The Sanctuary of the Altar

When Shlomo’s (Solomon’s) right-hand man Benayahu comes after Adoniyah and Yoav, both of them grab the horns of the altar. But the sanctuary offered by the altar was to allow a chance for the accused to get a fair trial. Adoniyah and Yoav seem to see it as some sort of “Home Base,” where no one can ever get them. Much like the army thought that the Ark was a magic want that guaranteed victory earlier in Shmuel (The Book of Samuel.) In both cases, it was a lethal mistake.