1 Kings 1:9

And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by Enrogel, and called all his brethren the king's sons, and all the men of Judah the king's servants:

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(9) The stone of Zoheleth.—The meaning is uncertain. The derivation seems to be from a root, meaning to “crawl,” or “steal on.” Some interpreters render, the “stone of the serpents;” the Targums make it “the rolling stone;” other authorities “the stone of the conduit,” which would suit well its position as here described.

En-rogel.—“The spring of the fuller.” (See Joshua 15:7; Joshua 18:16; 2Samuel 17:17.) Its proximity would be useful for the purposes of sacrifice; for it appears to be the only natural spring near Jerusalem, situated not far from Siloam.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

1:5-10 Indulgent parents are often chastised with disobedient children, who are anxious to possess their estates. No worldly wisdom, nor experience, nor sacredness of character, can insure the continuance in any former course of those who remain under the power of self-love. But we may well wonder by what arts Joab and Abiathar could be drawn aside.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Adonijah's feast was probably of a sacrificial character, and intended to inaugurate him as king. Compare the "sacrifices" of Absalom 2 Samuel 15:12.

Zoheleth - No satisfactory explanation has been given of this name. Large blocks of stone always attract attention in the East, and receive names which are often drawn from some trivial circumstance. Sinai and Palestine are full of such "Hajars," which correspond to the "Ebens" or "stones" of Holy Scripture. (Compare Genesis 28:22; Joshua 4:9; 1 Samuel 6:14.) For En-Rogel, see the margin reference.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

9, 10. En-rogel—situated (Jos 15:7-10) east of Jerusalem, in a level place, just below the junction of the valley of Hinnom with that of Jehoshaphat. It is a very deep well, measuring one hundred twenty-five feet in depth; the water is sweet, but not very cold, and it is at times quite full to overflowing. The Orientals are fond of enjoying festive repasts in the open air at places which command the advantage of shade, water, and verdure; and those fetes champetres are not cold collations, but magnificent entertainments, the animals being killed and dressed on the spot. Adonijah's feast at En-rogel was one of this Oriental description, and it was on a large scale (2Sa 3:4, 5; 5:14-16; 1Ch 14:1-7). At the accession of a new king there were sacrifices offered (1Sa 11:15). But on such an occasion it was no less customary to entertain the grandees of the kingdom and even the populace in a public manner (1Ch 12:23-40). There is the strongest probability that Adonijah's feast was purely political, to court popularity and secure a party to support his claim to the crown.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle; partly for a sacrifice; and partly for feasts, that he might engage God to be on his side, and draw a multitude of people after him.

By En-rogel, or, the fountain of Rogel, or, of the fuller; a place nigh to Jerusalem: see Joshua 15:7 18:16 2 Samuel 17:17.

Called all his brethren the king’s sons; either because he knew they envied and were discontented with Solomon, and therefore would favour him; or that he might engage them so to do.

All the men of Judah the king’s servants; except these here excepted, 1 Kings 1:10.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle,.... To make a feast of for those that were of his party, which was numerous, and some of them persons of the first rank, and therefore a large and elegant entertainment was provided for them:

by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by Enrogel; or the fullers' fountain, as the Targum, where the fullers washed their clothes, using their feet in doing it, from whence it had its name; and which they laid upon this stone for the water to drain out of them, "Zoheleth" signifying a slow motion of waters, or on which they beat them to get out the spots; the Targum calls it the stone of a watchtower, on which they could stand and look to a great distance; or, as Jarchi and Ben Gersom suggest, it was a large smooth stone, which young men used to come to, and cast to and fro to try and exercise their strength; it was, as Josephus (e) says, in or near the king's gardens:

and called all his brethren the king's sons: which David by his wives and concubines had in Hebron and Jerusalem; who were all younger than he, and so had not the pretension he had, and who might be displeased at the appointment of Solomon as well as he; see 1 Chronicles 3:4;

and all the men of Judah the king's servants; excepting those in 1 Kings 1:8.

(e) Antiqu. l. 7. c. 14. sect. 4.

