³⁸So the priest Zadok and the prophet Nathan left the palace. Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, went with them. So did the Kerethites and Pelethites. They put Solomon on King David’s mule. And they brought him down to the Gihon spring.

³⁹The priest Zadok had gotten an animal horn that was filled with olive oil. He had taken it from the sacred tent. He anointed Solomon with the oil. The trumpet was blown. All of the people shouted, “May King Solomon live a long time!”

⁴⁰Then they went up toward the city. Solomon was leading the way. The people were playing flutes. They were filled with great joy. The ground shook because of all of the noise.

⁴¹Adonijah and all of his guests heard it. They were just finishing their meal. Joab heard the sound of the trumpet. So he asked, “What does all of that noise in the city mean?”

⁴²While Joab was still speaking, Jonathan arrived. Jonathan was the son of the priest Abiathar. Adonijah said, “Come in. I have respect for you. You must be bringing good news.”

⁴³“No! I’m not!” Jonathan answered. “Our master King David has made Solomon king. ⁴⁴David sent the priest Zadok and the prophet Nathan along with Solomon. He also sent Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, with him. He sent the Kerethites and Pelethites with him too. They put him on the king’s mule. ⁴⁵They took him down to the Gihon spring. There the priest Zadok and the prophet Nathan anointed him as king. Now they’ve gone back up to the city. They were cheering all the way. The city is filled with the sound of it. That’s the noise you hear.

⁴⁶“And that’s not all. Solomon has taken his seat on the royal throne. ⁴⁷The royal officials came to give their blessing to our master King David. They said, ‘May your God make Solomon’s name more famous than yours! May he make Solomon’s kingdom greater than yours!’

“While King David was sitting on his bed, he bowed in worship. ⁴⁸He said, ‘I praise the Lord. He is the God of Israel. He has let me live to see my son sitting on my throne today as the next king.’ ”

⁴⁹When all of Adonijah’s guests heard that, they were terrified. So they got up and scattered.

⁵⁰Adonijah was afraid of what Solomon might do to him. So he went and grabbed hold of the horns that stuck out from the upper corners of the altar for burnt offerings.

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