1 Kings 1

1 Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat.2 Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and cherish him; and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat.3 So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the borders of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king.4 And the damsel was very fair; and she cherished the king, and ministered to him; but the king knew her not.

5 Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.6 And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he was also a very goodly man; and he was born after Absalom.7 And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him.8 But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men that belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.9 And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fatlings by the stone of Zoheleth, which is beside En-rogel; and he called all his brethren, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah, the king’s servants:10 but Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he called not.

11 Then Nathan spake unto Bath-sheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith doth reign, and David our lord knoweth it not?12 Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own life, and the life of thy son Solomon.13 Go and get thee in unto king David, and say unto him, Didst not thou, my lord, O king, swear unto thy handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? why then doth Adonijah reign?14 Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come in after thee, and confirm thy words.

15 And Bath-sheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite was ministering unto the king.16 And Bath-sheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And the king said, What wouldest thou?17 And she said unto him, My lord, thou swarest by Jehovah thy God unto thy handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne.18 And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and thou, my lord the king, knowest it not:19 and he hath slain oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the host; but Solomon thy servant hath he not called.20 And thou, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.21 Otherwise it will come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.

22 And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet came in.23 And they told the king, saying, Behold, Nathan the prophet. And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.24 And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?25 For he is gone down this day, and hath slain oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the king’s sons, and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they are eating and drinking before him, and say, Long live king Adonijah.26 But me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon, hath he not called.27 Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not showed unto thy servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?

28 Then king David answered and said, Call to me Bath-sheba. And she came into the king’s presence, and stood before the king.29 And the king sware, and said, As Jehovah liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity,30 verily as I sware unto thee by Jehovah, the God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; verily so will I do this day.31 Then Bath-sheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did obeisance to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.

32 And king David said, Call to me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king.33 And the king said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon:34 and let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel; and blow ye the trumpet, and say, Long live king Solomon.35 Then ye shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit upon my throne; for he shall be king in my stead; and I have appointed him to be prince over Israel and over Judah.36 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, Amen: Jehovah, the God of my lord the king, say so too.37 As Jehovah hath been with my lord the king, even so be he with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David.

38 So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David’s mule, and brought him to Gihon.39 And Zadok the priest took the horn of oil out of the Tent, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, Long live king Solomon.40 And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.

41 And Adonijah and all the guests that were with him heard it as they had made an end of eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, Wherefore is this noise of the city being in an uproar?42 While he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came: and Adonijah said, Come in; for thou art a worthy man, and bringest good tidings.43 And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, Verily our lord king David hath made Solomon king:44 and the king hath sent with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and they have caused him to ride upon the king’s mule;45 and Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon; and they are come up from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang again. This is the noise that ye have heard.46 And also Solomon sitteth on the throne of the kingdom.47 And moreover the king’s servants came to bless our lord king David, saying, Thy God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne: and the king bowed himself upon the bed.48 And also thus said the king, Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, who hath given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing it.

49 And all the guests of Adonijah were afraid, and rose up, and went every man his way.50 And Adonijah feared because of Solomon; and he arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.51 And it was told Solomon, saying, Behold, Adonijah feareth king Solomon; for, lo, he hath laid hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear unto me first that he will not slay his servant with the sword.52 And Solomon said, If he shall show himself a worthy man, there shall not a hair of him fall to the earth; but if wickedness be found in him, he shall die.53 So king Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and did obeisance to king Solomon; and Solomon said unto him, Go to thy house.

1 Kings 1

Adonijah Tries to Seize the Throne

1 King David was very old;t even when they covered him with blankets,t he could not get warm.2 His servants advisedt him, “A young virgin must be found for our master, the king,t to take care of the king’s needst and serve as his nurse. She can also sleep with yout and keep our master, the king, warm.”t3 So they looked through all Israelt for a beautiful young woman and found Abishag, a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.

4 The young woman was very beautiful; she became the king’s nurse and served him, but the king did not have sexual relations with her.t
5 Now Adonijah, son of David and Haggith,ts was promoting himself,t boasting,t “I will be king!” He managed to acquiret chariots and horsemen, as well as fifty men to serve as his royal guard.t6 (Now his father had never correctedt himt by saying, “Why do you do such things?” He was also very handsome and had been born right after Absalom.t)7 He collaboratedt with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they supportedt him.t8 But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s elite warriorst did not ally themselvest with Adonijah.9 Adonijah sacrificed sheep, cattle, and fattened steers at the Stone of Zoheleth near En Rogel. He invited all his brothers, the king’s sons,s as well as all the men of Judah, the king’s servants.

