1 Kings 1

1 And king David [is] old, entering into days, and they cover him with garments, and he hath no heat,

Now king David was old, and advanced in years: and when he was covered with clothes, he was not warm.

2 and his servants say to him, 'Let them seek for my lord the king a young woman, a virgin, and she hath stood before the king, and is to him a companion, and hath lain in thy bosom, and my lord the king hath heat.'

His servants therefore said to him: Let us seek for our lord the king, a young virgin, and let her stand before the king, and cherish him, and sleep in his bosom, and warm our lord the king.

3 And they seek a fair young woman in all the border of Israel, and find Abishag the Shunammite, and bring her in to the king,

So they sought a beautiful young woman in all the coasts of Israel, and they found Abisag a Sunamitess, and brought her to the king.

4 and the young woman [is] very very fair, and she is to the king a companion, and serveth him, and the king hath not known her.

And the damsel was exceeding beautiful, and she slept with the king: and served him, but the king did not know her.

5 And Adonijah son of Haggith is lifting himself up, saying, 'I do reign;' and he prepareth for himself a chariot and horsemen, and fifty men running before him,

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

6 and his father hath not grieved him [all] his days, saying, 'Wherefore thus hast thou done?' and he also [is] of a very good form, and [his mother] bare him after Absalom.

Neither did his father rebuke him at any time, saying: Why hast thou done this? And he also was very beautiful, the next in birth after Absalom.

7 And his words are with Joab son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest, and they help after Adonijah;

And he conferred with Joab the son of Sarvia, and with Abiathar the priest, who furthered Adonias’s side.

8 and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty ones whom David hath, have not been with Adonijah.

But Sadoc the priest, and Banaias the son of Joiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Semei, and Rei, and the strength of David’s army was not with Adonias.

9 And Adonijah sacrificeth sheep and oxen and fatlings near the stone of Zoheleth, that [is] by En-Rogel, and calleth all his brethren, sons of the king, and for all the men of Judah, servants of the king;

And Adonias having slain rams and calves, and all fat cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which was near the fountain Rogel, invited all his brethren the king’s sons, and all the men of Juda, the king’s servants:

10 and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty ones, and Solomon his brother, he hath not called.

But Nathan the prophet, and Banaias, and all the valiant men, and Solomon his brother, he invited not.

11 And Nathan speaketh unto Bath-Sheba, mother of Solomon, saying, 'Hast thou not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith hath reigned, and our lord David hath not known?

And Nathan said to Bethsabee the mother of Solomon: Hast thou not heard that Adonias the son of Haggith reigneth, and our lord David knoweth it not?

12 and now, come, let me counsel thee, I pray thee, and deliver thy life, and the life of thy son Solomon;

Now then come, take my counsel and save thy life, and the life of thy son Solomon.

13 go and enter in unto king David, and thou hast said unto him, Hast thou not, my lord, O king, sworn to thy handmaid, saying, Surely Solomon thy son doth reign after me, and he doth sit on my throne? and wherefore hath Adonijah reigned?

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

14 Lo, thou are yet speaking there with the king, and I come in after thee, and have completed thy words.'

And while thou art yet speaking there with the king, I will come in after thee, and will fill up thy words.

15 And Bath-Sheba cometh in unto the king, to the inner chamber, and the king [is] very aged, and Abishag the Shunammite is serving the king:

So Bethsabee went in to the king into the chamber: now the king was very old, and Abisag the Sunamitess ministered to him.

16 and Bath-Sheba boweth and doth obeisance to the king, and the king saith, 'What — to thee?'

Bethsabee bowed herself, and worshipped the king. And the king said to her: What is thy will?

17 And she saith to him, 'My lord, thou hast sworn by Jehovah thy God to thy handmaid: Surely Solomon thy son doth reign after me, and he doth sit on my throne;

She answered and said: My lord, thou didst swear to thy handmaid by the Lord thy God, saying: Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.

18 and now, lo, Adonijah hath reigned, and now, my lord, O king, thou hast not known;

And behold now Adonias reigneth, and thou, my lord the king, knowest nothing of it.

