1 Kings 1

1 And King David [is] old, entering into days, and they cover him with garments, and he has no heat,

King David had grown old and couldn't keep warm in bed however many blankets they used to cover him.

2 and his servants say to him, “Let them seek [for] a young woman, a virgin, for my lord the king, and she has stood before the king, and is a companion to him, and has lain in your bosom, and my lord the king has heat.”

So his officials suggested, “Let a search be made on behalf of Your Majesty for a young virgin to serve you and look after you. She can lie next to you and keep you warm.”

3 And they seek [for] a beautiful young woman in all the border of Israel, and find Abishag the Shunammite, and bring her to the king,

So they searched the whole country of Israel for a beautiful young woman and found Abishag from the town of Shunem and took her to the king.

4 and the young woman [is] very, very beautiful, and she is a companion to the king, and serves him, and the king has not known her.

She was very beautiful, and she looked after the king, attending to his needs, but he did not have sex with her.

5 And Adonijah son of Haggith is lifting himself up, saying, “I reign”; and he prepares for himself a chariot and horsemen, and fifty men running before him,

Adonijah, son of Haggith, was busy promoting himself, saying “I'm going to be king!” He arranged chariots and horsemen for himself, and fifty men to run ahead of him.

6 and his father has not grieved him [all] his days, saying, “Why have you done this?” And he also [is] of a very good form, and [his mother] bore him after Absalom.

(Never in his life had his father corrected him. He'd never asked him, “Why did you do that?” He was also very good-looking, and had been born after Absalom.)

7 And his words are with Joab son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest, and they help after Adonijah;

Adonijah discussed his plan with Joab, son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest, who agreed to support him.

8 and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty ones whom David has, have not been with Adonijah.

But Zadok the priest, Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David's bodyguard were not on Adonijah's side.

9 And Adonijah sacrifices sheep and oxen and fatlings near the stone of Zoheleth that [is] by En-Rogel, and calls all his brothers, sons of the king, and for all the men of Judah, servants of the king;

Adonijah invited all his brothers, the king's sons, and the king's officials of Judah, to come to the stone of Zoheleth, which is near En-rogel, where he sacrificed sheep, cattle and fattened calves.

10 and he has not called Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty ones, and his brother Solomon.

But he didn't invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, David's bodyguard, or his brother Solomon.

11 And Nathan speaks to Bathsheba, mother of Solomon, saying, “Have you not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has reigned, and our lord David has not known?

Nathan went to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, and asked her, “Haven't you heard that Adonijah, son of Haggith, has become king, and His Majesty King David doesn't even know?

12 And now, come, please let me counsel you, and deliver your life and the life of your son Solomon;

Let me give you some advice so you can save your life, and that of your son Solomon.

13 go and enter in to King David, and you have said to him: Have you not, my lord, O king, sworn to your handmaid, saying, Surely your son Solomon reigns after me, and he sits on my throne? And why has Adonijah reigned?

Go immediately to King David and ask him, ‘Didn't Your Majesty swear to me, your servant, saying, Your son Solomon will definitely be king after me and will sit on my throne? So why is Adonijah saying he's king?’

14 Behold, you are yet speaking there with the king, and I come in after you, and have completed your words.”

Then I'll come in while you're still there talking with the king and I'll confirm what you're saying.”

15 And Bathsheba comes in to the king, [into] the inner chamber, and the king [is] very aged, and Abishag the Shunammite is serving the king;

So Bathsheba went to see the king in his bedroom. He was very old and Abishag was looking after him.

16 and Bathsheba bows and pays respect to the king, and the king says, “What do you [want]?”

Bathsheba bowed low in respect. He asked her, “What is it that you want?”

17 And she says to him, “My lord, you have sworn by your God YHWH to your handmaid, [saying], Surely your son Solomon reigns after me, and he sits on my throne;

She replied, “Your Majesty, you swore to me, your servant, by the Lord your God, ‘Your son Solomon will definitely be king after me and will sit on my throne.’

18 and now, behold, Adonijah has reigned, and now, my lord, O king, you have not known;

But now Adonijah has become king and Your Majesty doesn't even know.

