1 Kings 2

1 Now the time of David's death came near; and he gave orders to Solomon his son, saying,

And, when the days of David drew near that he must die, he charged Solomon his son, saying: —

2 I am going the way of all the earth: so be strong and be a man;

I, am going the way of all the earth, —thou must be strong, therefore, and show thyself a man;

3 And keep the orders of the Lord your God, walking in his ways, keeping his laws and his orders and his rules and his words, as they are recorded in the law of Moses; so that you may do well in all you do and wherever you go,

and keep the observances of Yahweh thy God, by walking in his ways, by keeping his statutes, his commandments, and his regulations and his testimonies, as written in the law of Moses, —to the end thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself;

4 So that the Lord may give effect to what he said of me, If your children give attention to their ways, living uprightly before me with all their heart and their soul, you will never be without a man to be king in Israel.

to the end that Yahweh may establish his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy sons will take heed to their way, by walking before me, in truth, with all their heart, and with all their soul, (then, said he) there shall not be cut off to thee a man, from off the throne of Israel.

5 Now you have knowledge of what Joab, the son of Zeruiah, did to me, and to the two captains of the army of Israel, Abner, the son of Ner, and Amasa, the son of Jether, whom he put to death, taking payment for the blood of war in time of peace, and making the band of my clothing and the shoes on my feet red with the blood of one put to death without cause.

Moreover also, thou, knowest what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with two generals of the armies of Israel—with Abner son of Ner, and with Amasa son of Jether—both of whom he slew, shedding the blood of war in peace, —and putting the blood of war upon his girdle that was on his loins, and upon his sandals, that were on his feet.

6 So be guided by your wisdom, and let not his white head go down to the underworld in peace. (Sheol h7585)

Thou, therefore, must do according to thy wisdom, —but will not let his grey hair go down in peace, to hades. (Sheol h7585)

7 But be good to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be guests at your table; for so they came to me when I went in flight from Absalom your brother.

But, with the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, thou wilt deal in lovingkindness, and they will be among them who eat at thy table, —for, so, drew they near unto me, when I fled from Absolom thy brother.

8 Now you have with you Shimei, the son of Gera the Benjamite of Bahurim, who put a bitter curse on me on the day when I went to Mahanaim; but he came down to see me at Jordan, and I gave him my oath by the Lord, saying, I will not put you to death by the sword.

Lo! also, there is with thee—Shimei son of Gera a Benjamite, of Behurim, well, he, it was who cursed me with a grievous curse; on the day I journeyed to Mahanaim, —but he, came down to meet me, at the Jordan, and so I sware to him by Yahweh, saying—I will not put thee to death, with the sword.

9 But do not let him be free from punishment, for you are a wise man; and it will be clear to you what you have to do with him; see that his white head goes down to the underworld in blood. (Sheol h7585)

Now, therefore do not hold him guiltless, for, a wise man, thou art, and wilt know how thou oughtest to deal with him, and wilt suffer his grey hairs to go down with blood, to hades. (Sheol h7585)

10 Then David went to rest with his fathers, and his body was put into the earth in the town of David.

So then David slept with his fathers, —and was buried in the city of David.

11 David was king over Israel for forty years: for seven years he was king in Hebron and for thirty-three years in Jerusalem.

Now, the days that David reigned over Israel, were forty years, —in Hebron, reigned he seven years, and, in Jerusalem, reigned he thirty and three years.

12 And Solomon took his place on the seat of David his father, and his kingdom was made safe and strong.

But, when, Solomon, took his seat upon the throne of David his father, then was the kingdom firmly established.

13 Then Adonijah, the son of Haggith, came to Bath-sheba, the mother of Solomon. And she said, Come you in peace? And he said, Yes, in peace.

And Adonijah son of Haggith came in unto Bath-sheba, mother of Solomon: And she said—Peaceably, comest thou? And he said—Peaceably.

14 Then he said, I have something to say to you. And she said, Say on.

Then said he—I have somewhat to say unto thee. And she said—Say on.

15 And he said, You saw how the kingdom was mine, and all Israel had the idea that I would be their king; but now the kingdom is turned about, and has become my brother's, for it was given to him by the Lord.

And he said—Thou, knowest that, mine, was the kingdom, and, on me, had all Israel set their faces, that I should become king, —howbeit the kingdom, hath turned about, and become my brother’s, for, from Yahweh, became it, his.

