1 Kings 2:26

24 And now, as surely as the LORD lives—the One who established me, who set me on the throne of my father David, and who founded for me a dynasty as He promised—surely Adonijah shall be put to death today!”

25 So King Solomon sent the order to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who struck down Adonijah, and he died.

Then the king said to Abiathar the priest, “Go back to your fields in Anathoth. Even though you deserve to die, I will not put you to death at this time, since you carried the ark of the Lord GOD before my father David, and you suffered through all that my father suffered.”

27 So Solomon banished Abiathar from the priesthood of the LORD and thus fulfilled the word that the LORD had spoken at Shiloh against the house of Eli.

28 When the news reached Joab, who had conspired with Adonijah but not with Absalom, he fled to the tent of the LORD and took hold of the horns of the altar.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
Then the king said to Abiathar the priest, “Go back to your fields in Anathoth. Even though you deserve to die, I will not put you to death at this time, since you carried the ark of the Lord GOD before my father David, and you suffered through all that my father suffered.”
KJV
And unto Abiathar the priest said the king, Get thee to Anathoth, unto thine own fields; for thou art worthy of death: but I will not at this time put thee to death, because thou barest the ark of the Lord GOD before David my father, and because thou hast been afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted.
WEB
To Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go to Anathoth, to your own fields, for you are worthy of death. But I will not at this time put you to death, because you bore the Lord GOD’s ark before David my father, and because you were afflicted in all in which my father was afflicted.”
ASV
And unto Abiathar the priest said the king, Get thee to Anathoth, unto thine own fields; for thou art worthy of death: but I will not at this time put thee to death, because thou barest the ark of the Lord Jehovah before David my father, and because thou wast afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted.
DARBY
And the king said to Abiathar the priest, Go to Anathoth, to thine own fields; for thou art worthy of death; but I will not at this time put thee to death, because thou didst bear the ark of Adonai Jehovah before David my father, and because thou hast been afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted.
BLB
And to Abiathar the priest said the king, “Go to Anathoth, to your own fields. For you [are] deserving of death, and at this time I will not put you to death, because you carried the ark of the Lord YHWH before the face of David my father, and because you were afflicted in all that my father was afflicted.”
ÅB
Og til presten Abjatar sa kongen: Gå til Anatot, til din gård, for du har fortjent døden; men idag vil jeg ikke la deg dø, fordi du har båret Herrens, Israels Guds ark foran min far David, og fordi du har lidt med i alt hva min far måtte lide.
OTB
Da sa kongen til Abiatar presten, "Gå til Anatot, til dine egne marker, for du fortjener å dø; men jeg vil ikke drepe deg nå, fordi du bar Herrens Guds ark foran min far David, og fordi du ble plaget i alt min far ble plaget i."
B1930
Og til presten Abjatar sa kongen: Gå til Anatot, til din gård, for du har fortjent døden; men idag vil jeg ikke la dig dø, fordi du har båret Herrens, Israels Guds ark foran min far David, og fordi du har lidt med i alt hvad min far måtte lide.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Joshua 21:18

    Anathoth, and Almon—four cities, together with their pasturelands.

    Read in context
  • 1 Samuel 22:20–23

    But one of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped. His name was Abiathar, and he fled to David.

    Read in context
  • 1 Samuel 26:16

    This thing you have done is not good. As surely as the LORD lives, all of you deserve to die, since you did not protect your lord, the LORD’s anointed. Now look around. Where are the king’s spear and water jug that were by his head?”

    Read in context
  • 2 Samuel 15:24–29

    Zadok was also there, and all the Levites with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until the people had passed out of the city.

    Read in context
  • Jeremiah 1:1

    These are the words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests in Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin.

    Read in context
  • Matthew 10:42

    And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.”

    Read in context
  • 2 Samuel 12:5

    David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan: “As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die!

    Read in context
  • 1 Kings 1:25

    For today he has gone down and sacrificed an abundance of oxen, fattened calves, and sheep, and has invited all the sons of the king, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest. And behold, they are eating and drinking before him, saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’

    Read in context