1 Kings 1

Adonijah Presumes to Be King

1 Now King David was old, advanced in years; and they put covers on him, but he could not get warm.2 Therefore his servants said to him, Let a young woman, a virgin, be sought for our lord the king, and let her stand before the king, and let her care for him; and let her lie in your bosom, that our lord the king may be warm.3 So they sought for a lovely young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king.4 The young woman was very lovely; and she cared for the king, and served him; but the king did not know her.5 Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king; and he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.6 (And his father had not rebuked him at any time by saying, Why have you done so? He was also very good-looking. His mother had borne him after Absalom.)7 Then he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they followed and helped Adonijah.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 And Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fattened cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En Rogel; he also invited all his brothers, the kings sons, and all the men of Judah, the kings servants.10 But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, or Solomon his brother.11 So Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king, and David our lord does not know it? 12 Come, please, let me now give you advice, that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon.13 Go immediately to King David and say to him, Did you not, my lord, O king, swear to your maidservant, saying, Assuredly your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne? Why then has Adonijah become king?14 Then, while you are still talking there with the king, I also will come in after you and confirm your words.15 So Bathsheba went into the chamber to the king. (Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king.)16 And Bathsheba bowed and did homage to the king. Then the king said, What is your wish?17 Then she said to him, My lord, you swore by the Lord your God to your maidservant, saying, Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.18 So now, look! Adonijah has become king; and now, my lord the king, you do not know about it. 19 He has sacrificed oxen and fattened cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army; but Solomon your servant he has not invited.20 And as for you, my lord, O 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 rests with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be counted as offenders.22 And just then, while she was still talking with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in.23 So they told the king, saying, Here is Nathan the prophet. And when he came in before the king, he bowed down before the king with his face to the ground.24 And Nathan said, My lord, O 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 sacrificed oxen and fattened cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the kings sons, and the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest; and look! They are eating and drinking before him; and they say, Long live King Adonijah!26 But he has not invited meme your servantnor Zadok the priest, nor Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, nor your servant Solomon.27 Has this thing been done by my lord the king, and you have not told your servant who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?

David Proclaims Solomon King

28 Then King David answered and said, Call Bathsheba to me. So she came into the kings presence and stood before the king.29 And the king took an oath and said, As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life from every distress,30 just as I swore to you by the Lord God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place, so I certainly will do this day.31 Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and paid homage to the king, and said, Let my lord King David live forever!32 And King David said, Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. So they came before the king.33 The king also said to them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and have Solomon my son ride on my own mule, and take him down to Gihon.34 There let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel; and blow the horn, and say, Long live King Solomon!35 Then you shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne, and he shall be king in my place. For I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah.36 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, Amen! May the Lord God of my lord the king say so too. 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, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King Davids mule, and took him to Gihon.39 Then Zadok the priest took a horn of oil from the tabernacle and anointed Solomon. And they blew the horn, and all the people said, Long live King Solomon!40 And all the people went up after him; and the people played the flutes and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth seemed to split with their sound.41 Now Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the horn, he said, Why is the city in such a noisy uproar?42 While he was still speaking, there came Jonathan, the son of Abiathar the priest. And Adonijah said to him, Come in, for you are a prominent man, and bring good news.43 Then Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, No! 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, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites; and they have made him ride on the kings mule.45 So Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon; and they have gone up from there rejoicing, so that the city is in an uproar. This is the noise that you have heard.46 Also Solomon sits on the throne of the kingdom.47 And moreover the kings servants have gone to bless our lord King David, saying, May God make the name of Solomon better than your name, and may He make his throne greater than your throne. Then the king bowed himself on the bed.48 Also the king said thus, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who has given one to sit on my throne this day, while my eyes see it! 49 So all the guests who were with Adonijah were afraid, and arose, and each one went his way.50 Now Adonijah was afraid of Solomon; so he arose, and went and took hold of the horns of the altar.51 And it was told Solomon, saying, Indeed Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon; for look, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.52 Then Solomon said, If he proves himself a worthy man, not one hair of him shall fall to the earth; but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die.53 So King Solomon sent them to bring him down from the altar. And he came and fell down before King Solomon; and Solomon said to him, Go to your 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