Adonijah's request

1 Kings 2:19-22 - When Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah, the king stood up to meet her, bowed down to her and sat down on his throne. He had a throne brought for the king's mother, and she sat down at his right hand.

"I have one small request to make of you," she said. "Do not refuse me."

The king replied, "Make it, my mother; I will not refuse you."

So she said, "Let Abishag the Shunammite be given in marriage to your brother Adonijah."

King Solomon answered his mother, "Why do you request Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? You might as well request the kingdom for him -- after all, he is my older brother -- yes, for him and for Abiathar the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah!"

Abishag had served King David shortly before his death. She waited on him and lay next to him to help keep him warm. I wonder if they were considered a married couple (even though the relationship was never consummated).

I wonder why Solomon equates Adonijah's request for Abishag with asking for the entire kingdom. Was his request the ultimate insult? Or the ultimate challenge and an act of rebellion? (It wouldn't have been his first.) Was it something simply unheard of -- to ask for a deceased king's aide? Near-concubine? Wife?

I wonder why Bathsheba carried Adonijah's request to Solomon. Surely she must have known how Solomon would react. Was this her way of getting rid of Adonijah, who had earlier tried to take the throne before Solomon was appointed by David?

For that matter, I wonder why Adonijah made the request in the first place. Surely he too knew all of the above! Did he really think Solomon would act any differently?