1 Kings 2

1 Now the days of David drew near that he should die; and he commanded Solomon his son, saying,2 “I am going the way of all the earth. You be strong therefore, and show yourself a man;3 and keep the instruction of Yahweh your God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, his commandments, his ordinances, and his testimonies, according to that which is written in the law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do, andwherever you turn yourself.

4 That Yahweh may establish his word which he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail you,’ he said, ‘a man on the throne ofIsrael.’
5 “Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, even what he did to the two captains of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner, and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put theblood of war on his sash that was about his waist, and in his shoes that were on his feet.6 Do therefore according to your wisdom, and don’t let his gray head go down to Sheolt in peace.

7 But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those who eat at your table; for so they came to me when I fled from Absalom your brother.
8 “Behold, there is with you Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, of Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim; but he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by Yahweh, saying, ‘I will not putyou to death with the sword.’9 Now therefore don’t hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man; and you will know what you ought to do to him, and you shall bring his gray head down to Sheolt with blood.”10 David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.11 The days that David reigned over Israel were forty years; he reigned seven years in Hebron, and he reigned thirty-three years in Jerusalem.12 Solomon sat on the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was firmly established.

13 Then Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. She said, “Do you come peaceably?”
He said, “Peaceably.

14 He said moreover, I have something to tell you.”
She said, “Say on.”
15 He said, “You know that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign. However the kingdom is turned around, and has become my brother’s; for it was his from Yahweh.

16 Now I ask one petition of you. Don’t deny me.”
She said to him, “Say on.”

17 He said, “Please speak to Solomon the king (for he will not tell you ‘no’), that he give me Abishag the Shunammite as wife.”

18 Bathsheba said, “Alright. I will speak for you to the king.”
19 Bathsheba therefore went to king Solomon, to speak to him for Adonijah. The king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself to her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a throne to be set for the king’s mother; and she sat on his right hand.

20 Then she said, “I ask one small petition of you; don’t deny me.”
The king said to her, “Ask on, my mother; for I will not deny you.”

21 She said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as wife.”
22 King Solomon answered his mother, “Why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also; for he is my elder brother; even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah.”23 Then king Solomon swore by Yahweh, saying, “God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life.

24 Now therefore as Yahweh lives, who has established me, and set me on the throne of David my father, and who has made me a house, as he promised, surely Adonijah shall be put to death this day.”
25 King Solomon sent by Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he fell on him, so that he died.26 To Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go to Anathoth, to your own fields; for you are worthy of death. But I will not at this time put you to death, because you bore the ark of the Lordt Yahwehbefore David my father, and because you were afflicted in all in which my father was afflicted.”

27 So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest to Yahweh, that he might fulfill the word of Yahweh, which he spoke concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.
28 The news came to Joab; for Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he didn’t turn after Absalom. Joab fled to the Tent of Yahweh, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.

29 It was told king Solomon, “Joab has fled to the Tent of Yahweh, and behold, he is by the altar.” Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, fall on him.”

30 Benaiah came to the Tent of Yahweh, and said to him, “Thus says the king, ‘Come forth!’”
He said, “No; but I will die here.”
Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, “Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.”
31 The king said to him, “Do as he has said, and fall on him, and bury him; that you may take away the blood, which Joab shed without cause, from me and from my father’s house.32 Yahweh will return his blood on his own head, because he fell on two men more righteous and better than he, and killed them with the sword, and my father David didn’t know it: Abner the son of Ner, captain of the army of Israel, and Amasa the sonof Jether, captain of the army of Judah.

33 So shall their blood return on the head of Joab, and on the head of his seed forever. But to David, and to his seed, and to his house, and to his throne, there shall be peace forever from Yahweh.”
34 Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and fell on him, and killed him; and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.35 The king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his place over the army; and the king put Zadok the priest in the place of Abiathar.36 The king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem, and dwell there, and don’t go out from there anywhere.

37 For on the day you go out, and pass over the brook Kidron, know for certain that you shall surely die: your blood shall be on your own head.”

38 Shimei said to the king, “The saying is good. As my lord the king has said, so will your servant do.” Shimei lived in Jerusalem many days.

39 It happened at the end of three years, that two of the servants of Shimei ran away to Achish, son of Maacah, king of Gath. They told Shimei, saying, “Behold, your servants are in Gath.”
40 Shimei arose, and saddled his donkey, and went to Gath to Achish, to seek his servants; and Shimei went, and brought his servants from Gath.

41 It was told Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and had come again.
42 The king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, “Didn’t I adjure you by Yahweh, and warn you, saying, ‘Know for certain, that on the day you go out, and walk abroad any where, you shall surely die?’ You said to me, ‘The saying that I haveheard is good.’43 Why then have you not kept the oath of Yahweh, and the commandment that I have instructed you with?”44 The king said moreover to Shimei, “You know all the wickedness which your heart is privy to, that you did to David my father. Therefore Yahweh shall return your wickedness on your own head.45 But king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before Yahweh forever.”

