Leadership the Bible Way - Part Ten
Adonijah, Bathsheba and Abishag: Why Appeasing Rebels Never Works
When David grew old and frail, the Scriptures tell us he could not keep warm. His attendants found a young and beautiful Shunammite woman named Abishag to serve him. She cared for him, nursed him, and even lay in his bosom to provide warmth. Yet the Bible carefully notes: “The king knew her not” (1 Kings 1:4). Abishag was not David’s wife in the intimate sense, but she was nonetheless identified with him. She belonged to the royal household.
Shortly after David’s death, his son Adonijah made what looked like a simple request. He went to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, and asked her to speak to the king on his behalf. His words were polite, even humble: “Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, (for he will not say thee nay,) that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife” (1 Kings 2:17).
At first glance, nothing seems sinister. A man desires a woman in marriage. What could be wrong with that? But Solomon immediately exploded: “Why dost thou ask Abishag for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also!” (1 Kings 2:22). In that moment, Solomon saw what others missed: Adonijah’s request was not about romance—it was about power.
The Hidden Agenda Behind the Request
In the ancient Near East, to take a deceased king’s wives or concubines was a direct claim to the throne. This was common knowledge in Israel’s history:
When Abner took Saul’s concubine Rizpah, Ish-bosheth accused him of trying to usurp the throne (2 Samuel 3:7).
When Absalom staged his rebellion against David, Ahithophel advised him to sleep with his father’s concubines publicly, and he did so on the palace rooftop (2 Samuel 16:21–22). It was a bold statement: “I am the king now.”
By asking for Abishag, Adonijah was sending the same signal. Everyone in Israel knew she had belonged to the royal household. Whoever married her would be seen as laying claim to the royal line. Solomon was right to say: “Ask for him the kingdom also!”
And we must remember: Adonijah already had a track record. Earlier, while David was still alive, he had tried to crown himself king (1 Kings 1:5–10). He gathered Joab, Abiathar the priest, and a company of supporters, but his coup collapsed when David swiftly anointed Solomon. Solomon had spared his life once. This was not the act of a repentant man. This was his second attempt, wrapped in the disguise of marriage.
Solomon Refused to Appease a Rebel
Some leaders, faced with such a request, would have tried appeasement. They might have said, “Let me give him Abishag so he feels included. It will keep him quiet.” Others might have tried to pacify Adonijah with a new post or a ceremonial title. Many leaders think rebels can be managed with positions, honours, or recognition.
But Solomon knew better. He saw that to give Abishag to Adonijah was not to pacify him, but to empower him. It would have been interpreted across the kingdom as an endorsement of Adonijah’s claim. It would have shaken the confidence of those who had stood by Solomon in his coronation. It would have taught the nation that rebellion, not loyalty, brings reward.
Solomon made a hard decision, but the right one: he ordered Adonijah’s execution. “King Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life. Now therefore, as the Lord liveth, which hath established me… Adonijah shall be put to death this day” (1 Kings 2:23–24).
The Mistake of Celebrating Rebels
Even today, some leaders fall into the trap Solomon avoided. They celebrate rebels publicly—sending birthday greetings, giving them seats of honour, calling their names from the pulpit—all in the hope that such recognition will win them over. But what does this communicate?
It tells the loyal ones that loyalty is invisible. It tells the faithful that their faithfulness will not be honoured. And worst of all, it trains the rest of the followers that the only way to be noticed is to be rebellious. Leaders who celebrate rebels end up reproducing rebellion.
Solomon took the opposite approach. He rewarded those who had stood with him—Zadok the priest, Benaiah the general, Nathan the prophet. He promoted the loyal, and he removed the rebellious. That is why Scripture says his throne was established (1 Kings 2:45).
Stop Training Your Team to Whine
Imagine you have twins. One is naturally quiet, the other always whining. Very soon, the quiet one learns a terrible lesson: you get what you want by whining. Parents who reward tantrums don’t just reinforce one child’s behaviour—they discipline the other child into resentment and catechise the whole house in manipulation.
Leaders do this too. Publicly pacify the loud rebel, and the loyal learn the code: make noise to be noticed. That’s how churches, teams, and ministries drift from faithfulness → performance → protest culture.
What to do instead:
Reward quiet faithfulness publicly. Give the microphone to the loyal, not the loud.
Confront manipulation privately and promptly. Mercy without boundaries is fertiliser for rebellion.
Tie recognition to fruit, not volume. Celebrate outcomes, character, and service—not theatrics.
Make your policy visible. “In this house, loyalty is honoured; manipulation is corrected.”
Close the loop. When you correct a rebel, also affirm the faithful so the signal is clear.
This was Solomon’s wisdom: he refused to appease Adonijah and established his throne (1 Kings 2:22–24,45). What you celebrate, you reproduce. Don’t train your team to whine. Train them to serve, build, and stay loyal.
Leadership Lessons for Today
See Through Innocent Requests. Not every request is what it seems. Leaders must discern when a proposal is a veiled power grab. Appeasement is dangerous when it legitimises rebellion.
Do Not Reward Rebellion. What you celebrate, you reproduce. Honour loyalty, not disloyalty. If you ignore the faithful and elevate the rebellious, you will soon find yourself surrounded by more rebels than loyalists.
Mercy Without Wisdom Is Folly. Solomon had spared Adonijah once, but when he proved unrepentant, Solomon did not repeat the mistake. David often spared Joab and Shimei, but they remained thorns in his side. Leaders must know when mercy preserves peace, and when mercy empowers rebellion.
Protect the Throne, Not Just Your Feelings. Leadership is not only about being nice or avoiding conflict. Sometimes the survival of the organisation depends on drawing hard lines. To permit a rebel to retain influence may look kind in the short term, but it is cruelty to everyone else in the long term.
Conclusion
Adonijah’s request for Abishag was not a love story—it was a coup in disguise. Solomon’s refusal to appease him is one of the clearest lessons in leadership from Scripture. Leaders today must learn the same wisdom: do not reward rebellion, do not ignore loyalty, and do not confuse appeasement with peace.
If you want to establish your throne—whether in ministry, business, or any organisation—let your people know that loyalty will always be honoured, and rebellion will never be rewarded. That was Solomon’s wisdom. And it is still true wisdom today.
Continue in grace!