מלכים א, פרק א׳, פסוק כ״א

Bathsheba confronts David about the dire consequences of his silence regarding the royal succession. She warns him of the physical, political, and public threats that will fall upon her and her son Solomon after the king's death if a clear heir is not named. The primary approach among commentators views their resulting status not as moral guilt, but as a state of profound loss and missed opportunity. They will be stripped of their rightful greatness [רש״י, מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ] and banished from the royal court [רד״ק]. More than just losing the crown, this political defeat translates into immediate mortal danger. Should Adonijah take the throne, he would inevitably view Solomon as a rival and seek to execute both him and his mother, effectively removing them from the world entirely [מצודת דוד, רלב״ג].

Another perspective focuses on severe public and moral damage. If David remains silent, the nation will naturally assume he approved of Adonijah taking power. Consequently, the public will conclude that Solomon was intentionally bypassed because of a deep flaw, bringing the old scandal of Uriah the Hittite back into the public eye. Bathsheba would be branded an adulteress and Solomon an illegitimate child, a disgrace that could easily end in a death sentence. In contrast, officially crowning Solomon would serve as public proof that their marriage was pure and guided by God [מלבי״ם, רלב״ג, רד״ק, צאינה וראינה].

A completely different approach suggests that Bathsheba is speaking with extreme diplomatic tact out of respect for the king. By stating that she and her son will bear the fault, she is actually using polite language to imply that David himself will be the one at fault for breaking his solemn oath to God to make Solomon king [רד״ק, צאינה וראינה]. Finally, another interpretation places the responsibility squarely on Bathsheba and Solomon. According to this view, if they fail to remind the king of his oath while he is still alive, they will have committed a grave error against themselves, losing the throne entirely due to their own hesitation and silence [רלב״ג].