1 Kings 2

1 And the days of David to die draw near, and he charges his son Solomon, saying,

Then the dayes of Dauid drewe neere that he should die, and hee charged Salomon his sonne, saying,

2 “I am going in the way of all the earth, and you have been strong, and become a man,

I go the way of all the earth: be strong therefore, and shew thy selfe a man,

3 and you have kept the charge of your God YHWH, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commands, and His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, so that you do wisely [in] all that you do, and wherever you turn,

And take heede to the charge of the Lord thy God, to walke in his wayes, and keepe his statutes, and his commandements, and his iudgements, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and in euery thing whereunto thou turnest thee,

4 so that YHWH establishes His word which He spoke to me, saying, If your sons observe their way to walk before Me in truth, with all their heart, and with all their soul; saying, A man of yours is never cut off from the throne of Israel.

That the Lord may confirme his worde which hee spake vnto me, saying, If thy sonnes take heede to their way, that they walke before me in trueth, with all their hearts, and with all their soules, thou shalt not (sayd he) want one of thy posteritie vpon the throne of Israel.

5 And also, you have known that which he did to me—Joab son of Zeruiah—that which he did to two heads of the hosts of Israel, to Abner son of Ner, and to Amasa son of Jether—that he slays them, and makes the blood of war in peace, and puts the blood of war in his girdle, that [is] on his loins, and in his sandals that [are] on his feet;

Thou knowest also what Ioab the sonne of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captaines of the hostes of Israel, vnto Abner the sonne of Ner, and vnto Amasa the sonne of Iether: whome he slewe, and shed blood of battell in peace, and put the blood of warre vpon his girdle that was about his loynes, and in his shooes that were on his feete.

6 and you have done according to your wisdom, and do not let his old age go down in peace to Sheol. (Sheol h7585)

Doe therefore according to thy wisdome, and let thou not his hoare head go downe to the graue in peace. (Sheol h7585)

7 And you do kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and they have been among those eating at your table, for so they drew near to me in my fleeing from the face of your brother Absalom.

But shew kindnes vnto the sonnes of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among them that eate at thy table: for so they came to me when I fled from Absalom thy brother.

8 And behold, Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite of Bahurim, [is] with you, and he reviled me—a grievous reviling—in the day of my going to Mahanaim; and he has come down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swear to him by YHWH, saying, I do not put you to death by the sword;

And beholde, with thee is Shimei the sonne of Gera, the sonne of Iemini, of Bahurim, which cursed mee with an horrible curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim: but hee came downe to meete me at Iorden, and I sware to him by the Lord, saying, I will not slay thee with the sword.

9 and now, do not acquit him, for you [are] a wise man, and you have known that which you do to him, and have brought down his old age with blood to Sheol.” (Sheol h7585)

But thou shalt not count him innocent: for thou art a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to doe vnto him: therefore thou shalt cause his hoare head to goe downe to the graue with blood. (Sheol h7585)

10 And David lies down with his fathers, and is buried in the City of David,

So Dauid slept with his fathers, and was buried in the citie of Dauid.

11 and the days that David has reigned over Israel [are] forty years; he has reigned seven years in Hebron, and he has reigned thirty-three years in Jerusalem.

And the dayes which Dauid reigned vpon Israel, were fourtie yeeres: seuen yeeres reigned he in Hebron, and thirtie and three yeeres reigned he in Ierusalem.

12 And Solomon has sat on the throne of his father David, and his kingdom is established greatly,

Then sate Salomon vpon the throne of Dauid his father, and his kingdome was stablished mightily.

13 and Adonijah son of Haggith comes to Bathsheba, mother of Solomon, and she says, “Is your coming peace?” And he says, “Peace.”

And Adonijah the sonne of Haggith came to Bath-sheba the mother of Salomon: and she saide, Commest thou peaceably? And hee said, Yea.

14 And he says, “I have a word for you,” and she says, “Speak.”

He said moreouer, I haue a sute vnto thee. And she sayd, Say on.

15 And he says, “You have known that the kingdom was mine, and all Israel had set their faces toward me for reigning, and the kingdom is turned around, and is my brother’s, for it was his from YHWH;

Then he said, Thou knowest that the kingdome was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reigne: howbeit the kingdome is turned away, and is my brothers: for it came to him by the Lord.

16 and now, I am asking one petition of you—do not turn back my face”; and she says to him, “Speak.”

Nowe therefore I aske thee one request, refuse me not. And she said vnto him, Say on.

