1 Kongebok 1:20

Det Norsk Bibelselskap

Og nu, herre konge, er hele Israels øine vendt mot dig, forat du skal la dem vite hvem som skal sitte på min herre kongens trone efter ham.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the eyes: 2 Chronicles 20:12, Psalms 25:15, Psalms 123:2, Zechariah 3:9

that thou: At this time the monarchy of Israel was unsettled; no man knew who was to succeed to the crown; and the minds of the people were as unsettled as the succession. It was neither hereditary nor elective: the king, as was anciently the case in most countries, named his successor; but in this instance, God had already assigned the throne to Solomon. 2 Samuel 23:2, 1 Chronicles 22:8-10, 1 Chronicles 28:5, 1 Chronicles 28:6, 1 Chronicles 28:10, 1 Chronicles 29:1

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And thou, my lord, O king,.... As for thee, or what concerns thee, or is incumbent on thee, will appear from the expectations of the people:

the eyes of all Israel [are] upon thee, that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him; this she said, to dissipate any fears that might possess his mind on hearing what Adonijah had done, that the people in general had assented to it, and encouraged him to it; whereas the body of the people were waiting to hear what was the will and determination of David: for they not only considered him as having a power to name a successor, as was afterwards done by Rehoboam, but as one that had the mind of God revealed to him who should be his successor, to which they should pay a regard.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Tell them who shall sit on the throne - Side by side with what may be called the natural right of hereditary succession, there existed in the old world, and especially in the East, a right, if not of absolutely designating a successor, yet at any rate of choosing one among several sons. Thus, Cyrus designated Cambyses; and Darius designated Xerxes; and a still more absolute right of nomination was exercised by some of the Roman emperors.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Kings 1:20. That thou shouldest tell - who shall sit on the throne — This was a monarchy neither hereditary nor elective; the king simply named his successor. This obtained less or more, anciently, in most countries.