1 Kings 2
2
David’s Final Words to Solomon
1 When David was close to death,#tn Heb “and the days of David approached to die.” he told#tn Or “commanded.” Solomon his son: 2 “I am about to die.#tn Heb “going the way of all the earth.” Be strong and become a man! 3 Do the job the Lord your God has assigned you#tn Heb “keep the charge of the Lord your God.” by following his instructions#tn Heb “by walking in his ways.” and obeying#tn Or “keeping.” his rules, commandments, regulations, and laws as written in the law of Moses. Then you will succeed in all you do and seek to accomplish,#tn Heb “then you will cause to succeed all which you do and all which you turn there.” 4 and the Lord will fulfill his promise to me,#tn Heb “then the Lord will establish his word which he spoke to me, saying.” ‘If your descendants watch their step#tn Heb “guard their way.” and live faithfully in my presence#tn Heb “by walking before me in faithfulness.” with all their heart and being,#tn Or “soul.” then,’ he promised,#tn Heb “saying.” ‘you will not fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’#tn Heb “there will not be cut off from you a man from upon the throne of Israel.”
5 “You know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me – how he murdered two commanders of the Israelite armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether.#tn Heb “what he did to the two commanders…and he killed them.” During peacetime he struck them down like he would in battle;#tn Heb “he shed the blood of battle in peace.” when he shed their blood as if in battle, he stained his own belt and the sandals on his feet.#tn Heb “and he shed the blood of battle when he killed which is on his waist and on his sandal[s] which are on his feet.” That is, he covered himself with guilt and his guilt was obvious to all who saw him. 6 Do to him what you think is appropriate,#tn Heb “according to your wisdom.” but don’t let him live long and die a peaceful death.#tn Heb “and do not bring down his grey hair in peace [to] Sheol.”
7 “Treat fairly#tn Heb “do loyalty with”; or “act faithfully toward.” the sons of Barzillai of Gilead and provide for their needs,#tn Heb “and let them be among the ones who eat [at] your table.” because they helped me#tn Heb “drew near to.” when I had to flee from your brother Absalom.
8 “Note well, you still have to contend with Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim,#tn Heb “Look, with you is Shimei….” who tried to call down upon me a horrible judgment when I went to Mahanaim.#tn Heb “and he cursed me with a horrible curse on the day I went to Mahanaim.” He came down and met me at the Jordan, and I solemnly promised#tn Or “swore an oath to.” him by the Lord, ‘I will not strike you down#tn Heb “kill you.” with the sword.’ 9 But now#tc The Lucianic recension of the Old Greek and the Vulgate have here “you” rather than “now.” The two words are homonyms in Hebrew. don’t treat him as if he were innocent. You are a wise man and you know how to handle him;#tn Heb “what you should do to him.” make sure he has a bloody death.”#tn Heb “bring his grey hair down in blood [to] Sheol.”
10 Then David passed away#tn Heb “and David lay down with his fathers.” and was buried in the city of David.#sn The phrase the city of David refers here to the fortress of Zion in Jerusalem, not to Bethlehem. See 2 Sam 5:7. 11 David reigned over Israel forty years; he reigned in Hebron seven years, and in Jerusalem#map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4. thirty-three years.
Solomon Secures the Throne
12 Solomon sat on his father David’s throne, and his royal authority#tn Or “kingship.” was firmly solidified.
13 Haggith’s son Adonijah visited Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. She asked, “Do you come in peace?” He answered, “Yes.”#tn Heb “[in] peace.” 14 He added,#tn Heb “and he said.” “I have something to say to you.” She replied, “Speak.” 15 He said, “You know that the kingdom#tn Or “kingship.” was mine and all Israel considered me king.#tn Heb “set their face to me to be king.” But then the kingdom was given to my brother, for the Lord decided it should be his.#tn Heb “and the kingdom turned about and became my brother’s, for from the Lord it became his.” 16 Now I’d like to ask you for just one thing. Please don’t refuse me.”#tn Heb “Do not turn back my face.” She said, “Go ahead and ask.”#tn Heb “She said, ‘Speak!’” 17 He said, “Please ask King Solomon if he would give me Abishag the Shunammite as a wife, for he won’t refuse you.”#tn Heb “Say to Solomon the king, for he will not turn back your face, that he might give to me Abishag the Shunammite for a wife.” 18 Bathsheba replied, “That’s fine,#tn Heb “[It is] good!” I’ll speak to the king on your behalf.”
