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.

And king David [was] old and advanced in days, and they covered him with clothes, and he was not warmed.

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.”

And his servants said, Let them seek for the king a young virgin, and she shall wait on the king, and cherish him, and lie with him, and my lord the king shall be warmed.

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 for a fair damsel out of all the coasts of Israel; and they found Abisag the Somanite, and they 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 extremely beautiful, and she cherished the king, and ministered to him, but the king knew her not.

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 Aggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king; and he prepared for himself chariots and horses, 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.)

And his father never at any time checked him, saying, Why have you done [thus]? and he was also very handsome in appearance, and his mother bore him after Abessalom.

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 Saruia, and with Abiathar the priest, and they followed after Adonias.

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 Banaeas the son of Jodae, and Nathan the prophet, and Semei, and Resi, and the mighty men of David, did not follow 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 sacrificed sheep and calves and lambs by the stone of Zoelethi, which was near Rogel: and he called all his brethren, and all the adult [men] of Juda, servants of the king.

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

But Nathan the prophet, and Banaeas, and the mighty [men], and Solomon his brother, he did not call.

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 spoke to Bersabee the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast you not heard that Adonias the son of Aggith reigns, and our lord David knows it not?

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

And now come, let me, I pray, give you counsel, and you shall rescue your life, and the life of your 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?’

Haste, and go in to king David, and you shall speak to him, saying, Hast not you, my lord, O king, sworn to your handmaid, saying, Your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? why then does Adonias reign?

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

And behold, while you are still speaking there with the king, I also will come in after you, and will confirm your 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 Bersabee went in to the king into the chamber: and the king was very old, and Abisag the Somanite was ministering to the king.

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

And Bersabee bowed, and did obeisance to the king; and the king said, What is your request?

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.’

And she said, My lord, you did swear by the Lord your God to your handmaid, saying, Your son Solomon shall reign after me, and shall sit upon my throne.

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

And now, behold, Adonias reigns, and you, my lord, O king, know [it] not.

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.

And he has sacrificed calves and lambs and sheep in abundance, and has called all the king's sons, and Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander-in-chief of the host; but Solomon your servant he has not called.

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 you, my lord, O king, —the eyes of all Israel [are] upon you, to tell them who shall sit upon the throne of my lord the king after him.

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

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

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

And behold, while she was yet talking with the king, Nathan the prophet came. And it was reported to the king,

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

Behold, Nathan the prophet [is here]: and he came in to the king's presence, and did obeisance to the king with his face 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’?

And Nathan said, My lord, O king, did you say, Adonias shall reign after me, and he shall 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!’

For he has gone down today, and has sacrificed calves and lambs and sheep in abundance, and has called all the king's sons, and the chiefs of the army, and Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they are eating and drinking before him, and they said, [Long] live 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 he has not invited me your servant, and Sadoc the priest, and Banaeas the son of Jodae, and Solomon your servant.

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

Has this matter happened by the authority of my lord the king, and have you not made known to your servant who shall sit upon 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 me Bersabee: and she came in before 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,

And the king swore, and said, [As] the Lord lives who redeemed my soul out of all affliction,

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.”

as I swore to you by the Lord God of Israel, saying, Solomon your 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 Bersabee bowed with her face to the ground, and did obeisance to the king, and said, Let my lord king 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.

And king David said, Call me Sadoc the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Banaeas the son of Jodae: and they came 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.

And the king said to them, Take the servants of your lord with you, and mount my son Solomon upon my own mule, and bring him down to Gion.

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 there let Sadoc the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him to be king over Israel, and do you sound the trumpet, and you shall say, Let king Solomon live.

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 he shall sit upon my throne, and reign in my stead: and I have given charge that he should be for a prince over Israel and Juda.

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

And Banaeas the son of Jodae answered the king and said, So let it be: may the Lord God of my lord the king confirm [it].

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 was with my lord the king, so let him be with Solomon, and let him exalt his throne beyond 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.

And Sadoc the priest went down, and Nathan the prophet, and Banaeas son of Jodae, and the Cherethite, and the Phelethite, and they mounted Solomon upon the mule of king David, and led him away to Gion.

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 the horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon, and blew the trumpet; and all the people said, Let king Solomon live.

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 people went up after him, and they danced in choirs, and rejoiced with great joy, and the earth quaked with their voice.

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 his guests heard, and they had [just] left off eating: and Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, and said, What [means] the voice of the city in tumult?

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 was yet speaking, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came in: and Adonias said, Come in, for you are a mighty man, and [you come] to bring glad tidings.

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

And Jonathan answered and said, Verily our lord king David has made 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 the king has sent with him Sadoc the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Banaeas the son of Jodae, and the Cherethite, and the Phelethite, and they have mounted him on 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 in Gion, and have gone up thence rejoicing, and the city resounded: this [is] the sound which you have heard.

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

And Solomon is seated 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 servants of the king have gone in to bless our lord king David, saying, God make the name of Solomon better than your name, and make his throne greater than your throne; and the king worshipped upon 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.’”

Moreover thus said the king, Blessed [be] the Lord God of Israel, who has this day appointed one of my seed sitting on my throne, and my eyes see it.

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

And all the guests of Adonias were dismayed, 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 feared because of Solomon, and arose, and departed, and laid hold on the horns 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 it was reported to Solomon, saying, Behold, Adonias fears king Solomon, and holds the horns of the altar, saying, Let 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 should be a valiant man, there shall not a hair of his 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.”

And king Solomon sent, and they brought him away from the altar; and he went in and did obeisance to king Solomon: and Solomon said to him, Go to your house.