16 Now I have one request to make to you, and do not say, No, to me. And she said to him, Say on.

Now, therefore, one request, have I to ask of thee, do not turn away my face.

17 Then he said, Will you go to Solomon the king (for he will not say, No, to you) and put before him my request that he will give me Abishag the Shunammite for a wife?

And she said unto him—Say on. And he said—Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, for he will not turn away thy face, —that he give me Abishag the Shunammite, to wife.

18 And Bath-sheba said, Good! I will make your request to the king.

And Bath-sheba said: Good! I myself, will speak for thee, unto the king.

19 So Bath-sheba went to King Solomon to have talk with him on Adonijah's account. And the king got up to come to her, and went down low to the earth before her; then he took his place on the king's seat and had a seat made ready for the king's mother and she took her place at his right hand.

So Bath-sheba went in unto King Solomon, to speak to him for Adonijah, —and the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself down to her, and sat down upon his throne, and caused a throne to be set for the mother of the king, and she sat on his right hand.

20 Then she said, I have one small request to make to you; do not say, No, to me. And the king said, Say on, my mother, for I will not say, No, to you.

Then said she—One small request, am I asking of thee, do not turn away my face. And the king said to her—Ask on, my mother, for I will not turn away thy face.

21 And she said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother for a wife.

And she said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother, to wife.

22 Then King Solomon made answer and said to his mother, Why are you requesting me to give Abishag the Shunammite to Adonijah? Take the kingdom for him in addition, for he is my older brother, and Abiathar the priest and Joab, the son of Zeruiah, are on his side.

Then answered King Solomon, and said to his mother—Wherefore, then, art thou asking Abishag the Shunammite, for Adonijah? ask, then, for him the kingdom, because he is mine elder brother, —even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab, son of Zeruiah.

23 Then King Solomon took an oath by the Lord, saying, May God's punishment be on me if Adonijah does not give payment for these words with his life.

Then swore King Solomon by Yahweh, saying, —So, let God do to me, and, so, let him add, if, at the cost of his life, Adonijah hath not spoken this word.

24 Now by the living Lord, who has given me my place on the seat of David my father, and made me one of a line of kings, as he gave me his word, truly Adonijah will be put to death this day.

Now, therefore, by the life of Yahweh, who hath established me, and seated me upon the throne of David my father, and who hath made for me a household, as he had spoken, surely, to-day, shall Adonijah be put to death!

25 And King Solomon sent Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, and he made an attack on him and put him to death.

So King Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, —and he fell upon him, that he died.

26 And to Abiathar the priest the king said, Go to Anathoth, to your fields; for death would be your right reward; but I will not put you to death now, because you took up the ark of the Lord God before David my father, and you were with him in all his troubles.

Also, unto Abiathar the priest, said the king—To Anathoth, get thee unto thine own fields, for, death-doomed, thou art, —but, this day, will I not put thee to death, because thou didst bear the ark of My Lord, Yahweh, before David my father, and because thou wast afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted.

27 So Solomon let Abiathar be priest no longer, so that he might make the word of the Lord come true which he said about the sons of Eli in Shiloh.

So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto Yahweh, —to fulfil the word of Yahweh which he spake concerning the household of Eli, in Shiloh.

28 And news of this came to Joab; for Joab had been one of Adonijah's supporters, though he had not been on Absalom's side. Then Joab went in flight to the Tent of the Lord, and put his hands on the horns of the altar.

And, the report, came unto Joab, for, Joab, had inclined after Adonijah, although, after Solomon, he had not inclined, —so then Joab fled into the Tent of Yahweh, and laid hold of the horns of the altar.

29 And they said to King Solomon, Joab has gone in flight to the Tent of the Lord and is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, make an attack on him.

And it was told King Solomon—Joab hath fled into the Tent of Yahweh, and, there he is, beside the altar. So Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada, saying—Go fall upon him!

30 And Benaiah came to the Tent of the Lord and said to him, The king says, Come out. And he said, No; but let death come to me here. And Benaiah went back to the king and gave him word of the answer which Joab had given.

And Benaiah came into the Tent of Yahweh, and said unto him—Thus, saith the king, Come forth! And he said—Nay! but, here, will I die! So Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus, spake Joab, and, thus, he answered me.