19 and he sacrifices ox, and fatling, and sheep in abundance, and calls for all the sons of the king, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab head of the host—and he has not called for your servant Solomon.

He has sacrificed plenty of cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and he has invited all the king's sons, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the army commander. But he didn't invite your servant Solomon.

20 And you, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel [are] on you, to declare to them who sit on the throne of my lord the king after him;

Now, Your Majesty, everyone in Israel is watching to see who you're going to say will be the next king.

21 and it has been, when my lord the king lies with his fathers, that I have been, I and my son Solomon—[reckoned] sinners.”

If you don't do anything, as soon as Your Majesty dies, I and my son Solomon will be considered traitors…”

22 And behold, she is yet speaking with the king, and Nathan the prophet has come in;

Right then, while she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived.

23 and they declare to the king, saying, “Behold, Nathan the prophet”; and he comes in before the king, and bows himself to the king, on his face to the earth.

The king was told, “Nathan the prophet is here.” Nathan went in to see the king. He bowed down with his face to the ground.

24 And Nathan says, “My lord, O king, you have said, Adonijah reigns after me, and he sits on my throne;

Nathan asked the king, “Your Majesty, you must have announced, ‘Adonijah will be king after me and will sit on my throne.’

25 for he has gone down today, and sacrifices ox, and fatling, and sheep, in abundance, and calls for all the sons of the king, and for the heads of the host, and for Abiathar the priest, and behold, they are eating and drinking before him, and they say, Let King Adonijah live!

For today he has gone and sacrificed many cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and he has invited all the king's sons, the army commanders, and Abiathar the priest. Right now they are eating and drinking with him, shouting, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’

26 But he has not called for me, your servant, and for Zadok the priest, and for Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, and for your servant Solomon;

But he didn't invite me, your servant, or Zadok the priest, or Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, or your son Solomon.

27 if this thing has been from my lord the king, then you have not caused your servant to know who sits on the throne of my lord the king after him.”

If Your Majesty did this, you certainly didn't inform your officials as to who is meant to sit on your throne as the next king.”

28 And King David answers and says, “Call for Bathsheba for me”; and she comes in before the king, and stands before the king.

King David replied, “Call Bathsheba for me.” Bathsheba came in and stood before the king.

29 And the king swears and says, “YHWH lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity;

The king swore a vow, saying, “As the Lord lives, who has saved me from all kinds of trouble, just as I swore to you previously by the Lord the God of Israel,

30 surely as I swore to you by YHWH, God of Israel, saying, Surely your son Solomon reigns after me, and he sits on my throne in my stead; surely so I do this day.”

telling you Solomon your son will be the next king and he will sit on my throne instead of me—I swear I will do this today.”

31 And Bathsheba bows—face to the earth—and pays respect to the king, and says, “Let my lord, King David, live for all time.”

Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground, honoring the king and said, “May Your Majesty King David live forever.”

32 And King David says, “Call for Zadok the priest, and for Nathan the prophet, and for Benaiah son of Jehoiada for me”; and they come in before the king.

Then King David said, “Call for me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, son of Jehoiada.” When they arrived,

33 And the king says to them, “Take the servants of your lord with you, and you have caused my son Solomon to ride on my own mule, and caused him to go down to Gihon,

the king told them, “Take the king's officials with you, and have them put Solomon on my own mule and lead him down to the Gihon Spring.

34 and Zadok the priest has anointed him there—and Nathan the prophet—for king over Israel, and you have blown with a horn and said, Let King Solomon live;

There have Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king of Israel. Blow the trumpet and shout out, ‘Long live King Solomon!’

35 and you have come up after him, and he has come in and has sat on my throne, and he reigns in my stead, and I have appointed him to be leader over Israel, and over Judah.”

Then follow him back up, and have him come and sit on my throne. He is to be king instead of me. I am placing him in charge as ruler of Israel and Judah.”

36 And Benaiah son of Jehoiada answers the king and says, “Amen! So does YHWH, God of my lord the king, say;

“Amen!” replied Benaiah, son of Jehoiada. “May the Lord, the God of my lord the king, confirm this!

