v1-4: The challenge to Solomon; maintain a personal walk with the Lord, being quick to obey His commands, realising God's promises; to disobey would be to miss out on the promises. Solomon could not rely on David's godliness, he had to obey God for himself.

v5-9: Solomon inherited David's throne, his friends, and his enemies. David mentioned Joab and Shimei in particular, who had been treacherous.

Joab had been faithful to David, but ruthless and cruel; David referred to the deaths of Abner and Amasa, but not to that of Absalom; either David never knew that Joab had killed him, or he would not have Joab punished for this, since it may have been considered a personal vendetta.

Barzillai had been a friend to David when he was in need, and David never forgot that kindness.

Solomon was already a "man of wisdom"; later God would give him greater wisdom (3.12).

v10-12: After David died, Solomon reigned as king.

v13-25: Adonijah repeated his claim to be king, although to Bathsheba first, not Solomon. Solomon saw his request for Abishag as a further attack on the throne, so Solomon felt obliged to have him put to death.

Adonijah had not learned from his earlier mistake, and he paid dearly; he had not shown himself to be "a worthy man" (v52).

v26-27: Abiathar was of the line of Eli, who had been deposed as priest. But he had been faithful to David, and had suffered rejection with him; see 1 Sam 22.20-23. His alliance with Adonijah was worthy of death, but Solomon spared him.

v28-35: Joab lived (spiritually) in a desert of his own making; a man of no real spiritual character. Had was guilty of killing Abner and Amasa, and was therefore punished. He was buried in the desert.

v36-38: Solomon treated Shimei with fairness and mercy. He could have had him killed. His wisdom was to restrict Shimei's movements.

v39-46: In the course of time, Shimei left Jerusalem, to find his two slaves. Solomon found out and had him killed. Shimei had behaved foolishly in leaving the city.

The kingdom was now firmly established in Solomon's hands. The greater enemy, that from within, had been subdued. Later this stability was lost, not through military defeat, but because of Solomon's sins.