David's Deathbed Instructions to Shelomo/2

David's Deathbed Instructions to Shelomo

Exegetical Approaches

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Changing Circumstances

David asked Shelomo to deal with his opponents even though he himself had not done so because he realized that with the change of monarch, there was to be an accompanying change in the strength of the kingdom.  This approach subdivides regarding the direction of this change and whether it views David or Shelomo as the stronger king:

From Weakness to Strength

As much of David's reign was marked by turmoil and attempted rebellions, he never found himself in the position of strength needed to assassinate his opponents.

From Strength to Weakness

As David was a strong king, he had no need to kill his opponents and could keep them in check without bloodshed.  Shelomo, though, was a young boy who would need to rid himself of any threats to his kingdom.

"שְׁלֹמֹה בְנִי נַעַר וָרָךְ"

Change of Heart

During most of his reign, David intentionally maintained a policy of clemency towards his enemies, refusing to kill them. The stresses of the end of his life, however, hardened him, making him rethink this policy and instruct Shelomo to act differently.

Sources:Hoil MosheMelakhim I 2About R. Moshe Yitzchak Ashkenazi

No Change

David's instructions to Shelomo were not a request to exterminate his enemies, and did not reflect a reversal of the policies of his own reign.

Sources:AbarbanelMelakhim I 2About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel, MalbimMelakhim I 2:5-6Melakhim I 2:8-8About R. Meir Leibush Weiser

Why didn't David kill Yoav and Shimi? Though David had wanted to kill both Yoav and Shimi, circumstances did not allow him to do so:

• Yoav not legally culpable – Since Yoav killed Avner without witnesses and warning, he did not meet the criteria for capital punishment. Even though David could have exercised his unique rights as king and killed him regardless, being newly anointed and relatively weak,¹ he did not feel that it was an opportune time to do so, especially considering the power held by Yoav and his brother, Avishai.
• Shimi blackmailed David into forgiveness – Though Shimi was "the first of the house of Yosef" to return after Avshalom's rebellion, and ostensibly expressing his remorse, he was in fact blackmailing David, intimating that if David did not forgive him, he would ensure that Israel not return their allegiance to his rule.  Thus, it was only from lack of choice that David swore not to harm him.

No double standards – Abarbanel brings two arguments to prove that David could not have been asking Shelomo to kill his old opponents for their crimes against him:

• Inexperience – He points that since Shelomo was still an inexperienced king, in the same position that David himself had been when Yoav killed Avner, it does not make sense that David would have instructed him to do what he himself had been loathe to do under the same circumstances,
• Oath to Shimi still binding – He further points out that asking Shelomo to kill Shimi would be a reneging on his oath as the fact that the death would be by proxy would not  absolve David of a role in the matter!

"...וְגַם אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ אֵת אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה" – David tells Shelomo to be wary of Yoav's past deeds, not so that he can punish them, but so that  he should recognize the type of person he is.  Thus, if he does similar acts during Shelomo's reign, Shelomo should know to respond appropriately.

"וְלֹא תוֹרֵד שֵׂיבָתוֹ בְּשָׁלֹם שְׁאֹל" – Abarbanel reinterprets this pharse, claiming that it does not mean that Shelomo should kill Yoav but that the two should not sit in peace with each other (or, in other words, that Shelomo should make sure to distance himself from Yoav.)

"אַל תְּנַקֵּהוּ.. וְהוֹרַדְתָּ אֶת שֵׂיבָתוֹ בְּדָם שְׁאוֹל" –

Shelmo's reasons

¹ See David's words, "וְאָנֹכִי הַיּוֹם רַךְ וּמָשׁוּחַ מֶלֶךְ וְהָאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵלֶּה בְּנֵי צְרוּיָה קָשִׁים מִמֶּנִּי" (Shemuel II 3:39)