מלכים א, פרק ב׳, פסוק ט״ו

A delicate and calculated conversation unfolds as Adonijah approaches Bathsheba with a highly sensitive request. On the surface, his words present a sophisticated blend of apparent acceptance of reality alongside subtle reminders of his original claim to the throne. By framing his situation in this manner, he carefully lays the groundwork to ask for Abishag the Shunammite as his wife.

Adonijah begins by noting that the kingship was initially supposed to be his. He points out that he was the oldest son and had the support of the people, before the crown ultimately passed to Solomon [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Asking to marry the late King David’s concubine is highly problematic. A strict rule dictates that no one may use the personal items or the "scepter" of a king, as that privilege is reserved exclusively for the sitting monarch. However, because David never actually had intimate relations with Abishag, she was technically permitted to marry [רד״ק]. To bypass the restriction against taking a royal figure, Adonijah relies on his initial claim to the throne. He positions himself not as an ordinary citizen, but as a displaced heir who is entitled to at least this small form of compensation [מלבי״ם, חומת אנך].

To put Bathsheba at ease and remove any suspicion, Adonijah openly acknowledges that Solomon’s kingship was directed by God through Nathan the prophet. He portrays himself as a humble man who harbors no resentment and would never dare rebel against a divine decree [רד״ק, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This declaration also serves as a clever psychological tactic. He argues that a mortal king who rules merely by the consent of the people needs rigid protocols of honor—such as the ban on using royal items—to protect his fragile status. Solomon, however, rules by God's direct choice. Because his honor is absolute and secure, Solomon has no reason to feel threatened or offended if Adonijah marries Abishag [מלבי״ם].

Despite his smooth and agreeable tone, Adonijah is setting a trap. His hidden, true motive is to use the marriage to King David's concubine as a political stepping stone to undermine Solomon's rule and eventually seize the throne, a dangerous plot that Bathsheba completely fails to recognize [רד״ק, מצודת דוד].