A Journey Through The Old Testament - Elmer Towns

armed revolt against Solomon at a later date, Joab was destined to die. Also, before his death
David had charged Solomon to see that justice was done regarding Joab’s taking of innocent
blood.
Joab responded to the threat on his life by pleading sanctuary. In his first attempt to take
the throne, Adonijah had been successful in preserving his life by taking hold of the horns of the
altar (1:50). Joab took that course of action on this occasion but without success (2:28-34).
Ironically, one of the reasons Joab was killed was because of his refusal to recognize the
sanctuary which Abner had attained by fleeing to a city of refuge.
There was a fourth man Solomon may have suspected as being involved in the coup.
Shimei had cursed David as he fled during Absalom’s revolt, and though David had preserved
the life of Shimei, the dying king had also warned his heir to beware of the man (vv. 8-9).
Perhaps because he was not clearly implicated in the coup attempt, Solomon did not take his life
but rather placed him under house arrest. The suspicion was too great against Shimei to leave
him free to travel throughout Israel perhaps to reorganize rebel forces. Shimei was ordered to
live in Jerusalem and promised his life would be preserved only so long as he remained within
the city limits.
Though Shimei agreed to the terms of Solomon and moved to Jerusalem, he left the city
limits three years later to retrieve two runaway servants. In violating the terms of his agreement
with Solomon, Shimei had sentenced himself to death. Solomon reminded Shimei of his earlier
agreement and of his abuse of David during the Absalom revolt. “So the king commanded
Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he went out and struck him down and he died. And the
kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon” (v. 46).
Even before his accession to the throne, Solomon was recognized for his wisdom (v. 9).
After wisely dealing with internal threats to his authority, he turned his attention to potential
international threats. “Now Solomon made a treaty with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and married
Pharaoh’s daughter; then he brought her to the City of David” (3:1). Thus allied with Egypt,
Solomon had established a powerful allied force that would prevent potential enemies from
attacking.
As Solomon began his reign, he was deeply committed to the Lord. As part of his
worship of God, he offered a thousand burnt offerings to the Lord in Gibeon. In response to that
expression of commitment, God appeared to Solomon in a dream, offering to give him whatever
the king requested. In recognition of his own perceived inability to wisely rule over Israel in his
youth, Solomon responded, “Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge
Your people, that I may discern between good and evil” (v. 9).
That Solomon had asked God for wisdom rather than wealth or an improved quality of
life so impressed God that He gave Solomon a promise of not only wisdom, but also wealth and
a long and peaceful reign. When Solomon awoke from his sleep, he went to the ark of the
covenant in Jerusalem and offered additional burnt offerings and peace offerings. Shortly thereafter,
Solomon was confronted with a problem which demonstrated the new dimension of
wisdom which he had received from God.
Two prostitutes appeared before Solomon with a dispute they wanted settled. Both
women were new mothers, but one mother had accidentally taken the life of her child while she
slept with it. Both mothers were now claiming the living child was her own and refused to claim
the dead child.
After hearing the complaint of the two women, Solomon decided the case by ordering the
living child to be severed and each mother would be given half. Though one of the women