1 Kings 2:1

Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying,

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Benson Commentary

1 Kings 2:1-2. The days of David drew nigh, that he must die — As he himself was sensible. And he charged Solomon his son — After the example of Abraham, the father of the faithful, Genesis 18:19. I go the way of all the earth — Even the sons and heirs of heaven must go the way of all the earth, of all who dwell thereon. But they walk with pleasure in this way, through the valley of the shadow of death. Prophets, yea, kings, must go this way to brighter light and honour than prophecy or sovereignty. Be thou strong — For, to govern his people according to the law of God, required great fortitude or strength of mind. And show thyself a man — In manly wisdom, and courage, and constancy, though thou art but young in years.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

2:1-4 David's charge to Solomon is, to keep the charge of the Lord. The authority of a dying father is much, but nothing to that of a living God. God promised David that the Messiah should come from his descendants, and that promise was absolute; but the promise, that there should not fail of them a man on the throne of Israel, was conditional; if he walks before God in sincerity, with zeal and resolution: in order hereunto, he must take heed to his way.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The events related in 1 Chronicles 28-29 had occurred in the interval which separates the last and this present chapter.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

CHAPTER 2

1Ki 2:1-11. David Dies.

1. David … charged Solomon his son—The charge recorded here was given to Solomon just before his death and is different from the farewell address delivered in public some time before (1Ch 28:2-9). It is introduced with great solemnity.David lying on his death-bed, giveth charge to Solomon of a religious life, 1 Kings 2:1-4. Of Joab, Barzillai, and Shimei, 1 Kings 2:5-9. He dieth: Solomon succeedeth, 1 Kings 2:10-12. Adonijah suing for Abishag, is put to death, 1 Kings 2:13-25. Abiathar is deprived of the priesthood, 1 Kings 2:26,27. Joab fleeing to the horns of the altar is slain there, 1 Kings 2:28-34. Benaiah is put in Joab’s room, and Zadok in Abiathar’s, 1 Kings 2:35. Shimei confined to Jerusalem; going thence to Gath is put to death, 1 Kings 2:36-46.

No text from Poole on this verse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die,.... The number of his days fixed and determined by the Lord, Job 14:5; and which might be perceived as drawing nigh, both by himself and others, through the growing infirmities of old age, decline of nature, and various symptoms of an approaching dissolution which were upon him; see Genesis 47:29. Abarbinel observes, that he is called only David, not King David; because Solomon his son was now anointed king, and reigned in his stead; so in 1 Kings 1:10; but there is another reason given by some Jews (n), that no man, even a king, has power in the day of death; he is no king then, he has no rule over that, but that rules over him:

and he charged Solomon his son; gave him his last and dying charge:

saying; as follows.

(n) Bereshit Rabba, sect. 96. fol. 83. 3.

Geneva Study Bible

Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying,

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Ch. 1 Kings 2:1-11. David’s last charge to Solomon, and his death (Not in Chronicles)

1. Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die] According to the narrative of Josephus (Antiq. vii. 14, 7) all the events recorded in 1 Chronicles 28, 29 took place in the interval between the first anointing of Solomon and the death of David. There is nothing in those chapters beyond what an aged man might do, especially if he had a brief period of better health, and 1 Chronicles 29:22 makes special mention of Solomon’s second anointing which, like the first, preceded the death of his father.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 1. - I go the way [lit., I am walking (same word as in ver. 3) in the way] of all the earth [i.e., of all the sons of earth, all mankind (cf. 1 Samuel 17:46; 1 Kings 10:24; Psalm 66:4, etc.) The path to Sheol, the path which all his forefathers, and untold millions more, have trod, he is treading it now. The words sound like a reminiscence of Joshua 23, 24. Perhaps, too, the thought of Joshua suggested to his mind the next words]: but be thou strong, and be a man. [Similar, though not identical, words were four times addressed to Joshua (Joshua 1:6, 7, 9, 18), and David may well have thought that his son, in entering upon his difficult duties, was not at all unlike Joshua when he succeeded Moses in the leadership of Israel, and that he needed similar encouragement. It is not necessary to suppose, as Canon Rawlinson does ("Speaker's Com.," vol. 2 p. 489), that in the words, "show thyself a man," we have a reference to Solomon's youth; for words precisely similar were addressed to each other by the Philistines at Aphek (1 Samuel 4:9). The age of Solomon at his accession is very doubtful. David said, "Solomon my son is young and tender" (1 Chronicles 22:5; 1 Chronicles 29:1); and Solomon says of himself, "I am a little child" נַעַר קָטֹן (1 Kings 3:7). Josephus, probably reflecting the tradition of his time, fixes his age at fourteen; Eupolemus at twelve. I incline to think that the words "young and tender" almost forbid the favourite opinion that he was about twenty.] 1 Kings 2:1

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

David's Last Instructions and Death. - 1 Kings 2:1-4. When David saw that his life was drawing to a close, he first of all admonished his son Solomon to be valiant in the observance of the commandments of God. "I go the way of all the world" (as in Joshua 23:14), i.e., the way of death; "be strong and be a man," - not "bear my departure bravely," as Thenius supposes, but prove thyself brave (cf. 1 Samuel 4:9) to keep the commandments of the Lord. Just as in 1 Samuel 4:9 the object in which the bravery is to show itself is appended simply by the copula Vv; so is it here also with וגו ושׁמרתּ. The phrase יי את־משׁמרת שׁמר, to keep the keeping of Jehovah, which so frequently occurs in the Thorah, i.e., to observe or obey whatever is to be observed in relation to Jehovah (cf. Genesis 26:5; Leviticus 8:35; Leviticus 18:30, etc.), always receives its more precise definition from the context, and is used here, as in Genesis 26:5, to denote obedience to the law of God in all its extent, or, according to the first definition, to walk in the ways of Jehovah. This is afterwards more fully expanded in the expression וגו חקּתין לשׁמר, to keep the ordinances, commandments, rights, and testimonies of Jehovah. These four words were applied to the different precepts of the law, the first three of which are connected together in Genesis 26:5; Deuteronomy 5:28; Deuteronomy 8:11, and served to individualize the rich and manifold substance of the demands of the Lord to His people as laid down in the Thorah. תּשׂכּיל למען, that thou mayest act wisely and execute well, as in Deuteronomy 29:8; Joshua 1:7.