The Meaning of 1 Kings 1:51 Explained

1 Kings 1:51

KJV: And it was told Solomon, saying, Behold, Adonijah feareth king Solomon: for, lo, he hath caught hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear unto me to day that he will not slay his servant with the sword.

YLT: And it is declared to Solomon, saying, 'Lo, Adonijah feareth king Solomon, and lo, he hath laid hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear to me as to-day -- he doth not put to death his servant by the sword.'

Darby: And it was told Solomon saying, Behold, Adonijah fears king Solomon; for behold, he has caught hold of the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear to me this day that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.

ASV: And it was told Solomon, saying, Behold, Adonijah feareth king Solomon; for, lo, he hath laid hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear unto me first that he will not slay his servant with the sword.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it was told  Solomon,  saying,  Behold, Adonijah  feareth  king  Solomon:  for, lo, he hath caught hold  on the horns  of the altar,  saying,  Let king  Solomon  swear  unto me to day  that he will not slay  his servant  with the sword. 

What does 1 Kings 1:51 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 1:41-53 - Justice And Brotherhood The Foundations Of The State
According to popular usage, Adonijah was the rightful heir to the throne. He was handsome and kingly in appearance and behavior. He was also in his prime, while Solomon was just out of his teens. So plausible was his address that the nation was bewildered, and old retainers of David's throne were seduced. We are reminded in all this of the god of this world, 2 Corinthians 4:4, who blinds the eyes of those who believe not, lest the light of the glorious knowledge of God should shine in upon them.
Solomon displayed remarkable clemency in dealing with Adonijah. He was willing to let bygones be bygones. He promised that if Adonijah proved himself a worthy man, no harm should befall him. But as the following chapter records, the evil that wrought in Adonijah came out in a further plot to secure the throne, and he paid the death penalty. Let us see to it that we walk, not according to the course of this world or the spirit that works in the children of disobedience, but, remembering that we have been quickened together with Christ and made to sit with Him in heavenly places, let us walk worthy of our high calling.
1 Kings 1:1-53 - Breaking Three Commandments
From a worldly point of view Naboth might have done a good stroke of business by selling his estate to. Ahab. A royal price and assured favor might have been his-but he had a conscience! Above the persuasive tones of the monarch's offer sounded the voice of God: "The land shall not be sold for ever, for the land is mine." See Leviticus 25:23; Numbers 36:7; Ezekiel 46:18.
Ahab knew perfectly well that Jezebel could not give him the property of another except by foul means, but he took pains not to inquire. Though the direct orders for Naboth's death did not come from him, yet, by his silence, he was an accomplice and an accessory; and divine justice penetrates all such specious excuses. God holds us responsible for wrongs which we do not arrest, though we have the power. The crime was blacker because of the pretext of religion, as suggested by a fast. See also 2 Kings 9:26. The blood of murdered innocence cries to God, and his requital, though delayed, is inevitable. See Revelation 6:9-10. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Kings 1

1  Abishag cherishes David in his extreme age
5  Adonijah, David's darling, usurps the kingdom
11  By the council of Nathan
15  Bathsheba moves the king
22  And Nathan seconds her
28  David renews his oath to Bathsheba
32  Solomon, by David's appointment,
38  being anointed king by Zadok and Nathan, the people triumph
41  Jonathan bringing the news, Adonijah's guests fly
50  Adonijah, flying to the horns of the altar, is dismissed by Solomon

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 1:51 mean?

And it was told Solomon saying indeed Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon for look he has taken hold of the horns of the altar let swear to me today Solomon not that he will put to death - his servant with the sword
וַיֻּגַּ֤ד לִשְׁלֹמֹה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הִנֵּה֙ אֲדֹ֣נִיָּ֔הוּ יָרֵ֖א אֶת־ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה וְ֠הִנֵּה אָחַ֞ז בְּקַרְנ֤וֹת הַמִּזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ יִשָּֽׁבַֽע־ לִ֤י כַיּוֹם֙ שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה אִם־ יָמִ֥ית אֶת־ עַבְדּ֖וֹ בֶּחָֽרֶב

וַיֻּגַּ֤ד  And  it  was  told 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hofal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָגַד  
Sense: to be conspicuous, tell, make known.
לִשְׁלֹמֹה֙  Solomon 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שְׁלֹמֹה  
Sense: son of David by Bathsheba and 3rd king of Israel; author of Proverbs and Song of Songs.
לֵאמֹ֔ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הִנֵּה֙  indeed 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
אֲדֹ֣נִיָּ֔הוּ  Adonijah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲדֹונִיָּה 
Sense: fourth son of David and Solomon’s rival for the throne.
יָרֵ֖א  is  afraid 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ  King 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה  Solomon 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שְׁלֹמֹה  
Sense: son of David by Bathsheba and 3rd king of Israel; author of Proverbs and Song of Songs.
וְ֠הִנֵּה  for  look 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
אָחַ֞ז  he  has  taken  hold 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָחוּז 
Sense: grasp, take hold, seize, take possession.
בְּקַרְנ֤וֹת  of  the  horns 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: קֶרֶן 
Sense: horn.
הַמִּזְבֵּ֙חַ֙  of  the  altar 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִזְבֵּחַ  
Sense: altar.
יִשָּֽׁבַֽע־  let  swear 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁבַע  
Sense: to swear, adjure.
לִ֤י  to  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
כַיּוֹם֙  today 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה  Solomon 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שְׁלֹמֹה  
Sense: son of David by Bathsheba and 3rd king of Israel; author of Proverbs and Song of Songs.
יָמִ֥ית  that  he  will  put  to  death 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
עַבְדּ֖וֹ  his  servant 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
בֶּחָֽרֶב  with  the  sword 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.

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