Manipulation

Reading: 1 Kings 2:12-25 (spec. v.15)

Adonijah convinced himself he was one step ahead of everyone else. He went to a woman, women were looked at by this culture as ignorant and not understanding a man’s business. Adonijah assumed Bathsheba would never know what he was up to, and that Solomon would emotionally not be able to refuse his mother. This is a pretty good plan. He didn’t care to marry, rather he knew by custom, “claiming the widow of a deceased king was an indirect way of claiming the right to the vacated throne.” But, he really did know the truth (v.15).

Bathsheba was smarter than Adonijah. She realized what he was up to. If she was just trying to “match-make” she might’ve reacted differently to Solomon’s anger. Think about this, why would she want to setup or even be involved with the man who almost kept her and her son out of power and the young girl who spent the last few days with her dying husband? Knowing what Adonijah was up to, she went along and approached Solomon in such a way as to anger him into killing Adonijah. This should’ve happened before now anyway. By going ahead with asking Solomon for Adonijah, Bathsheba assumed she would anger Solomon and cause him to finally act.

Don’t just assume you are smarter than everyone else. You may not be ahead of the game as much as you think. Manipulation seems to never permanently workout for the one making the plans.

Proverbs 26:27, "Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: And he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him."

Be honest, straightforward, say what you mean.