1 Kings 1:5–25

Adonijah’s Bid for Power

⁵Adonijah son of Haggith ^jkept exalting himself, saying, “I will be king!” He prepared chariots, cavalry, and 50 men to run ahead of him. ^kl6But his father had never once reprimanded ^mnhim by saying, “Why do you act this way?” ^oIn addition, he was quite handsome ^pand was born after Absalom. ^q7He conspired ^rwith Joab son of Zeruiah ^sand with Abiathar the priest. ^tThey supported ^uAdonijah, ⁸but Zadok the priest, ^vBenaiah son of Jehoiada, ^wNathan the prophet, ^xShimei, ^yRei, and David’s warriors ^zdid not side with Adonijah.

⁹Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fattened cattle near the stone of Zoheleth, which is next to En-rogel. ^aHe invited all his royal brothers and all the men of Judah, the servants of the king, ^b10but he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the warriors, or his brother Solomon. ^c

Nathan’s and Bathsheba’s Appeals

¹¹Then Nathan ^dsaid to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, ^e“Have you not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has become king ^fand our lord David does not know it? ^g12Now please come and let me advise ^hyou. Save your life and the life of your son Solomon. ⁱ¹³Go, approach King David and say to him, ‘My lord the king, did you not swear to your servant: Your son Solomon is to become king after me, and he is the one who is to sit on my throne? ^jSo why has Adonijah become king?’ ¹⁴At that moment, while you are still there speaking with the king, I’ll come in after you and confirm your words.” ^k

¹⁵So Bathsheba went to the king in his bedroom. Since the king was very old, Abishag the Shunammite was serving him. ^l16Bathsheba bowed down and paid homage to the king, and he asked, “What do you want?”

¹⁷She replied, “My lord, you swore to your servant by the Lord your God, ‘Your son Solomon is to become king after me, and he is the one who is to sit on my throne.’ ¹⁸Now look, Adonijah has become king. And, ^mmy lord the king, you didn’t know it. ¹⁹He has lavishly sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep. He invited all the king’s sons, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army, but he did not invite your servant Solomon. ²⁰Now, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you to tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. ²¹Otherwise, when my lord the king rests with his fathers, ⁿI and my son Solomon will be regarded as criminals.” ^o

²²At that moment, while she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived, ^p23and it was announced to the king, “Nathan the prophet is here.” He came into the king’s presence and bowed to him with his face to the ground.

²⁴“My lord the king,” Nathan said, “did you say, ‘Adonijah is to become king after me, and he is the one who is to sit on my throne’? ²⁵For today he went down and lavishly sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep. He invited all the sons of the king, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest. And look! They’re eating and drinking in his presence, and they’re saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’