10 But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the elite warriors,t or his brother Solomon.
11 Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, “Has it been reported to yout that Haggith’s son Adonijah has become king behind our master David’s back?t12 Nowt let me give you some advice as to howt you can save your life and your son Solomon’s life.13 Visitt King David and say to him, ‘My master, O king, did you not solemnly promiset your servant, “Surely your son Solomon will be king after me; he will sit on my throne”? So why has Adonijah become king?’

14 Whilet you are still there speaking to the king, I will arrives and verify your report.”t
15 So Bathsheba visited the king in his private quarters.t (The king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king.)16 Bathsheba bowed down on the floor beforet the king. The king said, “What do you want?”17 She replied to him, “My master, you swore an oath to your servant by the Lord your God, ‘Solomon your son will be king after me and he will sit on my throne.’18 But now, look, Adonijah has become king! But you,s my master the king, are not even aware of it!t19 He has sacrificed many cattle, steers, and sheep and has invited all the king’s sons, Abiathar the priest, and Joab, the commander of the army, but he has not invited your servant Solomon.20 Now,s my master, O king, all Israel is watching anxiously to see who is named to succeed my master the king on the throne.t

21 If a decision is not made,t when my master the king is buried with his ancestors,t my son Solomon and It will be considered state criminals.”t
22 Just then,t while she was still speaking to the king, Nathan the prophet arrived.23 The king was told, “Nathan the prophet is here.” Nathan entered and bowed before the king with his face to the floor.t24 Nathan said, “My master, O king, did you announce, ‘Adonijah will be king after me; he will sit on my throne’?25 For today he has gone down and sacrificed many cattle, steers, and sheep and has invited all the king’s sons, the army commanders, and Abiathar the priest. At this momentt they are having a feastt in his presence, and they have declared, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’t26 But he did not invite me – your servant – or Zadok the priest, or Benaiah son of Jehoiada, or your servant Solomon.

27 Has my master the king authorized this without informing your servantss who should succeed my master the king on his throne?”t

David Picks Solomon as His Successor

28 King David responded,t “Summon Bathsheba!”s She came and stood before the king.t29 The king swore an oath: “As certainly as the Lord lives (he who has rescued met from every danger),30 I will keept today the oath I swore to you by the Lord God of Israel: ‘Surely Solomon your son will be king after me; he will sit in my place on my throne.’”

31 Bathsheba bowed down to the king with her face to the floort and said, “May my master, King David, live forever!”
32 King David said, “Summon Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet,s and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” They came before the king,33 and het told them, “Take your master’st servants with you, put my son Solomon on my mule, and lead him down to Gihon.t34 There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet will anointt him king over Israel; then blow the trumpet and declare, ‘Long live King Solomon!’35 Then follow him up as he comes and sits on my throne. He will be king in my place; I have decreedt that he will be ruler over Israel and Judah.”36 Benaiah son of Jehoiada respondedt to the king: “So be it!t May the Lord God of my master the king confirm it!t

37 As the Lord is with my master the king, so may he be with Solomon, and may he make him an even greater king than my master King David!”t
38 So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethitess went down, put Solomon on King David’s mule, and led him to Gihon.39 Zadok the priest took a horn filled with olive oilts from the tent and poured it ont Solomon; the trumpet was blown and all the people declared, “Long live King Solomon!”

40 All the people followed him up, playing flutes and celebrating so loudly they made the ground shake.t
41 Now Adonijah and all his guests heard the commotion just as they had finished eating.t When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he asked, “Why is there such a noisy commotion in the city?”t42 As he was still speaking, Jonathant son of Abiathar the priest arrived. Adonijah said, “Come in, fort an important man like you must be bringing good news.”t43 Jonathan repliedt to Adonijah: “No!t Our mastert King David has made Solomon king.44 The king sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethites and they put him on the king’s mule.45 Then Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointedt him king in Gihon. They went up from there rejoicing, and the city is in an uproar. That is the sound you hear.46 Furthermore, Solomon has assumed the royal throne.t47 The king’s servants have even come to congratulatet our mastert King David, saying, ‘May your Gods make Solomon more famous than you and make him an even greater king than you!’t Then the king leanedt on the bed

48 and saidt this: ‘The Lord God of Israel is worthy of praise becauset today he has placed a successor on my throne and allowed me to see it.’”t
49 All of Adonijah’s guests panicked;t they jumped up and rushed off their separate ways.50 Adonijah feared Solomon, so he got up and went and grabbed hold of the horns of the altar.s51 Solomon was told, “Look, Adonijah fears you;t see, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘May King Solomon solemnly promiset me today that he will not kill his servant with the sword.’”52 Solomon said, “If he is a loyal subject,t not a hair of his head will be harmed, but if he is found to be a traitor,t he will die.”

53 King Solomon sent men to bring him downt from the altar. He came and bowed down to King Solomon, and Solomon told him, “Go home.”t