his most trusted friend, what he experiences in Hell, including his sex life. Sometimes, when he does that, you cannot help but feeling envious. You try to hide your emotions behind the mask/veil. Though sometimes you fail to do that and have to ask to return to your room. There are nights when you find yourself waking up and crying alone. You know that they are (or will be) your devils - your lovers. Seeing them with another man, who is both your ancestor and in this timeline, your best friend, breaks your heart.

One day, you ask Solomon whether he loves the devils, in the romantic way. Solomon answer he doesn't. You try to calm your heart but you couldn't. You know many devils love Solomon, and they expect him to return that feeling. You feel anger towards Solomon. Maybe because how you grew up with Minhyeok, you don't feel comfortable with what "friends-with-benefits" signify. You ask to retire for the rest of the day, to which Solomon approves. You return to your room, you let anger, envy, overthinking and other bad emotions to invade you as you shut yourself inside the room.

Episode 8: The Queen of Sheba

Over the years, Solomon only increases his harem of his human women, now including the princesses from surrounding kingdoms, and you are tasked with building new palaces for the new wives and concubines, which greatly adds to your stresses.

The Queen of Sheba comes to Jerusalem because she has heard the wisdom of Solomon and she wants to test him. Solomon passes the test with ease, and the Queen is enamoured with not just Solomon's face and body, but also how wise he is. They have sexual relation and not long after, she is pregnant with his child. This causes an uproar because Solomon has had a child with the monarch of another country, and surrounding countries fear that this may upset the balance in the region if the child is a boy and grows up succeeding both kingdoms.

Fearing another war, you come to the Queen of Sheba and advises her to leave Solomon, because it's the safest option for both her child and the two kingdoms, to which the Queen agrees. The Queen of Sheba leaves and goes back to her kingdom, where she gives birth to a son and names him Menelik.

Upon knowing what you did, Solomon confronts you and you two have a heated arguments, because Solomon has never met a woman who is both beautiful and wise like the Queen of Sheba, and he might have really loved her.

Episode 9: The devils' influence

Thanks to his time in Hell, Solomon manages to stay young for many years, which earns only the disapproval and hatred of people in the royal court. People start to despite Solomon and blame him for any mishap they encounter. And the fact that Solomon started to allow his wives to bring in the worship of other gods didn't help his case.

In time, Nathan the prophet passes away, and even Bathsheba the Queen Mother has become very frail due to her old age. One day, when you were invited to a meal with her, she tells you the story of her first husband, Uriah and how King David became enamoured with her after seeing her bathing, which led to King David summoned her and had sexual relation with her. After they slept together, David cunningly arranged for the death of Uriah so he could legitimately take her. You ask her if she could change the past, would she do it? She answered she was unsure because having the kings listening to her gave her a pretty good feeling. Some time later, Bathsheba also dies, but Solomon couldn't return in time for his mother's funeral, which displeases everyone in the court.

Episode 10: No Answer

Solomon spends most of his time in Hell. And in time, even God moves to Hell. But even then, God is present everywhere and He still gives signs of accepting the sacrifices offered by the priests of the Israelite kingdom.

But one day, no one in Hell can find where God is. He has completely disappeared, along with the mother of devils, Lilith. This escalates the conflict with Heaven, and the Seraphim accuse Hell of killing God, and a great war looming over both sides.

The disappearance of Him affects you too, when the priests receive no sign that the offerings have been accepted, they come to you and ask for guidance. You know the time has come in that point of history and order that the priests keep offering the sacrifices as normal as pretend nothing happened to not cause further chaos.

Meanwhile, you become acquainted with Rehoboam, one of many sons of Solomon.

Episode 11: Chaos

Seeking the ruin of Solomon's kingdom, the angels instigate many men, who are Solomon's subjects, to rise up and rebel against Solomon. The rebellions cause much chaos in the kingdom, and you start to develop migraine trying to solve the chaos.

