1 Kings 2

1 When David [knew that he] was about to die, he gave these final instructions to his son Solomon:

Forsothe the daies of Dauid neiyiden, that he schulde die; and he comaundide to Salomon, his sone, and seide, Lo!

2 “I am about to die [EUP], like everyone else on earth does. Be courageous and conduct yourself as an adult should.

Y entre in to the weie of al erthe; be thou coumfortid, and be thou a strong man.

3 Do what Yahweh our God tells you to do. Conduct yourself as he wants you to do. Obey all of his laws and commands and precepts and instructions that are written in the laws that Moses [gave us]. Do this in order that you will prosper in all that you do and wherever you go.

And kepe thou the kepyngis and heestis of thi Lord God, that thou go in hise weies, and kepe hise cerymonyes, and hise heestis, and hise domes, and witnessyngis, as it is writun in the lawe of Moises; that thou vndurstonde alle thingis whiche thou doist, and whidur euer thou schalt turne thee.

4 If you continually do that, Yahweh will do what he promised me: He said, ‘If your descendants do what I tell them to do, and faithfully obey my commands with all their inner beings, they will always be [LIT] the ones who will rule [MTY] Israel.’

That the Lord conferme hise wordis, whiche the Lord spak of me, and seide, If thi sones kepen my weies, and goen bifor me in treuthe, in al her herte, and in al her soule, a man schal not be takun awei of thee fro the trone of Israel.

5 “There is something else [that I want you to do]. You know what Joab did to me. He killed my two army commanders, Abner and Amasa. He murdered them violently [MTY] during a time of peace, pretending that it was a time of war. Those two men (were innocent/had not done what was wrong). But Joab [killed them and] their blood to stain his belt and his sandals.

Also thou knowist what thingis Joab, the sone of Saruye, dide to me; what thingis he dide to twey princis of the oost of Israel, to Abner, sone of Ner, and to Amasa, sone of Jether, whiche he killide, and schedde the blood of batel in pees; and puttide the blood of batel in his girdil, that was aboute hise leendis, and in his scho, that was in hise feet.

6 Because you are wise, do to him what you think is best [for you to do], but do not allow him to become old [MTY] and then die [IDM] peacefully. (Sheol h7585)

Therfor thou schalt do by thi wisdom, and thou schalt not lede forth his hoornesse pesibli to hellis. (Sheol h7585)

7 “But be kind to the sons of Barzillai, the man from [the] Gilead [region], and be sure that they always have enough food to eat [MTY]. Do that because Barzillai helped me when I was running away from your older brother Absalom.

But also thou schalt yelde grace to the sones of Bersellai of Galaad, and thei schulen be eetynge in thi boord; for thei metten me, whanne Y fledde fro the face of Absolon, thi brother.

8 Also, [you remember] Gera’s son Shimei from Bahurim [town] in the area where the descendants of Benjamin live. [You know what he did to me]. He cursed me terribly on the day I [left Jerusalem and] went to Mahanaim [town]. But when he later came down to see me at the Jordan [River], I solemnly promised, while Yahweh listened [MTY], that I would not cause him to be executed.

Also thou hast anentis thee Semey, sone of Gera, sone of Gemyny, of Bahurym, which Semei curside me bi the worste cursyng, whanne Y yede to `the castels; but for he cam doun to me in to metyng, whanne Y passide Jordan, and Y swoor to him bi the Lord, and seide, Y schal not slee thee bi swerd,

9 But now you must [LIT] surely punish him. You are a wise man, so you will know what you should do to him. He is an old man [MTY], but be sure that he [loses/sheds] a lot of blood when you kill him [MTY].” (Sheol h7585)

nyle thou suffre hym to be vnpunyschid; forsothe thou art a wise man, and thou schalt wite what thou schalt do to hym, and thou schalt lede forth hise hoor heeris with blood to hellis. (Sheol h7585)

10 Then David died [EUP] and was buried in [that part of Jerusalem which was called] ‘The City of David’.

Sotheli Dauid slepte with hise fadris, and was biriede in the citee of Dauid.

