John Gill Commentary


John Gill Commentary
"And Zadok the priest took the horn of oil out of the Tent, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, [Long] live king Solomon." — 1 Kings 1:39 (ASV)
And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the
tabernacle
Not out of the tabernacle of Moses, for that was at Gibeon; see (1 Chronicles 21:29) ; and if the oil has been there, it would have been too far to have fetched it, since haste was now required; but this was taken out of the tabernacle David had built for the ark, (2 Samuel 6:17) ; where the ark was, and before which the pot of oil was; so Jarchi;
but Kimchi indeed says, that though it was at this time at Gibeon, Zadok went thither, or sent thither to fetch it; and though it is said, the pot of oil was set before the ark, this was when the ark was in the tabernacle; but when they took it out from thence at the war with the Philistines, that and the pot of manna were left in the tabernacle; and they took nothing but the ark; but if they brought the pot afterwards, and put it before the ark in Jerusalem, then it may be understood of the tabernacle David pitched for it; but that he disapproves of.
Here Zadok is only said to take the oil, and anoint with it; which he did either as the deputy of the high priest, or he was made use of because the high priest was on the side of Adonijah:
and anointed Solomon ;
whether it was by pouring it on his head, as Saul was anointed, (1 Samuel 10:1) ; or, as the Jews say F6 , by putting it around his head in the form of a crown, and then between his eyebrows, is not very material; and they also say F7 , that it is not usual to anoint the son of a king that has been anointed; and that the reason for the anointing of Solomon was because of the sedition of his brother Adonijah, and to confirm the kingdom to him; this anointing was an emblem of the gifts, graces, and virtues, necessary to qualify a king for the discharge of his office:
and they blew the trumpet ;
and proclaimed him king:
and all the people said, God save King Solomon ;
wished him long life and happiness, and gave him a general huzza or shouting.