You know the kingdom needs Solomon back and you have to go to Hell to get him. Knowing that the devils can see your soul and you are afraid of messing up the timeline, you come to the High Priest and ask him to give you a blessing to veil your soul from the devils. The High Priest has his servants make a robe with the Name of God on it and he blesses it. You wear the robe and use magic that you were taught by Solomon during your time spent together to enter Hell.

You are attacked by the devil guard of Gehenna, Cocks, and he intents to kill you, but you tell him you are Solomon's advisor and you come to see him. He takes you to Solomon, who confirms your identity. You tell Solomon that the kingdom is in unprecedented crisis and everyone needs him back. Sitri is suspicious of you because devils can't see your soul, he tells Solomon not to go with you. But Solomon tells him he trusts you. The devils say farewell to Solomon and they force him to promise he will be back. Solomon promises what they want, but he adds if he doesn't come back, someone else will come back in his place, to which the devils protest. Solomon only smiles at them before walking through the portal with you. The fact that Solomon is so loved by devils only fuels your envy even more, but no devil could see it because you are wearing the robe with the Name of God and blessing.

Episode 12: Divided Kingdoms

The Seraph Gabriel appears to a subject of Solomon named Jeroboam and instigate him to rise up against Solomon. His rebellion fails and he flees to Egypt. Gabriel has Michelleel write a prophecy in God's name, which appoints Jeroboam to be king over 10 out of 12 tribes of Israel, leaving only the tribe of Judah for Solomon's descendants.

Solomon meets with his son, Rehoboam, and asks him what we would do as a king in this crisis. Rehoboam's answers of only using force and violence disappoints Solomon and Solomon decides he will have another son as heir.

Solomon decides to contact the Queen of Sheba and have his son, Menelik, come over to be his new heir. Rehoboam learns of this and comes to you for help. You seek out the messenger and takes the letter from him. Since you are Solomon's most trusted retainer, the messenger gives you the letter, which you burn after he left.

However, you realize that you need to silence the messenger, so you send someone to kill him before he manages to return to meet Solomon. Solomon still discovers the murder nonetheless, although he hasn't learned who was behind it. You start to hear a voice in your head telling you to kill Solomon to avoid being exposed and to end your misery, since he is the start of it all.

You find some drugs and put them in Solomon's drink. After drinking from the cup you brought, Solomon becomes weakened. He realizes your betrayal. But before he could use your magic on you, you take the silk curtain and strangle him. As you strangle him, you vent all your anger and jealousy on him, especially about the devils, of whom you said they were left to you in the future because he was dead and couldn't have them anymore, like leftovers being given to a dog.

After Solomon died, you proclaim Rehoboam the new king. Jeroboam also returns from Egypt and most people of the kingdom (10/12 tribes) follow him in their rebellion. The united kingdom is divided into two, the northern Kingdom of Israel, ruled by Jeroboam, and the southern Kingdom of Judah, ruled by Rehoboam.

Jeroboam betrays Gabriel by worshipping other gods, which makes Gabriel angry and write another prophecy that Jeroboam's throne will change to other people not of his descendants many times.

Rehoboam summons you and intends to put you to death, he tells you that you are too powerful to be left alive. Saddened by his betrayal, you use magic to escape and leave the court forever.

Over the next 3000 years, you live with many disguises and identities, you witness the rises and falls of hundreds of kingdoms and empires, the rises and falls of many people, wise and fool alike.

In the present, you gain the information from an Unholyc acquaintance that Asmodeus has returned to Hell. You know that's your cue to act. You need to send your young and naive self to the past to repeat history and replace them in the present.

And that's the whole thing for my TV miniseries idea. Please let me know what you guys think :3

[greater-than-the-sword]

If you ever wonder what Solomon was thinking about when he wrote those verses on child discipline it may be the fact that he had two whole brothers who tried to userp the throne while his father was still alive, and one brother who raped his sister. It was said of David's parenting, "His father had never at any time displeased [his son, Adonijah] by asking, “Why have you done thus and so?”

