Day 17

I started 1 and 2 Kings today....

David grew older and his servants thought it would be a good idea to have a virgin climb into bed with him to arouse him. Like that was going to make him age slower. The girl they found was Abishag the Shunammite and she was very beautiful. She looked after the king but they didn't sleep together. All I can think about is Hugh Hefner now. Eww!

Haggith's son, Adonijah was next in line for the throne since Absalom was dead. Only Joab son of Zeruiah and Abiathar were pulling for him. Zadok, Benaiah, Nathan, Shimei nor Rei supported him. Adonijah held a coronation feast, inviting his brothers and everyone in Judah who had influence. David didn't know Adonijah had taken over, so Nathan went to Bathsheba. He told her to go to the king and speak up about David's promise to make her son, Solomon, king. Nathan came in when she approached the old king and corroborated her story. David assured Bathsheba Solomon would be king after he died. Zadok, Nathan, and Benaiah were summoned by King David. Servants were to be gathered and Solomon was to be put on the royal donkey and lead procession to Gihon. Zadok and Nathan were to anoint Solomon as king. Adonijah and his guests heard the ram's horn trumpet and people shouting, "Long live King Solomon!" They quickly left when they learned what was happening. Adonijah fled to the sanctuary for he was fearful Solomon would end his life. Solomon had Adonijah brought to him and he bowed down and honored him. Solomon told him to go home. David died and was buried in Jerusalem.

Adonijah went to Bathsheba and asked her to ask Solomon if he could have Abishag as his wife. Solomon wasn't pleased when he found out about this. He said to his mother, "Why don't you just ask me to hand over the whole kingdom to him on a platter since he is my older brother and has Abiathar the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah on his side." King Solomon had Benaiah kill Adonijah for this request. Abiathar was stripped of his priesthood and exiled to Anathoth. Benaiah was sent to kill Joab. He was in the santuary clinging to the altar. Benaiah struck and killed him. Abiathar was replaced by Zadok and Joab was replaced by Benaiah. Shimei was instructed to build a house in Jerusalem but not to leave the area. However, 3 years later, 2 of his slaves ran away to Achish, king of Gath. Shimei hopped on his donkey, went to Gath, and brought them back. Behaiah killed him for breaking Solomon's orders.

Solomon married Pharoah's daughter and brought her back to Jerusalem to live until his royal palace, the Temple of God, and the wall around the city was built. The people of Jerusalem had been worshiping shrines. Solomon continued to live a God honoring life and although he loved God, he too worshiped these shrines and took part in offering sacrifices and offerings. God appeared to Solomon in a dream when he went to Gibeon. God asked what he could give Solomon. Solomon asked God for a God-listening heart so he could lead his people well. He felt inadequate as king, not knowing the ropes yet. God was delighted by Solomon's response. Because Solomon didn't ask for riches or doom to his enemies, God said He would give him what he asked for...a wise and mature heart. God would also give him wealth and glory as a bonus. If Solomon lived as David did, honoring God, he'd live a long life. Solomon returned home to Jerusalem and sacrificed a whole burnt offering and peace offering to the Chest of the Covenant of God.

King Solomon laid out a banquet for everyone who served him. Two prostitutes came to the king. One of them said they lived in the same house and she had a baby. Three days after she gave birth, the other one had a baby. One of the women killed her baby by rolling over him in the middle of the night. I knew co-sleeping was a bad choice. This woman got up in the middle of the night and snatched the other prostitutes son and placed her dead son by the breast of the other woman. When she woke up, she knew the baby wasn't hers. The prostitute not telling the story denied everything. King Solomon asked for his sword and said, "Cut the baby in two-give half to one and half to the other." The true mother came forward and told Solomon to give the living baby boy to the other woman and not to harm him. Solomon's decision was to give the baby to the first woman because she was the real mother. The people of Israel realized God's wisdom enabled Solomon to judge difficult situations well.

Everyone in Israel and Judah were safe and at peace. The area was highly populated but everyone had what they needed. On an average day, the food supply was:

185 bushels of flour
375 bushels of meal
10 grain fed cattle
20 range cattle
100 sheep
Miscellaneous deer, gazelles, roebucks, and choice fowl

Twelve regional managers were distributed around Israel and each of them were in charge of bringing supplies one mouth out of the year. God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding and a huge heart. He was wiser than anyone. This all made him famous. Solomon created 3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs. People came from all over the land to listen to his wisdom.