19 and he sacrificeth ox, and fatling, and sheep in abundance, and calleth for all the sons of the king, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab head of the host — and for Solomon thy servant he hath not called.

He hath killed oxen, and all fat cattle, and many rams, and invited all the king’s sons, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the general of the army: but Solomon thy servant he invited not.

20 And thou, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel [are] on thee, to declare to them who doth sit on the throne of my lord the king after him;

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

21 and it hath been, when my lord the king lieth with his fathers, that I have been, I and my son Solomon — [reckoned] sinners.'

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

22 And lo, she is yet speaking with the king, and Nathan the prophet hath come in;

As she was yet speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came.

23 and they declare to the king, saying, 'Lo, Nathan the prophet;' and he cometh in before the king, and boweth himself to the king, on his face to the earth.

And they told the king, saying: Nathan the prophet is here. And when he was come in before the king, and had worshipped, bowing down to the ground,

24 And Nathan saith, 'My lord, O king, thou hast said, Adonijah doth reign after me, and he doth sit on my throne;

Nathan said: My lord O king, hast thou said: Let Adonias reign after me, and let him sit upon my throne?

25 for he hath gone down to-day, and doth sacrifice ox, and fatling, and sheep, in abundance, and calleth for all the sons of the king, and for the heads of the host, and for Abiathar the priest, and lo, they are eating and drinking before him, and they say, Let king Adonijah live!

Because he is gone down today, and hath killed oxen, and fatlings, and many rams, and invited all the king’s sons, and the captains of the army, and Abiathar the priest: and they are eating and drinking before him, and saying: God save king Adonias:

26 'And for me — me, thy servant, and for Zadok the priest, and for Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, and for Solomon thy servant, he hath not called;

But me thy servant, and Sadoc the priest, and Banaias the son of Joiada, and Solomon thy servant he hath not invited.

27 if from my lord the king this thing hath been, then thou hast not caused thy servant to know who doth sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.'

Is this word come out from my lord the king, and hast thou not told me thy servant who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?

28 And king David answereth and saith, 'Call for me for Bath-Sheba;' and she cometh in before the king, and standeth before the king.

And king David answered and said: Call to me Bethsabee. And when she was come in to the king, and stood before him,

29 And the king sweareth and saith, 'Jehovah liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity;

The king swore and said: As the Lord liveth, who hath delivered my soul out of all distress,

30 surely as I sware to thee by Jehovah, God of Israel, saying, Surely Solomon thy son doth reign after me, and he doth sit on my throne in my stead; surely so I do this day.'

Even as I swore to thee by the Lord the God of Israel, saying: Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead, so will I do this day.

31 And Bath-Sheba boweth — face to the earth — and doth obeisance to the king, and saith, 'Let my lord, king David, live to the age.'

And Bethsabee bowing with her face to the earth worshipped the king, saying: May my lord David live for ever.

32 And king David saith, 'Call for me for Zadok the priest, and for Nathan the prophet, and for Benaiah son of Jehoiada;' and they come in before the king.

King David also said: Call me Sadoc the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Banaias the son of Joiada. And when they were come in before the king,

33 And the king saith to them, 'Take with you the servants of your lord, and ye have caused Solomon my son to ride on mine own mule, and caused him to go down unto Gihon,

He said to them: Take with you the servants of your lord, and set my son Solomon upon my mule: and bring him to Gihon.

34 and anointed him there hath Zadok the priest — and Nathan the prophet — for king over Israel, and ye have blown with a trumpet, and said, Let king Solomon live;

And let Sadoc the priest, and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and you shall sound the trumpet, and shall say: God save king Solomon.

35 and ye have come up after him, and he hath come in and hath sat on my throne, and he doth reign in my stead, and him I have appointed to be leader over Israel, and over Judah.'

And you shall come up after him, and he shall come, and shall sit upon my throne, and he shall reign in my stead: and I will appoint him to be ruler over Israel, and over Juda.

36 And Benaiah son of Jehoiada answereth the king, and saith, 'Amen! so doth Jehovah, God of my lord the king, say;

And Banaias the son of Joiada answered the king, saying: Amen: so say the Lord the God of my lord the king.