[fallen-abel]

Okay, I'm curious. (You don't have to answer if this makes you uncomfortable) What are your thoughts on David, as in the second king of Israel? I can imagine it can be......complicated. On the one hand he also has a soft spot for music (a lot of the Psalms involve him) and DEFINITELY sheep, but on the other hand, considering his home life as king (Absolem and Bathsheba as examples) along with the many people he killed, it might be a bit........awkward?

Abel: Uh…He’s not in Heaven for…obvious reasons 👀

For Context:

In the biblical narrative of the Books of Samuel, David is described as a young shepherd and harpist whose heart is devoted to Yahweh, the one true God. He gains fame and becomes a hero by killing Goliath. He becomes a favorite of Saul, the first king of Israel, but is forced to go into hiding when Saul suspects David of plotting to take his throne. After Saul and his son Jonathan are killed in battle, David is anointed king by the tribe of Judah and eventually all the tribes of Israel. He conquers Jerusalem, makes it the capital of a united Israel, and brings the Ark of the Covenant to the city. He commits adultery with Bathsheba and arranges the death of her husband, Uriah the Hittite. David's son Absalom later tries to overthrow him, but David returns to Jerusalem after Absalom's death to continue his reign. David desires to build a temple to Yahweh, but is denied because of the bloodshed of his reign. He dies at age 70 and chooses Solomon, his son with Bathsheba, as his successor instead of his eldest son Adonijah. David is honored as an ideal king and the forefather of the future Hebrew Messiah in Jewish prophetic literature, and many psalms are attributed to him.

Source: Wikipedia

[theprayerfulword]

June 6

Luke 19:10 the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.

Colossians 1:16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.

1 Corinthians 1:27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;

Zephaniah 3:17 The Lord your God is in the midst of you, a Mighty One, a Savior [Who saves]! He will rejoice over you with joy; He will rest [in silent satisfaction] and in His love He will be silent and make no mention [of past sins, or even recall them]; He will exult over you with singing.

Hebrews 12:28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.

May you be certain that the Word of God will come to pass and His promises to you will be realized, regardless of circumstances or the actions of others, just as David promised that Solomon would reign even though his brother, Adonijah, crowned himself with the backing of the army and the priesthood. 1 Kings 1

May the Lord hear your prayer as you seek Him and, considering the threats you face, enable you to speak the Word of God boldly by filling you with the Holy Spirit and confirming His Word as you speak it with healings and miraculous signs and wonders through the name of Jesus Christ. Acts 4

May you be one in heart and mind with other believers and lay no claim to the riches you have received from God, but share all He has given you with others, that there be no needy among you. Acts 4

May you trust and have faith in the Lord when it seems that the worldly and the religious have the upper hand, succeeding in their plans and achieving their goals against you, for they will be allowed, through the power and the will of God, to do all that the Lord has decided beforehand should happen and what He spoke through His prophets describing will take place, until it is time for His deliverance, and through the power and strength of the Lord, all will bend their knee and acknowledge Him King of kings and Lord of lords. Acts 4

Do you see the raging flood in front you, My child, and wonder how you will be able to cross it safely? Are you facing a fiery trial that you see no way out of, bound and constrained by others with no avenue of escape? Do you find yourself in the midst of a whirling wind storm that threatens to bowl you over and batter you with flying debris, destroying all around you? These struggles that you are facing in your life and these dangers you encounter from the world are serious, My threatened one, but they are still obedient to My word of power spoken in your life. Know, My precious one, that the raging flood which topples trees, erodes land and tumbles boulders by its power comes into submission to the flowing of the living water which issues forth from your innermost being by My Holy Spirit, for what the raging power of the uncontrolled water's turbulence tears down will be restored and renewed by the life-giving waters which nourish the trees of life on its river banks. The fiery furnace which contains such a fiercely turbulent vortex of consuming flame is subject to the living fire that I place within your heart; the outward devouring fire is unable to touch those who dwell in the light of the Lord which is unendurable and unapproachable by flesh but is the life of all who are Mine. The fierce wind which flattens forests and destroys the works of men, sweeping all before it, is calmed by the mere word spoken by the breath of God from Whom all receive the breath of life, and through which any may receive the life-giving Holy Spirit to indwell. Rejoice, My beset one, that though you are in the midst of trials and sorrows on earth, I have overcome the world and given you peace in the midst of the storm!

