1 Kings 1:51

1Ki 1:51 And it was told Solomon, saying, Behold, Adonijah feareth king Solomon: for, lo, he hath caught hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear unto me to day that he will not slay his servant with the sword.

Ver. 51. Hath caught hold on the horns.] Hither fled malefactors, as to a place of security, {Exo 21:14} though there was no law for it.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

51. Let king Solomon swear unto me to day] The word translated to day signifies rather ‘first of all,’ i.e. before I will venture to come away from my place of safety. The same word is found twice in the narrative of the sale of Esau’s birthright, Gen_25:31; Gen_25:33. When Esau has asked for pottage, Jacob says “Sell me first of all (A.V. this day) thy birthright” and afterwards “Swear to me first of all.”

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And it was told Solomon,.... By some of his courtiers:

saying, behold, Adonijah feareth King Solomon; lest he should take away his life:

for, lo, he hath caught hold on the horns of the altar; which was the last resort of the guilty when they despaired of mercy otherwise:

saying, let King Solomon swear unto me this day that he will not slay his servant with the sword; he owns Solomon to be king, and himself his subject and servant; this no doubt he did to conciliate his favour, nor did he think his life safe, unless Solomon promised with an oath, that he would not take it away.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Altar. At Gabaon, (2 Paralipomenon i. 3.) or at Sion. All nations seemed to grant the right of an asylum to sacred places; but only in favour of the innocent, Exodus xxi. 14. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

He owns Solomon as his king, and himself as his servant and subject; and being sensible of his great guilt, and of the jealousy which kings have of their competitors, could not be satisfied without Solomon’s oath.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

And it was told Solomon, saying, Behold Adonijah feareth King Solomon, for lo, he hath caught hold on the horns of the altar, saying, let king Solomon this repetition of the title is striking. Both courtiers and criminals hasten to give the young king his new honours. In Adonijah"s mouth it is also a virtual abdication of his claim to the throne and a direct acknowledgment of the new monarch. But see on vers. 1 and 35. swear unto me today Cf. 2Sa_19:23. This is one of many passages which show how lightly the Jews esteemed promises in comparison with oaths. The sentiment possibly took its rise in the oaths sworn by the Divine Being (Gen_22:16 Gen_24:7; Exo_16:16, etc.) though it is possible, on the other hand, that these asseverations were made in deference to the popular sentiment. Be that as it may, the oath held a much more conspicuous and important place in the Jewish than the Christian economy. See Gen_21:23 Gen_31:23; Num_14:2 Num_30:2; Jud_1:15:12 21:1; 1Sa_14:28; Jer_5:2, and, to omit other passages, 1Ki_1:13 1Ki_2:8, 1Ki_2:23, 1Ki_2:42. Even our Lord, who rebuked the habit (Mat_5:34-37 Mat_23:16-22) respected the adjuration of Caiaphas, and St. Paul frequently appeals to God (Act_26:29; 2Co_1:23 2Co_11:31; Php_1:8) The Christian religion, as it has gradually begotten a reverence for truth, has made the simple word into a bond that he will not slay his servant Cf. "I will be King," ver. 5. with the sword the usual form of capital punishment, 1 Kings if. 8, 25, 31, 46. Adonijah indirectly confesses that he had merited death.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

His servants - He owns Solomon as his king, and himself as his servant and subject; and being sensible of his guilt, and of the jealousy which kings have of their competitors, could not be satisfied without Solomon's oath.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

When this was reported to Solomon, together with the prayer of Adonijah that the king would swear to him that he would not put him to death with the sword (אם before ימית, a particle used in an oath), he promised him conditional impunity: "If he shall be brave (בּן־חיל, vir probus), none of his hair shall fall to the earth," equivalent to not a hair of his head shall be injured (cf. Sa1 14:45); "but if evil be found in him," i.e., if he render himself guilty of a fresh crime, "he shall die."

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)