1 Kings 2:15

1Ki 2:15 And he said, Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and [that] all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign: howbeit the kingdom is turned about, and is become my brother’s: for it was his from the LORD.

Ver. 15. Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine,] viz., By right of succession, I being the eldest son now alive, {see 1Ki 1:6} and chosen by the people too. {1Ki 1:25}

Howbeit the kingdom is turned about.] By that great Induperator, who putteth down one and setteth up another;

“ Ludit in humanis divina potentia rebus. ”

For it was his from the Lord.] Why then would Adonijah dash against the divine decree, and sin against his own knowledge, by saying, I will be king?

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.

In sign of their favor and consent.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 15. Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine] It certainly was his by the right of primogeniture, and it was his by the voice of the people, and the consent of the high priest. But there was a right paramount to all these, the right of God; it was his kingdom; the kings were his lieutenants, and he had a right to give the crown to whomsoever he pleased, and he was pleased to give it to Solomon.

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

(15) Thou knowest.—Adonijah’s words show craft, flattering Bath-sheba by extolling her influence, and making merit of his surrender to Solomon, in obedience to the Lord’s decree, of a kingdom which, in evident contradiction to fact, he asserts to have been destined to him by popular desire. The petition, however, apparently harmless, and (since Abishag was concubine of David only in name) involving nothing unnatural, had perhaps a covert design: for, by universal Eastern custom, to take a king’s wives was the known privilege or duty of his successor. Hence the counsel, most unseemly but still probably politic, given by Ahithophel to Absalom (2Sa_16:21). If, therefore, Adonijah had publicly espoused Abishag, it might have seemed a virtual renewal of his claim to the crown. This Solomon sees at once, though Bath-sheba, strangely enough, does not see it.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

15. Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine] He means that as the eldest living son of David, he could rightly claim it. Thus he in a way apologizes for his previous attempt to secure the succession to himself.

set their faces on me] They looked forward to my accession and were resolved on bringing it about. Comp. Jer_42:17 ‘the men that set their faces to go down into Egypt … shall die.’ Adonijah would thus also make it appear that the voice and goodwill of the people had been on his side.

for it was his from the Lord] He professes his resignation to what has happened, and ascribes it to the Divine will that he may the better cloak his desires and intentions. Perhaps ‘it became his from the Lord’ would give the force of his words better. It is to be noted how, as if in friendship, he speaks of Solomon as his brother.

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 he said, thou knowest that the kingdom was mine,.... Belonged to him by virtue of his birthright; he was heir to it, being the eldest son:

and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign; which was not true; for, as Bathsheba says, the body of the people were in suspense, their eyes being on David, waiting to hear whom he would declare his successor; and when Solomon was declared and anointed, vast numbers attended him; unless Adonijah thought that the high priest, and general of the army, with the captains, represented the whole people; however this he observes by way of preface, to show how unhappy he was, being disappointed, and to move the compassion of Bathsheba, that she might be the more easily prevailed upon to seek to obtain so small a favour as he was about to ask:

howbeit the kingdom is turned about, and is become my brother's; things had taken another turn, and what was his, and he thought himself sure of the other day, was now become his brother's; such were the uncertainty and vicissitude of human affairs:

for it was his from the Lord; by the appointment of the Lord, by a promise of his, and a prophecy concerning it; which if he knew of, it was both vain and sinful in him to act contrary thereunto; or it was brought about by the overruling providence of God, which he now plainly saw and submitted to; this he said to show that he had laid aside all hopes of the kingdom, and was fully satisfied of the disposition of it in Providence, and so to hide his real design in the petition he was about to make.

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

Mine, according to the ordinary course of things. But I was willing to forego my claims, when I perceived that the Lord had made choice of my brother. (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).

The kingdom was mine, both by birthright and by actual inauguration. It seems he could not yet forget his pretence to the crown, nor his ambition for it, but continues his claim; which, it seems, Solomon did apprehend and resent, though Bath-sheba did not; the wives and concubines of the late king being reputed to appertain to the successor. See 2Sa 12:8.

All Israel set their faces on me; they looked upon me as their king, and David’s successor, expecting that David should confirm my election.

The kingdom is turned about; translated from me to him, by the vicissitude of human affairs, and the changeable humour of the people.

It was his from the Lord; either, first, By God’s providence so disposing David’s mind, and the people’s hearts. Or rather, secondly, By God’s appointment and particular designation, wherein he would seem to acquiesce; which he mentions, not that he made any conscience of it, or had any regard to it; but only that by this pretence he might deceive both her and Solomon, as if he were far from any design of usurping the kingdom.

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

15. The kingdom was mine — By the right of primogeniture.

All Israel set their faces on me — A multitude of people had followed the ambitious youth, as we may learn from chapter 1Ki_1:9; but it was a stretching beyond the bounds of truth to call that seditious crowd all Israel.

It was his from the Lord — By these cautious words he seeks to allay suspicion, and win the favour of Bathsheba.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And he said, Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine schon so gut wie mein (Bahr). Adonijah evidently made much of the right of primogeniture (cf. ver. 22), which was not unrecognized amongst the Jews. There is possibly in these words, too, a hint at the part Bathsheba had taken in defeating his claims and that all Israel set their faces i.e., eyes upon me that I should reign Heb. upon me all Israel set, etc. The me " is emphatic by its position. So is the mine" just before used. Several commentators remark that Adonijah"s words were not strictly true. But we hardly expect to find truth on such an occasion. Adonijah was adroit and diplomatic, and puts the case as it best serves his purpose. In order to propitiate Bathsheba, he exaggerates his loss and disappointment, just as in the next words, in order to put her off her guard, he plays the saint and obtrudes his piety and resignation: howbeit lit., and, the kingdom is turned about and is become my brother"s, for it was his from the Lord. This verse shows pretty clearly that Adoni-jah had not renounced his pretensions to the throne. Despite the pitiful failure of his first conspiracy, and notwithstanding Solomon"s generous condonation of his treason, he cannot forget that he was, and is, the eldest surviving son, and had been very near the throne. And as to the kingdom being his brother"s by Divine appointment, he cannot have been ignorant of that long ago, (2Sa_12:25) yet he conspired all the same. And it is not difficult to read here between the lines, that he has not relinquished his hopes, and does not acquiesce in Solomon"s supremacy.

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