11 David had been the king of Israel for 40 years: He ruled for seven years in Hebron and for 33 years in Jerusalem.

Forsothe the daies, in whiche Dauid regnede on Israel, ben fourti yeer; in Ebron he regned seuene yeer, in Jerusalem thre and thretti yeer.

12 Solomon became the ruler/king [MTY] to take the place of his father David and took control of all of the kingdom.

Forsothe Salomon sat on the trone of Dauid, his fadir, and his rewme was maad stidfast greetli.

13 [One day] Adonijah came to Solomon’s mother Bathsheba. She said to him, “Have you come because you want things to go well?” He replied, “Yes.”

And Adonye, sone of Agith, entride to Bersabee, modir of Salomon; and sche seide to hym, Whether thin entryng is pesible? And he answeride, It is pesible.

14 But then he said, “I have something to ask you to do.” She said, “Tell me [what you want me to do].”

And he addide, A word of me is to thee. `To whom sche seide, Speke thou.

15 He said, “You know that all the Israeli people expected me to be their king [because I am David’s oldest surviving son]. But that did not happen. Instead, my [younger] brother became king, because that is what Yahweh wanted.

And he seide, Thou knowist that the rewme was myn, and al Israel purposide to make me in to king to hem; but the rewme is translatid, and is maad my brotheris; for of the Lord it is ordeyned to hym.

16 Now I have one thing that I ask you to do. Please do not refuse to do it.” She replied, “Tell me [what you want me to do].”

Now therfor Y preye of the oon axyng; schende thou not my face. And sche seide to hym, Speke thou. And he seide, Y preie,

17 He said, “Please ask King Solomon to give to me Abishag, the woman from Shunem [town], to be my wife. [I am sure that] he will not refuse.”

that thou seie to Salomon the king; for he may not denye ony thing to thee; that he yyue to me Abisag of Sunam wijf.

18 Bathsheba replied, “Okay, I will speak to the king for you.”

And Bersabee seide, Wel, Y schal speke for thee to the kyng.

19 So Bathsheba went to King Solomon, to tell him what Adonijah wanted. The king got up [from his throne] and went to greet her and bowed down to her. Then he sat on his throne again and asked someone to bring a chair for her. So she sat down at the king’s right side.

Therfor Bersabee cam to kyng Salomon, to speke to hym for Adonye; and the kyng roos ayens the comyng of hir, and worschipide hir, and `sat on his trone; and a trone was set to the modir of the kyng, and sche sat at his riyt side.

20 Then she said, “I have one small thing which I want you to do; please do not say that you will not do it.” The king replied, “Mother, what do you want? I will not refuse you.”

And sche seide to hym, Y preie of thee o litil axyng; schende thou not my face. And the kyng seide to hir, My modir, axe thou; for it is not leueful that Y turne awei thi face.

21 She said, “Allow Abishag to be given to your [older] brother Adonijah to be his wife.”

And sche seide, Abisag of Sunam be youun wijf to Adonye, thi brother.

22 The king replied [angrily], “What? Are you requesting me to give Abishag to Adonijah? [Does he want me] to allow him to rule the kingdom, too? Because he is my older brother, [does he think that he should be the king]? Does he think that Abiathar should be the priest [instead of Zadok], and that Joab [should be the army commander instead of Benaiah] because they supported him [when he tried to become the king]?”

And kyng Salomon answeride, and seide to his modir, Whi axist thou Abisag of Sunam to Adonye? Axe thou to hym also the rewme; for he is `my gretter brothir, and he hath Abiathar, preest, and Joab, sone of Saruye.

23 Then Solomon solemnly promised, requesting Yahweh to listen, “I wish God would strike me and kill me if I do not cause Adonijah to be executed for requesting this!

Therfor kyng Salomon swoor bi the Lord, and seide, God do to me these thingis, and adde these thinges, for Adonie spak this word ayens his lijf.

