Adonijah informed Bathsheba that he had something to tell her, and she, perhaps unwisely, gave him permission to say it. We will not repeat the comments on the previous verse, but they also apply here.
In 1 Kings 2:15, Adonijah gave Bathsheba a recitation of the present circumstances regarding the recent transition of rule in Israel. We should pause before we assume that Adonijah stated the facts correctly. He said, All Israel fully expected me to reign.
Was this true? If so, why did the people of Jerusalem rejoice so greatly after Solomon’s anointing and ascension to the throne? Adonijah’s words were self-justifying and an example of wishful thinking. He attempted to state as true that which he had only hoped to be true.
The self-deception in the first part of Adonijah’s statement should cause us to pay closer attention to what he said next. Taken by itself, the statement appears to be absolutely true. God did, through the wisdom of Nathan and David, bring Solomon to the throne (1 Kings 1:13, 1 Kings 1:28; 1 Chronicles 28:5), but when this fact is added to the previous statement, it leaves the impression that God had been unfair to Adonijah in taking the kingdom from him. Thus, we see that by referring to the circumstances by which Solomon gained the throne, Adonijah attempted to create the impression that something was owed to him as compensation for his loss of the throne. Perhaps, there was also a veiled threat that, if the obligation was not satisfied, Adonijah would be quite able to initiate a rebellion in Israel.
In this preliminary statement of Adonijah's, he was attempting to lay a foundation that would enlist Bathsheba’s support. We might liken his strategy to what sometimes takes place before sporting events. The sports field is groomed in such a manner that it gives one side an advantage before the play begins. The same kind of thing can take place in verbal discussion or debate. One of the parties may attempt to structure the very terms of the conversation in a manner that will favour his point of view. We should always be ready to ask, Have the terms of the conversation been fairly stated?
14 Then he said, “I have something to say to you.” She said, “Speak.”