1K2-14: The Hidden Danger of Wanting What You Can’t Have

Let’s get back to the story of Adonijah’s secret visit to Bathsheba.

Recall, he was David’s son through his wife Haggit.

Remember, this was the rascal who had thrown a huge party in honor of himself becoming the next king.

That ridiculous effort was quickly put to a stop by the Prophet Nathan and Solomon’s mother.

So when Adoniyah suddenly showed up at her doorstep, no doubt, Bathsheba would’ve been quite shocked at Adoniyah’s visit.

Just a few months earlier, this homie was hanging onto the horns of the Altar for dear life, fearing that Solomon would have him executed.

Not wasting any time, Bathsheba asks him the obvious question: 

“Have you come in peace?”

Adonijah assures her he has and then proceeds to blurt out the foolishness that would lead to his execution.

He tells Solomon’s mother that not only should the throne have been his, but that the people of Israel were also fully expecting him to be the next king.

The truth is, he was correct in his assessment

Per custom, he actually was next in line to inherit the throne.

But telling this to the king’s mother ain’t exactly the smartest thing to do.

Surprisingly, Bathsheba’s response to Adonijah was not negative.

Probably because Adonijah concluded his little speech by acknowledging that the Lord had given the kingdom to Solomon (implying that he had accepted what had happened).

However, the real reason for Adonijah’s approach to Bathsheba soon surfaces…and it’s devious as all hell.

After setting the stage by appealing to Bathsheba’s womanly compassion for his being denied his right to the throne and having to live with this humiliation for the rest of his life, Adonijah asks her for a “small favor.”

He wants permission to marry Avishag, David’s former nursemaid.

Keep in mind that Bathsheba wasn’t some shrewd politician who understood the conniving ways of men.

She innocently took Adoniyah’s request for Avishag as an attempt to claim something in place of what he had lost.

So Adonijah succeeded in stirring up the sympathy he had wanted from Bathsheba.

Now, one question we should address is whether it would’ve been okay for Adoniyah to marry Avishag?

The answer is yes.

Avishag was only David’s nursing maid, a virgin, and had never been part of David’s harem.

So there was no prohibition against marrying her.

And as I just said, Bathsheba didn’t see any harm in Adoniyah’s request.

Heck, maybe this was a chance to heal the dangerous rift that had occurred between Solomon and his half-brother.

After all, it was rifts like these that spilled over into full-blown wars.

So Bathsheba agrees to take Adoniyah’s request to Solomon.

Now, while the naive Bathsheba may have been fooled by Adonijah, for sure, Solomon and his advisors would understand what was really going on.

Adonijah, via the initial baby step of taking Avishag to be his wife, was trying to make his way back to the throne.

But he was stupid to think that Solomon wouldn’t see through this veil of deceit.

This just goes to show how clouded a person’s judgment can become when greatly coveting something that’s not yours.

We’ll continue with this story the next time we meet.

But for now, let’s switch over to the takeaway.

Actually, I just mentioned the takeaway.

It all has to do with Adonijah greatly desiring something to the extent that all of his rational thinking capabilities went right out the proverbial window.

Recall Yeshua’s words about lusting after something that doesn’t belong to you.

Ya feel me here?

I think you do.

So, done.