Adonijah (Nehemiah 10:16)

David’s fourth son. Haggith gave birth to him at Hebron (2 Samuel 3:4). After his three older brothers (Amnon, Chileab, and Absalom) died, Adonijah was next to become king after David. According to 1 Kings, David promised his wife Bathsheba that their son Solomon would be the next king (1 Kings 1:17).

When David seemed to be dying, Adonijah began to prepare to become king (1 Kings 1:1–10). Before this could happen, David named Solomon as the next king (1 Kings 1:11–40). Adonijah avoided Solomon at first (1 Kings 1:41–53), but eventually, he asked King Solomon for permission to marry Abishag. Abishag was the woman from Shunem who was caring for David during his last days. In the ancient Near East, taking the concubine of a deceased king was the same as claiming the throne. This made Solomon angry and he ordered Adonijah to be killed (1 Kings 2:13–25).