“B’nayah the son of Y’hoyada,
commander of the army;
Tzadok and Evyatar, cohanim.“
-1 Kings 4:4
Alrighty, verse 4 presents us with a bit of a conundrum.
We’re told that Tzadok and Evyatar were COHANIM or “High Priests.”
But didn’t Solomon remove Evyatar and banish him to his own land in the city of Anathoth?
So what’s up?
Why is his name listed as being a part of Solomon’s administration?
No one can know for sure.
But one thing I can say with confidence.
If Evyatar was considered an unwelcome outcast, there’s no way in the world he’d be included in this list.
So why is he listed?
Probably out of respect.
Evyatar may no longer have been part of Solomon’s inner circle, but he still had many loyal supporters.
He may have come from an illegitimate bloodline.
But he was still considered a wise and pious man who was to be respected.
There’s a key takeaway here we shouldn’t overlook.
When you send someone away or demote somebody…
It doesn’t have to be done in a humiliating fashion.
It can be done with respect and while still preserving the other person’s dignity.
Ya feel me?
I think that’s what Solomon did here.
In this cold world we live in, the wickedness of men’s hearts takes perverse delight in the downfall of others.
And I’m saying, pity the sick human beings in this world who think that way.
Done.
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