1 Kings 1

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

Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat.

2 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.”

Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and cherish him; and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat.

3 So they searched for a beautiful girl within all the borders of Israel. They found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king.

So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the borders of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king.

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

And the damsel was very fair; and she cherished the king, and ministered to him; but the king knew her not.

5 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.

Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

6 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.

And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he was also a very goodly man; and he was born after Absalom.

7 He conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest. They followed Adonijah and helped him.

And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him.

8 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.

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

9 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.

And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fatlings by the stone of Zoheleth, which is beside En-rogel; and he called all his brethren, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah, the king’s servants:

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

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

11 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?

Then Nathan spake unto Bath-sheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith doth reign, and David our lord knoweth it not?

12 Now therefore let me give you advice, so that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon.

Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own life, and the life of thy son Solomon.

13 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?'

Go and get thee in unto king David, and say unto him, Didst not thou, my lord, O king, swear unto thy handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? why then doth Adonijah reign?

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

Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come in after thee, and confirm thy words.

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

And Bath-sheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite was ministering unto the king.

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

And Bath-sheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And the king said, What wouldest thou?

17 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.'

And she said unto him, My lord, thou swarest by Jehovah thy God unto thy handmaid, [saying], Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne.

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

And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and thou, my lord the king, knowest it not:

19 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.

and he hath slain oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the host; but Solomon thy servant hath he not called.

20 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.

And thou, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.

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

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

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

And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet came in.

23 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.

And they told the king, saying, Behold, Nathan the prophet. And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.

24 Nathan said, “My master the king, have you said, 'Adonijah will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne?'

And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?

25 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!'

For he is gone down this day, and hath slain oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the king’s sons, and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they are eating and drinking before him, and say, [Long] live king Adonijah.

26 But as for me, your servant, Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon, he has not invited us.

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

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

Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not showed unto thy servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?

28 Then King David answered and said, “Call Bathsheba back to me.” She came into the king's presence and stood before the king.

Then king David answered and said, Call to me Bath-sheba. And she came into the king’s presence, and stood before the king.

29 The king made an oath and said, “As Yahweh lives, who has redeemed me out of all trouble,

And the king sware, and said, As Jehovah liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity,

30 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.”

verily as I sware unto thee by Jehovah, the God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; verily so will I do this day.

31 Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground and prostrated herself before the king and said, “May my master King David live forever!”

Then Bath-sheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did obeisance to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.

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

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

33 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.

And the king said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon:

34 Let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel and blow the trumpet and say, 'Long live King Solomon!'

and let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel; and blow ye the trumpet, and say, [Long] live king Solomon.

35 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.”

Then ye shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit upon my throne; for he shall be king in my stead; and I have appointed him to be prince over Israel and over Judah.

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

And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, Amen: Jehovah, the God of my lord the king, say so [too].

37 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.”

As Jehovah hath been with my lord the king, even so be he with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David.

38 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.

So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David’s mule, and brought him to Gihon.

39 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!”

And Zadok the priest took the horn of oil out of the Tent, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, [Long] live king Solomon.

40 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.

And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.

41 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?”

And Adonijah and all the guests that were with him heard it as they had made an end of eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, Wherefore is this noise of the city being in an uproar?

42 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.”

While he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came: and Adonijah said, Come in; for thou art a worthy man, and bringest good tidings.

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

And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, Verily our lord king David hath made Solomon king:

44 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.

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

45 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.

and Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon; and they are come up from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang again. This is the noise that ye have heard.

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

And also Solomon sitteth on the throne of the kingdom.

47 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.

And moreover the king’s servants came 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 the bed.

48 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.'”

And also thus said the king, Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, who hath given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing it.

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

And all the guests of Adonijah were afraid, and rose up, and went every man his way.

50 Adonijah was afraid of Solomon and rose up, went, and took hold of the horns of the altar.

And Adonijah feared because of Solomon; and he arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.

51 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.'”

And it was told Solomon, saying, Behold, Adonijah feareth king Solomon; for, lo, he hath laid hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear unto me first that he will not slay his servant with the sword.

52 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.”

And Solomon said, If he shall show himself a worthy man, there shall not a hair of him fall to the earth; but if wickedness be found in him, he shall die.

53 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.”

So king Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and did obeisance to king Solomon; and Solomon said unto him, Go to thy house.