What is the meaning of 1 Kings 2:19? So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah Bathsheba approaches as an intercessor. Earlier, Adonijah had asked her to secure Solomon’s approval for his marriage to Abishag (1 Kings 2:13-18). Bathsheba’s willingness to plead for him shows: • Maternal compassion—she is mother to Solomon, yet she is ready to seek mercy for Solomon’s rival brother, echoing a mother’s heart seen in 2 Samuel 21:10. • Confidence in the king’s ear—she knows Solomon will listen (compare 1 Kings 1:11-17, where she previously appealed to David). • A model of intercession—like Esther before Xerxes (Esther 4:15-16) and Moses for Israel (Exodus 32:11-14). The king stood up to greet her Solomon’s first reaction is honor: “Honor your father and your mother” (Exodus 20:12). Standing acknowledges the Fifth Commandment and the principle that “You shall rise in the presence of the aged” (Leviticus 19:32). His action teaches: • Authority submits to God-given order—kings are still sons (Proverbs 30:17). • Real strength shows respect—compare Jesus rising to serve His disciples (John 13:4-5). bowed to her The bow deepens the respect: “Her children rise up and call her blessed” (Proverbs 31:28). Solomon publicly displays humility before his mother, illustrating: • A king under God’s law—he bows even while wearing the crown (Deuteronomy 17:18-20). • The value God places on motherhood—mirrored in Christ’s care for Mary from the cross (John 19:26-27). and sat down on his throne Only after honoring Bathsheba does Solomon resume his royal seat. The sequence highlights: • Proper priorities—reverence precedes rule (1 Kings 10:18-20 also shows Solomon’s throne as a symbol of God-given authority). • Security in identity—he isn’t threatened by humbling himself first (Matthew 23:11-12). Then the king had a throne brought for his mother Providing a separate throne elevates Bathsheba to queen-mother status, a recognized office in Israel (Jeremiah 13:18; 2 Chronicles 15:16). It conveys: • Permanent honor—not a fleeting courtesy but a formal position. • Shared participation—the throne beside Solomon signifies partnership, just as David promised to seat the future Messiah on an eternal throne (Psalm 132:11-12). who sat down at his right hand The right hand is the place of highest honor (Psalm 110:1). Bathsheba’s seating teaches: • Closeness and access—she can speak freely, foreshadowing how believers are invited to “approach the throne of grace with confidence” (Hebrews 4:16). • Royal favor—her petitions carry weight (1 Kings 2:20). • Prophetic picture—the Messiah Himself is seated at the right hand of the Father (Ephesians 1:20-21), pointing to the ultimate fulfillment of royal authority and honor. summary 1 Kings 2:19 records more than court etiquette. It shows a godly pattern of honoring parents, the legitimacy of intercession, and the way true authority is exercised—first in humility, then in justice. Solomon’s actions teach that leaders remain accountable to God’s commands, that mothers are to be esteemed publicly, and that those granted intimate access to the throne are meant to use it for the good of others. |
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