Who is Adonijah in the Bible? 
Adonijah is the fourth son of King David. His mother was Haggith. He was handsome, but very bad-tempered. King David never disciplined him or asked him why he behaved the way he did. He eventually rose to the throne and took over when his father fell sick.
Adonijah was a son of David
Adonijah was the son of David by Haggith, the wife of the king. After David’s first two sons died, Adonijah exalted himself as king, even though he was only a child. David’s most loyal supporters supported Adonijah. These followers included Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the mighty man, and Zadok the priest. Adonijah was eventually killed by his brother Solomon.
Adonijah was also supported by the two priests, Zadok and Joab, the generals who served David. Joab, who was a close friend and loyal general of David, sided with Adonijah, claiming that he would be the best king for the people of Israel. Joab’s mother, Zeruiah, and his friend, Abiathar, were also in David’s circle of friends.
He tried to usurp the throne of David
Adonijah was the oldest child of King David and he attempted to usurp the throne for himself. This was a critical moment in the history of Israel and a threat to the Messianic promise of the Davidic line through Solomon. Nathan, the prophet, stepped in and set in motion the necessary corrective action to prevent a political takeover.
Adonijah’s actions were similar to those of his older brother Absalom who also tried to usurp the throning from David. Although David was frail and weak, Adonijah was ready to seize the throne.
He established an empire
The Bible tells us that Adonijah was a descendent of King David and the son of Ithamar. They both fought for their country and resisted the foreign yoke in the early years. As a result, Adonijah had many enemies and was often pitted against Ithamar.
Adonijah’s features were manly, though stained by sin. His lineaments were sexy, but his lips sneered at mankind. His eye, like his lip, reflected the princely majesty and lawlessness of his kingdom. His appearance made him a master of the Roman world.
He was afraid of Solomon
In the Bible, we read about Adonijah who was afraid of Solomon. The story goes that Adonijah was usurping the kingdom without his father’s consent, and he feared that the people would not respect his appointment. As a result, he fled to the tabernacle and grabbed hold of the altar’s horns, appealing to the protection of God. This act was sacrilegious, as the altar was considered a privileged place for the worship of God.
Solomon had heard about Adonijah’s fear and sent a message to him. Adonijah was so afraid that he ran to the tabernacle, pleaded for mercy, and asked the Lord to spare his life. Solomon heard his pleas and gave Adonijah a reprieve. Despite being a king, Solomon was still a good ruler and spared Adonijah’s life.
He was a usurper
Adonijah was the oldest child of King David, and he attempted to usurp his father’s throne for himself. This attempted usurpation came at an important time in the history of Israel, as it threatened the messianic promise of the Davidic line through Solomon. However, God’s prophet Nathan intervened to stop this attempt.
The prophet Nathan also noted that Adonijah violated the process of the people when making a king, and he also violated the responsibility of his father, David, as king. He also violated the choices of God in choosing Solomon as king, and this was an act of rebellion.
He was put to death
The Bible records a tragic story of a man named Adonijah, who was put to death by King Solomon. The young man had attempted to usurp the throne of his father, David. As the eldest son, Adonijah would have been expected to be named the next king when David died. Nevertheless, he did not wait for David to announce him as the new king. Perhaps he knew that David planned to announce Solomon as his successor in the near future.
Adonijah thought of himself as the rightful king and wanted to take over. He thought that his only obstacle was Solomon, whom he saw as his Achilles heel. Moreover, he thought that Solomon had a weakness – he would never say no to Bathsheba.