Kings III 1
1 And king David [was] old and advanced in days, and they covered him with clothes, and he was not warmed.
Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat.
2 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.
Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and cherish him; and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat.
3 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.
So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the borders of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king.
4 And the damsel was extremely beautiful, and she cherished the king, and ministered to him, but the king knew her not.
And the damsel was very fair; and she cherished the king, and ministered to him; but the king knew her not.
5 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.
Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.
6 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.
And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he was also a very goodly man; and he was born after Absalom.
7 And he conferred with Joab the son of Saruia, and with Abiathar the priest, and they followed after Adonias.
And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him.
8 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.
But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men that belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.
9 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.
And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fatlings by the stone of Zoheleth, which is beside En-rogel; and he called all his brethren, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah, the king’s servants:
10 But Nathan the prophet, and Banaeas, and the mighty [men], and Solomon his brother, he did not call.
but Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he called not.
11 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?
Then Nathan spake unto Bath-sheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith doth reign, and David our lord knoweth it not?
12 And now come, let me, I pray, give you counsel, and you shall rescue your life, and the life of your son Solomon.
Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own life, and the life of thy son Solomon.
13 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?
Go and get thee in unto king David, and say unto him, Didst not thou, my lord, O king, swear unto thy handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? why then doth Adonijah reign?
14 And behold, while you are still speaking there with the king, I also will come in after you, and will confirm your words.
Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come in after thee, and confirm thy words.
15 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.
And Bath-sheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite was ministering unto the king.
16 And Bersabee bowed, and did obeisance to the king; and the king said, What is your request?
And Bath-sheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And the king said, What wouldest thou?
17 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.
And she said unto him, My lord, thou swarest by Jehovah thy God unto thy handmaid, [saying], Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne.
18 And now, behold, Adonias reigns, and you, my lord, O king, know [it] not.
And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and thou, my lord the king, knowest it not:
19 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.
and he hath slain oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the host; but Solomon thy servant hath he not called.
20 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.
And thou, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.
21 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.
Otherwise it will come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.
22 And behold, while she was yet talking with the king, Nathan the prophet came. And it was reported to the king,
And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet came in.
23 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.
And they told the king, saying, Behold, Nathan the prophet. And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.
24 And Nathan said, My lord, O king, did you say, Adonias shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?
And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?
25 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.
For he is gone down this day, and hath slain oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the king’s sons, and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they are eating and drinking before him, and say, [Long] live king Adonijah.
26 But he has not invited me your servant, and Sadoc the priest, and Banaeas the son of Jodae, and Solomon your servant.
But me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon, hath he not called.
27 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?
Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not showed unto thy servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?
28 And king David answered and said, Call me Bersabee: and she came in before the king, and stood before him.
Then king David answered and said, Call to me Bath-sheba. And she came into the king’s presence, and stood before the king.
29 And the king swore, and said, [As] the Lord lives who redeemed my soul out of all affliction,
And the king sware, and said, As Jehovah liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity,
30 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.
verily as I sware unto thee by Jehovah, the God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; verily so will I do this day.
31 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.
Then Bath-sheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did obeisance to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.
32 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.
And king David said, Call to me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king.
33 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.
And the king said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon:
34 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.
and let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel; and blow ye the trumpet, and say, [Long] live king Solomon.
35 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.
Then ye shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit upon my throne; for he shall be king in my stead; and I have appointed him to be prince over Israel and over Judah.
36 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].
And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, Amen: Jehovah, the God of my lord the king, say so [too].
37 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.
As Jehovah hath been with my lord the king, even so be he with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David.
38 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.
So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David’s mule, and brought him to Gihon.
39 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.
And Zadok the priest took the horn of oil out of the Tent, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, [Long] live king Solomon.
40 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.
And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.
41 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?
And Adonijah and all the guests that were with him heard it as they had made an end of eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, Wherefore is this noise of the city being in an uproar?
42 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.
While he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came: and Adonijah said, Come in; for thou art a worthy man, and bringest good tidings.
43 And Jonathan answered and said, Verily our lord king David has made Solomon king:
And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, Verily our lord king David hath made Solomon king:
44 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;
and the king hath sent with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and they have caused him to ride upon the king’s mule;
45 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.
and Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon; and they are come up from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang again. This is the noise that ye have heard.
46 And Solomon is seated upon the throne of the kingdom.
And also Solomon sitteth on the throne of the kingdom.
47 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.
And moreover the king’s servants came to bless our lord king David, saying, Thy God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne: and the king bowed himself upon the bed.
48 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.
And also thus said the king, Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, who hath given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing it.
49 And all the guests of Adonias were dismayed, and every man went his way.
And all the guests of Adonijah were afraid, and rose up, and went every man his way.
50 And Adonias feared because of Solomon, and arose, and departed, and laid hold on the horns of the altar.
And Adonijah feared because of Solomon; and he arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.
51 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.
And it was told Solomon, saying, Behold, Adonijah feareth king Solomon; for, lo, he hath laid hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear unto me first that he will not slay his servant with the sword.
52 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.
And Solomon said, If he shall show himself a worthy man, there shall not a hair of him fall to the earth; but if wickedness be found in him, he shall die.
53 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.
So king Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and did obeisance to king Solomon; and Solomon said unto him, Go to thy house.
