1 Kings 2

1 And, when the days of David drew near that he must die, he charged Solomon his son, saying: —

And the days of David were at hand that he should die; and he enjoined Solomon his son saying,

2 I, am going the way of all the earth, —thou must be strong, therefore, and show thyself a man;

I go the way of all the earth: be of good courage therefore, and be a man;

3 and keep the observances of Yahweh thy God, by walking in his ways, by keeping his statutes, his commandments, and his regulations and his testimonies, as written in the law of Moses, —to the end thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself;

and keep the charge of Jehovah thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his ordinances, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest and whithersoever thou turnest thyself;

4 to the end that Yahweh may establish his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy sons will take heed to their way, by walking before me, in truth, with all their heart, and with all their soul, (then, said he) there shall not be cut off to thee a man, from off the throne of Israel.

that Jehovah may confirm his word which he spoke concerning me, saying, If thy sons take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee, said he, a man upon the throne of Israel.

5 Moreover also, thou, knowest what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with two generals of the armies of Israel—with Abner son of Ner, and with Amasa son of Jether—both of whom he slew, shedding the blood of war in peace, —and putting the blood of war upon his girdle that was on his loins, and upon his sandals, that were on his feet.

And thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner, and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and upon his sandals that were on his feet.

6 Thou, therefore, must do according to thy wisdom, —but will not let his grey hair go down in peace, to hades. (Sheol h7585)

And thou shalt do according to thy wisdom, and not let his hoar head go down to Sheol in peace. (Sheol h7585)

7 But, with the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, thou wilt deal in lovingkindness, and they will be among them who eat at thy table, —for, so, drew they near unto me, when I fled from Absolom thy brother.

But shew kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at thy table; for so they came up to me when I fled because of Absalom thy brother.

8 Lo! also, there is with thee—Shimei son of Gera a Benjamite, of Behurim, well, he, it was who cursed me with a grievous curse; on the day I journeyed to Mahanaim, —but he, came down to meet me, at the Jordan, and so I sware to him by Yahweh, saying—I will not put thee to death, with the sword.

And behold, there is with thee Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite of Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse in the day that I went to Mahanaim; but he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by Jehovah saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword.

9 Now, therefore do not hold him guiltless, for, a wise man, thou art, and wilt know how thou oughtest to deal with him, and wilt suffer his grey hairs to go down with blood, to hades. (Sheol h7585)

And now hold him not guiltless; for thou art a wise man, and thou shalt know what thou oughtest to do to him; but bring his hoar head down to Sheol with blood. (Sheol h7585)

10 So then David slept with his fathers, —and was buried in the city of David.

And David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.

11 Now, the days that David reigned over Israel, were forty years, —in Hebron, reigned he seven years, and, in Jerusalem, reigned he thirty and three years.

And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: he reigned seven years in Hebron, and he reigned thirty-three years in Jerusalem.

12 But, when, Solomon, took his seat upon the throne of David his father, then was the kingdom firmly established.

And Solomon sat on the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was established greatly.

13 And Adonijah son of Haggith came in unto Bath-sheba, mother of Solomon: And she said—Peaceably, comest thou? And he said—Peaceably.

And Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably.

14 Then said he—I have somewhat to say unto thee. And she said—Say on.

And he said, I have something to say to thee. And she said, Speak.

15 And he said—Thou, knowest that, mine, was the kingdom, and, on me, had all Israel set their faces, that I should become king, —howbeit the kingdom, hath turned about, and become my brother’s, for, from Yahweh, became it, his.

And he said, Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and all Israel had set their faces on me that I should reign; but the kingdom is turned about and is become my brother's, for it was his from Jehovah.

16 Now, therefore, one request, have I to ask of thee, do not turn away my face.

And now I ask one petition of thee; refuse me not. And she said to him, Speak.

17 And she said unto him—Say on. And he said—Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, for he will not turn away thy face, —that he give me Abishag the Shunammite, to wife.

And he said, Speak, I pray thee, to Solomon the king — for he will not refuse thee — that he give me Abishag the Shunammite as wife.

18 And Bath-sheba said: Good! I myself, will speak for thee, unto the king.

And Bathsheba said, Well, I will speak for thee to the king.

19 So Bath-sheba went in unto King Solomon, to speak to him for Adonijah, —and the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself down to her, and sat down upon his throne, and caused a throne to be set for the mother of the king, and she sat on his right hand.

And Bathsheba went to king Solomon, to speak to him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself to her, and sat down on his throne; and he caused a throne to be set for the king's mother, and she sat on his right hand.

20 Then said she—One small request, am I asking of thee, do not turn away my face. And the king said to her—Ask on, my mother, for I will not turn away thy face.

Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; refuse me not. And the king said to her, Ask, my mother, for I will not refuse thee.

21 And she said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother, to wife.

And she said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother as wife.

22 Then answered King Solomon, and said to his mother—Wherefore, then, art thou asking Abishag the Shunammite, for Adonijah? ask, then, for him the kingdom, because he is mine elder brother, —even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab, son of Zeruiah.

And king Solomon answered and said to his mother, And why dost thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? ask for him the kingdom also; for he is mine elder brother; even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah.

23 Then swore King Solomon by Yahweh, saying, —So, let God do to me, and, so, let him add, if, at the cost of his life, Adonijah hath not spoken this word.

And king Solomon swore by Jehovah saying, God do so to me, and more also, — Adonijah has spoken this word against his own life!

24 Now, therefore, by the life of Yahweh, who hath established me, and seated me upon the throne of David my father, and who hath made for me a household, as he had spoken, surely, to-day, shall Adonijah be put to death!

And now [as] Jehovah liveth, who has established me, and set me on the throne of David my father, and who has made me a house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death this day.