19 So Bathsheba visited King Solomon to speak to him on Adonijah’s behalf. The king got up to greet#tn Or “meet.” her, bowed to her, and then sat on his throne. He ordered a throne to be brought for the king’s mother,#tn Heb “he set up a throne for the mother of the king.” and she sat at his right hand. 20 She said, “I would like to ask you for just one small favor.#tn Or “I’d like to make just one request of you.” Please don’t refuse me.”#tn Heb “Do not turn back my face.” He said,#tn Heb “and the king said to her.” “Go ahead and ask, my mother, for I would not refuse you.” 21 She said, “Allow Abishag the Shunammite to be given to your brother Adonijah as a wife.” 22 King Solomon answered his mother, “Why just request Abishag the Shunammite for him?#tn Heb “for Adonijah.” Since he is my older brother, you should also request the kingdom for him, for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab son of Zeruiah!”
23 King Solomon then swore an oath by the Lord, “May God judge me severely,#tn Heb “So may God do to me, and so may he add.” if Adonijah does not pay for this request with his life!#tn Heb “if with his life Adonijah has not spoken this word.” 24 Now, as certainly as the Lord lives (he who made me secure, allowed me to sit on my father David’s throne, and established a dynasty#tn Heb “house.” for me as he promised), Adonijah will be executed today!” 25 King Solomon then sent#tn The Hebrew text adds, “by the hand of.” Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he killed Adonijah.#tn Heb “and he struck him and he died.”
26 The king then told Abiathar the priest, “Go back to your property#tn Or “field.” in Anathoth. You deserve to die,#tn Heb “you are a man of death.” but today I will not kill you because you did carry the ark of the sovereign Lord before my father David and you suffered with my father through all his difficult times.”#tn Heb “and because you suffered through all which my father suffered.” 27 Solomon dismissed Abiathar from his position as priest of the Lord,#tn Heb “Solomon drove out Abiathar from being a priest to the Lord.” fulfilling the decree of judgment the Lord made in Shiloh against the family of Eli.#tn Heb “fulfilling the word of the Lord which he spoke against the house of Eli in Shiloh.”
28 When the news reached Joab (for Joab had supported#tn Heb “turned after” (also later in this verse). Adonijah, although he had not supported Absalom), he#tn Heb “Joab.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons. ran to the tent of the Lord and grabbed hold of the horns of the altar.#sn Grabbed hold of the horns of the altar. The “horns” of the altar were the horn-shaped projections on the four corners of the altar (see Exod 27:2). By going to the holy place and grabbing hold of the horns of the altar, Joab was seeking asylum from Solomon. 29 When King Solomon heard#tn Heb “and it was related to King Solomon.” that Joab had run to the tent of the Lord and was right there beside the altar, he ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada,#tn Heb “so Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada, saying.” “Go, strike him down.” 30 When Benaiah arrived at the tent of the Lord, he said to him, “The king says, ‘Come out!’” But he replied, “No, I will die here!” So Benaiah sent word to the king and reported Joab’s reply.#tn Heb “saying, “In this way Joab spoke and in this way he answered me.” 31 The king told him, “Do as he said! Strike him down and bury him. Take away from me and from my father’s family#tn Heb “house.” the guilt of Joab’s murderous, bloody deeds.#tn Heb “take away the undeserved bloodshed which Joab spilled from upon me and from upon the house of my father.” 32 May the Lord punish him for the blood he shed;#tn Heb “The Lord will cause his blood to return upon his head.” behind my father David’s back he struck down and murdered with the sword two men who were more innocent and morally upright than he#tn Heb “because he struck down two men more innocent and better than he and he killed them with the sword, and my father David did not know.” – Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army. 33 May Joab and his descendants be perpetually guilty of their shed blood, but may the Lord give perpetual peace to David, his descendants, his family,#tn Heb “house.” and his dynasty.”#tn Heb “his throne.” 34 So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up and executed Joab;#tn Heb “struck him and killed him.” The referent (Joab) has been specified in the translation for clarity. he was buried at his home in the wilderness. 35 The king appointed Benaiah son of Jehoiada to take his place at the head of#tn Heb “over.” the army, and the king appointed Zadok the priest to take Abiathar’s place.#tc The Old Greek translation includes after v. 35 some fourteen verses that are absent from the MT.