May it be the Lord Jehovah Who stands for you when people rise up against you, influenced by the powers that would devour you alive in their burning anger and engulf your soul in the raging fury of flood waters, for God has set the limit and established the boundaries, saying, “This far, and no further,” delivering you from certain defeat into total victory. Psalm 124

May you give sincere praise to the deserving God Who is worthy of all worship, for He has not let you be torn apart by the teeth of your adversary, but has broken the fowler's snare and enabled you to escape like a bird, through the power in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 124

May your words be kind and pleasant ones, well-ordered, filled with grace and wisdom from the Father above, sweet to the soul and healing to the body. Proverbs 16:24

[eesirachs]

Do you have any thoughts on Bathsheba in 1 Kings? She's mostly known for the story of David's adultery, but everything after that is what fascinates me. Like in 1 Kings 1: Bathsheba and David are old, no longer sexually desirable, and they're the ones facing death, David from old age, and Bathsheba from .... and yet, it's the woman who David murdered someone for who is the one who ensures that his chosen son will inherit the throne

then later when Bathsheba pleads to Solomon on Adonijah's behalf, Solomon has him put to death instead.... one wonders how it felt for her, when she's the one who got him on the throne in the first place...

bathsheba, davids body. the body pulped and soapy just for him on a roof. the body, no, the womb, for his first son. the son who is killed for davids crimes. bathsheba, the body who cannot mourn her son. bathsheba, the body of later children, all of whom are killed by the narrative—even solomon, who will find his own feminine bodies to use. bathsheba, who, though politically adept and cunning, will always be gulping bath water whole. bathsheba hardly has a name, a face, a form. she has breasts, though. and a uterus. and soapy, raisin-y fingers. but nothing else

[jartita-me-teneis]

La sorprendente vida de la Reina de Saba, hermosa mujer dotada de una inteligencia y diplomacia excepcionales, cuyas leyes a favor de los derechos de la mujer, y su juramento de perpetua virginidad, parecieron marcar un destino cuyo rumbo quedó alterado tras su encuentro con el amor y el placer encarnados en el rey Salomón.

El Cine plasmó la historia en "Salomón y la Reina de Saba"

(1959). La producción corrió a cargo de Tyrone Power y su interpretación, hasta su fallecimiento repentino en Madrid.

Dirigida por King Vidor, el rodaje transcurrió sin incidencias hasta que llegó el fatídico día 15 de noviembre de 1958. Power, que ya había rodado más de las tres cuartas partes de las secuencias en las que su personaje aparecía, manifestó sentirse indispuesto al llegar al plató.

No obstante, insistió en rodar la escena prevista para ese día, el enfrentamiento a espada entre Salomón y Adonijah a las puertas del templo de Jerusalén. Según su amigo Ray Sebastian, el clima en el plató era excesivamente gélido y a Tyrone Power siempre le había afectado bastante el frío, lo cual era preocupante en aquéllas circunstancias, si tenemos en cuenta que el actor se encontraba rodando en pleno otoño madrileño y con vestuario de la época del antiguo testamento, que no contribuía precisamente a mejorar la situación.

Power inició el rodaje de la escena con Sanders, que finalizó, de repente, a petición del primero al manifestar que no se encontraba bien. Tyrone Power, con el rostro congestionado, se retiró hacia su set, y tras manifestar que le faltaba el aire, sufrió un infarto en presencia de Gina Lollobrigida, en cuyo coche Ty, y ataviado aún con el atuendo de rodaje, fue llevado urgentemente al hospital donde ingresó ya cadáver.

Curiosamente, Tyrone Power era hijo de un actor del mismo nombre, Tyrone Power, Sr. y heredero de un linaje vinculado al Cine y a la interpretación teatral, y que falleció en brazos de su hijo, el 23 de diciembre de 1931, cuando contaba con 17 años, también de un infarto fulminante.

