Adonijah was afraid of Solomon, so he rushed to the sacred tent and grabbed on to the horns of the altar.
Parallel translations
- WEB Adonijah was afraid because of Solomon; and he arose, and went, and hung onto the horns of the altar.
- KJV And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.
- BSB But Adonijah, in fear of Solomon, got up and went to take hold of the horns of the altar.
- NKJV Now Adonijah was afraid of Solomon; so he arose, and went and took hold of the horns of the altar.
- NASB Adonijah also was afraid of Solomon, and he got up, and went, and took hold of the horns of the altar.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Fearing Solomon, Adonijah flees and grasps the horns of the altar for sanctuary. He seeks mercy in the place of refuge.
Overview
Adonijah, now terrified, takes hold of the altar's horns, a traditional place to plead for protection and mercy. His action acknowledges Solomon's authority and his own vulnerability. The altar's role as a refuge points to the deeper truth that mercy is found in God's appointed place of atonement.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- 1 Kgs 2:28This news came to Joab; for Joab had followed Adonijah, although he didn’t follow Absalom. Joab fled to Yahweh’s Tent, and held onto the horns of the altar.
- Ps 118:27Yahweh is God, and he has given us light. Bind the sacrifice with cords, even to the horns of the altar.
- Exod 38:2He made its horns on its four corners. Its horns were of one piece with it, and he overlaid it with brass.
- Exod 21:14If a man schemes and comes presumptuously on his neighbor to kill him, you shall take him from my altar, that he may die.
- Exod 27:2You shall make its horns on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it; and you shall overlay it with brass.
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Christ at the center
Solomon's glory, wisdom, and temple where God's presence dwells are a shadow of the greater Son of David — 'one greater than Solomon is here' — and of the true Temple, Christ himself.
How 1 Kings 1:50 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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