Bathsheba sprang into action, following the instruction of Nathan. When she arrived at the king’s chamber, the aged David was with Abishag, the young Shunammite beauty. Immediately, she bowed and showed David much respect and courtesy. David responded by asking why she was there. Wasting no time, she went straight to explain the purpose of her presence there.
Bathsheba
began by reminding David that he had sworn before the LORD God to make
Solomon his successor before revealing that Adonijah had coronated himself as
king behind his back. Next, she went on to disclose Adonijah’s collaborators, and
then told him that all Israel was waiting to see who he really had in mind to
succeed him. She rounded up by expressing her fear that when David had died,
she and Solomon would be treated as criminals by Adonijah.
At
the crucial moment of David’s conversation with Bathsheba, Nathan appeared
before the king. He prostrated himself before the king and corroborated
Bathsheba’s account. He cleverly left no opportunity for the king to question
what he had just heard from Bathsheba. Nathan insinuated that perhaps David had
appointed Adonijah as his successor without letting his plan known. If not why himself,
Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and even Solomon, were left out
of the ceremony.
Nathan
was attuned to the situation. He had shown himself to be a faithful servant and
friend of David. Wisely, he had ensured that David would appoint the right heir
to the throne. This passage shows us how needful it is to surround ourselves
with genuine and faithful friends. When we are choosing friends, be sure
to choose true, genuine, and godly friends. Proverbs 27:6 is a timely
reminder. It says, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, deceitful are the
kisses of an enemy.” Choose our friends wisely!
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