1 Kings 1

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

When King David was old and advanced in years, they covered him with blankets, but he could not keep warm.

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 servants said to him, “Let us look for a young virgin for our master the king. Let her serve the king and take care of him. Let her lie in his arms so that our master the king may keep 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 for a beautiful girl within all the borders of Israel. They found Abishag the Shunammite and brought 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.

The girl was very beautiful. She served the king and took care of him, but the king did not have sexual relations 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,

At that time, Adonijah son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king.” So he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen with 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.

His father had never troubled him, saying, “Why have you done this or that?” Adonijah was also a very handsome man, born next after Absalom.

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

He conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest. They followed Adonijah and helped 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 the mighty men who belonged to David did not follow Adonijah.

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 sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fattened calves by the stone of Zoheleth, which is beside En Rogel. He invited all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the men of Judah, the king's servants.

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

But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, 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?

Then Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, “Have you not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has become king, and David our master does not know it?

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

Now therefore let me give you advice, so that you may save your own life and the life 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 to King David; say to him, 'My master the king, did you not swear to your servant, saying, “Surely Solomon your son will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne?” Why then is Adonijah reigning?'

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

While you are there speaking with the king, I will come in after you and confirm your words.”

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 into the king's room. The king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king.

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

Bathsheba bowed and prostrated herself before the king. Then the king said, “What do you desire?”

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 said to him, “My master, you swore to your servant by Yahweh your God, saying, 'Surely Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.'

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

Now, see, Adonijah is king, and you, my master the king, do not know it.

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 oxen, fatted calves, and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the army, but he has not invited Solomon your servant.

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;

As for you, my master the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, waiting for you to tell them who will sit on the throne after you, my master.

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.”

Otherwise it will happen, when my master the king sleeps with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be regarded as criminals.”

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

While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in.

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 servants told the king, “Nathan the prophet is here.” When he came in before the king, he prostrated himself before the king 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 said, “My master the king, have you said, 'Adonijah will reign after me, and he 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 he has gone down today and sacrificed oxen, fatted calves, and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king's sons, the captains of the army, and Abiathar the priest. They are eating and drinking before him, and saying, '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 as for me, your servant, Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon, he has not invited us.

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.”

Has my master the king done this without telling us, your servants, who should sit on the throne after him?”

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

Then King David answered and said, “Call Bathsheba back to me.” She came into the king's presence 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 made an oath and said, “As Yahweh lives, who has redeemed me out of all trouble,

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.”

as I vowed to you by Yahweh, the God of Israel, saying, 'Solomon your son will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne in my place,' 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.”

Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground and prostrated herself before the king and said, “May my master 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.

King David said, “Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” So they came before the king.

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 said to them, “Take with you the servants of your master, and have Solomon my son ride on my own mule and take him down to Gihon.

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;

Let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel and blow the trumpet and say, '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 you will come up after him, and he will come and sit on my throne; for he will be king in my place. I have appointed him to be ruler over 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;

Benaiah son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, “So let it be! May Yahweh, the God of my master the king, confirm it.

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.”

As Yahweh has been with my master the king, so may he be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my master 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,

So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Kerethites and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride upon King David's mule; they brought him to Gihon.

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 of oil out of the tent and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the trumpet, and all the people said, “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.

Then all the people went up after him, and the people played the flutes and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth shook with their sound.

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 the guests who were with him heard it as they finished eating. When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, “Why is there an uproar in 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 still speaking, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest came. Adonijah said, “Come in, for you are a worthy man and bring good news.”

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

Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, “Our master King David has made Solomon the 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,

and the king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Kerethites and the Pelethites. They have had Solomon 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 have anointed him king at Gihon, and have come up from there rejoicing, so that the city is in an uproar. This is the noise that you have heard.

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

Also, Solomon is sitting on the throne of the kingdom.

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,

Moreover, the king's servants came to bless our master King David, saying, 'May your God make the name of Solomon better than your name, and make his throne greater than your throne.' Then the king bowed down on the bed.

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.”

The king also said, 'Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who has given a person to sit on my throne this day, and that my own eyes should see it.'”

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

Then all the guests of Adonijah were terrified. They stood up and each man went his way.

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

Adonijah was afraid of Solomon and rose up, went, and took 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.”

Then it was told Solomon, saying, “See, Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon, for he has laid hold on the horns of the altar, saying, 'Let King Solomon swear to me first that he will not kill his servant with the sword.'”

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 said, “If he will show himself a worthy man, not a hair of his will fall to the earth, but if wickedness is found in him, 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.”

So King Solomon sent men, who brought Adonijah down from the altar. He came and bowed down to King Solomon, and Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.”