1 Kings 1:40
ESV
And all the people went up after him, playing on pipes, and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth was split by their noise.
NIV
And all the people went up after him, playing pipes and rejoicing greatly, so that the ground shook with the sound.
NASB
And all the people went up after him, and the people were playing on flutes and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth shook at their noise.
CSB
All the people went up after him, playing flutes and rejoicing with such a great joy that the earth split open from the sound.
NLT
And all the people followed Solomon into Jerusalem, playing flutes and shouting for joy. The celebration was so joyous and noisy that the earth shook with the sound.
KJV
And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.
NKJV
And all the people went up after him; and the people played the flutes and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth seemed to split with their sound.
What does 1 Kings 1:40 mean?
David's son Adonijah is attempting to usurp the crown (1 Kings 1:5–10). Solomon must take the throne immediately before Adonijah can assume it by force. David doesn't have a lot of time to plan, but his officials follow his instructions and get the job done (1 Kings 1:32–39). The people of Jerusalem see them and follow.Adonijah's self-hosted feast includes princes and rulers, Israel's military commander, and a priest (1 Kings 1:5–10). Solomon's hasty procession includes a few officials loyal to David and the common people of Jerusalem. When the people witness Solomon's anointing, their joy is uncontainable. As Solomon rides back to the palace on the king's mule, the people make so much noise that it's poetically described as if the earth were being split in two (1 Kings 1:38–39).
Just outside the city, while finishing their feast, Adonijah's supporters hear the shouting, trumpets, and pipes. Joab is the first to ask what it means (1 Kings 1:41).
In Samuel's day, Israel's demand for a king became insistent. God let them have their wish and gave them a man who looked like a king, mostly because he was tall and good-looking (1 Samuel 9:1–2). Saul grew to be a decent military leader, but he disobeyed God, and God allowed his jealousy of David to drive him insane.
David won the support of Judah by giving them gifts (1 Samuel 30:26–31). He finally won over the northern tribes when they realized they were vulnerable to the Philistines and David could protect them (2 Samuel 5:1–5). David's son Absalom won favor with men from outside Jerusalem in part because he convinced them that David didn't care about justice and, in large part, because of his stunning looks (2 Samuel 14:25–26; 15:1–6).
It's unclear how Adonijah convinced so many people to follow him. Joab likely knew Solomon would execute him for murder (1 Kings 2:28–35). It's possible Adonijah promised the leaders of Judah favors. But Abiathar's support is never given justification in the text.
These examples prove that choosing a king is dangerous business. We can't perfectly know a man's character or plans (1 Samuel 16:7; 1 Corinthians 2:11). We are far too easily manipulated and fooled. The people celebrating Solomon don't yet know that they will experience the most peaceful and prosperous era of Israel's history. They also don't know that Solomon will tax them, demand forced labor, and lead them into idolatry. No matter who sits on the throne or behind the desk, our faith must always be in God.
