On the eve of his death David summons Solomon to be a strong man walking in the ways of the Lord by upholding the covenant with God. David also tells him to execute justice on those who betrayed him: Adonijah, Joab and Shimei. Then David died and was buried in Jerusalem. He had reigned as King for 40 years.
Solomon, having assumed the throne and consolidated his position, eliminated the 3 men suggested by David and thus removed from his pathway potential rivals and those who had created serious problems for David. First of all Solomon had Adonijah executed after he had become further infuriated by him for asking for the beautiful Abishag as his wife. As Abishag had spent David's final years with him Solomon clearly saw the request as a symptom of his old usurping ambitions.
Next to be executed was Joab whose reaction to Solomon's removal of Abiathar from the priesthood brought about his downfall doubtless owing to a guilty conscience. Finally Solomon had Shimei killed for having disobeyed the command of house arrest that he had given him. So the kingdom was now firmly in King Solomon's hands.
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