The Meaning of 1 Kings 1:38 Explained

1 Kings 1:38

KJV: So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David's mule, and brought him to Gihon.

YLT: And Zadok the priest goeth down, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethite, and the Pelethite, and they cause Solomon to ride on the mule of king David, and cause him to go unto Gihon,

Darby: And Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David's mule, and brought him to Gihon.

ASV: So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David's mule, and brought him to Gihon.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

So Zadok  the priest,  and Nathan  the prophet,  and Benaiah  the son  of Jehoiada,  and the Cherethites,  and the Pelethites,  went down,  and caused Solomon  to ride  upon king  David's  mule,  and brought  him to Gihon. 

What does 1 Kings 1:38 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 1:28-40 - Anointing The Chosen One
David aroused himself and acted with commendable prudence and celerity. The crisis required promptness of decision and energy in execution. The whole nation was waiting to know the king's will regarding the succession to the throne, and David left no doubt as to his choice. His orders were quickly carried out by Nathan, Zadok, and Benaiah, and the royal action was also endorsed by popular acclaim.
What tumultuous joy burst over Jerusalem when Solomon was enthroned! The earth rang again with jubilant shouts which struck terror among the guests at Adonijah's feast. But all such opposition shall be forgotten in that day for which the whole creation-groaning in travail, Romans 8:22 -waits: when Jesus shall be manifested, and those who love Him shall be manifested with Him in glory, Colossians 3:4. Then we shall hear that new song, in which ten thousand times ten thousand voices shall acknowledge that Jesus is worthy to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing. He must reign! Revelation 5:12.
1 Kings 1:1-53 - Breaking Three Commandments
From a worldly point of view Naboth might have done a good stroke of business by selling his estate to. Ahab. A royal price and assured favor might have been his-but he had a conscience! Above the persuasive tones of the monarch's offer sounded the voice of God: "The land shall not be sold for ever, for the land is mine." See Leviticus 25:23; Numbers 36:7; Ezekiel 46:18.
Ahab knew perfectly well that Jezebel could not give him the property of another except by foul means, but he took pains not to inquire. Though the direct orders for Naboth's death did not come from him, yet, by his silence, he was an accomplice and an accessory; and divine justice penetrates all such specious excuses. God holds us responsible for wrongs which we do not arrest, though we have the power. The crime was blacker because of the pretext of religion, as suggested by a fast. See also 2 Kings 9:26. The blood of murdered innocence cries to God, and his requital, though delayed, is inevitable. See Revelation 6:9-10. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Kings 1

1  Abishag cherishes David in his extreme age
5  Adonijah, David's darling, usurps the kingdom
11  By the council of Nathan
15  Bathsheba moves the king
22  And Nathan seconds her
28  David renews his oath to Bathsheba
32  Solomon, by David's appointment,
38  being anointed king by Zadok and Nathan, the people triumph
41  Jonathan bringing the news, Adonijah's guests fly
50  Adonijah, flying to the horns of the altar, is dismissed by Solomon

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 1:38 mean?

So went down Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet and Benaiah son of Jehoiada and the Cherethites and the Pelethites and had ride - Solomon on mule King of David and took him to Gihon
וַיֵּ֣רֶד צָד֣וֹק הַ֠כֹּהֵן וְנָתָ֨ן הַנָּבִ֜יא וּבְנָיָ֣הוּ בֶן־ יְהוֹיָדָ֗ע וְהַכְּרֵתִי֙ וְהַפְּלֵתִ֔י וַיַּרְכִּ֙בוּ֙ אֶת־ שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה עַל־ פִּרְדַּ֖ת הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ דָּוִ֑ד וַיֹּלִ֥כוּ אֹת֖וֹ עַל־ גִּחֽוֹן

וַיֵּ֣רֶד  So  went  down 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
צָד֣וֹק  Zadok 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: צָדֹוק  
Sense: the high priest, son of Ahitub of the house of Eleazar the son of Aaron, and th in descent from Aaron; joined David after Saul’s death and supported him against Absalom and Adonijah; anointed Solomon as king.
הַ֠כֹּהֵן  the  priest 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
וְנָתָ֨ן  and  Nathan 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: נָתָן  
Sense: a son of David by Bathsheba.
הַנָּבִ֜יא  the  prophet 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נָבִיא  
Sense: spokesman, speaker, prophet.
וּבְנָיָ֣הוּ  and  Benaiah 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בְּנָיָה 
Sense: one of David’s mighty warriors, son of Jehoiada the chief priest, a Levite, set by David over his bodyguard, later having remained faithful to Solomon during Adonijah’s attempt on the crown, was raised into the place of Joab as commander-in-chief of the army.
בֶן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יְהוֹיָדָ֗ע  of  Jehoiada 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹויָדָע  
Sense: father of Benaiah, David’s mighty warrior.
וְהַכְּרֵתִי֙  and  the  Cherethites 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: כָּרִי  
Sense: a group of foreign mercenary soldiers serving as a bodyguard for king David; also executioners.
וְהַפְּלֵתִ֔י  and  the  Pelethites 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: פְּלֵתִי  
Sense: a collective name for the guardsmen of David.
וַיַּרְכִּ֙בוּ֙  and  had  ride 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: רָכַב  
Sense: to mount and ride, ride.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה  Solomon 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שְׁלֹמֹה  
Sense: son of David by Bathsheba and 3rd king of Israel; author of Proverbs and Song of Songs.
פִּרְדַּ֖ת  mule 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: פִּרְדָּה  
Sense: she-mule, mule.
הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ  King 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
דָּוִ֑ד  of  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
וַיֹּלִ֥כוּ  and  took 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
גִּחֽוֹן  Gihon 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: גִּיחֹון  
Sense: one of the four rivers of the Garden of Eden.