The First Book of Kings
1
1 Now
King David was
old and advanced
in years; and
they covered him
with clothes, but
he couldn’t keep
warm.
2 Therefore
his servants said
to him, “Let
a young virgin
be sought for
my lord the king.
Let her stand
before the king,
and cherish him;
and let her
lie in your
bosom, that my lord
the king may
keep warm.”
3 So
they sought for
a beautiful young
lady throughout
all the borders
of Israel, and
found Abishag the
Shunammite, and
brought her to
the king.
4 The
young lady was
very beautiful;
and she cherished
the king, and
served him; but
the king didn’t
know her
intimately.
5 Then Adonijah
the son of
Haggith exalted
himself, saying, “I
will be king.”
Then he prepared
him chariots and
horsemen, and
fifty men to
run before him.
6 His
father had not
displeased him at
any time in saying,
“Why have you
done so?” and
he was also
a very handsome
man; and he
was born
after Absalom.
7 He
conferred with
Joab the son
of Zeruiah and
with Abiathar the
priest; and they
followed Adonijah and
helped him.
8 But
Zadok the priest,
Benaiah the son
of Jehoiada,
Nathan the prophet,
Shimei, Rei, and
the mighty men
who belonged to
David, were not
with Adonijah.
9 Adonijah
killed sheep,
cattle, and
fatlings by
the stone of
Zoheleth, which is
beside En Rogel; and
he called all
his brothers, the
king’s sons, and
all the men
of Judah, the
king’s servants;
10 but
he didn’t call
Nathan the prophet,
and Benaiah, and
the mighty men,
and Solomon
his brother.
11 Then
Nathan spoke to
Bathsheba the mother
of Solomon, saying, “Haven’t
you heard
that Adonijah the
son of Haggith
reigns, and David
our lord doesn’t know
it?
12 Now
therefore come,
please let me
give you counsel,
that you may
save your own
life and your
son Solomon’s life.
13 Go
in to King
David, and tell
him, ‘Didn’t you,
my lord the king,
swear to
your servant, saying, “Assuredly
Solomon your son
shall reign after
me, and he
shall sit on
my throne”? Why
then does Adonijah
reign?’
14 Behold,
while you are
still talking
there with the
king, I will
also come in
after you and
confirm your
words.”
15 Bathsheba
went in to
the king in
his room. The
king was very
old; and Abishag
the Shunammite was
serving the king.
16 Bathsheba
bowed and showed respect
to the king.
The king said, “What
would you like?”
17 She said
to him, “My
lord, you swore
by the LORD
your God
to your servant, ‘Assuredly
Solomon your son
shall reign after
me, and he
shall sit on
my throne.’
18 Now,
behold, Adonijah reigns;
and you, my lord
the king, don’t
know it.
19 He
has slain cattle
and fatlings and
sheep in abundance,
and has called
all the sons
of the king,
Abiathar the priest,
and Joab the
captain of the
army; but he hasn’t
called Solomon
your servant.
20 You,
my lord the king,
the eyes of
all Israel are
on you, that
you should tell
them who will
sit on the
throne of my lord
the king after
him.
21 Otherwise
it will happen,
when my lord the
king sleeps with
his fathers, that
I and my
son Solomon will
be considered
criminals.”
22 Behold,
while she was
still talking with
the king, Nathan
the prophet came
in.
23 They
told the king,
saying, “Behold, Nathan
the prophet!”
When he had come
in before the
king, he bowed
himself before the
king with his
face to the
ground.
24 Nathan said,
“My lord, King,
have you said, ‘Adonijah
shall reign after
me, and he
shall sit on
my throne’?
25 For
he has gone
down today, and
has slain cattle,
fatlings, and
sheep in abundance,
and has called
all the king’s
sons, the captains
of the army,
and Abiathar the
priest. Behold,
they are eating
and drinking
before him,
and saying, ‘Long
live King Adonijah!’
26 But
he hasn’t called
me, even me
your servant,
Zadok the priest,
Benaiah the son
of Jehoiada, and
your servant
Solomon.
27 Was
this thing done
by my lord the
king, and
you haven’t shown
to your servants
who should sit
on the throne
of my lord the
king after him?”
