Although this sheet is called Part 1, the name may be a little bit misleading, since there is an introductory source sheet that you should read. It's about David's sons, and you should be able to spot it on the list. Go ahead and read it if you haven't already. I'll wait.
Ready? Here we go.
As David's reign draws to a close, two contenders for the kingdom emerge: the crown prince and the son of David's favorite wife.
However, when I was reading the chapters in the beginning of Melachim, I kept seeing parallels to another story. Another group of two kings, both relatives, vying for one throne-Avshalom and David. But, strangely, the pairings are mixed-and-matched.
Two things here:
1) The loyal followers are both called "Avdei Hamelech", and because David is technically still ruling in the second source, the group is probably made up of the same people.
2) Both times, the "King" has decided that the best place to be is outside of the capital.
Both rulers trust the son of the priest to bring good news, just because they are a good person. However, they are dissapointed; David is met with news of his son's death, and Adoniah is told of Shlomo's coronation.
So far, we've been comparing Adoniah to David. However, he is also reminiscent of Avshalom.
But Adoniah doesn't hold a monopoly on parallelisms. Here's Shlomo and David.
(א) וַיְהִי הַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה מֶלֶךְ עַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל. (ב) וְאֵלֶּה הַשָּׂרִים אֲשֶׁר לוֹ עֲזַרְיָהוּ בֶן צָדוֹק הַכֹּהֵן. (ג) אֱלִיחֹרֶף וַאֲחִיָּה בְּנֵי שִׁישָׁא סֹפְרִים יְהוֹשָׁפָט בֶּן אֲחִילוּד הַמַּזְכִּיר. (ד) וּבְנָיָהוּ בֶן יְהוֹיָדָע עַל הַצָּבָא וְצָדוֹק וְאֶבְיָתָר כֹּהֲנִים.
(1) And king Solomon was king over all Israel. (2) And these were the princes whom he had: Azariah the son of Zadok, the priest; (3) Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder; (4) and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the host; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests;
Both Shlomo and David had former enemies who they turned into friends, and both father and son gave to them high-ranking positions in the government.