37 as Jehovah hath been with my lord the king, so is He with Solomon, and doth make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David.'

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

38 And Zadok the priest goeth down, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethite, and the Pelethite, and they cause Solomon to ride on the mule of king David, and cause him to go unto Gihon,

So Sadoc the priest, and Nathan the prophet went down, and Banaias the son of Joiada, and the Cerethi, and Phelethi: and they set Solomon upon the mule of king David, and brought him to Gihon.

39 and Zadok the priest taketh the horn of oil out of the tent, and anointeth Solomon, and they blow with a trumpet, and all the people say, 'Let king Solomon live.'

And Sadoc the priest took a horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon: and they sounded the trumpet, and all the people said: God save king Solomon.

40 And all the people come up after him, and the people are piping with pipes, and rejoicing — great joy, and the earth rendeth with their voice.

And all the multitude went up after him, and the people played with pipes, and rejoiced with a great joy, and the earth rang with the noise of their cry.

41 And Adonijah heareth, and all those called, who [are] with him, and they have finished to eat, and Joab heareth the noise of the trumpet, and saith, 'Wherefore [is] the noise of the city roaring?'

And Adonias, and all that were invited by him, heard it, and now the feast was at an end: Joab also hearing the sound of the trumpet, said: What meaneth this noise of the city in an uproar?

42 He is yet speaking, and lo, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest hath come in, and Adonijah saith, 'Come in, for a man of valour thou [art], and thou bearest good tidings.'

While he yet spoke, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came: and Adonias said to him: Come in, because thou art a valiant man, and bringest good news.

43 And Jonathan answereth and saith to Adonijah, 'Verily our lord king David hath caused Solomon to reign,

And Jonathan answered Adonias: Not so: for our lord king David hath appointed Solomon king.

44 and the king sendeth with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethite, and the Pelethite, and they cause him to ride on the king's mule,

And hath sent with him Sadoc the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Banaias the son of Joiada, and the Cerethi, and Phelethi, and they have set him upon the king’s mule.

45 and they anoint him — Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet — for king in Gihon, and are come up thence rejoicing, and the city is moved; it [is] the noise that ye have heard.

And Sadoc the priest, and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon: and they are gone up from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang again: this is the noise that you have heard.

46 'And also Solomon hath sat on the throne of the kingdom,

Moreover Solomon sitteth upon the throne of the kingdom,

47 and also the servants of the king have come into bless our lord king David, saying, Thy God doth make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and his throne greater than thy throne; and the king boweth himself on the bed,

And the king’s servants going in have blessed our lord king David, saying: May God make the name of Solomon greater than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne. And the king adored in his bed:

48 and also thus hath the king said, Blessed [is] Jehovah, God of Israel, who hath given to-day [one] sitting on my throne, and mine eyes seeing.'

And he said: Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel, who hath given this day one to sit on my throne, my eyes seeing it.

49 And they tremble, and rise — all those called who [are] for Adonijah — and go, each on his way;

Then all the guests of Adonias were afraid, and they all arose and every man went his way.

50 and Adonijah feareth because of Solomon, and riseth, and goeth, and layeth hold on the horns of the altar.

And Adonias fearing Solomon, arose, and went, and took hold on the horn of the altar.

51 And it is declared to Solomon, saying, 'Lo, Adonijah feareth king Solomon, and lo, he hath laid hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear to me as to-day — he doth not put to death his servant by the sword.'

And they told Solomon, saying: Behold Adonias, fearing king Solomon, hath taken hold of the horn of the altar, saying: Let king Solomon swear to me this day, that he will not kill his servant with the sword.

52 And Solomon saith, 'If he becometh a virtuous man — there doth not fall of his hair to the earth, and if evil is found in him — then he hath died.'

And Solomon said: If he be a good man, there shall not so much as one hair of his head fall to the ground: but if evil be found in him, he shall die.

53 And king Solomon sendeth, and they bring him down from off the altar, and he cometh in and boweth himself to king Solomon, and Solomon saith to him, 'Go to thy house.'

Then king Solomon sent, and brought him out from the altar: and going in he worshipped king Solomon: and Solomon said to him: Go to thy house.