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 when King Dauid was olde, and striken in yeeres, they couered him with clothes, but no heate came vnto him.

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 seruants saide vnto him, Let there be sought for my lord ye King a yong virgin, and let her stand before the king, and cherish him: and let her lie in thy bosome, that my lord the King may get heate.

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 faire young maide thoroughout all the coastes of Israel, and founde one Abishag a Shunamite, 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 maid was exceeding faire, and cherished the king, and ministred 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 Adoniiah the sonne of Haggith exalted himselfe, saying, I will be king. And he gate him charets and horsemen, and fiftie 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 would not displease him from his childehood, to say, Why hast thou done so? And hee was a very goodly man, and his mother bare him next after Absalom.

7 And he conferred with Joab the son of Saruia, and with Abiathar the priest, and they followed after Adonias.

And he tooke counsel of Ioab the sonne of Zeruiah, and of Abiathar the Priest: and they helped forward Adoniiah.

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 sonne of Iehoiada, and Nathan the Prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the men of might, which were with Dauid, were not with Adoniiah.

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.

Then Adoniiah sacrificed sheepe and oxen, and fat cattel by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En-rogel, and called all his brethren the kings sonnes, and al the men of Iudah ye Kings seruants,

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 mightie men, and Salomon his brother hee 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?

Wherefore Nathan spake vnto Bath-sheba the mother of Salomon, saying, Hast thou not heard, that Adoniiah ye sonne of Haggith doeth reigne, and Dauid 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, and I will now giue thee counsell, howe to saue thine owne life, and the life of thy sonne Salomon.

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 vnto King Dauid, and say vnto him, Didest not thou, my lorde, O King, sweare vnto thine handmaide, saying, Assuredly Salomon thy sonne shall reigne after me, and he shall sit vpon my throne? why is then Adoniiah King?

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 confirme thy wordes.

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.

So Bath-sheba went in vnto the King into the chamber, and the King was verie olde, and Abishag the Shunammite ministred vnto ye King.

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

And Bath-sheba bowed and made obeisance vnto the King. And the King saide, What is thy matter?

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 shee answered him, My lorde, thou swarest by the Lord thy God vnto thine handmaide, saying, Assuredly Salomon thy sonne shall reigne after me, and he shall sit vpon my throne.

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

And beholde, nowe is Adoniiah king, and now, my lord, O King, thou 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 offred many oxen, and fatte cattel, and sheepe, and hath called all the sonnes of the King, and Abiathar the Priest, and Ioab the captaine of the hoste: but Salomon thy seruant hath he not bidden.

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 lorde, O King, knowest that the eyes of all Israel are on thee, that thou shouldest tell them, who shoulde 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.

For els when my lord the King shall sleepe with his fathers, I and my sonne Salomon shalbe reputed vile.

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 also 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 tolde the King, saying, Beholde, Nathan the Prophet. And when he was come in to the King, hee made obeisance before the King vpon 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 saide, My lorde, O King, hast thou said, Adoniiah shall reigne after mee, and he shall sit vpon 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 hee is gone downe this day, and hath slaine many oxen, and fat cattel, and sheepe, and hath called al the Kings sonnes, and the captaines of the hoste, and Abiathar the Priest: and behold, they eate and drinke before him, and say, God saue King Adoniiah.

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 thy seruant, and Zadok the Priest, and Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada, and thy seruant Salomon 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 shewed it vnto thy seruant, who should sitte on the throne of my lorde 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 Dauid answered, and saide, Call me Bath-sheba. And shee came into ye Kings presence, and stoode 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, saying, As the Lord liueth, who hath redeemed my soule out of all aduersitie,

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.

That as I sware vnto thee by the Lord God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Salomon thy sonne shall reigne after me, and hee shall sit vpon my throne in my place, so will I certainely doe 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 her face to the earth, and did reuerence vnto the King, and said, God saue my lord King Dauid for euer.

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 Dauid saide, Call mee Zadok the Priest, and Nathan the Prophet, and Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada. 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.

Then the King said vnto them, Take with you the seruants of your lorde, and cause Salomon my sonne to ride vpon mine owne mule, and carie him downe 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 ouer Israel, and blowe ye the trumpet, and say, God saue king Salomon.

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 come vp after him, that hee may come and sit vpon my throne: and hee shall bee King in my steade: for I haue appointed him to be prince ouer Israel and ouer Iudah.

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].

Then Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada answered the King, and said, So be it, and the Lord God of my lord the King ratifie it.

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 the Lord hath bene with my lorde the King, so be he with Salomon, and exalt his throne aboue the throne of my lorde king Dauid.

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 sonne of Iehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites went downe and caused Salomon to ride vpon king Dauids 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 tooke an horne of oyle out of the Tabernacle, and anointed Salomon: and they blewe the trumpet, and all the people said, God saue king Salomon.

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 vp after him, and the people piped with pipes, and reioyced with great ioye, so that the earth rang 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 Adoniiah and all the ghestes that were with him, heard it: (and they had made an ende of eating) and when Ioab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, What meaneth this noise and vprore in the citie?

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.

And as he yet spake, beholde, Ionathan the sonne of Abiathar the Priest came: and Adoniiah said, Come in: for thou art a worthie man, and bringest good tidings.

43 And Jonathan answered and said, Verily our lord king David has made Solomon king:

And Ionathan answered, and said to Adoniiah, Verely our lord King Dauid hath made Salomon 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 sonne of Iehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and they haue caused him to ride vpon the Kings 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 ye Prophet haue anointed him King in Gihon: and they are gone vp from thence with ioy, and the citie is moued: this is the noise that ye haue heard.

46 And Solomon is seated upon the throne of the kingdom.

And Salomon also sitteth on the throne of the kingdome.

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 moreouer the Kings seruantes came to blesse our lord King Dauid, saying, God make the name of Salomon more famous then thy name, and exalt his throne aboue thy throne: therefore the King worshipped vpon 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 thus sayd the King also, Blessed bee the Lord God of Israel, who hath made one to sit on my throne this day, euen in my sight.

49 And all the guests of Adonias were dismayed, and every man went his way.

Then all the ghestes that were with Adonijah, were afraide, and rose vp, and went euery 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 fearing the presence of Salomon, arose and went, and tooke holde on the hornes 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 one tolde Salomon, saying, Beholde, Adonijah doeth feare King Salomon: for lo, he hath caught holde on the hornes of the altar, saying, Let King Salomon sweare vnto me this day, that he will not slay his seruant 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.

Then Salomon sayd, If he will shewe him selfe a worthy man, there shall not an heare of him fall to the earth, but if wickednes be found in him, he shall dye.

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.

Then King Salomon sent, and they brought him from the altar, and he came and did obeisance vnto King Salomon. And Salomon sayde vnto him, Go to thine house.