1 Kings 1

1 Now King David was old and well along in years, and though they covered him with blankets, he could not keep warm.

Now king David was old, and advanced in years: and when he was covered with clothes, he was not warm.

2 So his servants said to him, “Let us search for a young virgin for our lord the king, to attend to him and care for him and lie by his side to keep him warm.”

His servants therefore said to him: Let us seek for our lord the king, a young virgin, and let her stand before the king, and cherish him, and sleep in his bosom, and warm our lord the king.

3 Then they searched throughout Israel for a beautiful girl, and they found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king.

So they sought a beautiful young woman in all the coasts of Israel, and they found Abisag a Sunamitess, and brought her to the king.

4 The girl was unsurpassed in beauty; she cared for the king and served him, but he had no relations with her.

And the damsel was exceeding beautiful, and she slept with the king: and served him, but the king did not know her.

5 At that time Adonijah, David’s son by Haggith, began to exalt himself, saying, “I will be king!” And he acquired chariots and horsemen and fifty men to run ahead of him.

And Adonias the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying: I will be king. And he made himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

6 (His father had never once reprimanded him by saying, “Why do you act this way?” Adonijah was also very handsome, born next after Absalom.)

Neither did his father rebuke him at any time, saying: Why hast thou done this? And he also was very beautiful, the next in birth after Absalom.

7 So Adonijah conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, who supported him.

And he conferred with Joab the son of Sarvia, and with Abiathar the priest, who furthered Adonias’s side.

8 But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s mighty men would not join Adonijah.

But Sadoc the priest, and Banaias the son of Joiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Semei, and Rei, and the strength of David’s army was not with Adonias.

9 And Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fattened calves near the stone of Zoheleth, which is next to En-rogel. He invited all his royal brothers and all the men of Judah who were servants of the king.

And Adonias having slain rams and calves, and all fat cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which was near the fountain Rogel, invited all his brethren the king’s sons, and all the men of Juda, the king’s servants:

10 But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, or his brother Solomon.

But Nathan the prophet, and Banaias, and all the valiant men, and Solomon his brother, he invited not.

11 Then Nathan said to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, “Have you not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has become king, and our lord David does not know it?

And Nathan said to Bethsabee the mother of Solomon: Hast thou not heard that Adonias the son of Haggith reigneth, and our lord David knoweth it not?

12 Now please, come and let me advise you. Save your own life and the life of your son Solomon.

Now then come, take my counsel and save thy life, and the life of thy son Solomon.

13 Go at once to King David and say, ‘My lord the king, did you not swear to your maidservant, “Surely your son Solomon will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’

Go, and get thee in to king David, and say to him: Didst not thou, my lord O king, swear to me thy handmaid, saying: Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne? why then doth Adonias reign?

14 Then, while you are still there speaking with the king, I will come in after you and confirm your words.”

And while thou art yet speaking there with the king, I will come in after thee, and will fill up thy words.

15 So Bathsheba went to see the king in his bedroom. Since the king was very old, Abishag the Shunammite was serving him.

So Bethsabee went in to the king into the chamber: now the king was very old, and Abisag the Sunamitess ministered to him.

16 And Bathsheba bowed down in homage to the king, who asked, “What is your desire?”

Bethsabee bowed herself, and worshipped the king. And the king said to her: What is thy will?

17 “My lord,” she replied, “you yourself swore to your maidservant by the LORD your God: ‘Surely your son Solomon will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne.’

She answered and said: My lord, thou didst swear to thy handmaid by the Lord thy God, saying: Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.

18 But now, behold, Adonijah has become king, and you, my lord the king, did not know it.

And behold now Adonias reigneth, and thou, my lord the king, knowest nothing of it.

19 And he has sacrificed an abundance of oxen, fattened calves, and sheep, and has invited all the other sons of the king, as well as Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of the army. But he did not invite your servant Solomon.

He hath killed oxen, and all fat cattle, and many rams, and invited all the king’s sons, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the general of the army: but Solomon thy servant he invited not.

20 And as for you, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are upon you to tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.

And now, my lord O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldst tell them, who shall sit on thy throne, my lord the king, after thee.

21 Otherwise, when my lord the king rests with his fathers, I and my son Solomon will be counted as criminals.”

Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king sleepeth with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.

22 And just then, while Bathsheba was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived.

As she was yet speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came.

23 So the king was told, “Nathan the prophet is here.” And Nathan went in and bowed facedown before the king.

And they told the king, saying: Nathan the prophet is here. And when he was come in before the king, and had worshipped, bowing down to the ground,

24 “My lord the king,” said Nathan, “did you say, ‘Adonijah will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne’?

Nathan said: My lord O king, hast thou said: Let Adonias reign after me, and let him sit upon my throne?

25 For today he has gone down and sacrificed an abundance of oxen, fattened calves, and sheep, and has invited all the sons of the king, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest. And behold, they are eating and drinking before him, saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’

Because he is gone down today, and hath killed oxen, and fatlings, and many rams, and invited all the king’s sons, and the captains of the army, and Abiathar the priest: and they are eating and drinking before him, and saying: God save king Adonias:

26 But me your servant he did not invite, nor Zadok the priest, nor Benaiah son of Jehoiada, nor your servant Solomon.

But me thy servant, and Sadoc the priest, and Banaias the son of Joiada, and Solomon thy servant he hath not invited.

27 Has my lord the king let this happen without informing your servant who should sit on the throne after my lord the king?”

Is this word come out from my lord the king, and hast thou not told me thy servant who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?