17 And he says, “Please speak to Solomon the king, for he does not turn back your face, and he gives Abishag the Shunammite to me for a wife.”

And he sayd, Speake, I pray thee, vnto Salomon ye King, (for he will not say thee nay) that he giue me Abishag the Shunammite to wife.

18 And Bathsheba says, “Good; I speak to the king for you.”

And Bath-sheba sayd, Well, I will speake for thee vnto the King.

19 And Bathsheba comes to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah, and the king rises to meet her, and bows himself to her, and sits on his throne, and places a throne for the mother of the king, and she sits at his right hand.

Bath-sheba therefore went vnto King Salomon, to speake vnto him for Adonijah: and the King rose to meete her, and bowed himselfe vnto her, and sate downe on his throne: and he caused a seate to be set for the Kings mother, and she sate at his right hand.

20 And she says, “I ask one small petition of you, do not turn back my face”; and the king says to her, “Ask, my mother, for I do not turn back your face.”

Then she sayd, I desire a small request of thee, say me not nay. Then the King sayde vnto her, Aske on, my mother: for I will not say thee nay.

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

She sayd then, Let Abishag the Shunammite be giuen to Adonijah thy brother to wife.

22 And King Solomon answers and says to his mother, “And why are you asking [for] Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Also ask [for] the kingdom for him—for he [is] my elder brother—even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab son of Zeruiah.”

But King Salomon answered and sayd vnto his mother, And why doest thou aske Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? aske for him the kingdome also: for he is mine elder brother, and hath for him both Abiathar the Priest, and Ioab the sonne of Zeruiah.

23 And King Solomon swears by YHWH, saying, “Thus God does to me, and thus He adds—surely Adonijah has spoken this word against his [own] soul;

Then King Salomon sware by the Lord, saying, God doe so to me and more also, if Adoniiah hath not spoken this worde against his owne life.

24 and now, YHWH lives, who has established me, and causes me to sit on the throne of my father David, and who has made a house for me as He spoke—surely Adonijah is put to death today.”

Now therefore as ye Lord liueth, who hath established me, and set me on the throne of Dauid my father, who also hath made me an house, as he promised, Adoniiah shall surely die this day.

25 And King Solomon sends by the hand of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he falls on him, and he dies.

And King Salomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada, and hee smote him that he dyed.

26 And the king said to Abiathar the priest, “Go to Anathoth, to your fields; for you [are] a man of death, but I do not put you to death in this day, because you have carried the Ark of Lord YHWH before my father David, and because you were afflicted in all that my father was afflicted in.”

Then the King sayd vnto Abiathar the Priest, Go to Anathoth vnto thine owne fieldes: for thou art worthy of death: but I will not this day kill thee, because thou barest the Arke of the Lord God before Dauid my father, and because thou hast suffered in all, wherein my father hath bene afflicted.

27 And Solomon casts out Abiathar from being priest of YHWH, to fulfill the word of YHWH which He spoke concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.

So Salomon cast out Abiathar from being Priest vnto the Lord, that he might fulfill the wordes of the Lord, which he spake against the house of Eli in Shiloh.

28 And the report has come to Joab—for Joab has turned aside after Adonijah, though he did not turn aside after Absalom—and Joab flees to the tent of YHWH, and lays hold on the horns of the altar.

Then tidings came to Ioab: (for Ioab had turned after Adoniiah, but he turned not after Absalom) and Ioab fled vnto the Tabernacle of the Lord, and caught hold on the hornes of the altar.

29 And it is declared to King Solomon that Joab has fled to the tent of YHWH, and behold, [is] near the altar; and Solomon sends Benaiah son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, fall on him.”

And it was tolde king Salomon, that Ioab was fled vnto the Tabernacle of the Lord, and beholde, he is by the altar. Then Salomon sent Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada, saying, Goe, fall vpon him.

30 And Benaiah comes into the tent of YHWH and says to him, “Thus said the king: Come out”; and he says, “No, but I die here.” And Benaiah brings back word [to] the king, saying, “Thus spoke Joab, indeed, thus he answered me.”

And Benaiah came to the Tabernacle of the Lord, and sayd vnto him, Thus sayth the King, Come out. And he sayde, Nay, but I will die here. Then Benaiah brought the King worde againe, saying, Thus sayd Ioab, and thus he answered me.

31 And the king says to him, “Do as he has spoken, and fall on him, and you have buried him, and turned aside the causeless blood which Joab shed from off me, and from off the house of my father;

And the King sayde vnto him, Doe as he hath sayd, and smite him, and bury him, that thou mayest take away the blood, which Ioab shed causelesse, from me and from the house of my father.