24 Yahweh has appointed me to be the king and placed me here to rule [MTY] as my father David did. He has promised that my descendants [MTY] will be the kings of Israel. So just as surely as Yahweh lives, I solemnly promise that Adonijah will be executed today!”

And now the Lord lyueth, that confermede me, and hath set me on the trone of my fadir, and that hath maad to me an hows, as he spak, for Adonye schal be slayn to dai.

25 So King Solomon gave orders to Benaiah to [go and] kill Adonijah, and Benaiah did that.

And kyng Salomon sente bi the hond of Banaie, sone of Joiada; which Banaie killide Adonye, and he was deed.

26 Then Solomon said to Abiathar the priest, “Go to Anathoth [town], to your land there. You deserve to be killed, but I will not execute you now, because you were the one who [supervised the men who] carried Yahweh’s Sacred Chest for David my father, and you endured all the troubles that my father endured.”

Also the kyng seide to Abiathar, preest, Go thou in to Anatot, to thi feeld; and sotheli thou art a man of deeth, `that is, worthi the deeth, for conspiryng ayens me, and the ordynaunce of God, and of my fadir; but to dai Y schal not sle thee, for thou barist the arke of the Lord God bifor Dauid, my fadir, and thou suffridist trauele in alle thingis, in whiche my fadir trauelide.

27 So Solomon dismissed Abiathar from being the priest of Yahweh. By doing that he caused to happen what Yahweh had said [many years previously] at Shiloh, [that some day he would get rid] of the descendants [MTY] of Eli.

Therfor Salomon puttide out Abiathar, that he schulde not be preest of the Lord, that the word of the Lord were fillid, which he spak on the hows of Heli, in Silo.

28 Joab had not supported Absalom [when he tried to become the king], but he had supported Adonijah. So when Joab heard what had happened, he ran to the Sacred Tent, and he grasped the projections on the corners of the altar, [because he knew that no one would kill him there].

Forsothe a messager cam to Salomon, that Joab hadde bowid aftir Adonye, and that he hadde not bowid after Salomon. Therfor Joab fledde in to the tabernacle of the Lord, and took the horn of the auter.

29 When someone told Solomon that Joab had run to the Sacred Tent and was standing alongside the altar, Solomon told Benaiah, “Go and execute Joab.”

And it was teld to kyng Salomon, that Joab hadde fledde in to the tabernacle of the Lord, and was bisidis the auter; and Salomon sente Banaie, sone of Joiada, and seide, Go thou, and sle hym.

30 So Benaiah went to the Sacred Tent and said to Joab, “The king commands you to come out!” But Joab replied, “No, I will die here.” So Benaiah went back to the king and reported [what he had said to Joab, and] what Joab had replied.

And Banaie cam to the tabernacle of the Lord, and seide to Joab, The kyng seith these thingis, Go thou out. And he seide, Y schal not go out, but Y schal die here. Banaie telde the word to the kyng, and seide, Joab spak thes thingis, and answeride these thingis to me.

31 The king replied to him, “Do what he has requested. Kill him and bury his body. If you do that, my descendants [MTY] and I will no longer be punished for what Joab did when he killed [MTY] two men who (were innocent/had not done anything that is wrong).

And the kyng seide to Banaie, Do thou as he spak, and sle thou hym, and birie him; and thou schalt remoue the innocent blood, that was sched out of Joab, fro me, and fro the hows of my fadir.

32 But Yahweh will punish [MTY] Joab for attacking and killing Abner, the commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa, the commander of the army of Judah, two men who were more righteous and better [DOU] men than he is. My father David did not even know that Joab [was planning to murder them].

And the Lord yelde on his heed his blood, for he killide twei iust men, and betere than hym silf, and he killide hem bi swerd, while Dauid, my fadir, `wiste not, Abner, the sone of Ner, the prince of the chyualrie of Israel, and Amasa, sone of Jether, the prince of the oost of Juda.

33 Joab and his descendants will be punished [IDM] forever for his murdering Abner and Amasa. But things will forever go well for David’s descendants [MTY] who rule [MTY] as King David did.”