Geneva Study Bible

And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by Enrogel, and called all his brethren the king's sons, and all the men of Judah the king's servants:

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

9. Adonijah slew &c.] The verb is that which is constantly used for sacrificing. And here there was no doubt intended to be a certain solemnity connected with the feast held in honour of Adonijah’s proclamation. Beside its use in this chapter, where it is rendered ‘to slay’ in 1 Kings 1:19; 1 Kings 1:25, the verb is only so translated in 1 Kings 19:21 of Elisha’s slaughter of his oxen, and 2 Kings 23:20 of Josiah’s slaughter of the priests of the high places, both which acts partook of the nature of a solemn sacrifice.

by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En-rogel] The name En-rogel signifies the ‘fountain of the fuller,’ a name probably given to it from the use to which the water was applied. They washed by stamping on the clothes with the foot (Heb. regel). From the other places where it is mentioned (Joshua 15:7; Joshua 18:16; 2 Samuel 17:17) it is clear that En-rogel lay on the south-east of Jerusalem, and formed one of the landmarks between the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. Attempts have been made to identify it with the ‘fountain of Job (or Joab),’ which is situate at the junction of the valleys of Kedron and Hinnom; while others are in favour of the ‘fountain of the Virgin,’ as it is now called, from whence comes the water to the pool of Siloam. It is in favour of the latter, that women still resort to it as a place for washing clothes. Of the ‘stone of Zoheleth’ we have no notice but in this passage.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 9. - And Adonijah slew [or sacrificed, LXX. ἐθυσίασεν. It was a sacrificial feast, like Absalom's, 2 Samuel 15:12 (where see Speaker's note). Religious festivity, i.e., was the apparent object of their assembling: religion was invoked, not merely to cloke their designs, but to cement them together] sheep and oxen and fat cattle by [Hebrews with; same expression, 2 Samuel 20:8] the stone of Zoheleth, [i.e.,"the serpent" (Gesen.) "No satisfactory explanation has been given of this name" (Rawlinson). See Smith's "Dict. Bible" sub voc., where the various interpretations are given. The stone, which served as "a natural altar for the sacrificial feast," the spring, which afforded "water for the necessary ablutions," and the situation with respect to the adjoining city recommended this place as a rendezvous] which is by En-Rogel [Joshua 15:7; Joshua 18:16; 2 Samuel 17:17. Perhaps "the spring of the spy." The Chald., Arab., and Syr. render "the spring, of the fuller" - the Orientals wash clothes, etc., by treading (rogel) them. Josephus says it was without the city, in the royal garden (ἐν βασιλικῷ παραδείσῳ). The authorities are divided between the "Fountain of the virgin" (Ain um ed-Deraj), and the "Well of Job" (Bir Eyub.) See the arguments in Bonar's "Land of Promise," App. 5; Thomson's "Land and Book," vol. 2 p. 528; and Mr. Grove's Art. in Smith's "Dict. Bib." Porter ("Handbook of Palestine ") identifies En-Rogel with Bir Eyub without remark. There is much to be said on either side. The pool of Siloam ("Bib. Museum") has nothing in its favour] and called all his brethren the king's sons [including, it would seem, even the elder sons of David and Bathsheba, who would bring up the number to fifteen (1 Chronicles 3:5). They too, if living, would naturally resent the preference of the youngest brother], and all the men of Judah, the king's servants ["all the Judeans who were serving at court, as being members of his own tribe" (Keil). The fierce jealousy between Ephraim and Judah would almost compel the king to surround himself with soldiers and attendants of the latter tribe. Some of the invited guests, no doubt, like Absalom's two hundred, "went in their simplicity and knew not anything" (2 Samuel 15:11). 1 Kings 1:9

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Adonijah commenced his usurpation, like Absalom (2 Samuel 15:2), with a solemn sacrificial meal, at which he was proclaimed king, "at the stone of Zocheleth by the side of the fountain of Rogel," i.e., the spy's fountain, or, according to the Chaldee and Syriac, the fuller's fountain, the present fountain of Job or Nehemiah, below the junction of the valley of Hinnom with the valley of Jehoshaphat (see at 2 Samuel 7:17 and Joshua 15:7). E. G. Schultz (Jerusalem, eine Vorlesung, p. 79) supposes the stone or rock of Zocheleth to be "the steep, rocky corner of the southern slope of the valley of Hinnom, which casts so deep a shade." "The neighbourhood (Wady el Rubb) is still a place of recreation for the inhabitants of Jerusalem." To this festal meal Adonijah invited all his brethren except Solomon, and "all the men of Judah, the king's servants," i.e., all the Judaeans who were in the king's service, i.e., were serving at court as being members of his own tribe, with the exception of Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, and the Gibborim. The fact that Solomon and the others mentioned were not included in the invitation, showed very clearly that Adonijah was informed of Solomon's election as successor to the throne, and was also aware of the feelings of Nathan and Benaiah.