36 Next the king summoned#tn Heb “sent and summoned.” Shimei and told him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem#map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4. and live there – but you may not leave there to go anywhere!#tn Heb “and you may not go out from there here or there.” 37 If you ever do leave and cross the Kidron Valley, know for sure that you will certainly die! You will be responsible for your own death.”#tn Heb “your blood will be upon your head.” 38 Shimei said to the king, “My master the king’s proposal is acceptable.#tn Heb “Good is the word, as my master the king has spoken.” Your servant will do as you say.”#tn Heb “so your servant will do.” So Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time.#tn Heb “many days.”
39 Three years later two of Shimei’s servants ran away to King Achish son of Maacah of Gath. Shimei was told, “Look, your servants are in Gath.” 40 So Shimei got up, saddled his donkey, and went to Achish at Gath to find his servants; Shimei went and brought back his servants from Gath. 41 When Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had then returned, 42 the king summoned#tn Heb “sent and summoned.” Shimei and said to him, “You will recall#tn Heb “Is it not [true]…?” In the Hebrew text the statement is interrogative; the rhetorical question expects the answer, “Of course it is.” that I made you take an oath by the Lord, and I solemnly warned you, ‘If you ever leave and go anywhere,#tn Heb “here or there.” know for sure that you will certainly die.’ You said to me, ‘The proposal is acceptable; I agree to it.’#tn Heb “good is the word; I have heard.” 43 Why then have you broken the oath you made before the Lord and disobeyed the order I gave you?”#tn Heb “Why have you not kept the oath [to] the Lord and the commandment I commanded you?” 44 Then the king said to Shimei, “You are well aware of the way you mistreated my father David.#tn Heb “You know all the evil, for your heart knows, which you did to David my father.” The Lord will punish you for what you did.#tn Heb “The Lord will cause your evil to return upon your head.” 45 But King Solomon will be empowered#tn Or “blessed.” and David’s dynasty#tn Heb “throne.” will endure permanently before the Lord.” 46 The king then gave the order to Benaiah son of Jehoiada who went and executed Shimei.#tn “The king commanded Benaiah son of Jehoiada and he went out and struck him down and he died.”
So Solomon took firm control of the kingdom.#tn “And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.”
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1 Kings 2
2
David’s Advice to Solomon
(1 Chronicles 29:26–30)
1When David was about to die, he instructed his son Solomon, 2“I’m about to leave this world. Be strong and mature. 3Fulfill your duty to the Lord your God. Obey his directions, laws, commands, rules, and written instructions as they are recorded in Moses’ Teachings. Then you’ll succeed in everything you do wherever you may go. 4⌞You’ll succeed⌟ because the Lord will keep the promise he made to me: ‘If your descendants are faithful to me with all their hearts and lives, you will never fail to have an heir on the throne of Israel.’
5“You know what Joab (Zeruiah’s son) did to me and to the two commanders of Israel’s army—Abner, son of Ner, and Amasa, son of Jether. Joab killed them. When there was peace, he shed blood as if it were wartime. With their blood he stained the belt around his waist and the shoes on his feet. 6Use your wisdom. Don’t let that gray-haired, old man go to his grave peacefully.
7“Be kind to the sons of Barzillai from Gilead. Let them eat at your table. They helped me when I was fleeing from your brother Absalom.
8“Shimei, son of Gera from Bahurim in Benjamin, is still with you. He cursed me repeatedly when I went to Mahanaim. But when he came to meet me at the Jordan River, I took an oath by the Lord and said, ‘As long as I’m king, I won’t have you killed.’ 9Now, don’t let him go unpunished. You are wise and know what to do to him: Put that gray-haired, old man into his grave by slaughtering him.”
10David lay down in death with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. 11He ruled as king of Israel for 40 years. He ruled for 7 years in Hebron and for 33 years in Jerusalem.
Solomon Establishes His Authority
12Solomon sat on his father David’s throne, and his power was firmly established.
13Then Adonijah, son of Haggith, went to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. “Is this a friendly visit?” she asked.
“Yes,” he answered. 14Then he added, “I have a matter ⌞to discuss⌟ with you.”
“What is it?” she asked.
