1 Kings 1

1 Now King David was old and advanced in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he could not keep warm.

Now king David had become elderly, and he had many days in his lifetime. And though he was covered with clothes, he was not warmed.

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.”

Therefore, his servants said to him: “Let us seek, for our lord the king, a young virgin. And let her stand before the king, and warm him, and sleep in his bosom, and provide warmth for our lord the king.”

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.

And so they sought a beautiful young woman in all the parts of Israel. And they found Abishag, a Shunammite, and they led her to the king.

4 The young lady was very beautiful; and she cherished the king, and served him; but the king did not know her intimately.

Now the girl was exceedingly beautiful. And she slept with the king, and she ministered to him. Yet truly, the king did not know her.

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.

Then Adonijah, the son of Haggith, exalted himself, saying, “I shall reign!” And he appointed for himself chariots and horsemen, with fifty men who would 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.

Neither did his father chastise him at any time, saying, “Why have you done this?” Now he, too, was very beautiful, the second in birth, after Absalom.

7 He conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest; and they followed Adonijah and helped him.

And he conferred with Joab, the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar, the priest, who gave assistance to the side of 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.

Yet truly, Zadok, the priest, and Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan, the prophet, and Shimei and Rei, and the mature men of the army of 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;

Then Adonijah, having immolated rams and calves and every kind of fat cattle beside the Stone of the Serpent, which was in the vicinity of the fountain Rogel, summoned all his brothers, the sons of the king, and all the men of Judah, the servants of the king.

10 but he did not call Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother.

But he did not summon Nathan, the prophet, and Benaiah, and all the mature men, and Solomon, his brother.

11 Then Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, “Have not you heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith reigns, and David our lord does not know it?

And so Nathan said to Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon: “Have you not heard that Adonijah, the son of Haggith, has begun to reign, and that our lord David is ignorant of this?

12 Now therefore come, please let me give you counsel, that you may save your own life and your son Solomon’s life.

Now then, come, accept my counsel, and save your life and the life of your son Solomon.

13 Go in to King David, and tell him, ‘Did not 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?’

Go and enter to king David, and say to him: ‘Did you not, my lord the king, swear to me, your handmaid, saying: “Your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he himself shall sit on my throne?” Then why 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.”

And while you are still speaking with the king there, I will enter after you, and I will complete 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.

And so Bathsheba entered to the king in the bedroom. Now the king was very old, and Abishag, the Shunammite, was ministering to him.

16 Bathsheba bowed and showed respect to the king. The king said, “What would you like?”

Bathsheba bowed herself, and she reverenced the king. And the king said to her, “What do you wish?”

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.’

And responding, she said: “My lord, you swore to your handmaid, by the Lord your God: ‘your son Solomon will reign after me, and he himself shall sit upon my throne.’

18 Now, behold, Adonijah reigns; and you, my lord the king, do not know it.

And now behold, Adonijah reigns, while you, my lord the king, are ignorant of 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 has not called Solomon your servant.

He has slain oxen, and every kind of fattened cattle, and many rams. And he has summoned all the sons of the king, as well as Abiathar, the priest, and Joab, the leader of the military. But Solomon, your servant, he did not summon.

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.

Truly now, my lord the king, the eyes of all of Israel look with favor upon you, that you may indicate to them who ought to sit upon your throne, my lord the king, after you.

21 Otherwise it will happen, when my lord the king sleeps with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be considered criminals.”

Otherwise, this will be: when my lord the king sleeps with his fathers, I and my son Solomon will be as sinners.”

22 Behold, while she was still talking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in.

And while she was still speaking with the king, Nathan, the prophet, arrived.

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.

And they announced to the king, saying, “Nathan, the prophet, is here.” And when he had entered in the sight of the king, and he had reverenced prone on the ground,

24 Nathan said, “My lord, King, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne’?

Nathan said: “My lord the king, did you say, ‘Let Adonijah reign after me, and let him sit upon 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!’

For today, he descended, and he immolated oxen, and fattened cattle, and many rams. And he summoned all the sons of the king, and the leaders of the army, along with Abiathar, the priest. And they are eating and drinking before him, and saying, ‘As king Adonijah lives.’

