1 Kings 2

1 Now the days of David had drawn near, so that he would die, and he instructed his son Solomon, saying:

As the day of David's death approached, he commanded Solomon his son, saying,

2 “I am entering the way of all the earth. Be strengthened and be a good man.

“I am going the way of all the earth. Be strong, therefore, and show yourself a man.

3 And observe the care of the Lord your God, so that you walk in his ways, so that you care for his ceremonies, and his precepts, and judgments, and testimonies, just as it is written in the law of Moses. So may you understand everything that you do, in any direction that you may turn yourself.

Keep the commands of Yahweh your God to walk in his ways, to obey his statutes, his commandments, his decisions, and his covenant decrees, being careful to do what is written in the law of Moses, so you may prosper in all you do, wherever you go,

4 So may the Lord confirm his words, which he has spoken about me, saying: ‘If your sons will guard their ways, and if they will walk before me in truth, with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not be taken away from you a man on the throne of Israel.’

so that Yahweh may fulfill his word which he spoke concerning me, saying, 'If your sons carefully watch their conduct, to walk before me faithfully with all their heart and with all their soul, you will never cease to have a man on the throne of Israel.'

5 Also, you know what Joab, the son of Zeruiah, has done to me, what he did to the two leaders of the army of Israel, to Abner, the son of Ner, and to Amasa, the son of Jether. He killed them, and so he shed the blood of war in peace time, and he set the bloodshed of battle on his belt, which was around his waist, and in his shoes, which were on his feet.

You know also what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to Abner son of Ner, and to Amasa son of Jether, whom he killed. He shed the blood of war in peace and put the blood of war on the belt around his waist and on the shoes on his feet.

6 Therefore, act according to your wisdom. And you shall not allow his gray head to be led away to death in peace. (Sheol h7585)

Deal with Joab by the wisdom you have learned, but do not let his gray head go down to the grave in peace. (Sheol h7585)

7 Then, too, repay grace to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite. And you shall allow them to eat at your table. For they met me when I fled from the face of Absalom, your brother.

However, show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, for they came to me when I fled from Absalom your brother.

8 Also, you have with you Shimei, the son of Gera, the son of Benjamin, from Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse, when I went away to the camp. And he descended to meet me when I crossed over the Jordan, and I swore to him by the Lord, saying, ‘I will not put you to death by the sword,’

Look, there is with you Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite of Bahurim, who cursed me with a violent curse on the day I went to Mahanaim. Shimei came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by Yahweh, saying, 'I will not put you to death with the sword.'

9 yet do not choose to treat him as if he were innocent. Since you are a wise man, you will know what to do with him. And you shall lead away his grey hair to death with blood.” (Sheol h7585)

Now therefore do not let him go free from punishment. You are a wise man, and you will know what you ought to do to him. You will bring his gray head down to the grave with blood.” (Sheol h7585)

10 And so, David slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of David.

Then David slept with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David.

11 Now the days during which David reigned over Israel are forty years: he reigned seven years in Hebron, thirty-three in Jerusalem.

The days that David reigned over Israel were forty years. He had reigned for seven years in Hebron and for thirty-three years in Jerusalem.

12 Then Solomon sat upon the throne of his father David, and his kingdom was strengthened exceedingly.

Then Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his rule was firmly established.

13 And Adonijah, the son of Haggith, entered to Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon. And she said to him, “Is your entrance peaceful?” He responded, “It is peaceful.”

Then Adonijah son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. She said, “Do you come peacefully?” He replied, “Peacefully.”

14 And he added, “My word is for you.” She said to him, “Speak.” And he said:

Then he said, “I have something to say to you.” So she replied, “Speak.”

15 “You know that the kingdom was mine, and that all of Israel had preferred me for themselves as king. But the kingdom was transferred, and has become my brother’s. For it was appointed to him by the Lord.

Adonijah said, “You know that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel expected me to be king. But things changed, and the kingdom was given to my brother, for it was his from Yahweh.

