1 Kings 2:13–25

Adonijah’s Foolish Request

¹³Now Adonijah son of Haggith ^vcame to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. She asked, “Do you come peacefully?”

“Peacefully,” he replied, ^w14and then asked, “May I talk with you?” ^x

“Go ahead,” she answered.

¹⁵“You know the kingship was mine,” ^yhe said. “All Israel expected me to be king, but then the kingship was turned over to my brother, ^zfor the Lord gave it to him. ^a16So now I have just one request of you; don’t turn me down.” ^b

She said to him, “Go on.”

¹⁷He replied, “Please speak to King Solomon since he won’t turn you down. Let him give me Abishag the Shunammite ^cas a wife.”

¹⁸“Very well,” Bathsheba replied. “I will speak to the king for you.”

¹⁹So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him about Adonijah. The king stood up to greet her, bowed to her, sat down on his throne, and had a throne placed for the king’s mother. ^dSo she sat down at his right hand. ^e

²⁰Then she said, “I have just one small request of you. Don’t turn me down.”

“Go ahead and ask, mother,” the king replied, “for I won’t turn you down.”

²¹So she said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to your brother Adonijah as a wife.”

²²King Solomon answered his mother, “Why are you requesting Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Since he is my elder brother, ^fyou might as well ask the kingship for him, ^gfor Abiathar the priest, and for Joab son of Zeruiah.” ^hi23Then Solomon took an oath by the Lord: “May God punish me and do so severely ^jif Adonijah has not made this request at the cost of his life. ²⁴And now, as the Lord lives, the One who established me, seated me on the throne of my father David, and made me a dynasty as He promised ^k—I swear Adonijah will be put to death today!” ²⁵Then King Solomon gave the order to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, ^lwho struck down Adonijah, and he died.