Adonijah Sets Himself Up as King

1 When King David was very old, he could not keep warm even when they put covers over him. 2 So his attendants said to him, “Let us look for a young virgin to serve the king and take care of him. She can lie beside him so that our lord the king may keep warm.”

3 Then they searched throughout Israel for a beautiful young woman and found Abishag,a a Shunammite,b and brought her to the king. 4 The woman was very beautiful; she took care of the king and waited on him, but the king had no sexual relations with her.

5 Now Adonijah,c whose mother was Haggith, put himself forward and said, “I will be king.” So he got chariotsd and horsesa ready, with fifty men to run ahead of him. 6 (His father had never rebukede him by asking, “Why do you behave as you do?” He was also very handsome and was born next after Absalom.)

7 Adonijah conferred with Joabf son of Zeruiah and with Abiatharg the priest, and they gave him their support. 8 But Zadokh the priest, Benaiahi son of Jehoiada, Nathanj the prophet, Shimeik and Rei and David’s special guardl did not join Adonijah.

9 Adonijah then sacrificed sheep, cattle and fattened calves at the Stone of Zoheleth near En Rogel.m He invited all his brothers, the king’s sons,n and all the royal officials of Judah, 10 but he did not inviteo Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the special guard or his brother Solomon.p

11 Then Nathan asked Bathsheba,q Solomon’s mother, “Have you not heard that Adonijah,r the son of Haggith, has become king, and our lord David knows nothing about it? 12 Now then, let me advises you how you can save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. 13 Go in to King David and say to him, ‘My lord the king, did you not sweart to me your servant: “Surely Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’ 14 While you are still there talking to the king, I will come in and add my word to what you have said.”

15 So Bathsheba went to see the aged king in his room, where Abishagu the Shunammite was attending him. 16 Bathsheba bowed down, prostrating herself before the king.

“What is it you want?” the king asked.

17 She said to him, “My lord, you yourself sworev to me your servant by the Lord your God: ‘Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne.’ 18 But now Adonijah has become king, and you, my lord the king, do not know about it. 19 He has sacrificedw great numbers of cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and has invited all the king’s sons, Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of the army, but he has not invited Solomon your servant. 20 My lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, to learn from you who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 21 Otherwise, as soon as my lord the king is laid to restx with his ancestors, I and my son Solomon will be treated as criminals.”

22 While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived. 23 And the king was told, “Nathan the prophet is here.” So he went before the king and bowed with his face to the ground.

24 Nathan said, “Have you, my lord the king, declared that Adonijah shall be king after you, and that he will sit on your throne? 25 Today he has gone down and sacrificed great numbers of cattle, fattened calves, and sheep. He has invited all the king’s sons, the commanders of the army and Abiathar the priest. Right now they are eating and drinking with him and saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ 26 But me your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon he did not invite.y 27 Is this something my lord the king has done without letting his servants know who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”

David Makes Solomon King

1:28–53pp—1Ch 29:21–25

28 Then King David said, “Call in Bathsheba.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before him.

29 The king then took an oath: “As surely as the Lord lives, who has delivered me out of every trouble,z 30 I will surely carry out this very day what I sworea to you by the Lord, the God of Israel: Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne in my place.”

31 Then Bathsheba bowed down with her face to the ground, prostrating herself before the king, and said, “May my lord King David live forever!”

32 King David said, “Call in Zadokb the priest, Nathan the prophet and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” When they came before the king, 33 he said to them: “Take your lord’s servants with you and have Solomon my son mount my own mulec and take him down to Gihon.d 34 There have Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointe him king over Israel. Blow the trumpetf and shout, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ 35 Then you are to go up with him, and he is to come and sit on my throne and reign in my place. I have appointed him ruler over Israel and Judah.”

36 Benaiah son of Jehoiada answered the king, “Amen! May the Lord, the God of my lord the king, so declare it. 37 As the Lord was with my lord the king, so may he be withg Solomon to make his throne even greaterh than the throne of my lord King David!”

38 So Zadoki the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethitesj and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon mount King David’s mule, and they escorted him to Gihon.k 39 Zadok the priest took the horn of oill from the sacred tentm and anointed Solomon. Then they sounded the trumpetn and all the people shouted,o “Long live King Solomon!” 40 And all the people went up after him, playing pipesp and rejoicing greatly, so that the ground shook with the sound.

41 Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they were finishing their feast. On hearing the sound of the trumpet, Joab asked, “What’s the meaning of all the noise in the city?”q

42 Even as he was speaking, Jonathanr son of Abiathar the priest arrived. Adonijah said, “Come in. A worthy man like you must be bringing good news.”s

43 “Not at all!” Jonathan answered. “Our lord King David has made Solomon king. 44 The king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites and the Pelethites, and they have put him on the king’s mule, 45 and Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon. From there they have gone up cheering, and the city resoundst with it. That’s the noise you hear. 46 Moreover, Solomon has taken his seatu on the royal throne. 47 Also, the royal officials have come to congratulate our lord King David, saying, ‘May your God make Solomon’s name more famous than yours and his throne greaterv than yours!’ And the king bowed in worship on his bed 48 and said, ‘Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has allowed my eyes to see a successorw on my throne today.’ ”

49 At this, all Adonijah’s guests rose in alarm and dispersed. 50 But Adonijah, in fear of Solomon, went and took hold of the hornsx of the altar. 51 Then Solomon was told, “Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon and is clinging to the horns of the altar. He says, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.’ ”

52 Solomon replied, “If he shows himself to be worthy, not a hairy of his head will fall to the ground; but if evil is found in him, he will die.” 53 Then King Solomon sent men, and they brought him down from the altar. And Adonijah came and bowed down to King Solomon, and Solomon said, “Go to your home.”

David’s Charge to Solomon

2:10–12pp—1Ch 29:26–28

2 When the time drew near for David to die,z he gave a charge to Solomon his son.

2 “I am about to go the way of all the earth,”a he said. “So be strong,b act like a man, 3 and observec what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosperd in all you do and wherever you go 4 and that the Lord may keep his promisee to me: ‘If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfullyf before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’

5 “Now you yourself know what Joabg son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to the two commanders of Israel’s armies, Abnerh son of Ner and Amasai son of Jether. He killed them, shedding their blood in peacetime as if in battle, and with that blood he stained the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet. 6 Deal with him according to your wisdom,j but do not let his gray head go down to the grave in peace.

7 “But show kindnessk to the sons of Barzillail of Gilead and let them be among those who eat at your table.m They stood by me when I fled from your brother Absalom.

8 “And remember, you have with you Shimein son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, who called down bitter curses on me the day I went to Mahanaim.o When he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I sworep to him by the Lord: ‘I will not put you to death by the sword.’ 9 But now, do not consider him innocent. You are a man of wisdom;q you will know what to do to him. Bring his gray head down to the grave in blood.”

10 Then David rested with his ancestors and was buriedr in the City of David.s 11 He had reignedt forty years over Israel—seven years in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem. 12 So Solomon sat on the throneu of his father David, and his rule was firmly established.v

Solomon’s Throne Established

13 Now Adonijah,w the son of Haggith, went to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. Bathsheba asked him, “Do you come peacefully?”x

He answered, “Yes, peacefully.” 14 Then he added, “I have something to say to you.”

“You may say it,” she replied.

15 “As you know,” he said, “the kingdom was mine. All Israel looked to me as their king. But things changed, and the kingdom has gone to my brother; for it has come to him from the Lord. 16 Now I have one request to make of you. Do not refuse me.”

“You may make it,” she said.

17 So he continued, “Please ask King Solomon—he will …