1 Kings 2

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

Now the days of David came near that he should die; and he commanded 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 am going the way of all the earth. You be strong therefore, and show yourself 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 instruction of the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, his commandments, his ordinances, and his testimonies, according to that which is written in the law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn yourself.

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.

Then the LORD may establish his word which he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your children are careful of their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail you,’ he said, ‘a man on 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.

“Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, even what he did to the two captains of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war on his sash that was around his waist and in 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)

Do therefore according to your wisdom, and don’t let his grey 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 show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be amongst those who eat at your table; for so they came to me when I fled from Absalom your 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.

“Behold, there is with you Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite of Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim; but he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by the LORD, saying, ‘I will not put you 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)

Now therefore don’t hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man; and you will know what you ought to do to him, and you shall bring his grey head down to Sheol with blood.” (Sheol h7585)

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

David slept with his fathers, and was buried in David’s city.

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.

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.

Solomon sat on David his father’s throne; and his kingdom was firmly established.

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

Then Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. She said, “Do you come peaceably?” He said, “Peaceably.

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

He said moreover, I have something to tell you.” She said, “Say on.”

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.

He said, “You know that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign. However, the kingdom is turned around, and has become my brother’s; for it was his from the LORD.

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

Now I ask one petition of you. Don’t deny me.” She said to him, “Say on.”

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.

He said, “Please speak to Solomon the king (for he will not tell you ‘no’), that he give me Abishag the Shunammite as wife.”

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

Bathsheba said, “All right. I will speak for you 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.

Bathsheba therefore went to King Solomon, to speak to him for Adonijah. The king rose up to meet her and bowed himself to her, and sat down on his throne and 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 ask one small petition of you; don’t deny me.” The king said to her, “Ask on, my mother, for I will not deny you.”

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

She said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your 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.

King Solomon answered his mother, “Why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also, for he is my 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.

Then King Solomon swore by the LORD, saying, “God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah has not 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!

Now therefore as the LORD lives, who has established me and set me on my father David’s throne, and who has made me a house as he promised, surely Adonijah shall be put to death today.”

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

King Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he fell on him, so 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.

To Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go to Anathoth, to your own fields, for you are worthy of death. But I will not at this time put you to death, because you bore the Lord GOD’s ark before David my father, and because you were afflicted in all in which 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.

So Solomon thrust Abiathar out from being priest to the LORD, that he might fulfil the LORD’s word which he spoke 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.

This news came to Joab; for Joab had followed Adonijah, although he didn’t follow Absalom. Joab fled to the LORD’s Tent, and held onto 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!

King Solomon was told, “Joab has fled to the LORD’s Tent; and behold, he is by the altar.” Then 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.

Benaiah came to the LORD’s Tent, and said to him, “The king says, ‘Come out!’” He said, “No; but I will die here.” Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, “This is what Joab said, and this is how 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;

The king said to him, “Do as he has said, and fall on him, and bury him, that you may take away the blood, which Joab shed without cause, from me and from my father’s house.

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;

The LORD will return his blood on his own head, because he fell on two men more righteous and better than he, and killed them with the sword, and my father David didn’t know it: Abner the son of Ner, captain of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the army 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.

So their blood will return on the head of Joab and on the head of his offspring forever. But for David, for his offspring, for his house, and for his throne, there will be peace forever from the LORD.”

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.

Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and fell on him, and killed him; 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.

The king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his place over the army; and the king put Zadok the priest in the place 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;

The king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem, and live there, and don’t go anywhere else.

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.

For on the day you go out and pass over the brook Kidron, know for certain that you will surely die. Your blood will be on your 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.

Shimei said to the king, “What you say is good. As my lord the king has said, so will your servant do.” Shimei lived 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.

At the end of three years, two of Shimei’s slaves ran away to Achish, son of Maacah, king of Gath. They told Shimei, saying, “Behold, your slaves 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.

Shimei arose, saddled his donkey, and went to Gath to Achish to seek his slaves; and Shimei went and brought his slaves from Gath.

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

Solomon was told 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.

The king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, “Didn’t I adjure you by the LORD and warn you, saying, ‘Know for certain that on the day you go out and walk anywhere else, you shall surely die’? You said to me, ‘The saying 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 have you not kept the oath of the LORD and the commandment that I have instructed you 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.

The king said moreover to Shimei, “You know in your heart all the wickedness that you did to David my father. Therefore the LORD will return your wickedness on your own head.

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

But King Solomon will be blessed, and David’s throne will be established before the LORD forever.”

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.

So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he went out, and fell on him, so that he died. The kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.