1 Kings 1:18
ESV
And now, behold, Adonijah is king, although you, my lord the king, do not know it.
NIV
But now Adonijah has become king, and you, my lord the king, do not know about it.
NASB
But now, behold, Adonijah is king; and now, my lord the king, you do not know it.
CSB
Now look, Adonijah has become king. And, my lord the king, you didn’t know it.
NLT
But instead, Adonijah has made himself king, and my lord the king does not even know about it.
KJV
And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and now, my lord the king, thou knowest it not:
NKJV
So now, look! Adonijah has become king; and now, my lord the king, you do not know about it.
What does 1 Kings 1:18 mean?
Though she does well here, later events suggest Bathsheba is not politically savvy (1 Kings 2:13–25). It's uncertain how much she understood about the unfolding crisis prior to Nathan's visit. Nathan explains the situation plainly: David's son Adonijah has declared himself king, and if his claim succeeds, Bathsheba and her son Solomon will likely be killed once David dies (1 Kings 1:5–12). Nathan urges her to go before David and remind him of his oath that Solomon would reign after him.What Bathsheba knows is that David is old, frail, and nearing the end of his life. Yet he had sworn Solomon would be king (1 Kings 1:1, 17). Nathan's counsel gives her an opportunity to speak up and act decisively to preserve both her son's life and God's plan for Israel's throne.
Because of David's weakness, his attendants seem to have shielded him from troubling news (1 Kings 1:2). Perhaps they wished to spare him further distress. Still, it falls to Bathsheba—a woman not accustomed to wielding political power—to bring the truth to the king. With courage and humility, she approaches David, bows before him, giving him the respect the conspirators haven't. She reminds him of his oath. And she reminds him that he is still king. He can save the kingdom, her son, and her (1 Kings 1:20–21).
When Bathsheba declares, "Adonijah is king," she is acknowledging a grim reality. Though technically nothing is official, Adonijah has already been accepted by Joab, Abiathar, the army, David's sons, and the officials of Judah. Yet the coronation is not complete—there is still time for David to act and for God's promise concerning Solomon to be fulfilled.
