(25) God save king Adonijah.--Literally (as in 1Samuel 10:24; 2Samuel 16:16, &c.). "May the king live;" like the "Let the king live for ever" of 1Kings 1:31, and of Nehemiah 2:3; Daniel 2:4; Daniel 3:9, &c.

Verse 25. - For [proof that the king must have decreed that Adonijah should succeed him. There appears to be an undertone of reproof in these words. Nathan assumes that Adonijah cannot have done all this without David's knowledge and sanction, because "his father had not displeased him at any time" (ver. 6). This uprising was the result of David's over indulgence and. want of firmness] he is gone down this day, and hath slain [see on ver. 9] oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the king's sons, and the captains of the host [Joab was the captain (ver. 19). The plural shows that other high officers had followed his lead. "Under the captains of the host (ver. 25), the servants of the king (ver. 10) are included" (Bahr). Bahr's accidental miscitation (ver. 10 for ver. 9) has apparently led his American translator (p. 24) to the serious mistake of identifying these "captains of the host" with "the mighty men" (Gibborim) of ver. 10, who, it is distinctly said, "were not with Adonijah] and Abtathar the priest, and behold, they eat and drink before him [convivia apta conjurationibus. Grotius] and say, God save king Adonijah. [Hebrews "let the king (not "king," as marg.) Adonijah live," or better, "live the king," etc. (comp. the vivat rex, and the vives and vivas of later days.) This was the customary acclamation wherewith the Jews greeted their kings (cf. ver. 39; 1 Samuel 10:24; 2 Samuel 16:16: 2 Kings 11:12; 2 Chronicles 23:11).

1:11-31 Observe Nathan's address to Bathsheba. Let me give thee counsel how to save thy own life, and the life of thy son. Such as this is the counsel Christ's ministers give us in his name, to give all diligence, not only that no man take our crown, Re 3:11, but that we save our lives, even the lives of our souls. David made a solemn declaration of his firm cleaving to his former resolution, that Solomon should be his successor. Even the recollection of the distresses from which the Lord redeemed him, increased his comfort, inspired his hopes, and animated him to his duty, under the decays of nature and the approach of death.For he is gone down this day,.... From Jerusalem, which lay high, to the stone of Zoheleth, in Enrogel, which lay in the valley, 1 Kings 1:9;

and hath slain oxen, and fat cattle, and sheep in abundance; not by way of sacrifice, but for a feast, on account of his coming to the kingdom:

and hath called all the king's sons; invited them to the entertainment:

and the captains of the host; or army; not only Joab, it seems, the general of it, but the captains of thousands and hundreds under him, being desirous of engaging the militia in his favour, and which was not an impolitic step:

and Abiathar the priest; to consult with by Urim and Thummim, and to anoint him, and use his interest with the populace for him, who might be supposed a man of influence, being the high priest of the nation:

and, behold, they eat and drink before him; they were now at it, at this time, they were not only invited, but they accepted the invitation, and came; which is afore than what was before related:

and say, God save King Adonijah; they proclaimed and saluted him as king, and drank his health, and wished him all prosperity; and so the Targum,

"may King Adonijah prosper!''