1 Kings 1

1 Now, King David, was old, advanced in days, —and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat.

Now King David was old and well along in years, and though they covered him with blankets, he could not keep warm.

2 Wherefore his servants said unto him—Let there be sought for my lord the king, a young woman—a virgin, so shall she stand before the king, that she may become his companion, —and she shall lie in thy bosom, and my lord the king shall get, heat.

So his servants said to him, “Let us search for a young virgin for our lord the king, to attend to him and care for him and lie by his side to keep him warm.”

3 So they sought a fair young woman, throughout all the bounds of Israel, —and found Abishag, the Shunammite, and brought her in, unto the king.

Then they searched throughout Israel for a beautiful girl, and they found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king.

4 Now, the young woman, was exceeding fair, —so she became unto the king a companion, and ministered unto him, but, the king, knew her not.

The girl was unsurpassed in beauty; she cared for the king and served him, but he had no relations with her.

5 And, Adonijah son of Haggith, exalted himself, saying—I, will be king. Therefore prepared he for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

At that time Adonijah, David’s son by Haggith, began to exalt himself, saying, “I will be king!” And he acquired chariots and horsemen and fifty men to run ahead of him.

6 Now his father had not displeased him all his days, by saying—Why, thus, hast thou done? Moreover also, he, was of exceeding handsome appearance, and, him, did his mother bear, after Absolom.

(His father had never once reprimanded him by saying, “Why do you act this way?” Adonijah was also very handsome, born next after Absalom.)

7 So then he had speech with Joab, son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest, —and they gave help, following Adonijah.

So Adonijah conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, who supported him.

8 But, Zadok the priest, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men who belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.

But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s mighty men would not join Adonijah.

9 And Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and heifers, near the stone of Zoheleth, which is beside En-rogel, —and invited all his brethren, sons of the king, and all the men of Judah, servants of the king;

And Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fattened calves near the stone of Zoheleth, which is next to En-rogel. He invited all his royal brothers and all the men of Judah who were servants of the king.

10 but, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he invited not.

But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, or his brother Solomon.

11 Then spake Nathan unto Bath-sheba mother of Solomon, saying—Hast thou not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith hath become king, and, our lord David, knoweth it not?

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

12 Now, therefore, come; let me give thee counsel, I pray thee, —so shalt thou rescue thine own life, and the life of thy son, Solomon.

Now please, come and let me advise you. Save your own life and the life of your son Solomon.

13 Go, and get thee in unto King David, and thou shalt say unto him—Didst not, thou thyself, my lord O king, swear unto thy handmaid, saying—Solomon thy son, shall become king after me, yea, he, shall sit upon my throne? Why, then, hath, Adonijah, become king?

Go at once to King David and say, ‘My lord the king, did you not swear to your maidservant, “Surely your son Solomon will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’

14 Lo! while thou art yet speaking there with the king, I also, will come in after thee, and confirm thy words.

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

15 So Bath-sheba went in unto the king, into the chamber, now, the king, was very old, —and Abishag the Shunammite, was ministering unto the king.

So Bathsheba went to see the king in his bedroom. Since the king was very old, Abishag the Shunammite was serving him.

16 And Bath-sheba bowed, and did homage unto the king, —and the king said—What aileth thee?

And Bathsheba bowed down in homage to the king, who asked, “What is your desire?”

17 And she said unto him—My lord, thou thyself, didst swear by Yahweh thy God, unto thy handmaid, Assuredly, Solomon thy son, shall become king after me, —yea, he, shall sit upon my throne.

“My lord,” she replied, “you yourself swore to your maidservant by the LORD your God: ‘Surely your son Solomon will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne.’

18 But, now, lo! Adonijah, hath become king; now, therefore, my lord, O king, thou knowest it not:

But now, behold, Adonijah has become king, and you, my lord the king, did not know it.