And the blood of hem schal turne ayen in to the heed of Joab, and in to the heed of his seed with outen ende; forsothe pees be of the Lord til in to with outen ende to Dauid, and to his seed, and to the hous and trone of hym.

34 So Benaiah went [into the Sacred Tent] and killed Joab. Joab was buried on his property in the desert [part of Judah].

Therfor Banaie, sone of Joiada, stiede, and asailide, and killide Joab; and Joab was biried in his hows in deseert.

35 Then the king appointed Benaiah to be the commander of the army instead of Joab, and he appointed Zadok to be the priest instead of Abiathar.

And the kyng ordeynede Banaie, sone of Joiada, on the oost for hym; and the kyng puttide Sadoch preest for Abiathar.

36 Then the king sent [a messenger] to summon Shimei, and the king said to him, “Build a house for yourself here in Jerusalem. Remain there and do not leave the city to go anywhere.

Also the kyng sente, and clepide Semey, and seide to hym, Bilde to thee an hows in Jerusalem, and dwelle thou there, and thou schalt not go out fro thennus hidur and thidur;

37 Be sure that the day that you leave Jerusalem and go across the Kidron Brook, you will be executed, and it will be (your own fault/what you deserve).”

sotheli in what euer dai thou goist out, and passist the stronde of Cedron, wite thou thee worthi to be slayn; thi blood schal be on thin heed.

38 Shimei replied, “Your Majesty, what you say is good. I will do what you have said.” So Shimei remained in Jerusalem for several years.

And Semei seide to the kyng, The word of the kyng is good; as my lord the kyng spak, so thi seruaunt schal do. Therfor Semey dwellide in Jerusalem in many daies.

39 But three years later, two of Shimei’s slaves ran away. They went to stay with Maacah’s son Achish, the king of Gath [city]. When someone told Shimei that they were in Gath,

Forsothe it was doon after thre yeer, that the seruauntis of Semei fledden to Achis, sone of Maacha, the kyng of Geth; and it was teld to Semey, that hise seruauntis hadden go in to Geth.

40 he put a saddle on his donkey and [got on it and] went to Gath. He found his slaves staying with King Achish and brought them back home.

And Semey roos, and sadlide his asse, and yede to Achis, in to Geth, to seke hise seruauntis; and brouyte hem ayen fro Geth.

41 But someone told King Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned.

Forsothe it was teld to kyng Salomon, that Semey hadde go to Geth fro Jerusalem, and hadde come ayen.

42 So the king sent [a soldier] to summon Shimei and said to him, “I told you to solemnly promise, knowing that Yahweh [MTY] was listening, that you must not leave Jerusalem. I told you [RHQ], ‘Be sure that if you ever leave Jerusalem, you will be executed.’ And you replied [RHQ] to me, ‘What you have said is good; I will do what you have said.’

And Salomon sente, and clepide hym, and seide to hym, Whether Y witnessede not to thee bi the Lord, and bifor seide to thee, In what euer dai thou schalt go out hidur and thidur, wite thou that thou schalt die; and thou answeridist to me, The word is good, which Y herde?

43 So why did you not do what you solemnly promised to Yahweh? Why did you disobey what I commanded you?”

Whi therfor keptist thou not the ooth of the Lord, and the comaundement which Y comaundide to thee?

44 The king also said to Shimei, “You know all the evil things that you did to my father David. So Yahweh will now punish you for the evil things that you did.

And the kyng seide to Semei, Thou knowist al the yuel, of which thin herte is gilti to thee, which yuel thou didist to my fadir; the Lord hath yolde thi malice in to thin heed.

45 But Yahweh will bless me, and he will enable David’s descendants [MTY] to rule forever.”

And kyng Salomon schal be blessid; and the trone of Dauid schal be stable bifor the Lord til in to with outen ende.

46 Then the king gave an order to Benaiah, and he went and killed Shimei. So Solomon was completely in control of the kingdom.

Therfor the kyng comaundide to Banaie, sone of Joiada; and he assailide, and smoot Semey, and he was deed.