1 Kings 2:1–18

David’s Last Instructions to Solomon

2When David was about to die, he called his son Solomon and gave him his last instructions: ²“My time to die has come. Be confident and determined, ³and do what the Lord your God orders you to do. Obey all his laws and commands, as written in the Law of Moses, so that wherever you go you may prosper in everything you do. ⁴If you obey him, the Lord will keep the promise he made when he told me that my descendants would rule Israel as long as they were careful to obey his commands faithfully with all their heart and soul.

^5*“There is something else. You remember what Joab did to me by killing the two commanders of Israel’s armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. You remember how he murdered them in time of peace in revenge for deaths they had caused in time of war. He killed innocent men^c and now I bear the responsibility for what he did, and I suffer^d the consequences. ⁶You know what to do; you must not let him die a natural death. ^7*“But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai from Gilead and take care of them, because they were kind to me when I was fleeing from your brother Absalom.

^8*“There is also Shimei son of Gera, from the town of Bahurim in Benjamin. He cursed me bitterly the day I went to Mahanaim, but when he met me at the River Jordan, I gave him my solemn promise in the name of the Lord that I would not have him killed. ⁹But you must not let him go unpunished. You know what to do, and you must see to it that he is put to death.”

The Death of David

¹⁰David died and was buried in David’s City. ^11*He had been king of Israel for 40 years, ruling seven years in Hebron and 33 years in Jerusalem. ^12*Solomon succeeded his father David as king, and his royal power was firmly established.

The Death of Adonijah

¹³Then Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, went to Bathsheba, who was Solomon’s mother. “Is this a friendly visit?” she asked. “It is,” he answered, ¹⁴and then he added, “I have something to ask of you.”

“What is it?” she asked.

¹⁵He answered, “You know that I should have become king and that everyone in Israel expected it. But it happened differently, and my brother became king, because it was the Lord’s will. ¹⁶And now I have one request to make; please do not refuse me.”

“What is it?” Bathsheba asked.

^17*He answered, “Please ask King Solomon—I know he won’t refuse you—to let me have Abishag, the woman from Shunem, as my wife.”

¹⁸“Very well,” she answered. “I will speak to the king for you.”