1 Kings 1:40

And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(40) Piped with pipes.—The Greek Version has “danced in dances,” by a slight variation of reading. The graphic description of the acclamation of the people indicates something more than conventional loyalty. The attempt of Adonijah relied on the support only of the great men, and perhaps the army, but had no popular following.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

1:32-53 The people expressed great joy and satisfaction in the elevation of Solomon. Every true Israelite rejoices in the exaltation of the Son of David. Combinations formed upon evil principles will soon be dissolved, when self-interest calls another way. How can those who do evil deeds expect to have good tidings? Adonijah had despised Solomon, but soon dreaded him. We see here, as in a glass, Jesus, the Son of David and the Son of God, exalted to the throne of glory, notwithstanding all his enemies. His kingdom is far greater than that of his father David, and therein all the true people of God cordially rejoice. The prosperity of his cause is vexation and terror to his enemies. No horns of the altar, nor forms of godliness, nor pretences to religion, can profit those who will not submit to His authority, and accept of his salvation; and if their submission be hypocritical, they shall perish without remedy.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Piped with pipes - Some prefer "danced with dances" - a meaning which the Hebrew would give by a change in the pointing, and the alteration of one letter. But the change is unnecessary. (Flutepipes were known to the Israelites 1 Samuel 10:5; they were very ancient in Egypt, and were known also to the Assyrians.

The earth rent - If the present Hebrew text is correct we have here a strong instance of Oriental hyperbole. But it is suspected that there is a slight corruption, and that the verb really used meant "resounded."

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

40. all the people came up after him—that is, from the valley to the citadel of Zion.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

All the people came up after him; which flocked in of so thither abundance; some out of curiosity to see so solemn an action; others to do their duty; and others in expectation some advantage by their cheerful attendance upon the new king.

Rejoiced with great joy; partly because this would certainly prevent civil wars, under which they had lately and so sorely groaned, and which they had reason to fear from Adonijah’s pretence to the crown, and the assistance he might have from the great and famous lord-general Joab, and from Abiathar the high priest, and from others who were or might easily be engaged for him, if David had not ended the controversy in his lifetime; and partly because of the singular wisdom and virtue for which Solomon was even then famous. See 1 Kings 2:6,9. The earth rent; an hyperbolical expression; yet even solid bodies have been oft broken and rent by great sounds.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And all the people came up after him,.... Following him from the fountain to the city, with their loud acclamations:

and the people piped with pipes; which were hollow instruments, and full of holes which they blew with their mouths, and upon with their fingers; Jarchi says they were and very probably:

and rejoiced with great joy; which they expressed by such loud shouts:

so that the earth rent with the sound thereof; an hyperbolical expression, showing the great numbers gathered together on this occasion, and the sonorous acclamations they made.

Geneva Study Bible

And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

40. piped with pipes] The LXX. adopting some slight alteration of the Hebrew, renders ‘danced in dances.’ And Josephus speaks of the people (Antiq. vii. 14, 5) as ‘dancing and playing on pipes’; thus shewing a desire to combine both readings. That the Israelites were likely to have pipes on such an occasion seems probable from 1 Samuel 10:5, where they are enumerated among the instruments used by the company of prophets.

rent with the sound] The Hebrew text implies ‘cleaving asunder’ and must, if correct, be taken as hyperbolic: that it is correct seems clear from the LXX. which has ‘was broken asunder’ (ἐῤῥάγη), though a slight change in the letters of the Hebrew (reading תקע for בקע) would give the meaning which the Vulgate has, ‘insonuit,’ i.e. resounded. Josephus appears thus to have understood the phrase, whatever reading he had, for he writes ‘from the multitude of the instruments all the earth and the air resounded.’

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 40. - And all the people came up after him [same expression as ver. 35. The procession, the sound of the trumpets, etc., had collected a large crowd, which followed Solomon on his return], and the people piped [Hebrews were piping] with pipes [pipes or flutes were used on occasions of rejoicing (Isaiah 5:12; Isaiah 30:29. Cf. 1 Samuel 10:5), and so of mourning (Jeremiah 48:36; Matthew 9:23). It is true that a very slight change (מְחֹלְלִיפ בְּחלִיִם instead of מִחַלְּלִים בַּחֲלִלִים) will give the meaning, "dancing with dances," which Ewald prefers, on the ground that "all the people" could not have produced their pipes at a moment's notice. But the objection loses its force when it is observed (Rawlinson) that the text implies that only some of the people piped. "All the people came up... and the people," etc. Besides, even if it were not so, some allowance is surely to be made for Eastern hyperbole. And the received text is to be preferred on other grounds. The LXX., however, has ἐχόρευον ἐν χοροῖς], and rejoiced with great joy [Hebrews "were rejoicing a great joy"], and the earth rent [this is certainly a strangly hyperbolical expression. For בָּקַע strictly means to cleave asunder, tear open (see, e.g., Numbers 16:31; Amos 1:13; 2 Chronicles 25:12). And Thenius suggests a slight emendation of the text, viz., וַתִּתָּקַע (i.e., "resounded") for וַתִּבָּקַע which would obviate this difficulty. He points out that while the LXX. Cod. Vat. has ἐρράγη, some versions have ἤχησεν, and the Vulg. insonuit. But perhaps it is safer to keep to the lectio ardua] with the sound of them [Heb. "with their voices"]. 1 Kings 1:40

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

All the people, i.e., the crowd which was present at the anointing, went up after him, i.e., accompanied Solomon to the citadel of Zion, with flutes and loud acclamation, so that the earth nearly burst with their shouting. תּבּקע, "to burst in pieces" (as in 2 Chronicles 25:12), is a hyperbolical expression for quaking.