28 Then King David said, “Call in Bathsheba for me.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before him.

And king David answered and said: Call to me Bethsabee. And when she was come in to the king, and stood before him,

29 And the king swore an oath, saying, “As surely as the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from all distress,

The king swore and said: As the Lord liveth, who hath delivered my soul out of all distress,

30 I will carry out this very day exactly what I swore to you by the LORD, the God of Israel: Surely your son Solomon will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne in my place.”

Even as I swore to thee by the Lord the God of Israel, saying: Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead, so will I do this day.

31 Bathsheba bowed facedown in homage to the king and said, “May my lord King David live forever!”

And Bethsabee bowing with her face to the earth worshipped the king, saying: May my lord David live for ever.

32 Then King David said, “Call in for me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” So they came before the king.

King David also said: Call me Sadoc the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Banaias the son of Joiada. And when they were come in before the king,

33 “Take my servants with you,” said the king. “Set my son Solomon on my own mule and take him down to Gihon.

He said to them: Take with you the servants of your lord, and set my son Solomon upon my mule: and bring him to Gihon.

34 There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet are to anoint him king over Israel. You are to blow the ram’s horn and declare, ‘Long live King Solomon!’

And let Sadoc the priest, and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and you shall sound the trumpet, and shall say: God save king Solomon.

35 Then you shall go up with him, and he is to come and sit on my throne and reign in my place. For I have appointed him ruler over Israel and Judah.”

And you shall come up after him, and he shall come, and shall sit upon my throne, and he shall reign in my stead: and I will appoint him to be ruler over Israel, and over Juda.

36 “Amen,” replied Benaiah son of Jehoiada. “May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, so declare it.

And Banaias the son of Joiada answered the king, saying: Amen: so say the Lord the God of my lord the king.

37 Just as the LORD was with my lord the king, so may He be with Solomon and make his throne even greater than that of my lord King David.”

As the Lord hath been with my lord the king, so be he with Solomon, and make his throne higher than the throne of my lord king David.

38 Then Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, along with the Cherethites and Pelethites, went down and set Solomon on King David’s mule, and they escorted him to Gihon.

So Sadoc the priest, and Nathan the prophet went down, and Banaias the son of Joiada, and the Cerethi, and Phelethi: and they set Solomon upon the mule of king David, and brought him to Gihon.

39 Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tabernacle and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the ram’s horn, and all the people proclaimed, “Long live King Solomon!”

And Sadoc the priest took a horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon: and they sounded the trumpet, and all the people said: God save king Solomon.

40 All the people followed him, playing flutes and rejoicing with such a great joy that the earth was split by the sound.

And all the multitude went up after him, and the people played with pipes, and rejoiced with a great joy, and the earth rang with the noise of their cry.

41 Now Adonijah and all his guests were finishing their feast when they heard the sound of the ram’s horn. “Why is the city in such a loud uproar?” asked Joab.

And Adonias, and all that were invited by him, heard it, and now the feast was at an end: Joab also hearing the sound of the trumpet, said: What meaneth this noise of the city in an uproar?

42 As he was speaking, suddenly Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest arrived. “Come in,” said Adonijah, “for you are a man of valor. You must be bringing good news.”

While he yet spoke, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came: and Adonias said to him: Come in, because thou art a valiant man, and bringest good news.

43 “Not at all,” Jonathan replied. “Our lord King David has made Solomon king.

And Jonathan answered Adonias: Not so: for our lord king David hath appointed Solomon king.

44 And with Solomon, the king has sent Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, along with the Cherethites and Pelethites, and they have set him on the king’s mule.

And hath sent with him Sadoc the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Banaias the son of Joiada, and the Cerethi, and Phelethi, and they have set him upon the king’s mule.

45 Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon, and they have gone up from there with rejoicing that rings out in the city. That is the noise you hear.

And Sadoc the priest, and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon: and they are gone up from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang again: this is the noise that you have heard.

46 Moreover, Solomon has taken his seat on the royal throne.

Moreover Solomon sitteth upon the throne of the kingdom,

47 The king’s servants have also gone to congratulate our lord King David, saying, ‘May your God make the name of Solomon more famous than your own name, and may He make his throne greater than your throne.’ And the king has bowed in worship on his bed,

And the king’s servants going in have blessed our lord king David, saying: May God make the name of Solomon greater than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne. And the king adored in his bed:

48 saying, ‘Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel! Today He has provided one to sit on my throne, and my eyes have seen it.’”

And he said: Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel, who hath given this day one to sit on my throne, my eyes seeing it.

49 At this, all the guests of Adonijah arose in terror and scattered.

Then all the guests of Adonias were afraid, and they all arose and every man went his way.

50 But Adonijah, in fear of Solomon, got up and went to take hold of the horns of the altar.

And Adonias fearing Solomon, arose, and went, and took hold on the horn of the altar.

51 It was reported to Solomon: “Behold, Adonijah fears King Solomon, and he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon first swear to me not to put his servant to the sword.’”

And they told Solomon, saying: Behold Adonias, fearing king Solomon, hath taken hold of the horn of the altar, saying: Let king Solomon swear to me this day, that he will not kill his servant with the sword.

52 And Solomon replied, “If he is a man of character, not a single hair of his will fall to the ground. But if evil is found in him, he will die.”

And Solomon said: If he be a good man, there shall not so much as one hair of his head fall to the ground: but if evil be found in him, he shall die.

53 So King Solomon summoned Adonijah down from the altar, and he came and bowed down before King Solomon, who said to him, “Go to your home.”

Then king Solomon sent, and brought him out from the altar: and going in he worshipped king Solomon: and Solomon said to him: Go to thy house.