En 1931, su padre se preparaba para rodar una versión sonora de la película "El hombre milagroso"

(1932), que había sido una gran éxito del Cine mudo en 1919, de la mano de Lon Chaney.

Se habían rodado unas pocas escenas del film, cuando Tyrone padre murió. El actor tenía 62 años. Su papel pasó a ser interpretado por Hobart Bosworth.

La Reina bellísima... / Gina Lollobrigida.

[kdmiller55]

No Stone Left Unturned

1 When David was old and full of days, he made Solomon his son king over Israel. 2 David assembled all the leaders of Israel and the priests and the Levites. 3 The Levites, thirty years old and upward, were numbered, and the total was 38,000 men. 4 “Twenty-four thousand of these,” David said, “shall have charge of the work in the house of the Lord, 6,000 shall be officers and judges, 5 4,000…

[biblebloodhound]

Facing Death (1 Kings 1:1-30)

Death is not a problem to be solved, an opportunity to be seized, or a difficulty to be negotiated.

Mural of King David, in the Wilshire Boulevard Temple, Los Angeles King David was now a very old man, and although his servants covered him with blankets, he could not keep warm. So his officials said to him, “Your Majesty, let us find a young woman to stay with you and take care of you. She will lie close to you and keep you warm.”  A search was made all over Israel for a beautiful young…

[lordgodjehovahsway]

1 Kings 1: David Becomes Old And Weak, So Abishag Becomes His Nurse

 1 When King David was very old, he could not keep warm even when they put covers over him. 

2 So his attendants said to him, “Let us look for a young virgin to serve the king and take care of him. She can lie beside him so that our lord the king may keep warm.”

3 Then they searched throughout Israel for a beautiful young woman and found Abishag, a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 

4 The woman was very beautiful; she took care of the king and waited on him, but the king had no sexual relations with her.

5 Now Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, put himself forward and said, “I will be king.” So he got chariots and horses ready, with fifty men to run ahead of him. 

6 (His father had never rebuked him by asking, “Why do you behave as you do?” He was also very handsome and was born next after Absalom.)

7 Adonijah conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they gave him their support. 

8 But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei and Rei and David’s special guard did not join Adonijah.

9 Adonijah then sacrificed sheep, cattle and fattened calves at the Stone of Zoheleth near En Rogel. He invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the royal officials of Judah, 

10 but he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the special guard or his brother Solomon.

11 Then Nathan asked Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, “Have you not heard that Adonijah, the son of Haggith, has become king, and our lord David knows nothing about it? 

12 Now then, let me advise you how you can save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. 

13 Go in to King David and say to him, ‘My lord the king, did you not swear to me your servant: “Surely Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’ 

14 While you are still there talking to the king, I will come in and add my word to what you have said.”

15 So Bathsheba went to see the aged king in his room, where Abishag the Shunammite was attending him. 

16 Bathsheba bowed down, prostrating herself before the king.

“What is it you want?” the king asked.

17 She said to him, “My lord, you yourself swore to me your servant by the Lord your God: ‘Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne.’ 

18 But now Adonijah has become king, and you, my lord the king, do not know about it. 

19 He has sacrificed great numbers of cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and has invited all the king’s sons, Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of the army, but he has not invited Solomon your servant. 

20 My lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, to learn from you who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 

21 Otherwise, as soon as my lord the king is laid to rest with his ancestors, I and my son Solomon will be treated as criminals.”

22 While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived. 

23 And the king was told, “Nathan the prophet is here.” So he went before the king and bowed with his face to the ground.

24 Nathan said, “Have you, my lord the king, declared that Adonijah shall be king after you, and that he will sit on your throne? 