16 Now therefore, I beg of you one petition. May you not confound my face.” And she said to him, “Speak.”

Now I have one request of you, and do not turn away from my face.” Bathsheba said to him, “Speak.”

17 And he said: “I beg that you may speak to king Solomon, for he is not able to refuse anything to you, so that he may give Abishag the Shunammite to me as wife.”

He said, “Please speak to Solomon the king, for he will not turn away from your face, so that he may give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.”

18 And Bathsheba said: “It is well. I will speak to the king on your behalf.”

Bathsheba said, “Very well, I will speak to the king.”

19 Then Bathsheba went to king Solomon, so that she might speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and he reverenced her, and he sat down upon his throne. And a throne was stationed for the mother of the king, and she sat at his right hand.

Bathsheba therefore went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah. The king rose to meet her and bowed down to her. Then he sat down on his throne and had a throne brought for the king's mother. She sat at his right hand.

20 And she said to him: “I petition one small request from you. May you not confound my face.” And the king said to her: “Ask, my mother. For it is not right that I turn away your face.”

Then she said, “I wish to ask one small request of you, for you will not turn away from my face.” The king answered her, “Ask, my mother, for I will not turn away from your face.”

21 And she said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah, your brother, as wife.”

She said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as his wife.”

22 And king Solomon responded, and he said to his mother: “Why do you request Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Why not request the kingdom for him! For he is my older brother, and he has Abiathar, the priest, and Joab, the son of Zeruiah.”

King Solomon answered and said to his mother, “Why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Why do you not ask the kingdom for him also, for he is my elder brother—for him, for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab son of Zeruiah?”

23 And so king Solomon swore by the Lord, saying: “May God do these things to me, and may he add these other things! For Adonijah has spoken this word against his own life.

Then King Solomon swore by Yahweh, saying, “May God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life.

24 And now, as the Lord lives, who has confirmed me and placed me upon the throne of my father David, and who, just as he said, has made a house for me: Adonijah shall be put to death this day.”

Now therefore as Yahweh lives, who has established me and set me on the throne of David my father, and who has made me a house as he promised, surely Adonijah will be put to death today.”

25 And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, who put him to death, and so he died.

So King Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and Benaiah found Adonijah and put him to death.

26 Also, the king said to Abiathar, the priest: “Go into Anathoth, to your own land, for you are a man worthy of death. But I will not put you to death this day, since you carried the ark of the Lord God before David, my father, and since you have endured hardship in all the things, for which my father labored.”

Then to Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go to Anathoth, to your own fields. You are worthy of death, but I will not at this time put you to death, because you carried the ark of the Lord Yahweh before David my father and suffered in every way my father suffered.”

27 Therefore, Solomon cast out Abiathar, so that he would not be the priest of the Lord, so that the word of the Lord might be fulfilled, which he spoke over the house of Eli at Shiloh.

So Solomon dismissed Abiathar from being priest to Yahweh, that he might fulfill the word of Yahweh, which he had spoken concerning the house of Eli at Shiloh.

28 And the news came to Joab, for Joab had turned aside after Adonijah, and he had not turned aside after Solomon. And so, Joab fled into the tabernacle of the Lord, and he took hold of the horn of the altar.

The news came to Joab, for Joab had supported Adonijah, though he had not supported Absalom. So Joab fled to the tent of Yahweh and took hold of the horns of the altar.

29 And it was reported to king Solomon that Joab had fled into the tabernacle of the Lord, and that he was beside the altar. And Solomon sent Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, put him to death.”

It was told King Solomon that Joab had fled to the tent of Yahweh and was now beside the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, execute him.”

30 And Benaiah went to the tabernacle of the Lord, and he said to him: “The king says this: ‘Come out.’” But he said: “I will not come out. Instead, I will die here.” Benaiah sent word back to the king, saying, “Joab said this, and he responded to me in this way.”

So Benaiah came to the tent of Yahweh and said to him, “The king says, 'Come out.'” Joab replied, “No, I will die here.” So Benaiah returned to the king, saying, “Joab said he wanted to die at the altar.”