19 and he hath sacrificed oxen and heifers and sheep, in abundance, and hath invited all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab general of the army, —but, Solomon thy servant, hath he not invited.

And he has sacrificed an abundance of oxen, fattened calves, and sheep, and has invited all the other sons of the king, as well as Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of the army. But he did not invite your servant Solomon.

20 Thou, therefore, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel, are upon thee, —to tell them, who shall sit upon the throne of my lord the king, after him.

And as for you, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are upon you to tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.

21 Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, then shall I and my son Solomon be counted, offenders.

Otherwise, when my lord the king rests with his fathers, I and my son Solomon will be counted as criminals.”

22 And lo! while yet she was speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet, came in.

And just then, while Bathsheba was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived.

23 So they told the king, saying, Lo! Nathan the prophet! And, when he had come in before the king, he bowed himself down to the king with his face to the ground.

So the king was told, “Nathan the prophet is here.” And Nathan went in and bowed facedown before the king.

24 Then said Nathan—My lord, O king, hast, thou, said, Adonijah, shall become king after me, —yea, he, shall sit upon my throne?

“My lord the king,” said Nathan, “did you say, ‘Adonijah will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne’?

25 For he hath gone down to-day, and hath sacrificed oxen and heifers and sheep, in abundance, and hath invited all the sons of the king, and the generals of the army, and Abiathar the priest, and, there they are—eating and drinking before him, —and they have said—Long live King Adonijah!

For today he has gone down and sacrificed an abundance of oxen, fattened calves, and sheep, and has invited all the sons of the king, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest. And behold, they are eating and drinking before him, saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’

26 But, me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and Solomon thy servant, hath he not invited.

But me your servant he did not invite, nor Zadok the priest, nor Benaiah son of Jehoiada, nor your servant Solomon.

27 If, of my lord the king, this thing had been brought to pass, then wouldest thou not have made known unto thy servant, who should sit upon the throne of my lord the king, after him?

Has my lord the king let this happen without informing your servant who should sit on the throne after my lord the king?”

28 Then responded King David, and said, Call me Bath-sheba. So she came in before the king, and stood before the king.

Then King David said, “Call in Bathsheba for me.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before him.

29 And the king sware, and said, —By the life of Yahweh, who hath redeemed my life out of every strait,

And the king swore an oath, saying, “As surely as the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from all distress,

30 even as I sware unto thee by Yahweh, God of Israel, saying, Assuredly, Solomon thy son, shall become king after me, yea, he, shall sit upon my throne, in my stead, even so, will I do this day.

I will carry out this very day exactly what I swore to you by the LORD, the God of Israel: Surely your son Solomon will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne in my place.”

31 Then Bath-sheba bowed with her face to the ground, and did homage unto the king, —and said—Let my lord, King David, live to times age-abiding!

Bathsheba bowed facedown in homage to the king and said, “May my lord King David live forever!”

32 Then said King David—Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada. And they came in before the king.

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

33 Then said the king unto them—Take ye with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon the mule which pertaineth unto myself, —and bring him down unto Gihon;

“Take my servants with you,” said the king. “Set my son Solomon on my own mule and take him down to Gihon.

34 then shall Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there as king over Israel, —and ye shall blow with the horn, and say—Long live King Solomon!

There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet are to anoint him king over Israel. You are to blow the ram’s horn and declare, ‘Long live King Solomon!’

35 Then shall ye come up after him, and he shall enter, and sit upon my throne, yea, he, shall become king in my stead; even, him, have I charged to become leader, over Israel, and over Judah.

Then you shall go up with him, and he is to come and sit on my throne and reign in my place. For I have appointed him ruler over Israel and Judah.”

36 Then did Benaiah son of Jehoiada make response unto the king, and say—Amen! so, say Yahweh, God of my lord the king.

“Amen,” replied Benaiah son of Jehoiada. “May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, so declare it.

37 As Yahweh hath been with my lord the king, so, let him he with Solomon, —and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord, King David.

