1 Kings 1:11-27
Nathan Intervenes
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11Then Nathan said to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, “Have you not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has become king, and our lord David does not know it?
12Now please, come and let me advise you. Save your own life and the life of your son Solomon.
13Go at once to King David and say, ‘My lord the king, did you not swear to your maidservant, “Surely your son Solomon will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’
14Then, while you are still there speaking with the king, I will come in after you and confirm your words.”
15So Bathsheba went to see the king in his bedroom. Since the king was very old, Abishag the Shunammite was serving him.
16And Bathsheba bowed down in homage to the king, who asked, “What is your desire?”
17“My lord,” she replied, “you yourself swore to your maidservant by the LORD your God: ‘Surely your son Solomon will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne.’
18But now, behold, Adonijah has become king, and you, my lord the king, do not know it.
19And he has sacrificed an abundance of oxen, fattened calves, and sheep, and has invited all the other sons of the king, as well as Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of the army. But he has not invited your servant Solomon.
20And as for you, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are upon you to tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.
21Otherwise, when my lord the king rests with his fathers, I and my son Solomon will be counted as criminals.”
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 has not invited, 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?”
Berean Standard Bible
Read aloud
Nathan hears that Adonijah has begun a feast and is acting as king. He goes first to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, and tells her to remind David of the oath he made that Solomon would succeed him. Nathan does not merely criticize the threat from a distance. He acts while the decision can still be corrected.
Bathsheba enters David's room and describes the danger. She reminds David of his oath and says Israel is waiting for him to name his successor. If he remains silent, she and Solomon will be treated as criminals after his death. Nathan then arrives to confirm her words, as he and Bathsheba had arranged.
Nathan asks whether David has authorized the feast and the succession. The questions press on David's responsibility. The problem is not only that Adonijah is ambitious; it is that a public transition is happening without the king's clear word.
The passage shows two faithful people using access and courage to interrupt a dangerous plan. Nathan has previously confronted David over sin, and now he speaks again when the stability of the kingdom and the safety of Solomon are at stake. Truth sometimes requires entering an uncomfortable room before the damage is complete.
Questions
1 What does Nathan tell Bathsheba to remember?
AnswerHe tells her to remind David of his oath that Solomon would succeed him as king.
2 What concern does Bathsheba bring to David?
AnswerShe reminds him that he swore Solomon would succeed him. She warns that she and Solomon will be treated as criminals after David dies unless he makes the succession clear.
3 Why does Nathan come before David?
AnswerHe comes to confirm Bathsheba's report and ask whether David himself has ordered the feast and succession.
4 How can we raise a serious concern without turning it into gossip?
AnswerTake the facts to someone able to act, explain who may be harmed, and distinguish what you know from what you fear. Nathan helps Bathsheba reach David and confirms the concern directly instead of merely discussing it elsewhere.
What This Means for Us
Nathan and Bathsheba do not wait for a private concern to solve itself. They bring the facts to the person responsible while there is still time to act.
Speaking up should not mean spreading rumor or escalating every disagreement. It means carrying verified concern to the right person, especially when silence would leave someone vulnerable to another person's ambition.
Prayer
God of truth, give us courage to speak when silence would protect wrongdoing. Help us bring concerns carefully, verify what we know, and use influence to protect people rather than preserve comfort. Amen.