26 But he has not called me, even me your servant, Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon.

But he did not summon me, your servant, and Zadok, the priest, and Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, and Solomon, your lowly servant.

27 Was this thing done by my lord the king, and you have not shown to your servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”

Could this word have gone out from my lord the king, and could you not have revealed it to me, your servant, as to who would be seated upon 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.

And king David responded, saying, “Summon to me Bathsheba.” And when she had entered before the king, and she had stood before him,

29 The king vowed and said, “As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity,

the king swore and said: “As the Lord lives, who has rescued my soul from all distress,

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.”

just as I swore to you by the Lord God of Israel, saying: ‘Your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he himself shall sit upon my throne in my place,’ so shall I do this day.”

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!”

And Bathsheba, having lowered her face to the ground, reverenced the king, saying, “May my lord 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.

And king David said, “Summon to me Zadok, the priest, and Nathan, the prophet, and Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada.” And when they had entered 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.

he said to them: “Take with you the servants of your lord, and place my son Solomon upon my mule. And lead him 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!’

And let Zadok, the priest, and Nathan, the prophet, anoint him in that place as the king over Israel. And you shall sound the trumpet, and you shall say, ‘As king Solomon lives.’

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.”

And you shall ascend after him, and he shall arrive and shall sit upon my throne. And he himself shall reign in my place. And I will command that he be the ruler 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.

And Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, responded to the king, saying: “Amen. So says the Lord, the God of my lord the king.

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.”

In the same way that the Lord has been with my lord the king, so may he be with Solomon. And may he make his throne more sublime 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.

Then Zadok, the priest, and Nathan, the prophet, descended, with Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and Pelethites. And they placed Solomon on the mule of king David, and they led 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!”

And Zadok, the priest, took the horn of oil from the tabernacle, and he anointed Solomon. And they sounded the trumpet. And all the people said, “As king Solomon lives.”

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.

And the entire multitude ascended after him. And the people were playing on pipes, and rejoicing with great joy. And the earth resounded before the noise of them.

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?”

Then Adonijah, and all who had been summoned by him, heard it. And now the feast had ended. Then, too, Joab, hearing the voice of the trumpet, said, “What is the meaning of this clamor from the tumultuous city?”

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.”

While he was still speaking, Jonathan, the son of Abiathar the priest, arrived. And Adonijah said to him, “Enter, for you are a valiant man, and you report good news.”

43 Jonathan answered Adonijah, “Most certainly our lord King David has made Solomon king.

And Jonathan answered Adonijah: “By no means. For our lord king David has appointed Solomon as 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.

And he has sent with him Zadok, the priest, and Nathan, the prophet, and Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and Pelethites. And they have placed him on the mule of the king.

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.

And Zadok, the priest, and Nathan, the prophet, have anointed him king, at Gihon. And they are ascending from there, rejoicing, and so the city resounds. This is the noise that you have heard.

46 Also, Solomon sits on the throne of the kingdom.

But also, Solomon sits upon 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.

And the servants of the king, entering, have blessed our lord king David, saying: ‘May God amplify the name of Solomon above your name, and may he magnify his throne above your throne.’ And the king reverenced from his 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.’”

And he said: ‘Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, who today has bestowed someone to sit upon my throne, while my eyes may see it.’”

49 All the guests of Adonijah were afraid, and rose up, and each man went his way.

Therefore, all those who had been summoned by Adonijah were terrified. And they all rose up, and each one went his own way.

50 Adonijah was afraid because of Solomon; and he arose, and went, and hung onto the horns of the altar.

Then Adonijah, fearing Solomon, rose up and went away. And he took hold of the horn 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.’”

And they reported to Solomon, saying: “Behold, Adonijah, fearing king Solomon, has taken hold of the horn of the altar, saying: ‘May king Solomon swear to me this day that he will not put to death 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.”

And Solomon said: “If he is a good man, not so much as one hair of his head shall fall to the ground. But if evil 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.”

Therefore, king Solomon sent and brought him from the altar. And entering, he reverenced king Solomon. And Solomon said to him, “Go to your own house.”