1 Kings 2:13–25

Solomon’s Reign Established

¹³Then Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, ^l“Do you come peacefully?” He said, “Peacefully.” ¹⁴Then he said, “I have something to say to you.” She said, “Speak.” ¹⁵He said, “You know that ^mthe kingdom was mine, and that all Israel fully expected me to reign. However, the kingdom has turned about and become my brother’s, ⁿfor it was his from the Lord. ¹⁶And now I have one request to make of you; do not refuse me.” She said to him, “Speak.” ¹⁷And he said, “Please ask King Solomon—he will not refuse you—to give me ^oAbishag the Shunammite as my wife.” ¹⁸Bathsheba said, “Very well; I will speak for you to the king.”

¹⁹So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. And the king rose to meet her and bowed down to her. Then he sat on his throne and had a seat brought for the king’s mother, ^pand she sat on his right. ²⁰Then she said, “I have one small request to make of you; do not refuse me.” And the king said to her, “Make your request, my mother, for I will not refuse you.” ²¹She said, “Let ^oAbishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as his wife.” ²²King Solomon answered his mother, “And why do you ask ^oAbishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also, ^qfor he is my older brother, and on his side ^rare Abiathar⁶ the priest and Joab the son of Zeruiah.” ²³Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, ^s“God do so to me and more also if this word does not cost Adonijah his life! ²⁴Now therefore ^tas the Lord lives, who has established me and placed me on the throne of David my father, and who has made me a house, ^uas he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death today.” ²⁵So King Solomon sent ^vBenaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he struck him down, and he died.