⁵Adonijah was the son of David and his wife Haggith. He came forward and announced, “I’m going to be the next king.” So he got chariots and horses ready. He also got 50 men to run in front of him.

⁶His father had never tried to stop him from doing what he wanted to. His father had never asked him, “Why are you acting the way you do?”

Adonijah was also very handsome. Now that Absalom was dead, Adonijah was David’s oldest son.

⁷Adonijah talked things over with Joab, the son of Zeruiah. He also talked with the priest Abiathar. They agreed to help him.

⁸But the priest Zadok and Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, didn’t join Adonijah. The prophet Nathan didn’t join him. Shimei and Rei didn’t join him. And neither did David’s special guard.

⁹Adonijah sacrificed sheep, cattle and fat calves. He sacrificed them at the Stone of Zoheleth near En Rogel. He invited all of his brothers, the king’s sons, and all of the men of Judah who were royal officials.

¹⁰But he didn’t invite Benaiah or the prophet Nathan. He didn’t invite the special guard or his brother Solomon either.

¹¹Nathan spoke to Solomon’s mother Bathsheba. He asked, “Haven’t you heard? Adonijah, the son of Haggith, has made himself king. And King David doesn’t even know about it.

¹²“So let me tell you what to do to save your life. It will also save the life of your son Solomon. ¹³Go in and see King David. Say to him, ‘You are my king and master. You took an oath. You promised me, “You can be sure that your son Solomon will be king after me. He will sit on my throne.” If that’s really true, why has Adonijah become king?’

¹⁴“While you are still talking to the king, I’ll come in. I’ll tell him that what you have said is true.”

¹⁵So Bathsheba went to see the old king in his room. Abishag, the Shunammite, was taking care of him there. ¹⁶Bathsheba bowed low. She got down on her knees in front of the king.

“What do you want?” the king asked.

¹⁷She said to him, “My master, you took an oath in the name of the Lord your God. You promised me, ‘Your son Solomon will be king after me. He will sit on my throne.’

¹⁸“But now Adonijah has made himself king. And you don’t even know about it. ¹⁹He has sacrificed large numbers of cattle, fat calves and sheep. He has invited all of the king’s sons. He has also invited the priest Abiathar and Joab, the commander of the army. But he hasn’t invited your son Solomon.

²⁰“You are my king and master. All of the people of Israel are watching to see what you will do. They want to find out from you who will sit on the throne after you. ²¹If you don’t do something, I and my son Solomon will be treated like people who have committed crimes. That will happen as soon as you join the members of your family who have already died.”

²²While she was still speaking with the king, the prophet Nathan arrived. ²³The king was told, “The prophet Nathan is here.” So Nathan went to the king. He bowed down with his face toward the ground.

²⁴Nathan said, “You are my king and master. Have you announced that Adonijah will be king after you? Have you said he will sit on your throne? ²⁵Today he has gone down outside the city. He has sacrificed large numbers of cattle, fat calves and sheep. He has invited all of the king’s sons. He has also invited the commanders of the army and the priest Abiathar. Even now they are eating and drinking with him. They are saying, ‘May King Adonijah live a long time!’

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