I Kings 1:22-27 · Bible study
1 Kings 1:22-27 Commentary: Nathan's Intervention
Hebrew · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
How Nathan's precisely timed entrance confirms Bathsheba's plea and reveals God's hand in Solomon's succession, despite Adonijah's coup.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Nathan's timed entrance confirms Bathsheba's report and pushes the king to act on God's promise of Solomon's succession.
- Key words: הִנֵּה (behold), dramatic arrival; בָּא (came), perfect of decisive entry; קָרָא (called/invited), the deliberate guest list that exposes Adonijah's plot.
- Main debate: Is Nathan's 'hast thou said' a real question or a rhetorical assumption? Barnes and Cambridge insist the Hebrew is declarative; others read it as an implied question.
- Theological theme: Divine sovereignty operating through human timing and testimony.
- Best use: Preaching on God's faithfulness to His promises, the importance of coordinated action among believers.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
22And just then, while Bathsheba was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived.
23So the king was told, “Nathan the prophet is here.” And Nathan went in and bowed facedown before the king.
24“My lord the king,” said Nathan, “did you say, ‘Adonijah will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne’?
25For today he has gone down and sacrificed an abundance of oxen, fattened calves, and sheep, and has invited all the sons of the king, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest. And behold, they are eating and drinking before him, saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’
26But me your servant he did not invite, nor Zadok the priest, nor Benaiah son of Jehoiada, nor your servant Solomon.
27Has my lord the king let this happen without informing your servant who should sit on the throne after my lord the king?”
WEB World English Bible 2000
22Behold, while she was still talking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in.
23They told the king, saying, “Behold, Nathan the prophet!” When he had come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.
24Nathan said, “My lord, King, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne’?
25For he has gone down today, and has slain cattle, fatlings, and sheep in abundance, and has called all the king’s sons, the captains of the army, and Abiathar the priest. Behold, they are eating and drinking before him, and saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’
26But he hasn’t called me, even me your servant, Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon.
27Was this thing done by my lord the king, and you haven’t shown to your servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”
KJV King James Version 1769
22And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in.
23And they told the king, saying, Behold Nathan the prophet. And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.
24And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?
25For he is gone down this day, and hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the king’s sons, and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they eat and drink before him, and say, God save king Adonijah.
26But me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon, hath he not called.
27Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not shewed it unto thy servant, who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?
ASV American Standard Version 1901
22And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet came in.
23And they told the king, saying, Behold, Nathan the prophet. And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.
24And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?
25For he is gone down this day, and hath slain oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the king’s sons, and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they are eating and drinking before him, and say, Long live king Adonijah.
26But me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon, hath he not called.
27Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not showed unto thy servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
22And lo, she is yet speaking with the king, and Nathan the prophet hath come in;
23and they declare to the king, saying, `Lo, Nathan the prophet;' and he cometh in before the king, and boweth himself to the king, on his face to the earth.
24And Nathan saith, `My lord, O king, thou hast said, Adonijah doth reign after me, and he doth sit on my throne;
25for he hath gone down to-day, and doth sacrifice ox, and fatling, and sheep, in abundance, and calleth for all the sons of the king, and for the heads of the host, and for Abiathar the priest, and lo, they are eating and drinking before him, and they say, Let king Adonijah live!
26`And for me--me, thy servant, and for Zadok the priest, and for Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, and for Solomon thy servant, he hath not called;
27if from my lord the king this thing hath been, then thou hast not caused thy servant to know who doth sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
22And behold, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in.
23And they told the king saying, Behold, Nathan the prophet. And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.
24And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne?
25For he is gone down this day, and has sacrificed oxen and fatted cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king's sons, and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and behold, they eat and drink before him, and say, God save king Adonijah!
26But me, [even] me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon, he has not invited.
27Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not shewn to thy servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
22As she was yet speaking with the king, Nathan, the prophet, came.
23And they told the king, saying: Nathan, the prophet, is here. And when he was come in before the king, and had worshipped, bowing down to the ground,
24Nathan said: My lord, O king, hast thou said: Let Adonias reign after me, and let him sit upon my throne?
25Because he is gone down to day, and hath killed oxen, and fatlings, and many rams, and invited all the king's sons, and the captains of the army, and Abiathar the priest: and they are eating and drinking before him, and saying: God save king Adonias:
26But me, thy servant, and Sadoc, the priest, and Banaias, the son of Joiada, and Solomon, thy servant, he hath not invited.