28 Then
King David
answered, “Call
Bathsheba in to
me.” She came into
the king’s
presence and stood
before the king.
29 The
king vowed
and said, “As the
LORD lives, who
has redeemed my
soul out of
all adversity,
30 most
certainly as I
swore to you
by the LORD,
the God of
Israel, saying, ‘Assuredly
Solomon your son
shall reign after
me, and he
shall sit on
my throne in
my place;’ I
will most
certainly do this
today.”
31 Then
Bathsheba bowed
with her face to
the earth and showed respect
to the king,
and said, “Let my lord
King David live
forever!”
32 King
David said, “Call
to me Zadok
the priest, Nathan
the prophet, and
Benaiah the son
of Jehoiada.” They
came before the
king.
33 The
king said to them,
“Take with you
the servants of
your lord, and
cause Solomon my
son to ride
on my own
mule, and bring
him down to
Gihon.
34 Let Zadok
the priest and
Nathan the prophet
anoint him there
king over Israel.
Blow the trumpet,
and say, ‘Long
live King Solomon!’
35 Then
come up after
him, and he
shall come and
sit on my
throne; for he
shall be king
in my place.
I have appointed
him to be
prince over Israel
and over Judah.”
36 Benaiah
the son of
Jehoiada answered
the king, and
said, “Amen. May
the LORD, the
God of my
lord the king, say
so.
37 As
the LORD has
been with my
lord the king,
even so may
he be with
Solomon, and make
his throne greater
than the throne
of my lord
King David.”
38 So
Zadok the priest,
Nathan the prophet,
Benaiah the son
of Jehoiada, and
the Cherethites and
the Pelethites
went down and
had Solomon ride
on King David’s
mule, and brought
him to Gihon.
39 Zadok
the priest took
the horn of
oil from the Tent,
and anointed
Solomon. They blew
the trumpet; and
all the
people said, “Long
live King Solomon!”
40 All
the people came
up after him,
and the people
piped with pipes,
and rejoiced with
great joy, so
that the earth
shook with their
sound.
41 Adonijah
and all the
guests who were
with him heard
it as they
had finished eating.
When Joab heard
the sound of
the trumpet, he
said, “Why is
this noise of
the city being in
an uproar?”
42 While
he yet spoke,
behold, Jonathan
the son of Abiathar
the priest came;
and Adonijah said, “Come
in; for you
are a worthy
man, and bring
good news.”
43 Jonathan
answered Adonijah, “Most certainly
our lord King
David has made
Solomon king.
44 The
king has sent
with him Zadok
the priest, Nathan
the prophet,
Benaiah the son
of Jehoiada, and
the Cherethites
and the Pelethites;
and they
have caused him to
ride on the
king’s mule.
45 Zadok
the priest and
Nathan the prophet
have anointed him
king in Gihon.
They have come
up from there
rejoicing, so that
the city rang
again. This is
the noise that
you have heard.
46 Also,
Solomon sits on
the throne of
the kingdom.
47 Moreover
the king’s
servants came to
bless our lord
King David, saying, ‘May
your God make
the name of
Solomon better
than your name,
and make his
throne greater
than your throne;’
and the king
bowed himself on
the bed.
48 Also
thus said the king,
‘Blessed be the
LORD, the God
of Israel, who
has given one
to sit on
my throne today,
my eyes even
seeing it.’ ”
49 All
the guests
of Adonijah were
afraid, and rose
up, and each
man went his
way.
50 Adonijah
was afraid because
of Solomon; and
he arose, and
went, and hung onto
the horns of
the altar.
51 Solomon
was told, “Behold,
Adonijah fears King
Solomon; for,
behold, he
is hanging onto the
horns of the
altar, saying, ‘Let
King Solomon swear
to me first
that he will
not kill his
servant with the
sword.’ ”
52 Solomon said, “If
he shows himself a
worthy man, not
a hair of
his shall fall
to the earth; but
if wickedness is
found in him,
he shall die.”
53 So
King Solomon sent,
and they brought
him down from
the altar. He
came and bowed
down to King
Solomon; and
Solomon said to
him, “Go to
your house.”