15He said, “You know the kingship was mine. All Israel expected me to be their king. But the kingship has been turned over to my brother because the Lord gave it to him. 16Now I want to ask you for one thing. Don’t refuse me.”
“What is it?” she asked.
17He said, “Please ask King Solomon to give me Abishag from Shunem as my wife. He will not refuse you.”
18“Very well,” Bathsheba answered. “I will talk to the king for you.”
19Bathsheba went to King Solomon to talk to him on Adonijah’s behalf. The king got up to meet her and bowed down in front of her. Then he sat on his throne. He had a throne brought for his mother, and she sat at his right side.
20“I’m asking you for one little thing,” she said. “Don’t refuse me.”
“Ask, Mother,” the king told her. “I won’t refuse you.”
21She replied, “Let Abishag from Shunem be given to your brother Adonijah as his wife.”
22King Solomon then said, “Why do you ask that Abishag from Shunem be given to Adonijah? That would be the same as giving him the kingship. After all, he is my older brother. The priest Abiathar and Joab (Zeruiah’s son) are supporting him.”
23King Solomon took an oath by the Lord and said, “May God strike me dead if Adonijah doesn’t pay with his life for this request! 24The Lord set me on my father David’s throne and gave me a dynasty as he promised. So I solemnly swear, as the Lord who has established me lives, that Adonijah will be put to death today.” 25King Solomon gave this task to Benaiah, son of Jehoiada. Benaiah attacked and killed Adonijah.
26The king told the priest Abiathar, “Go to your land in Anathoth. You deserve to die, but I won’t kill you at this time because you carried the ark of the Almighty Lord ahead of my father David and because you shared all my father’s sufferings.” 27So Solomon removed Abiathar as the Lord’s priest and fulfilled the Lord’s word spoken at Shiloh about Eli’s family.
28The news reached Joab. (He had supported Adonijah, although he hadn’t supported Absalom.) So Joab fled to the Lord’s tent and clung to the horns of the altar. 29After King Solomon heard that Joab had fled to the altar in the tent of the Lord, Solomon sent Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, to kill Joab.
30When Benaiah came to the tent of the Lord, he told Joab, “The king says, ‘Come out.’ ”
“No,” Joab answered, “I’ll die here.”
So Benaiah reported to the king what Joab had said and how he had answered.
31The king answered, “Do as he said. Kill him, and bury him. You can remove the innocent blood—the blood which Joab shed—from me and my father’s family. 32The Lord will repay him for the slaughter he caused. Joab killed two honorable men who were better than he was. He used his sword to kill Abner (who was the son of Ner and the commander of Israel’s army) and Amasa (who was the son of Jether and the commander of Judah’s army). Joab did this without my father’s knowledge. 33The responsibility for their blood will fall on Joab and his descendants forever. But may David, his descendants, family, and throne always receive peace from the Lord.”
34Then Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, went and attacked Joab, killed him, and buried him at his home in the desert. 35The king then appointed Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, to replace Joab as commander of the army. King Solomon also replaced Abiathar with the priest Zadok.
36The king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Build a house for yourself in Jerusalem, and stay there. Don’t leave ⌞the city⌟ to go anywhere else. 37But the day you leave and cross the brook in the Kidron Valley, you can be certain that you will die. You will be responsible for your own death.”
38“Very well,” Shimei answered. “I’ll do just what Your Majesty said.”
So Shimei stayed in Jerusalem for a long time. 39But after three years, two of Shimei’s slaves fled to Gath’s King Achish, son of Maacah. Shimei was told that his slaves were in Gath, 40so he saddled his donkey and went to Achish in Gath to search for his slaves. Shimei went to Gath and got his slaves.
41After Solomon heard that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and back, 42he summoned Shimei. Solomon asked him, “Didn’t I make you take an oath by the Lord? Didn’t I warn you that if you left ⌞the city⌟ to go anywhere, you could be certain that you would die? Didn’t you say to me, ‘Very well. I’ll do just what you said’? 43Why didn’t you keep your oath to the Lord and obey the command I gave you? 44Shimei, you know in your heart all the evil that you did to my father David. The Lord is going to pay you back for the evil you have done. 45But King Solomon is blessed, and David’s dynasty will always be firmly established by the Lord.”
46Then the king gave orders to Benaiah, son of Jehoiada. He went to attack and kill Shimei.
Solomon’s power as king was now firmly established.
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