31 And the king said, Do as he has said and make an attack on him there, and put his body into the earth; so that you may take away from me and from my family the blood of one put to death by Joab without cause.

And the king said to him—Do as he hath spoken, fall, then, upon him, and bury him, —and so put away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from off me, and from off the house of my father;

32 And the Lord will send back his blood on his head, because of the attack he made on two men more upright and better than himself, putting them to the sword without my father's knowledge; even Abner, the son of Ner, captain of the army of Israel, and Amasa, the son of Jether, captain of the army of Judah.

thus will Yahweh bring back his blood upon his own head, in that he fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing it, —even Abner son of Ner, general of the army of Israel, and Amasa son of Jether, general of the army of Judah;

33 So their blood will be on the head of Joab, and on the head of his seed for ever; but for David and his seed and his family and the seat of his kingdom, there will be peace for ever from the Lord.

thus shall their blood come back upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed unto times age-abiding, —but, David and his seed, and his house, and his throne, shall have peace, unto times age-abiding, from Yahweh.

34 So Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, went up, and falling on him, put him to death; and his body was put to rest in his house in the waste land.

So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and put him to death, —and he was buried in his own house, in the wilderness.

35 And the king put Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, in his place over the army; and Zadok the priest he put in the place of Abiathar.

And the king put Benaiah son of Jehoiada, in his stead, over the army, —and, Zadok the priest, did the king put in the stead of Abiathar.

36 Then the king sent for Shimei, and said to him, Make a house for yourself in Jerusalem and keep there and go to no other place.

And the king sent, and called for Shimei, and said to him—Build thee a house, in Jerusalem, so shalt thou dwell there, —and shalt not go forth from thence, hither or thither;

37 For be certain that on the day when you go out and go over the stream Kidron, death will overtake you: and your blood will be on your head.

but it shall be that, on the day thou goest forth, and passest over the Kidron ravine, know, that thou shalt, die, —thy blood, shall be, upon thine own head.

38 And Shimei said to the king, Very well! as my lord the king has said, so will your servant do. And for a long time Shimei went on living in Jerusalem.

And Shimei said to the king—Good, is the word, as my lord the king hath spoken, so, will thy servant do. And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days.

39 But after three years, two of the servants of Shimei went in flight to Achish, son of Maacah, king of Gath. And word was given to Shimei that his servants had gone to Gath.

But it came to pass, at the end of three years, that two of the servants of Shimei fled unto Achish son of Maachah king of Gath, —and they told Shimei, saying—Lo! thy servants are in Gath.

40 Then Shimei got up, and making ready his ass, he went to Gath, to Achish, in search of his servants; and he sent and got them from Gath.

So Shimei arose, and saddled his ass, and went to Gath, unto Achish, to seek his servants—and Shimei went and brought in his servants, from Gath.

41 And news was given to Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had come back again.

And it was told Solomon—Shimei hath been out of Jerusalem to Gath, and returned.

42 Then the king sent for Shimei, and said to him, Did I not make you take an oath by the Lord, protesting to you and saying, Be certain that on the day when you go out from here, wherever you go, death will overtake you? and you said to me, Very well!

Then sent the king and called for Shimei, and said unto him—Did I not put thee on oath by Yahweh, and adjure thee, saying—On the day thou goest forth and takest thy journey hither or thither, know, that thou shalt, die. Then saidst thou unto me—Good, is the word I have heard.

43 Why then have you not kept the oath of the Lord and the order which I gave you?

Why then, hast thou not kept the oath of Yahweh, —and the charge which I laid upon thee?

44 And the king said to Shimei, You have knowledge of all the evil which you did to David my father; and now the Lord has sent back your evil on yourself.

Then said the king unto Shimei—Thou, knowest all the wickedness which thy heart is privy to, which thou didst unto David my father, —therefore shall Yahweh bring back thy wickedness, upon thine own head.

45 But a blessing will be on King Solomon, and the kingdom of David will keep its place before the Lord for ever.

But, King Solomon, shall be blessed, —and, the throne of David, shall be established before Yahweh, unto times age-abiding.

46 So the king gave orders to Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada; and he went out and, falling on him, put him to death. And Solomon's authority over the kingdom was complete.

So the king charged Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he went out and fell upon him, that he died, —and, the kingdom, was established in the hand of Solomon.