46 So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he went out, and fell on him, so that he died. The kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

1 Kings 2

David’s Final Words to Solomon

1 When David was close to death,t he toldt Solomon his son:2 “I am about to die.t Be strong and become a man!3 Do the job the Lord your God has assigned yout by following his instructionst and obeyingt his rules, commandments, regulations, and laws as written in the law of Moses. Then you will succeed in all you do and seek to accomplish,t

4 and the Lord will fulfill his promise to me,t ‘If your descendants watch their stept and live faithfully in my presencet with all their heart and being,t then,’ he promised,t ‘you will not fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’t
5 “You know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me – how he murdered two commanders of the Israelite armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether.t During peacetime he struck them down like he would in battle;t when he shed their blood as if in battle, he stained his own belt and the sandals on his feet.t

6 Do to him what you think is appropriate,t but don’t let him live long and die a peaceful death.t

7 “Treat fairlyt the sons of Barzillai of Gilead and provide for their needs,t because they helped met when I had to flee from your brother Absalom.
8 “Note well, you still have to contend with Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim,t who tried to call down upon me a horrible judgment when I went to Mahanaim.t He came down and met me at the Jordan, and I solemnly promisedt him by the Lord, ‘I will not strike you downt with the sword.’

9 But nows don’t treat him as if he were innocent. You are a wise man and you know how to handle him;t make sure he has a bloody death.”t
10 Then David passed awayt and was buried in the city of David.s

11 David reigned over Israel forty years; he reigned in Hebron seven years, and in Jerusalems thirty-three years.

Solomon Secures the Throne

12 Solomon sat on his father David’s throne, and his royal authorityt was firmly solidified.
13 Haggith’s son Adonijah visited Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. She asked, “Do you come in peace?” He answered, “Yes.”t14 He added,t “I have something to say to you.” She replied, “Speak.”15 He said, “You know that the kingdomt was mine and all Israel considered me king.t But then the kingdom was given to my brother, for the Lord decided it should be his.t16 Now I’d like to ask you for just one thing. Please don’t refuse me.”t She said, “Go ahead and ask.”t17 He said, “Please ask King Solomon if he would give me Abishag the Shunammite as a wife, for he won’t refuse you.”t

18 Bathsheba replied, “That’s fine,t I’ll speak to the king on your behalf.”
19 So Bathsheba visited King Solomon to speak to him on Adonijah’s behalf. The king got up to greett her, bowed to her, and then sat on his throne. He ordered a throne to be brought for the king’s mother,t and she sat at his right hand.20 She said, “I would like to ask you for just one small favor.t Please don’t refuse me.”t He said,t “Go ahead and ask, my mother, for I would not refuse you.”21 She said, “Allow Abishag the Shunammite to be given to your brother Adonijah as a wife.”

22 King Solomon answered his mother, “Why just request Abishag the Shunammite for him?t Since he is my older brother, you should also request the kingdom for him, for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab son of Zeruiah!”
23 King Solomon then swore an oath by the Lord, “May God judge me severely,t if Adonijah does not pay for this request with his life!t24 Now, as certainly as the Lord lives (he who made me secure, allowed me to sit on my father David’s throne, and established a dynastyt for me as he promised), Adonijah will be executed today!”

25 King Solomon then sentt Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he killed Adonijah.t
26 The king then told Abiathar the priest, “Go back to your propertyt in Anathoth. You deserve to die,t but today I will not kill you because you did carry the ark of the sovereign Lord before my father David and you suffered with my father through all his difficult times.”t

27 Solomon dismissed Abiathar from his position as priest of the Lord,t fulfilling the decree of judgment the Lord made in Shiloh against the family of Eli.t
28 When the news reached Joab (for Joab had supportedt Adonijah, although he had not supported Absalom), het ran to the tent of the Lord and grabbed hold of the horns of the altar.s29 When King Solomon heardt that Joab had run to the tent of the Lord and was right there beside the altar, he ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada,t “Go, strike him down.”30 When Benaiah arrived at the tent of the Lord, he said to him, “The king says, ‘Come out!’” But he replied, “No, I will die here!” So Benaiah sent word to the king and reported Joab’s reply.t31 The king told him, “Do as he said! Strike him down and bury him. Take away from me and from my father’s familyt the guilt of Joab’s murderous, bloody deeds.t32 May the Lord punish him for the blood he shed;t behind my father David’s back he struck down and murdered with the sword two men who were more innocent and morally upright than het – Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army.33 May Joab and his descendants be perpetually guilty of their shed blood, but may the Lord give perpetual peace to David, his descendants, his family,t and his dynasty.”t34 So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up and executed Joab;t he was buried at his home in the wilderness.

35 The king appointed Benaiah son of Jehoiada to take his place at the head oft the army, and the king appointed Zadok the priest to take Abiathar’s place.s
36 Next the king summonedt Shimei and told him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalems and live there – but you may not leave there to go anywhere!t37 If you ever do leave and cross the Kidron Valley, know for sure that you will certainly die! You will be responsible for your own death.”t

38 Shimei said to the king, “My master the king’s proposal is acceptable.t Your servant will do as you say.”t So Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time.t
39 Three years later two of Shimei’s servants ran away to King Achish son of Maacah of Gath. Shimei was told, “Look, your servants are in Gath.”40 So Shimei got up, saddled his donkey, and went to Achish at Gath to find his servants; Shimei went and brought back his servants from Gath.41 When Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had then returned,42 the king summonedt Shimei and said to him, “You will recallt that I made you take an oath by the Lord, and I solemnly warned you, ‘If you ever leave and go anywhere,t know for sure that you will certainly die.’ You said to me, ‘The proposal is acceptable; I agree to it.’t43 Why then have you broken the oath you made before the Lord and disobeyed the order I gave you?”t44 Then the king said to Shimei, “You are well aware of the way you mistreated my father David.t The Lord will punish you for what you did.t45 But King Solomon will be empoweredt and David’s dynastyt will endure permanently before the Lord.”

46 The king then gave the order to Benaiah son of Jehoiada who went and executed Shimei.t
So Solomon took firm control of the kingdom.t