1 Kings 1

1 Now King David was old and far on in years; and though they put covers over him, his body was cold.

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

2 So his servants said to him, Let search be made for a young virgin for my lord the king, to take care of him and be waiting on him; and you may take her in your arms, and so my lord the king will be warm.

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.”

3 So after searching through all the land of Israel for a fair young girl, they saw Abishag the Shunammite, and took her to the king.

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

4 Now she was very beautiful; and she took care of the king, waiting on him at all times; but the king had no connection with her.

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

5 Then Adonijah, the son of Haggith, lifting himself up in pride, said, I will become king; and he made ready his carriages of war and his horsemen, with fifty runners to go before him.

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.

6 Now all his life his father had never gone against him or said to him, Why have you done so? and he was a very good-looking man, and younger than Absalom.

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

7 And he had talk with Joab, the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest; and they were on his side and gave him their support.

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

8 But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet and Shimei and Rei, and David's men of war did not take the side of Adonijah.

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

9 Then Adonijah put to death sheep and oxen and fat beasts by the stone of Zoheleth, by En-rogel; and he sent for all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the men of Judah, the king's servants, to come to him:

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.

10 But he did not send for Nathan the prophet and Benaiah and the other men of war and Solomon his brother.

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

11 Then Nathan said to Bath-sheba, the mother of Solomon, Has it not come to your ears that Adonijah, the son of Haggith, has made himself king without the knowledge of David our lord?

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?

12 So now, let me make a suggestion, so that you may keep your life safe and the life of your son Solomon.

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

13 Come now, go to King David and say to him, Did you not, O my lord, take an oath to me, your servant, saying, Truly Solomon your son will be king after me, seated on the seat of my kingdom? why then is Adonijah acting as king?

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?’

14 And while you are still talking there with the king, see, I will come in after you and say that your story is true.

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

15 Then Bath-sheba went into the king's room; now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was waiting on him.

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

16 And Bath-sheba went down on her face on the earth before the king giving him honour. And he said, What is your desire?

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

17 And she said to him, My lord, you took an oath by the Lord your God and gave your word to your servant, saying, Truly, Solomon your son will be king after me, seated on the seat of my kingdom.

“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.’

18 And now, see, Adonijah has made himself king without my lord's knowledge;

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

19 And has put to death oxen and fat beasts and sheep in great numbers, and has sent for all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab, the captain of the army; but he has not sent for Solomon your servant.

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.

20 And now, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, waiting for you to say who is to take the place of my lord the king after him.

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.

21 For as things are, it will come about, when my lord the king is sleeping with his fathers, that I and Solomon my son will be made outlaws.

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

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

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

23 And they said to the king, Here is Nathan the prophet. And when he came in before the king, he went down on his face on the earth.

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

24 And Nathan said, O my lord king, have you said, Adonijah is to be king after me, seated on the seat of my kingdom?

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

25 Because today he has gone down and has put to death oxen and fat beasts and sheep in great numbers, and has sent for all the king's sons to come to him, with the captains of the army and Abiathar the priest; and they are feasting before him and crying, Long life to King Adonijah!

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!’

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

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

27 Has this thing been done by my lord the king, without giving word to your servants who was to be placed on my lord the king's seat after him?

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

28 Then King David in answer said, Send for Bath-sheba to come to me. And she came in and took her place before the king.

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

29 And the king took an oath, and said, By the living Lord, who has been my saviour from all my troubles,

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

30 As I took an oath to you by the Lord, the God of Israel, saying, Certainly Solomon your son will become king after me, seated on my seat in my place; so will I do this day.

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.”

31 Then Bath-sheba went down on her face on the earth before the king giving him honour, and said, May my lord King David go on living for ever.

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

32 And King David said, Send for Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king.

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.

33 And the king said to them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and put Solomon my son on my beast, yes, mine, and take him down to Gihon;

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

34 And there let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet put the holy oil on him to make him king over Israel; and sounding the horn say, Long life to King Solomon!

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!’

35 Then come up after him and he will come in and take his place on the seat of my kingdom; for he is to be king in my place, and I have given orders that he is to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.

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.”

36 And Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, answering the king, said, So be it: and may the Lord, the God of my lord the king, say so.

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

37 As the Lord has been with my lord the king, even so may he be with Solomon and make the seat of his authority greater than that of my lord King David.

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.”

38 So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, went down and put Solomon on King David's beast and took him to Gihon.

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.

39 And Zadok the priest took the vessel of oil out of the Tent, and put the holy oil on Solomon. And when the horn was sounded, all the people said, Long life to King Solomon!

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!”

40 And all the people came up after him, piping with pipes, and they were glad with great joy, so that the earth was shaking with the sound.

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

41 And it came to the ears of Adonijah and all the guests who were with him, when their meal was ended. And Joab, hearing the sound of the horn, said, What is the reason of this noise as if the town was worked up?

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.

42 And while the words were on his lips, Jonathan, the son of Abiathar the priest, came; and Adonijah said, Come in; for you are a man of good faith and the news which you have for us will be good.

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.”

43 And Jonathan, answering, said to Adonijah, Not so, but our lord King David has made Solomon king:

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

44 And he sent with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and they put him on the king's beast:

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.

45 And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet put the holy oil on him and made him king in Gihon; and they came back from there with joy, and the town was all worked up. This is the noise which has come to your ears.

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.

46 And now Solomon is seated on the seat of the kingdom.

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

47 And the king's servants came to our lord King David, blessing him and saying, May God make the name of Solomon better than your name, and the seat of his authority greater than your seat; and the king was bent low in worship on his bed.

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,

48 Then the king said, May the God of Israel be praised, who has given one of my seed to be king in my place this day and has let my eyes see it.

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.’”

49 And all the guests of Adonijah got up in fear and went away, every man to his place.

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

50 And Adonijah himself was full of fear because of Solomon; and he got up and went to the altar, and put his hands on its horns.

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

51 And they gave Solomon word of it, saying, See, Adonijah goes in such fear of King Solomon, that he has put his hands on the horns of the altar, saying, Let King Solomon first give me his oath that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.

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.’”

52 And Solomon said, If he is seen to be a man of good faith, not a hair of him will be touched; but if any wrongdoing is seen in him, he is to be put to death.

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.”

53 So King Solomon sent, and they took him down from the altar. And he came and gave honour to King Solomon; and Solomon said to him, Go to your house.

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.”