32 and YHWH has turned back his blood on his own head, [on him] who has fallen on two men more righteous and better than he, and slays them with the sword—and my father David did not know—Abner son of Ner, head of the host of Israel, and Amasa son of Jether, head of the host of Judah;

And the Lord shall bring his blood vpon his owne head: for he smote two men more righteous and better then he, and slew them with the sword, and my father Dauid knew not: to wit, Abner the sonne of Ner, captaine of the hoste of Israel, and Amasa the sonne of Iether captaine of the hoste of Iudah.

33 indeed, their blood has turned back on the head of Joab, and on the head of his seed for all time; and for David, and for his seed, and for his house, and for his throne, there is peace for all time, from YHWH.”

Their blood shall therefore returne vpon the head of Ioab, and on the head of his seede for euer: but vpon Dauid, and vpon his seede, and vpon his house, and vpon his throne shall there be peace for euer from the Lord.

34 And Benaiah son of Jehoiada goes up and falls on him, and puts him to death, and he is buried in his own house in the wilderness,

So Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada went vp, and smote him, and slewe him, and he was buryed in his owne house in the wildernesse.

35 and the king puts Benaiah son of Jehoiada over the host in his stead, and the king has put Zadok the priest in the stead of Abiathar.

And the King put Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada in his roume ouer the hoste: and the King set Zadok the Priest in the roume of Abiathar.

36 And the king sends and calls for Shimei, and says to him, “Build a house for yourself in Jerusalem, and you have dwelt there, and do not go out [from] there anywhere;

Afterwarde the King sent, and called Shimei, and sayde vnto him, Buylde thee an house in Ierusalem, and dwell there, and depart not thence any whither.

37 and it has been, in the day of your going out, and you have passed over the Brook of Kidron, you certainly know that you surely die—your blood is on your head.”

For that day that thou goest out, and passest ouer the riuer of Kidron, knowe assuredly, that thou shalt dye the death: thy blood shall be vpon thine owne head.

38 And Shimei says to the king, “The word [is] good; as my lord the king has spoken so your servant does”; and Shimei dwells in Jerusalem many days.

And Shimei sayd vnto the King, The thing is good: as my lord the King hath sayd, so wil thy seruant doe. So Shimei dwelt in Ierusalem many dayes.

39 And it comes to pass, at the end of three years, that two of the servants of Shimei flee to Achish son of Maachah, king of Gath, and they declare to Shimei, saying, “Behold, your servants [are] in Gath”;

And after three yeres two of the seruants of Shimei fled away vnto Achish sonne of Maachah King of Gath: and they tolde Shimei, saying, Behold, thy seruants be in Gath.

40 and Shimei rises, and saddles his donkey, and goes to Gath, to Achish, to seek his servants, and Shimei goes and brings his servants from Gath.

And Shimei arose, and sadled his asse, and went to Gath to Achish, to seeke his seruantes: and Shimei went, and brought his seruants from Gath.

41 And it is declared to Solomon that Shimei has gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and returns,

And it was tolde Salomon, that Shimei had gone from Ierusalem to Gath, and was come againe.

42 and the king sends and calls for Shimei, and says to him, “Have I not caused you to swear by YHWH—and I testify against you, saying, In the day of your going out, and you have gone anywhere, you certainly know that you surely die; and you say to me, The word I have heard [is] good?

And the King sent and called Shimei, and sayde vnto him, Did I not make thee to sweare by the Lord, and protested vnto thee, saying, That day that thou goest out, and walkest any whither, knowe assuredly that thou shalt dye the death? And thou saydest vnto mee, The thing is good, that I haue heard.

43 And why have you not kept the oath of YHWH, and the charge that I charged on you?”

Why then hast thou not kept the othe of the Lord, and the commandement wherewith I charged thee?

44 And the king says to Shimei, “You have known all the evil that your heart has known, which you did to my father David, and YHWH has turned back your evil on your head,

The King sayde also to Shimei, Thou knowest all the wickednes whereunto thine heart is priuie, that thou diddest to Dauid my father: the Lord therefore shall bring thy wickednesse vpon thine owne head.

45 and King Solomon [is] blessed, and the throne of David is established before YHWH for all time.”

And let King Salomon be blessed, and the throne of Dauid stablished before the Lord for euer.

46 And the king charges Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he goes out and falls on him, and he dies, and the kingdom is established in the hand of Solomon.

So the King comanded Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada: who went out and smote him that he dyed. And the kingdome was established in the hand of Salomon.