27Is this word come out from my lord the king, and hast thou not told me, thy servant, who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · I Kings 1:22
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Nathan enters at the exact moment Bathsheba finishes speaking (1 Ki 1:22), a timing too perfect for coincidence. Barnes notes that in the Hebrew, Nathan's opening is not a question but an assertion: 'You have said, Adonijah shall reign', the ruler wishes to draw out a denial. Cambridge adds that the Hebrew lacks a question mark; the tone must have carried the force. Gill observes that Nathan likely waited at the chamber door, entering as Bathsheba concluded, a strategy he himself proposed (1 Ki 1:14). The coordinated entrance allowed two witnesses to confirm the same urgent report, a pattern consistent with God's use of prophets and faithful counsel to preserve His promise. The passage thus highlights divine orchestration through human agents, as Jamieson-Fausset-Brown states: Nathan 'felt himself bound, in accordance with his character and office, to take the lead in seeing it executed.'
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Rhetorical assumption view: The Hebrew lacks a question marker; Barnes and Cambridge argue Nathan states 'You have said' to draw a denial, not to ask for information.
- Genuine question view: Gill and some modern translations see it as a perplexed query: 'Hast thou said?' — giving David room to clarify his intentions.
- Test of loyalty view: Lange suggests Nathan is testing whether David will uphold the divine promise despite his weakness; the question checks David's faithfulness.
What is clear: All interpreters agree that Nathan's entrance at this precise moment confirms Bathsheba's report and that David responds by immediately ordering Solomon's coronation.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| God's choice of Solomon | All traditions affirm that God chose Solomon to succeed David (2 Sam 7:12-13; 1 Chron 22:9-10) and that Nathan the prophet knew this. | Catholics and some Protestants debate whether David's oath to Bathsheba (1 Ki 1:13,17) was a private promise that became public through Nathan, or whether the divine revelation came solely through Nathan's earlier ministry. Most agree the promise was known in court circles. |
| Legitimacy of primogeniture versus divine appointment | Christians agree that Israel's monarchy was not bound by automatic primogeniture; God could appoint any son. | Some traditions argue that Adonijah's claim was natural and even expected under cultural norms, making David's delay the real problem. Others emphasize that Adonijah's self-exaltation (1 Ki 1:5) was sinful rebellion against God's revealed will. |
| Nathan's role as prophet and court adviser | Nathan acted both as God's spokesperson and as a loyal counselor to David. | Reformed expositors (e.g., Matthew Henry) stress his prophetic office as the basis for authority. Anglican/Catholic readings (e.g., Cambridge) also note his special relationship with David from earlier prophecies (2 Sam 7). The difference is one of emphasis rather than substance. |
Historical & Cultural Context
David was very old and confined to bed (1 Ki 1:1,15). In ancient Near Eastern courts, the king's weakness often triggered succession struggles. Adonijah, David's fourth son, exploited this moment by exalting himself with chariots and runners (1 Ki 1:5), then hosting a sacrificial feast at En-rogel, a spring in the Kidron Valley below Jerusalem (1 Ki 1:9). He invited his brothers, the army commander Joab, and Abiathar the priest, key power bases. Conspicuously absent were Zadok the priest, Benaiah, Nathan the prophet, and Solomon (1 Ki 1:10,26). The narrator signals a deliberate exclusion.
Palace protocol required Nathan to be announced before entering the king's chamber (1 Ki 1:22-23; Barnes notes he came into an outer room first). Bathsheba withdrew before Nathan entered, following Oriental customs of propriety (Barnes). The repeated use of הִנֵּה (behold) in the text marks the dramatic arrival: 'Behold, Nathan the prophet.' Nathan's bow with face to the ground (v.23) reflects the growing royal ceremony established in David's later reign (Ellicott).
In Israel, the king did not automatically pass the throne to the eldest son; the Lord reserved the right of nomination (Deut 17:15; Jamieson-Fausset-Brown). David had sworn an oath to Bathsheba that Solomon would succeed (1 Ki 1:13,17,30), and Nathan had received divine revelation confirming that choice (2 Sam 7:12-16; 1 Chron 22:9). The prophet thus had both political and theological stake in the succession. His coordinated entrance with Bathsheba was a deliberate plan to ensure the king acted before Adonijah's coronation became irreversible.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note one significant variant in 1 Ki 1:27. The Hebrew reads 'your servant' (singular), but some manuscripts have 'your servants' (plural). Cambridge states that 'the A.V. gives the better sense' for the singular, since Nathan speaks of himself in particular. The Arabic version cited by Gill uses the plural. No other textual variants are discussed in the consulted commentaries. The Masoretic text is stable; the passage presents no major textual difficulties for interpretation.
Reception History
Early Christian interpreters read the transition from David to Solomon as a type of the transition from the old covenant to the new. Origen and Augustine saw Nathan's role as prophetic confirmation of God's chosen king, prefiguring Christ's anointing. During the Reformation, Luther and Calvin emphasized Nathan's boldness in confronting a king, using it as a model for prophetic ministry accountable to God's word alone. In later centuries, the passage has been cited in discussions of legitimate succession, both political and spiritual, and in biography, it illustrates how God raises up faithful allies at critical moments. The phrase 'God save the king' (v.25) became a standard acclamation in English coronations, borrowed from the Hebrew 'Let the king live.'
