¹⁵He said, “You know the kingship was mine. All Israel expected me to be their king. But the kingship has been turned over to my brother because the Lord gave it to him. ¹⁶Now I want to ask you for one thing. Don’t refuse me.”

“What is it?” she asked.

¹⁷He said, “Please ask King Solomon to give me Abishag from Shunem as my wife. He will not refuse you.”

¹⁸“Very well,” Bathsheba answered. “I will talk to the king for you.”

¹⁹Bathsheba went to King Solomon to talk to him on Adonijah’s behalf. The king got up to meet her and bowed down in front of her. Then he sat on his throne. He had a throne brought for his mother, and she sat at his right side.

²⁰“I’m asking you for one little thing,” she said. “Don’t refuse me.”

“Ask, Mother,” the king told her. “I won’t refuse you.”

²¹She replied, “Let Abishag from Shunem be given to your brother Adonijah as his wife.”

²²King Solomon then said, “Why do you ask that Abishag from Shunem be given to Adonijah? That would be the same as giving him the kingship. After all, he is my older brother. The priest Abiathar and Joab (Zeruiah’s son) are supporting him.”

²³King Solomon took an oath by the Lord and said, “May God strike me dead if Adonijah doesn’t pay with his life for this request! ²⁴The Lord set me on my father David’s throne and gave me a dynasty as he promised. So I solemnly swear, as the Lord who has established me lives, that Adonijah will be put to death today.” ²⁵King Solomon gave this task to Benaiah, son of Jehoiada. Benaiah attacked and killed Adonijah.

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