And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him after Absalom.
1 KINGS 1:6KJVWhat does 1 Kings 1:6 mean?
1 Kings 1:6 explains that King David never corrected or questioned his son Adonijah’s actions, and that Adonijah was very handsome and born after Absalom. The verse highlights both David’s lack of discipline toward Adonijah and Adonijah’s appealing appearance and family position.
This verse is part of the story where Adonijah tries to make himself king while David is old and weak. The verse points out that David’s failure to challenge Adonijah’s behavior may have contributed to Adonijah’s boldness, and it also connects Adonijah to Absalom, another son who rebelled.
The Hebrew behind 1 Kings 1:6
- The word “displeased” (עָצַב, ‘atsav) means to cause pain or grief. Here, it shows that David never caused Adonijah discomfort by questioning or correcting him, which suggests a lack of parental discipline.
- “Very goodly man” uses two Hebrew words: מְאֹד (me’od, “very”) and טוֹב תֹּאַר (tov to’ar, “goodly” or “handsome in appearance”). This stresses that Adonijah was not just good-looking, but strikingly so, which may have made him more confident or favored in the eyes of others.
- The phrase “after Absalom” (אַחֲרֵי אַבְשָׁלוֹם, acharei Avshalom) links Adonijah’s birth order to Absalom, reminding readers of another son who rebelled, and hinting at a pattern in David’s family.
Why 1 Kings 1:6 matters
- This verse clarifies that Adonijah’s attempt to take the throne was partly enabled by David’s failure to set boundaries or discipline him, not just by Adonijah’s ambition.
- The mention of Adonijah’s appearance and birth order connects his story to Absalom’s earlier rebellion, showing a recurring issue in David’s family.
- Understanding David’s passive parenting here helps explain the family tensions and succession struggles that shape the opening of 1 Kings.