1 Kings 2:1–18

David’s Instructions for Solomon

2The days of David came near for him to die, and he charged Solomon his son, saying, ²“I am about to go the way of all the world. Be strong and be courageous.^{a 3}You shall keep the charge of Yahweh your God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, his commandments, his judgments, and his testimonies, as are written in the law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all that you do and everywhere you turn, ⁴so that Yahweh may establish his word which he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons take heed of their way, to walk before me in faithfulness, with all their heart and with all their soul, no man of yours will be cut off from the throne of Israel.’ ”

⁵“Moreover, you also know what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me when he dealt with the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to Abner son of Ner and to Amasa son of Jether, and he murdered them and put the blood of war in a time of peace. He put the blood of war on the leather belt that was on his waist and on the sandals which were on his feet. ⁶You must act according to your wisdom, but you must not let his gray hair go down to Sheol in peace. ⁷Regarding the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, you shall do loyal love and let them be among those who eat at your table, because they met me when I fled from Absalom your brother. ⁸And look, Shimei the son of Gera the son of the Benjaminite from Bahurim is with you. Now he cursed me severely^b when I went to Mahanaim, but he came down to meet me at the Jordan, so I swore to him by Yahweh, ‘I surely will not kill you with the sword.’ ⁹So then, do not leave him unpunished, for you are a wise man, and you will know what you must do to him. You must bring his grey hair down to Sheol with blood.”

¹⁰Then David slept with his ancestors^c and was buried in the city of David. ¹¹The days that David reigned over Israel were forty years; he reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. ¹²Then Solomon sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly established.

Adonijah’s Persistence

¹³Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, and she said, “Are you coming in peace?”^d He said, “Peace.” ¹⁴Then he said, “May I have a word with you?”^e Then she said, “Go on.” ¹⁵He said, “You know that the kingship was mine and that all Israel had set their face toward me as king, but the kingship turned around and became my brother’s, for it was from Yahweh for him to have it. ¹⁶Now one request I am asking from you, and you must not refuse me.”^f Then she said to him, “Go on.” ¹⁷He said, “Please speak to King Solomon, for he will not refuse you, so that he will give to me Abishag the Shunnamite as wife.” ¹⁸Then Bathsheba said, “Very well, I will speak to the king concerning you.”