25 So King Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, —and he fell upon him, that he died.

And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; who fell on him, that he died.

26 Also, unto Abiathar the priest, said the king—To Anathoth, get thee unto thine own fields, for, death-doomed, thou art, —but, this day, will I not put thee to death, because thou didst bear the ark of My Lord, Yahweh, before David my father, and because thou wast afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted.

And the king said to Abiathar the priest, Go to Anathoth, to thine own fields; for thou art worthy of death; but I will not at this time put thee to death, because thou didst bear the ark of Adonai Jehovah before David my father, and because thou hast been afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted.

27 So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto Yahweh, —to fulfil the word of Yahweh which he spake concerning the household of Eli, in Shiloh.

And Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest to Jehovah, to fulfil the word of Jehovah, which he had spoken concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.

28 And, the report, came unto Joab, for, Joab, had inclined after Adonijah, although, after Solomon, he had not inclined, —so then Joab fled into the Tent of Yahweh, and laid hold of the horns of the altar.

And the report came to Joab (for Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he had not turned after Absalom); and Joab fled to the tent of Jehovah, and caught hold of the horns of the altar.

29 And it was told King Solomon—Joab hath fled into the Tent of Yahweh, and, there he is, beside the altar. So Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada, saying—Go fall upon him!

And it was told king Solomon that Joab had fled to the tent of Jehovah; and behold, he is by the altar. And Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall on him.

30 And Benaiah came into the Tent of Yahweh, and said unto him—Thus, saith the king, Come forth! And he said—Nay! but, here, will I die! So Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus, spake Joab, and, thus, he answered me.

And Benaiah came to the tent of Jehovah and said to him, Thus saith the king: Come forth. And he said, No; for I will die here. And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.

31 And the king said to him—Do as he hath spoken, fall, then, upon him, and bury him, —and so put away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from off me, and from off the house of my father;

And the king said to him, Do as he has said, and fall upon him, and bury him; and take away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me and from the house of my father.

32 thus will Yahweh bring back his blood upon his own head, in that he fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing it, —even Abner son of Ner, general of the army of Israel, and Amasa son of Jether, general of the army of Judah;

And Jehovah shall requite the blood which he shed upon his own head, because he fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, without my father David's knowledge: Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah.

33 thus shall their blood come back upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed unto times age-abiding, —but, David and his seed, and his house, and his throne, shall have peace, unto times age-abiding, from Yahweh.

And their blood shall be requited upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed for ever; but upon David, and upon his seed, and upon his house, and upon his throne, shall there be peace for ever from Jehovah.

34 So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and put him to death, —and he was buried in his own house, in the wilderness.

And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and fell upon him, and put him to death; and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.

35 And the king put Benaiah son of Jehoiada, in his stead, over the army, —and, Zadok the priest, did the king put in the stead of Abiathar.

And the king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his stead over the host; and Zadok the priest the king put in the stead of Abiathar.

36 And the king sent, and called for Shimei, and said to him—Build thee a house, in Jerusalem, so shalt thou dwell there, —and shalt not go forth from thence, hither or thither;

And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, Build thee a house in Jerusalem, and abide there, and go not forth thence anywhere.

37 but it shall be that, on the day thou goest forth, and passest over the Kidron ravine, know, that thou shalt, die, —thy blood, shall be, upon thine own head.

And it shall be that on the day thou goest forth, and passest over the torrent of Kidron, ...know for certain that thou shalt surely die: thy blood shall be upon thine own head.

38 And Shimei said to the king—Good, is the word, as my lord the king hath spoken, so, will thy servant do. And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days.

And Shimei said to the king, The saying is good: as my lord the king has said, so will thy servant do. And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days.

39 But it came to pass, at the end of three years, that two of the servants of Shimei fled unto Achish son of Maachah king of Gath, —and they told Shimei, saying—Lo! thy servants are in Gath.

And it came to pass at the end of three years, that two servants of Shimei's ran away to Achish son of Maachah, king of Gath. And they told Shimei saying, Behold, thy servants are in Gath.

40 So Shimei arose, and saddled his ass, and went to Gath, unto Achish, to seek his servants—and Shimei went and brought in his servants, from Gath.

Then Shimei arose, and saddled his ass, and went to Gath, to Achish, to seek his servants; and Shimei went, and brought his servants from Gath.

41 And it was told Solomon—Shimei hath been out of Jerusalem to Gath, and returned.

And it was told Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and had come again.

42 Then sent the king and called for Shimei, and said unto him—Did I not put thee on oath by Yahweh, and adjure thee, saying—On the day thou goest forth and takest thy journey hither or thither, know, that thou shalt, die. Then saidst thou unto me—Good, is the word I have heard.

And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, Did I not make thee swear by Jehovah, and protest to thee, saying, Know for certain, that on the day thou goest forth, and walkest abroad anywhere, thou shalt surely die? and thou saidst to me, The word that I have heard is good.

43 Why then, hast thou not kept the oath of Yahweh, —and the charge which I laid upon thee?

Why then hast thou not kept the oath of Jehovah, and the commandment that I charged thee with?

44 Then said the king unto Shimei—Thou, knowest all the wickedness which thy heart is privy to, which thou didst unto David my father, —therefore shall Yahweh bring back thy wickedness, upon thine own head.

And the king said to Shimei, Thou knowest all the wickedness of which thy heart is conscious, which thou didst to David my father; and Jehovah returns thy wickedness upon thine own head;

45 But, King Solomon, shall be blessed, —and, the throne of David, shall be established before Yahweh, unto times age-abiding.

and king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before Jehovah for ever.

46 So the king charged Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he went out and fell upon him, that he died, —and, the kingdom, was established in the hand of Solomon.

And the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; who went out and fell upon him, and he died. And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.