Adonijah

Three different men of this name, which means "Yahweh is my king," is mentioned in the Old Testament.

1) Fourth son of David to be born to him while he was king in Hebron (2 Sam 3:2; whether he was David's "fourth son" or "the fourth to be born to David in Hebron" is uncertain). His mother was Haggith.

With the deaths of his two older brothers (Amnon and Absalom) Adonijah seemed to have assumed that he would be the heir-apparent to the throne. When David became old and decrepit, Adonijah had himself proclaimed king (1 Ki 1:5ff.). His coup was, however, frustrated when Nathan, with Bathsheba's help, got an audience with David and reminded him of his promise to Bathsheba that Solomon would be king after him. David was thus induced to proclaim Solomon king instead. Adonijah received a pardon from Solomon on promise of good behaviour (v50ff.).

Adonijah later turned to Bathsheba for help to get Solomon's permission to marry Abishag the Shanammite. It seemed like an innocent enough request. Solomon, however, understood it as an attempt by Adonijah to oust him from the throne and ordered Adonijah killed (1 Ki 2:13-25).

2) One of the Levites who were sent out to the various towns and villages in Judah to teach the law during the reign of Jehoshaphat (2 Chron 17:8).

3) One of "leaders of the people" after the Jews had returned to Judah at the end of the Babylonian exile (Neh 10:16). No additional information is given about him.