25 Today he has gone down and sacrificed great numbers of cattle, fattened calves, and sheep. He has invited all the king’s sons, the commanders of the army and Abiathar the priest. Right now they are eating and drinking with him and saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ 

26 But me your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon he did not invite. 

27 Is this something my lord the king has done without letting his servants know who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”

David Makes Solomon King

28 Then King David said, “Call in Bathsheba.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before him.

29 The king then took an oath: “As surely as the Lord lives, who has delivered me out of every trouble, 

30 I will surely carry out this very day what I swore to you by the Lord, the God of Israel: Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne in my place.”

31 Then Bathsheba bowed down with her face to the ground, prostrating herself before the king, and said, “May my lord King David live forever!”

32 King David said, “Call in Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” When they came before the king, 

33 he said to them: “Take your lord’s servants with you and have Solomon my son mount my own mule and take him down to Gihon. 

34 There have Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel. Blow the trumpet and shout, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ 

35 Then you are to go up with him, and he is to come and sit on my throne and reign in my place. I have appointed him ruler over Israel and Judah.”

36 Benaiah son of Jehoiada answered the king, “Amen! May the Lord, the God of my lord the king, so declare it. 

37 As the Lord was with my lord the king, so may he be with Solomon to make his throne even greater than the throne of my lord King David!”

38 So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon mount King David’s mule, and they escorted him to Gihon. 

39 Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the sacred tent and anointed Solomon. Then they sounded the trumpet and all the people shouted, “Long live King Solomon!” 

40 And all the people went up after him, playing pipes and rejoicing greatly, so that the ground shook with the sound.

41 Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they were finishing their feast. On hearing the sound of the trumpet, Joab asked, “What’s the meaning of all the noise in the city?”

42 Even as he was speaking, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest arrived. Adonijah said, “Come in. A worthy man like you must be bringing good news.”

43 “Not at all!” Jonathan answered. “Our lord King David has made Solomon king. 

44 The king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites and the Pelethites, and they have put him on the king’s mule, 

45 and Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon. From there they have gone up cheering, and the city resounds with it. That’s the noise you hear. 

46 Moreover, Solomon has taken his seat on the royal throne. 

47 Also, the royal officials have come to congratulate our lord King David, saying, ‘May your God make Solomon’s name more famous than yours and his throne greater than yours!’ And the king bowed in worship on his bed 

48 and said, ‘Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has allowed my eyes to see a successor on my throne today.’”

49 At this, all Adonijah’s guests rose in alarm and dispersed. 

50 But Adonijah, in fear of Solomon, went and took hold of the horns of the altar. 

51 Then Solomon was told, “Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon and is clinging to the horns of the altar. He says, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.’”

52 Solomon replied, “If he shows himself to be worthy, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground; but if evil is found in him, he will die.” 

53 Then King Solomon sent men, and they brought him down from the altar. And Adonijah came and bowed down to King Solomon, and Solomon said, “Go to your home.”

[firowisteria]

Krew as a Dungeon Meshi Party

Funneh - Katarine Ludvich Pronouns: She/Her Orientation: Bi (preference: male) Species - Half Dwarf, Half Elf Role - Picklocker + Gadget Knowhow Best Attribute - Speed Weakest Attribute - Discipline Weapons (if any): Bow and double-edged Sword Rainbow - Bet'vua Pronouns: She/Her Orientation: Ace Heteromantic Species - Pandoran (Na'vi Tribee) Role - Healer + Combat Best Attribute - Discipline Weakest Attribute - Defense Weapons (if any): double-edged Dagger

Lunar - Lumei Ludvich Pronouns: She/They/He (primarily she) Orientation: Bi (preference: none) Species - Elf Role - Magic + Storage Best Attribute - Defense Weakest Attribute - Dungeon Smarts Weapons (if any): Spell Book + Staff

Draco - Adonijah Karasu Pronouns: He/Him Orientation: Pan (preference: none) Species - Elf (Avian Elf (raven)) Role - Puzzle Solver + Cartographer Best Attribute - Dungeon Smarts Weakest Attribute - Attack Weapons (if any): Spell Book + Wings (can fly)

Gold - Goldia Óg MacTíre Pronouns: She/Her Orientation: Pan (preference: male) Species - Human (Wolfwalker) Role - Main Combat + Night Look-Out Best Attribute - Attack Weakest Attribute - Speed Weapons (if any): Mace

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Devotional Hours Within the Bible

by J.R. Miller

Solomon Anointed King (1 Kings 1:28-39)

The life of David was troubled to its close. The tragic death of Absalom ended his rebellion against the king but David found little of that love and restful quiet which make old age ideal in its peace. There were continuous strifes and dissensions in his kingdom. In his own home also there were jealousies and quarrels.