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God works through coordinated human action. Nathan and Bathsheba act as two witnesses, each confirming the other's report. Their timing was not luck, it was arranged in obedience to God's promise.
- When God's plan is threatened, He raises faithful voices. Nathan could have stayed silent; instead he risked confronting a dying king. The prophet's courage flows from knowing God's will.
- A king's ignorance does not stop God's purpose. David did not know about Adonijah's coup until told. God used messengers to wake him. The throne of Israel was always under divine management.
Five-point outline
- Crisis: Adonijah crowns himself while David lies helpless.
- Counsel: Nathan and Bathsheba form a rescue plan (1 Ki 1:11-14).
- Confrontation: Bathsheba speaks first, then Nathan enters to confirm.
- Conviction: David realizes what has happened and acts decisively.
- Coronation: Solomon is anointed, and God's promise holds.
Illustration hooks
- A safety net at a construction site: two ropes catch the same falling beam. Neither alone was enough, but together they held. Nathan and Bathsheba were that double witness.
- A fire alarm that sounds just as someone walks into a burning room. The person who entered thought all was calm; the alarm saved them. Nathan's entrance was God's alarm for David.
- A teacher whose best student suddenly stops doing homework. Another teacher notices and mentions it to the first. Together they piece together that the student is being bullied. Timely insight comes from shared observation.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How can I know if a situation needs immediate action or patient waiting?
- What does it look like to confront a leader in love when something is wrong?
- If God has a plan, why does He need people to carry it out?
Leading a Discussion
This passage shows how God uses two faithful people to wake a sleeping king. Nathan's entrance at the exact moment Bathsheba finishes speaking is no accident, it is the hinge on which the throne turns. In your group, consider how God might be coordinating people and events around you to accomplish His purposes.
Discussion questions
- What details in vv.22-27 show that Nathan's arrival was timed for maximum effect?
- Why do you think Nathan phrases his question as a statement? (Barnes notes the Hebrew has no question mark.) What does that tell you about his confidence?
- How does Nathan's list of who was NOT invited (v.26) strengthen his case? What does it reveal about Adonijah's strategy?
- This chapter shows two planned coronations (Adonijah's feast and Solomon's anointing). What does each gathering say about how the participants understood God's will?
- When have you seen God use two independent sources to confirm the same message in your life or church?
- Nathan had the king's ear because of his prophetic office. How should we use whatever access or influence we have for God's kingdom?
- David responds immediately in vv.28-30. What does his quick response say about his character, even in old age?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 24:15 | Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher on her shoulder. |
| Job 1:16 | While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God has fallen from the sky, and has burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” |
| Job 1:18 | While he was still speaking, there came also another, and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, |
| Daniel 9:20 | While I was speaking, praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before Yahweh my God for the holy mountain of my God— |
| I Kings 1:16 | Bathsheba bowed and showed respect to the king. The king said, “What would you like?” |
| Romans 13:7 | Therefore give everyone what you owe: if you owe taxes, pay taxes; if customs, then customs; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. |
| I Peter 2:17 | Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. |
| I Kings 1:5 | Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king.” Then he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that Nathan entered the palace, not the private chamber, following Oriental custom. He also observes that Nathan's words "Hast thou said" are not a question in the original Hebrew but a statement meant to provoke the king into denying he made such a declaration.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Nathan highlights that as God's prophet, he had a unique relationship with David and should have been consulted about any change in the succession. Bathsheba left before Nathan spoke to the king, so she did not hear the prophet's forceful reminder of God's promise that Solomon would reign.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Geneva's notes highlight how Nathan's entrance during Bathsheba's audience is no coincidence: the prophet exposes Adonijah's coronation as a secret coup by pointing out that he, Zadok, Benaiah, and Solomon were deliberately excluded. Nathan's respectful obeisance before the king sets up his bold, pointed question that forces David to confront what is being done without his knowledge.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill draws attention to Nathan's perfect timing and theatrical entrance. The prophet waited just outside until Bathsheba finished speaking, then strode in unannounced as the king's trusted seer. Nathan then feigned ignorance, telling his story as if he knew nothing of her visit, making his report more devastating.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB emphasizes that Nathan the prophet took the lead in defeating Adonijah's revolt because he knew God's will had already settled the succession on Solomon, not by the natural rule of the oldest son. The Hebrew monarchy had no fixed inheritance; God reserved the right to choose, so Nathan acted decisively, arranging for Bathsheba to first inform the aged king.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange insists that Abishag was not David's concubine but a medical attendant brought by physicians to warm his failing body. The text explicitly states David did not know her, so what seems scandalous reflects the era's lack of chastity, not David's lust.