37 as YHWH has been with my lord the king, so is He with Solomon, and makes his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.”

In the same way the Lord was with my lord the king may he be with Solomon, and may he make his reign even greater than the reign of my lord King David.”

38 And Zadok the priest goes down, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethite, and the Pelethite, and they cause Solomon to ride on the mule of King David, and cause him to go to Gihon,

Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, together with the Cherethites and Pelethites, went and placed Solomon on King David's mule, and led him down to the Gihon Spring.

39 and Zadok the priest takes the horn of oil out of the tent, and anoints Solomon, and they blow with a horn, and all the people say, “Let King Solomon live.”

Zadok the priest took the horn containing olive oil from the Tent and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the trumpet, and all the people shouted, “Long live King Solomon!”

40 And all the people come up after him, and the people are piping with pipes, and rejoicing [with] great joy, and the earth splits with their voice.

Everyone followed him, playing flutes and celebrating so happily that the sound shook the earth.

41 And Adonijah hears, and all those called who [are] with him, and they have finished to eat, and Joab hears the noise of the horn and says, “Why [is] the noise of the city roaring?”

Adonijah and all his guests heard the noise as they were finishing eating. When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he asked, “What's all this noise coming from the city?”

42 He is yet speaking, and behold, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest has come in, and Adonijah says, “Come in, for you [are] a man of valor, and you bear good tidings.”

While he was speaking, Jonathan, son of Abiathar the priest, suddenly arrived. “Come on in,” said Adonijah. “A good man like you must be bringing good news.”

43 And Jonathan answers and says to Adonijah, “Truly our lord King David has caused Solomon to reign,

“Absolutely not!” Jonathan replied. “Our lord King David has made Solomon king!

44 and the king sends with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethite, and the Pelethite, and they cause him to ride on the king’s mule,

He sent Solomon to be anointed with Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites. They had him ride on the king's mule.

45 and they anoint him—Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet—for king in Gihon, and have come up there rejoicing, and the city is moved; it [is] the noise that you have heard.

Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed him king at the Gihon Spring. Now they have returned, celebrating with shouts that echo round the city. That's the noise you're hearing.

46 And also Solomon has sat on the throne of the kingdom,

On top of that, Solomon is sitting on the royal throne,

47 and also the servants of the king have come into bless our lord King David, saying, Your God makes the name of Solomon better than your name, and his throne greater than your throne; and the king bows himself on the bed,

and the royal officials have also gone to voice their approval to our lord King David, saying, ‘May your God make Solomon's reputation even more famous than your own, and may he make his reign greater than your reign.’ The king on his bed bowed his head,

48 and also thus the king has said, Blessed [is] YHWH, God of Israel, who has given [one] sitting on my throne today, and my eyes are seeing.”

and said, ‘Praise the Lord, the God of Israel! Today he has provided a successor to sit on my throne, and I have been privileged to see it.’”

49 And they tremble, and rise—all those called who [are] for Adonijah—and go, each on his way;

When all of the guests who were supporting Adonijah heard this they shook with fear. They got up and rushed out in different directions.

50 and Adonijah fears because of Solomon, and rises, and goes, and lays hold on the horns of the altar.

Adonijah was terrified of Solomon, so he ran off. He went and grabbed hold of the horns of the altar.

51 And it is declared to Solomon, saying, “Behold, Adonijah fears King Solomon, and behold, he has laid hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let King Solomon swear to me as today—he does not put his servant to death by the sword.”

Solomon was told, “Adonijah is terrified of Your Majesty. He has grabbed hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear today that he won't kill me, his servant!’”

52 And Solomon says, “If he becomes a virtuous man—there does not fall [even one] hair of his to the earth, and if evil is found in him—then he has died.”

Solomon replied, “If he is an honorable man, not one hair of his will fall to the ground. But if he shows himself to be evil, he will die.”

53 And King Solomon sends, and they bring him down from off the altar, and he comes in and bows himself to King Solomon, and Solomon says to him, “Go to your house.”

King Solomon had Adonijah brought down from the altar, and he came and bowed down before King Solomon, who told him, “Go home.”