1 Kings 2:13–25

Solomon Consolidates His Reign

¹³Then Adonijah son of Haggith came to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. She asked, “Do you come peaceably?” He said, “Peaceably.”^{* 14}Then he said, “May I have a word with you?” She said, “Go on.” ¹⁵He said, “You know that the kingdom was mine and that all Israel expected me to reign; however, the kingdom has turned about and become my brother’s, for it was his from the Lord.^{* 16}And now I have one request to make of you; do not refuse me.” She said to him, “Go on.” ¹⁷He said, “Please ask King Solomon—he will not refuse you—to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.”^{* 18}Bathsheba said, “Very well; I will speak to the king on your behalf.”

¹⁹So Bathsheba went to King Solomon, to speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. The king rose to meet her and bowed down to her; then he sat on his throne and had a throne brought for the king’s mother, and she sat on his right.^{* 20}Then she said, “I have one small request to make of you; do not refuse me.” And the king said to her, “Make your request, my mother, for I will not refuse you.”^{* 21}She said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to your brother Adonijah as his wife.”^{* 22}King Solomon answered his mother, “And why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom as well! For he is my elder brother, and the priest Abiathar and Joab son of Zeruiah are on his side!”^{* 23}Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, “So may God do to me, and more also, for Adonijah has devised this scheme at the risk of his life!^{* 24}Now therefore as the Lord lives, who has established me and placed me on the throne of my father David and who has made me a house as he promised, today Adonijah shall be put to death.”^{* 25}So King Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he struck him down, and he died.