David incurred the divine displeasure by numbering the people, and had his choice of judgments. Three days of pestilence was followed by the king’s setting up an altar and offering sacrifices in the threshing floor of Araunah when pestilence ceased. When the king was very old another rebellion was plotted by Adonijah. Bathsheba, aided by Nathan the prophet, aroused David to have Solomon declared king at once, before Adonijah could be crowned. It was a strong appeal which was made to the king. “Is this thing done by my lord the king,” demanded Nathan, “and you have not showed unto your servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?” David replied: “Call Bathsheba.” And she came into the king’s presence.

The mother was very deeply interested in the future of her son. She was ambitious for him. What true mother is not interested in her boy’s career, and ambitious for his success? No mother wants to see her boy make a failure of his life. It is a part of mother-love to wish great things for her children. They need not always be things that are great in this world’s estimation. Indeed, the mother who has the truest aspirations for her children, cares far more that they may live worthily and grow into noble character; into “whatever things are true,. .. whatever things are lovely” and fulfill God’s purpose for their life than that they may win high places in this world.

Yet every mother has lofty yearnings for her children. The mother of James and John craved for her sons places at the right and left hand of Jesus in His kingdom. Bathsheba wished to see her son crowned a king. As we think of these longings in the universal mother-heart, we need not be surprised at Bathsheba’s eagerness and earnestness in this matter. She was quick to have Solomon’s right to the throne protected. Boys do not know what great things their mothers dream for them, and how they strive and toil to have them win honor and attain lofty and worthy things. It ought to be every boy’s aim not to disappoint his mother but to become what she wishes him to be.

David had sworn to Bathsheba in the past that Solomon, her son, should reign as king. He now declares to her that his oath will be sacredly kept. He would not disappoint her. We should learn a lesson here on the sacredness of keeping engagements and promises. Whatever we have solemnly pledged ourselves to do we should do at any cost to ourselves. One of the marks of the man who shall abide in God’s presence, we are told, is, “That he swears to his own hurt, and changes not.” Many people’s conscience needs toning up in this regard. There is altogether too much carelessness in keeping promises. Too many people find it very easy to “forget” to do what they have solemnly said they would do. Pledges sit very lightly upon their conscience. Vows are thoughtlessly made and just as thoughtlessly broken. We ought to learn a lesson from David’s assurance to Bathsheba. He had made an oath to her, and now he declares to her that he will certainly do what he has sworn to do.

The solemnity of an oath should not be needed, however, to make an engagement sacred and inviolable. One’s simple word should be held irrevocably binding just as binding as one’s most sacred oath. We should be absolutely true. To speak anything but the truth is a degradation of our whole nature. Forgetfulness is no excuse for failing to keep a promise. We have no right to forget things that we promise. If our memory is defective we should put down our promises in writing, and keep them so before our mind that it will be impossible for us to forget them. We ought to be so careful in keeping our word even in the very smallest matters that people shall learn to trust absolutely every lightest promise we make. One who can be implicitly relied upon, who never fails those who trust in him, is like a fragment of the Rock of Ages.

David’s assurance to Bathsheba must have given strong comfort to her. It was a great thing to succeed such a man as David. Indeed, it is a great thing, a high honor, for any boy or young man to be the successor of a good and worthy father. Many young people who study this lesson, have fathers and mothers who have lived nobly, who have brought to them a rich inheritance of blessing a good name, honor, influence, if not money. It is a high honor to a son to be a successful father’s successor in business. When a father dies, and the son is called to take up his work, it is as if a crown had been put upon his head. Every son should seek to be a worthy successor to his father.

