1 Kings 2

1 Now the days of David came near that he should die; and he commanded Solomon his son, saying,

And the days of David drew near that he should die: and he addressed his son Solomon, saying, I go the way of all the earth:

2 “I am going the way of all the earth. You be strong therefore, and show yourself a man;

but be you strong, and show yourself a man;

3 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.

and keep the charge of the Lord your God, to walk in his ways, to keep the commandments and the ordinances and the judgments which are written in the law of Moses; that you may understand what you shall do in all things that I command you:

4 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.’

that the Lord may confirm his word which he spoke, saying, If your children shall take heed to their way to walk before me in truth with all their heart, [I promise you], saying, there shall not fail you a man on the throne of Israel.

5 “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.

Moreover you know all that Joab the son of Saruia did to me, what he did to the two captains of the forces of Israel, to Abenner the son of Ner, and to Amessai the son of Jether, that he killed them, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put innocent blood on his girdle that was about his loins, and on his sandal that was on his foot.

6 Do therefore according to your wisdom, and don’t let his grey head go down to Sheol in peace. (Sheol h7585)

Therefore you shall deal [with him] according to your wisdom, and you shall not bring down his grey hairs in peace to the grave. (Sheol h7585)

7 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.

But you shall deal kindly with the sons of Berzelli the Galaadite, and they shall be among those that eat at your table; for thus they drew near to me when I fled from the face of your brother Abessalom.

8 “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.’

And, behold, [there is] with you Semei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Baurim: and he cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went into the camp; and he came down to Jordan to meet me, and I swore to him by the Lord, saying, I will not put you to death with the sword.

9 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)

But you shall by no means hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man, and will know what you shall do to him, and shall bring down his grey hairs with blood to the grave. (Sheol h7585)

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

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

11 The days that David reigned over Israel were forty years; he reigned seven years in Hebron, and he reigned thirty-three years in Jerusalem.

And the days which David reigned over Israel [were] forty years; he reigned seven years in Chebron, and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.

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

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

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

And Adonias the son of Aggith came in to Bersabee the mother of Solomon, and did obeisance to her: and she said, Do you enter peaceably? and he said, Peaceably:

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

I have business with you. And she said to him, Say on.

15 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.

And he said to her, You know that the kingdom was mine, and all Israel turned their face toward me for a king; but the kingdom was turned [from me] and became my brother's: for it was [appointed] to him from the Lord.

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

And now I make one request of you, do not turn away your face. And Bersabee said to him, Speak [on].

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

And he said to her, Speak, I pray you, to king Solomon, for he will not turn away his face from you, and let him give me Abisag the Somanite for a wife.

18 Bathsheba said, “All right. I will speak for you to the king.”

And Bersabee said, Well; I will speak for you to the king.

19 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.

And Bersabee went in to king Solomon to speak to him concerning Adonias; and the king rose up to meet her, and kissed her, and sat on the throne, and a throne was set for the mother of the king, and she sat on his right hand.

20 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.”

And she said to him, I ask of you one little request; turn not away my face from you. And the king said to her, Ask, my mother, and I will not reject you.

21 She said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as wife.”

And she said, Let, I pray you, Abisag the Somanite be given to Adonias your brother to wife.

22 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.”

And king Solomon answered and said to his mother, And why have you asked Abisag for Adonias? ask for him the kingdom also; for he [is] my elder brother, and he has for his companion Abiathar the priest, and Joab the son of Saruia the commander-in-chief.

23 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.

And king Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, God do so to me, and more also, [if it be not] that Adonias has spoken this word against his own life.

24 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.”

And now [as] the Lord lives who has established me, and set me on the throne of my father David, and he has made me a house, as the Lord spoke, this day shall Adonias be put to death.

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

So king Solomon sent by the hand of Banaeas the son of Jodae, and he killed him, and Adonias died in that day.

26 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.”

And the king said to Abiathar the priest, Depart you quickly to Anathoth to your farm, for you are worthy of death this day; but I will not kill you, because you have borne the ark of the covenant of the Lord before my father, and because you was afflicted in all things wherein my father was afflicted.

27 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.

And Solomon removed Abiathar from being a priest of the Lord, that the word of the Lord might be fulfilled, which he spoke concerning the house of Heli in Selom.

28 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.

And the report came to Joab son of Saruia; for Joab had turned after Adonias, and he went not after Solomon: and Joab fled to the tabernacle of the Lord, and caught hold of the horns of the altar.

29 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.”

And it was told Solomon, saying, Joab has fled to the tabernacle of the Lord, and behold! he has hold of the horns of the altar. And king Solomon sent to Joab, saying, What ails you, that you have fled to the altar? and Joab said, Because I was afraid of you, and fled for refuge to the Lord. And Solomon sent Banaeas son of Jodae, saying, Go and kill him, and bury him.

30 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.”

And Banaeas son of Jodae came to Joab to the tabernacle of the Lord, and said to him, Thus says the king, Come forth. And Joab said, I will not come forth, for I will die here. And Banaeas son of Jodae returned and spoke to the king, saying, Thus has Joab spoken, and thus has he answered me.

31 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.

And the king said to him, Go, and do to him as he has spoken, and kill him: and you shall bury him, and you shall remove this day the blood which he shed without cause, from me and from the house of my father.

32 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.

And the Lord has returned upon his own head the blood of his unrighteousness, inasmuch as he attacked two men more righteous and better than himself, and killed them with the sword, and my father David knew not of their blood, [even] Abenner the son of Ner the commander-in-chief of Israel, and Amessa the son of Jether the commander-in-chief of Juda.

33 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.”

And their blood is returned upon his head, and upon the head of his seed for ever: but to David, and his seed, and his house, and his throne, may there be peace for ever from the Lord.

34 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.

So Banaeas son of Jodae went up, and attacked him, and killed him, and buried him in his house in the wilderness.

35 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.

And the king appointed Banaeas son of Jodae in his place over the host; and the kingdom was established in Jerusalem; and [as for] Sadoc the priest, the king appointed him to be high priest in the room of Abiathar. And Solomon son of David reigned over Israel and Juda in Jerusalem: and the Lord gave understanding to Solomon, and very much wisdom, and largeness of heart, as the sand by the sea-shore.

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

42 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 have you not kept the oath of the LORD and the commandment that I have instructed you with?”

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

46 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.