"But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men of David were not with Adonijah." — The counter-coalition marshals different institutional authorities: Zadok (*Tsadoq*), high priest and increasingly prominent, whose name means "righteousness" (theological resonance); Benaiah (*Benayahu*), faithful commander and eventual executor of David's last charges; Nathan (*Natan*), the prophet who confronted David over Bathsheba and bearer of divine word. The enumeration emphasizes that "the mighty men of David" (*gibborey David*) remain loyal to David's house rather than Adonijah's faction. This verse establishes the theological principle that true power lies not in military seniority or political coalition but in alignment with divine purpose. The inclusion of "Shimei and Rei" (otherwise unidentified, or possibly textual corruption) suggests completeness of support beyond the named leaders.

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