Just as the LORD was with my lord the king, so may He be with Solomon and make his throne even greater than that of my lord King David.”

38 So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, with the Cherethites and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon the mule of King David, —and they escorted him to Gihon.

Then Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, along with the Cherethites and Pelethites, went down and set Solomon on King David’s mule, and they escorted him to Gihon.

39 Then took Zadok the priest, the horn of oil out of the Tent, and anointed Solomon, —and they blew with a [ram’s] horn, and all the people said, Long live King Solomon!

Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tabernacle and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the ram’s horn, and all the people proclaimed, “Long live King Solomon!”

40 And all the people came up after him, the people themselves also, playing with flutes, and rejoicing with great joy, —so that the earth rent with the sound of them.

All the people followed him, playing flutes and rejoicing with such a great joy that the earth was split by the sound.

41 And Adonijah, and all the guests who were with him, heard it, just as, they, had made an end of eating, —and, when Joab heard the sound of a horn, he said—Wherefore the noise of the city, in tumult?

Now Adonijah and all his guests were finishing their feast when they heard the sound of the ram’s horn. “Why is the city in such a loud uproar?” asked Joab.

42 While yet he was speaking, lo! Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest, came in, —and Adonijah said—Come in, for, a worthy man, thou art, and, good tidings, dost thou bring.

As he was speaking, suddenly Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest arrived. “Come in,” said Adonijah, “for you are a man of valor. You must be bringing good news.”

43 But Jonathan responded and said to Adonijah, —Of a truth, our lord, King David, hath made, Solomon, king.

“Not at all,” Jonathan replied. “Our lord King David has made Solomon king.

44 And the king hath sent with him—Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, with the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, —and they have caused him to ride upon the mule of the king;

And with Solomon, the king has sent Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, along with the Cherethites and Pelethites, and they have set him on the king’s mule.

45 and Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king, in Gihon, and they went up from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang again, —That, is the noise ye have heard.

Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon, and they have gone up from there with rejoicing that rings out in the city. That is the noise you hear.

46 Moreover also, Solomon hath taken his seat upon the throne of the kingdom.

Moreover, Solomon has taken his seat on the royal throne.

47 Moreover also, the servants of the king have been in, 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 his bed.

The king’s servants have also gone to congratulate our lord King David, saying, ‘May your God make the name of Solomon more famous than your own name, and may He make his throne greater than your throne.’ And the king has bowed in worship on his bed,

48 Moreover also, thus and thus, hath said the king, —Blessed be Yahweh, God of Israel, who hath given, to-day, one to sit upon my throne, mine own eyes also beholding it.

saying, ‘Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel! Today He has provided one to sit on my throne, and my eyes have seen it.’”

49 Then trembled and rose up, all Adonijah’s guests, —and departed, every man his own way.

At this, all the guests of Adonijah arose in terror and scattered.

50 Adonijah also, feared because of Solomon, —and rose and went, and caught hold of the horns of the altar.

But Adonijah, in fear of Solomon, got up and went to take hold of the horns of the altar.

51 And it was told Solomon, saying, Lo! Adonijah, feareth King Solomon, —lo! therefore, he hath laid hold of the horns of the altar, saying, Let King Solomon swear unto me at once that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.

It was reported to Solomon: “Behold, Adonijah fears King Solomon, and he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon first swear to me not to put his servant to the sword.’”

52 Then said Solomon, If he will be a man of worth, there shall not one hair of him fall to the earth, —but, if mischief be found in him, then shall he die.

And Solomon replied, “If he is a man of character, not a single hair of his will fall to the ground. But if evil is found in him, he will die.”

53 So King Solomon sent, and brought him down from the altar, and he came in, and bowed himself down to King Solomon, —and Solomon said unto him—Go to thine own house.

So King Solomon summoned Adonijah down from the altar, and he came and bowed down before King Solomon, who said to him, “Go to your home.”