1 Kings 1:53

1Ki 1:53 So king Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and bowed himself to king Solomon: and Solomon said unto him, Go to thine house.

Ver. 53. Go to thine house.] Meddle not with state matters, but mind thine own affairs; Res tuas age, intra tuam pelliculam te contine.

“ Vivo tibi, quantumque potes praelustria vita. ”

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.

they brought him down from the altar--from the ledge around the altar on which he was standing.

he bowed himself--that is, did homage to Solomon as king.

Next: 1 Kings Chapter 2

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 53. Go to thine house.] Intimating that he should have no place about the king's person, nor under the government. Adonijah must have seen that he stood continually on his good behaviour.

Friar Bacon's method of restoring and strengthening the Natural Heat

"I have read many volumes of the wise: I find few things in physic which restore the natural heat, weakened by dissolution of the innate moisture, or increase of a foreign one.

"But certain wise men have tacitly made mention of some medicine, which is likened to that which goes out of the mine of the noble animal. They affirm that in it there is a force and virtue which restores and increases the natural heat. As to its disposition, they say it is like youth itself, and contains an equal and temperate complexion.

"And the signs of a temperate complexion in men are when their colour is made up of white and red, when the hair is yellow, inclined to redness and curling.

"This medicine indeed is like to such a complexion, for it is of a temperate heat: its flame is temperate and sweet, and grateful to the smell. When it departs from this temperature, it departs so far from its virtue and goodness.

"This medicine therefore temperately heats, because it is temperately hot; it therefore heals because it is whole. When it is sick, it makes a man sick; when it is distempered, it breeds distempers, and changes the body to its own disposition, because of the similitude it has with the body.

"For the infirmity of a brute animal rarely passes into a man, but into another animal of the same kind; but the infirmity of man passes into man; and so does health, because of likeness.

"This thing is seldom found; and although sometimes it be found, yet it cannot commodiously be had of all men.

"Now, when this thing is like to youth, that is, of temperate complexion, it has good operations; if its temperature be better, it produces better effects: sometimes it is even in the highest degree of its perfection, and then it operates best; and then there is that property whereof we have spoken before.

"This differs from other medicines and nutriments, which heat and moisten after a certain temperate manner, and are good for old men. For other medicines principally heat and moisten the body; and, secondarily, they strengthen the native heat, and after that refresh the body, by moistening and heating it. For it brings back this heat in old men, who have it but weakly and deficient, to a certain stronger and more vehement power.

"If a plaster be made hereof, and applied to the stomach, it will help very much, for it will refresh the stomach itself, and excite an appetite; it will very much recreate an old man, and change him to a kind of youth; and will make complexions, by what means soever depraved or corrupted, better. But it is to be observed, that Venus doth weaken and diminish the power and virtue of this thing!

"And it is very likely that the son of the prince, in his second canon of the Operations of Simple Medicines spoke of this thing, where he saith, that there is a certain medicine, concealed by wise men, lest the incontinent should offend their Creator. There is such a heat in this thing, as is in young men of sound complexion; and if I durst declare the properties of this heat, this most hidden secret should presently be revealed. For this heat doth help the palsical, it restores and preserves the wasted strength of the native heat, and causeth it to flourish in all the members, and gently revives the aged.

"But the simple medicine which restores the native heat, when wasted and weakened, is that which is likened to the complexion of a healthy young man."

All this covered and enigmatical description is intended simply to point out that very medicine recommended by the Jewish physicians to restore and invigorate the dying king. I could show the bearing of every sentence, but I must leave something to the good sense of my readers. By attending to the words in italics, the sense will be more easily discovered. See Clarke on Ru 4:16.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

53. and they brought him down from the altar] The expression refers perhaps to the steps on which Adonijah must have gone up to cling to the sides of the altar, or it may be to the elevation of the whole situation as the altar stood before the ark on Mt. Zion.

bowed himself] The same word as in 47 is used of David’s religious reverence. So Adonijah did homage to Solomon as his lord; and by pardoning the chief offender the new king shewed the rest of Adonijah’s adherents that they need not despair of forgiveness. Thus he would be most likely to change them from foes to friends.

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.

So King Solomon sent, and they brought down Adonijah from the altar,.... It being built upon an hill, as both that at Gibeon, and in Araunah's threshing floor, were:

and he came and bowed himself to King Solomon; in a way of reverence and subjection, acknowledging him to be king, and himself his subject:

and Solomon said to him, go to thine house; in peace; signifying that he pardoned him, and he might go home, and enjoy his family and substance; and by this intimating that he should only regard the affairs of his family, and not trouble himself with those of the kingdom and state, Abarbinel fancies, that because Solomon said, that if he showed himself to be a worthy man, or a man of fortitude and valour, that Adonijah thought that his meaning was, that he should go before him as a man of war, and minister to him; which made him so ready to come and stand before him; in which he was mistaken, Solomon meant no such thing; nor would he take him into his court and service, but sent him home to his own house.

Next: 1 Kings Chapter 2

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

House. He does not forbid him the court, but grants him pardon. (Menochius)

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).

Lead a private or retired and quiet life, without noise and numerous attendants, and meddle not with the affairs of the court and kingdom.

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

So King Solomon sent and they brought him down The altar was elevated: probably a slope, not steps (Exo_20:26) led to it from Hebrew from upon. He was still clinging to it the altar. And he came and bowed himself to king Solomon i.e. , made obeisance to him as king. Cf. vers. 16, 23, 31 and Solomon said unto him, Go to thine house. This was not a sentence of banishment from court, but merely a dismissal to a private life, involving a tacit admonition to live quietly and be thankful that his life was spared him. Vade in domum tuam, ibi quiesce et res tuas age, nec te publicis regni mei negotiis immisceas" (Corn. A Lapide).

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

Go to thine house - Lead a private life, without noise and numerous attendants, and meddle not with the affairs of the kingdom.

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

He then had him fetched down from the altar (הוריד( ratl, inasmuch as the altar stood upon an eminence); and when he fell down before the king, i.e., did homage to him as king, he gave him his life and freedom in the words, "Go to thy house." The expression לביתך לך does not imply his banishment from the court (compare Kg1 2:13 and Sa2 14:24). Solomon did not wish to commence his own ascent of the throne by infliction of punishment, and therefore presented the usurper with his life on the condition that he kept himself quiet.

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.)