31 And the king said to him, “Do just as he has said. And put him to death, and bury him. And so shall you take away the innocent blood, which was shed by Joab, from me and from my father’s house.

The king said to him, “Do as he has said. Kill him and bury him so that you may take away from me and from my father's house the blood that Joab shed without cause.

32 And the Lord shall repay his blood upon his own head. For he killed two men, just and better than himself, and he killed them with the sword, while my father, David, did not know it: Abner, the son of Ner, leader of the military of Israel, and Amasa, the son of Jether, leader of the army of Judah.

May Yahweh return his blood on his own head, because he attacked two men more righteous and better than himself and killed them with the sword, Abner son of Ner, the captain of the army of Israel, and Amasa son of Jether, the captain of the army of Judah, without my father David knowing it.

33 And their blood shall be turned back upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his offspring forever. But as for David, and his offspring and house, and his throne, may there be peace from the Lord, even unto eternity.”

So may their blood return on the head of Joab and on the head of his descendants forever. But to David and his descendants, and to his house, and to his throne, may there be peace forever from Yahweh.”

34 And so Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, went up and, attacking him, put him to death. And he was buried in his own house in the desert.

Then Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up and attacked Joab and killed him. He was buried in his own house in the wilderness.

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

The king put Benaiah son of Jehoiada over the army in his place, and he put Zadok the priest in Abiathar's place.

36 Also, the king sent for and summoned Shimei, and he said to him: “Build a house for yourself in Jerusalem, and live there. And do not depart from that place to here or to there.

Then the king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and live there, and do not go out from there to any other place.

37 For on whatever day you will have departed and crossed the torrent Kidron, know that you shall be put to death. Your blood will be upon your own head.”

For on the day you go out, and pass over the Kidron Valley, know you for certain that you will surely die. Your blood will be on your own head.”

38 And Shimei said to the king: “The word is good. Just as my lord the king has said, so will your servant do.” And so Shimei lived in Jerusalem for many days.

So Shimei said to the king, “What you say is good. As my master the king has said, so your servant will do.” So Shimei lived in Jerusalem for many days.

39 But it happened that, after three years, the servants of Shimei fled to Achish, the son of Maacah, the king of Gath. And it was reported to Shimei that his servants had gone away to Gath.

But at the end of three years, two of the servants of Shimei ran away to Achish son of Maacah, the king of Gath. So they told Shimei, saying, “See, your servants are in Gath.”

40 And Shimei rose up, and he saddled his donkey. And went away to Achish in Gath, in order to seek his servants. And he led them away from Gath.

Then Shimei arose, saddled his donkey and went to Achish in Gath to seek his servants. He went and brought his servants back from Gath.

41 And it was reported to Solomon that Shimei had gone away from Jerusalem to Gath, and had returned.

When Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned,

42 And sending, he summoned him, and he said to him: “Did I not testify to you by the Lord, and warn you in advance, ‘On whatever day, having departed, you go forth to here or to there, know that you shall die?’ And you responded to me, ‘The word that I have heard is good.’

the king sent and called for Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by Yahweh and testify to you, saying, 'Know for certain that on the day you go out and go to any other place, you will surely die'? Then you said to me, 'What you say is good.'

43 Then why have you not kept the oath to the Lord, and the commandment which I instructed to you?”

Why then have you not kept your oath to Yahweh and the command that I gave you?”

44 And the king said to Shimei: “You know all the evil, of which your heart is conscious, which you did to David, my father. The Lord has repaid your wickedness upon your own head.”

The king also said to Shimei, “You know in your heart all the wickedness that you did to my father David. Therefore Yahweh will return your wickedness on your own head.

45 And king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord, even forever.

But King Solomon will be blessed and the throne of David will be established before Yahweh forever.”

46 And so the king commanded Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada. And going out, he struck him down, and he died.

Then the king gave a command to Benaiah son of Jehoiada. He went out and put Shimei to death. So the rule was well established in Solomon's hand.