1 Kings (3 Kings)

1 Kings (3 Kings)

¹King David had grown old and was advanced in years. They covered him with clothes, but he could not get warm. ²So David's servants said, "Let them search for a young virgin for our lord the king and bring her to the king. Let her lie with him and hold him close and keep him warm, so that our lord the king may be warm." ³So they searched for a beautiful girl throughout all the territory of Israel. They found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king. ⁴She stayed and served him, but the king did not have relations with her. ⁵Then Adonijah the son of Haggith rose up and said, "I will be king." He got himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run ahead of him. ⁶His father had never once restrained him or asked him, "Why are you doing this?" He was also very handsome and fine-looking, and he was born after Absalom. ⁷He made all his plans with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they followed Adonijah and supported him. ⁸But Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David's mighty men did not follow Adonijah. ⁹Adonijah sacrificed sheep, goats, and cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is near En-rogel. He invited all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the strong men of Judah who served the king. ¹⁰But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, or his brother Solomon. ¹¹Then Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, "Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king, and our lord David does not know it? ¹²Now come, let me give you some advice, so that you can save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. ¹³Go in to King David and say to him, 'My lord, did you not swear to your servant, "Your son Solomon will be king after me, and he will sit on my throne"? Then how is it that Adonijah has become king?' ¹⁴And while you are still speaking there with the king, I will come in after you and confirm your words." ¹⁵So Bathsheba went in to the king in his chamber. The king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was attending him. ¹⁶Bathsheba bowed low and fell down before the king. The king said, "What is it you want?" ¹⁷She said to him, "My lord the king, you swore to your servant by your God, saying, 'Your son Solomon will be king after me, and he will sit on my throne.' ¹⁸But now Adonijah has become king, and you, my lord the king, do not know it. ¹⁹He has sacrificed cattle, sheep, and goats in great numbers. He has invited all the king's sons, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army, but he did not invite your servant Solomon. ²⁰And as for you, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are waiting on you to tell them who will sit on your throne after you, my lord the king. ²¹Otherwise, when my lord the king lies down with his ancestors, my son Solomon and I will be treated as criminals." ²²While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in before the king. ²³He bowed down before the king with his face to the ground. ²⁴Nathan the prophet said, "My lord the king, did you say, 'Adonijah will be king after me, and he will sit on my throne'? ²⁵For today he has gone down and sacrificed cattle, sheep, and goats in great numbers. He has invited all the king's sons, the army commanders, and Abiathar the priest. Right now they are eating and drinking in his presence and saying, 'Long live King Adonijah!' ²⁶But me, your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon he did not invite. ²⁷Has my lord the king done this without telling your servant who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?" ²⁸Then King David answered, "Call Bathsheba." She came into the king's presence and stood before him. ²⁹The king swore an oath and said, "As the LORD lives, who has rescued my life from every trouble, ³⁰just as I swore to you by the LORD, the God of Israel, that your son Solomon would be king after me and sit on my throne in my place, so I will do this very day." ³¹Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground, paid homage to the king, and said, "May my lord King David live forever!" ³²King David said, "Call Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet for me." So they came before the king. ³³The king said to them, "Take your lord's servants with you. Have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon. ³⁴There let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel. Blow the horn and say, 'Long live King Solomon!' ³⁵Then come up after him, and let him come in and sit on my throne. He will reign in my place, for I have commanded that he rule over Israel and Judah." ³⁶Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, "Amen, let it be so. May the LORD confirm it for my lord the king. ³⁷Just as the LORD has been with my lord the king, so may he be with Solomon, and may he make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David." ³⁸So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and Pelethites went down. They had Solomon ride on King David's mule and took him to Gihon. ³⁹Zadok the priest took the horn of anointing oil from the tabernacle and anointed Solomon. They blew the horn, and all the people said, "Long live King Solomon!" ⁴⁰All the people went up after him, beating drums and playing harps. They rejoiced with great joy, so that the ground shook with their noise. ⁴¹Adonijah and all his guests heard it just as they finished their meal. When Joab heard the sound of the horn, he said, "What is this uproar in the city?" ⁴²While he was still speaking, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest arrived. Adonijah said to him, "Come in, for you are a worthy man and you bring good news." ⁴³Jonathan answered, "Our lord King David has made Solomon king. ⁴⁴The king sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and Pelethites, and they had him ride on the king's mule. ⁴⁵Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon. They came up from there rejoicing, and the city is in an uproar. That is the noise you have heard. ⁴⁶Solomon has taken his seat on the royal throne. ⁴⁷The king's servants have also come to congratulate our lord King David, saying, 'May the LORD make the name of Solomon your son even greater than your name, and may the LORD make his throne greater than your throne.' And the king bowed in worship on his bed. ⁴⁸The king also said this: 'Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who has today given one of my own offspring to sit on my throne while my own eyes see it.'" ⁴⁹Then all of Adonijah's guests got up and went off, each his own way. ⁵⁰Adonijah was afraid of Solomon. He got up, went, and took hold of the horns of the altar. ⁵¹Solomon was told, "Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon. He has taken hold of the horns of the altar and says, 'Let Solomon swear to me today that he will not kill me with the sword.'" ⁵²Solomon said, "If he proves to be a worthy man, not one hair of his head will fall to the ground. But if evil is found in him, he will die." ⁵³So King Solomon sent men, and they brought him down from the altar. He came and bowed down to Solomon, and Solomon said to him, "Go to your house."