We may profitably compare Adonijah and Solomon, two sons of the same royal father. Adonijah sought to be his father’s successor in place and in power but sought it in such a way as to make himself a criminal in the eyes of the world. On the other hand, Solomon was thoughtful, studious, faithful to all duties as a young man, discarding the vices that his brother Adonijah loved, and striving after the true, manly virtues.

So far as we know, Solomon himself made no claim to the throne and made no effort to get it. He was God’s choice for David’s successor. Whatever we may say about his later life, he certainly began well. He was worthy to take his father’s place.

We find these two types of sons in a great many homes. We find those who desire to profit in a father’s inheritance but have no desire to wear the garments of a father’s worthy name and character. There are too many prodigal sons who demand their portion of the father’s substance but have no intention of succeeding their father in character, in moral principle, in his place in the Church, and in the doing of good. A young man who would be a worthy successor to a good father, must remember that he has his father’s name to bear and to keep unsullied before the world, as well as to share his father’s patrimony. The responsibility of being a godly man’s successor is very great. We have a sacred trust committed to us which we must guard with sedulous care.

David showed his old-time spirit and energy in the way he carried out his determination regarding Solomon. He called Zadok, Nathan, and Benaiah, and commanded them to make Solomon king. “Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon: and let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel.”

The old fire in David’s heart flamed up into brightness again. Although he had been so feeble, when he now saw his throne about to be seized unlawfully by his prodigal son, all the man in him awoke the old warrior, the brave master of circumstances.

We must admire his promptness, his firmness, his courage, and his unfaltering purpose. He knew it was God’s will that Solomon should reign in his place, and he was eager to carry out God’s thought for Solomon. No nobler ambition could be in any parent’s heart than so to lead his child that the child shall fulfill the plan of God for his life. A great many parents are ambitious for their children, without asking what God would have them to do. David’s example is better. He was swift in duty, although so feeble, because he knew what God’s will was, and he was determined to carry it out. He was ready to make a sacrifice of himself, giving up the throne in order that Solomon might be crowned at once.

The swiftness of David’s course probably saved him and the country from a repetition of the experiences which marked the time of Absalom’s rebellion. If he had lingered a little longer, Adonijah would have been declared king, and probably would have had a great following among the people. David might have been driven away from his palace, Solomon might have been killed, and the future of the empire imperiled. But the promptness of David saved the country from this danger and himself from humiliation and sorrow.

Many men lose all the best opportunities of their life for lack of promptness. They dally until it is too late to do anything. Then they wake up and try to do their duty but the time is gone! They might as well sleep on now and take their rest.

The men whom David had charged with the duty of anointing Solomon lost no time but carried out the king’s commandment instantly. “And Zadok the priest took the horn of oil out of the Tent, and anointed Solomon.”

The oil was the symbol of the Holy Spirit. The anointing was a type of the anointing of the Spirit. The meaning of the ceremony was that, as men anointed the young king with oil, so God would anoint him with divine grace, setting him apart as king and gifting him for His service. Something like this is the sacrament of baptism, when water is used. The water has no power to cleanse or change a heart but it is a symbol of the Divine Spirit. As we baptize with water, we pray that God may baptize with His own grace. When Jesus was being baptized He prayed, and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him. Thus He was anointed for His ministry as Redeemer of the world. God anoints every one of us, as we wait at His feet in consecration, giving us His Spirit to fit us for His work.

Solomon must have felt a new responsibility in his soul as the holy oil touched his brow. New duties were his now. He was separated from his fellows and set apart for a new life. It is related of a Russian prince that he was in Paris, having for his companions certain rich young men who passed their time in reveling. One night they were feasting, and in the midst of their revels a sealed message was handed to the prince. He opened and read it, then, rising, said to his companions, “I am emperor now.” He then turned away and left them, separating himself forever from his past life. When we are called to any new duty we should break with whatever in our past life has been unworthy.