1 Kings 2

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

Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying:

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

'I go the way of all the earth; be thou strong therefore, and show thyself a man;

3 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.

and keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, and His commandments, and His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to that which is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself;

4 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.

that the LORD may establish His word which He spoke concerning me, saying: If thy children 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 on the throne of Israel.

5 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.

Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did unto me, even what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner and unto 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 in his shoes that were on his feet.

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

Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace. (Sheol h7585)

7 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.

But show kindness unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at thy table; for so they drew nigh unto me when I fled from Absalom thy brother.

8 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,

And, behold, there is with thee 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 thee to death with the sword.

9 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)

Now therefore hold him not guiltless, for thou art a wise man; and thou wilt know what thou oughtest to do unto him, and thou shalt bring his hoar head down to the grave with blood.' (Sheol h7585)

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

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

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

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

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

And Solomon sat upon the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was established firmly.

13 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.

Then Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bath-sheba the mother of Solomon. And she said: 'Comest thou peaceably?' And he said: 'Peaceably.'

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

He said moreover: 'I have somewhat to say unto thee.' And she said: 'Say on.'

15 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.

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

16 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,

And now I ask one petition of thee, deny me not.' And she said unto him: 'Say on.'

17 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.

And he said: 'Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king — for he will not say thee nay — that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife.'

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

And Bath-sheba said: 'Well; I will speak for thee unto the king.'

19 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.

Bath-sheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed down unto 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 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.

Then she said: 'I ask one small petition of thee; deny me not.' And the king said unto her: 'Ask on, my mother; for I will not deny thee.'

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

And she said: 'Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother to wife.'

22 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.

And king Solomon answered and said unto 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 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.

Then king Solomon swore by the LORD, saying: 'God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life.

24 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.

Now therefore as the LORD liveth, who hath established me, and set me on the throne of David my father, and who hath made me a house, as He promised, surely Adonijah shall be put to death this day.'

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

And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he fell upon him, so that he died.

26 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.

And unto Abiathar the priest said the king: 'Get thee to Anathoth, unto thine own fields; for thou art deserving of death; but I will not at this time put thee to death, because thou didst bear the ark of the Lord GOD before David my father, and because thou wast afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted.'

27 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.

So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto the LORD; that the word of the LORD might be fulfilled, which He spoke concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.

28 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.

And the tidings came to Joab; for Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he turned not after Absalom. And Joab fled unto the Tent of the LORD, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.

29 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.

And it was told king Solomon: 'Joab is fled unto the Tent of the LORD, and, behold, he is by the altar.' Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying: 'Go, fall upon him.'

30 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.

And Benaiah came to the Tent of the LORD, and said unto him: 'Thus saith the king: Come forth.' And he said: 'Nay; but I will die here.' And Benaiah brought back word unto the king, saying: 'Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.'

31 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.

And the king said unto him: 'Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him; that thou mayest take away the blood, which Joab shed without cause, from me and from my father's house.

32 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.

And the LORD will return his blood upon his own head, because he fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, and my father David knew it not: Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah.

33 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.

So shall their blood return upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed for ever; but unto David, and unto his seed, and unto his house, and unto his throne, shall there be peace for ever from the LORD.'

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

Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and slew him; and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.

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

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

36 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;

And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him: Build thee a house in Jerusalem, and dwell there, and go not forth thence any whither.

37 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.

For on the day thou goest out, and passest over the brook Kidron, know thou for certain that thou shalt surely die; thy blood shall be upon thine own head.'

38 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.

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

39 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.

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

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

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

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

42 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?

And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him: 'Did I not make thee to swear by the LORD, and forewarned thee, saying: Know for certain, that on the day thou goest out, and walkest abroad any whither, thou shalt surely die? and thou saidst unto me: The saying is good; I have heard it.

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

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

44 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.

The king said moreover to Shimei: 'Thou knowest all the wickedness which thy heart is privy to, that thou didst to David my father; therefore the LORD shall return thy wickedness upon thine own head.

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

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

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

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