David Picks Solomon as His Successor

1:28 King David responded,51 “Summon Bathsheba!”52 She came and stood before the king.53 1:29 The king swore an oath: “As certainly as the Lord lives (he who has rescued me54 from every danger), 1:30 I will keep55 today the oath I swore to you by the Lord God of Israel: ‘Surely Solomon your son will be king after me; he will sit in my place on my throne.’ ” 1:31 Bathsheba bowed down to the king with her face to the floor56 and said, “May my master, King David, live forever!”

1:32 King David said, “Summon Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet,57 and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” They came before the king, 1:33 and he58 told them, “Take your master’s59 servants with you, put my son Solomon on my mule, and lead him down to Gihon.60 1:34 There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet will anoint61 him king over Israel; then blow the trumpet and declare, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ 1:35 Then follow him up as he comes and sits on my throne. He will be king in my place; I have decreed62 that he will be ruler over Israel and Judah.” 1:36 Benaiah son of Jehoiada responded63 to the king: “So be it!64 May the Lord God of my master the king confirm it!65 1:37 As the Lord is with my master the king, so may he be with Solomon, and may he make him an even greater king than my master King David!”66

1:38 So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethites67 went down, put Solomon on King David’s mule, and led him to Gihon. 1:39 Zadok the priest took a horn filled with olive oil68 from the tent and poured it on69 Solomon; the trumpet was blown and all the people declared, “Long live King Solomon!” 1:40 All the people followed him up, playing flutes and celebrating so loudly they made the ground shake.70

1:41 Now Adonijah and all his guests heard the commotion just as they had finished eating.71 When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he asked, “Why is there such a noisy commotion in the city?”72 1:42 As he was still speaking, Jonathan73 son of Abiathar the priest arrived. Adonijah said, “Come in, for74 an important man like you must be bringing good news.”75 1:43 Jonathan replied76 to Adonijah: “No!77 Our master78 King David has made Solomon king. 1:44 The king sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethites and they put him on the king’s mule. 1:45 Then Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed79 him king in Gihon. They went up from there rejoicing, and the city is in an uproar. That is the sound you hear. 1:46 Furthermore, Solomon has assumed the royal throne.80 1:47 The king’s servants have even come to congratulate81 our master82 King David, saying, ‘May your God83 make Solomon more famous than you and make him an even greater king than you!’84 Then the king leaned85 on the bed 1:48 and said86 this: ‘The Lord God of Israel is worthy of praise because87 today he has placed a successor on my throne and allowed me to see it.’ ”88

1:49 All of Adonijah’s guests panicked;89 they jumped up and rushed off their separate ways. 1:50 Adonijah feared Solomon, so he got up and went and grabbed hold of the horns of the altar.90 1:51 Solomon was told, “Look, Adonijah fears you;91 see, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘May King Solomon solemnly promise92 me today that he will not kill his servant with the sword.’ ” 1:52 Solomon said, “If he is a loyal subject,93 not a hair of his head will be harmed, but if he is found to be a traitor,94 he will die.” 1:53 King Solomon sent men to bring him down95 from the altar. He came and bowed down to King Solomon, and Solomon told him, “Go home.”96