1 Kings 1
1
Adonijah Makes Himself King
1King David was now very old. He couldn’t keep warm even when blankets were spread over him. 2So his attendants spoke to him. They said, “You are our king and master. Please let us try to find a young virgin to serve you. She can take care of you. She can lie down beside you to keep you warm.”
3So David’s attendants looked all over Israel for a beautiful young woman. They found Abishag. She was from the town of Shunem. They brought her to the king. 4The woman was very beautiful. She took care of the king and served him. But the king didn’t have sex with her.
5Adonijah was the son of David and his wife Haggith. He came forward and announced, “I’m going to be the next king.” So he got chariots and horses ready. He also got 50 men to run in front of him. 6His father had never tried to stop him from doing what he wanted to. His father had never asked him, “Why are you acting the way you do?” Adonijah was also very handsome. Now that Absalom was dead, Adonijah was David’s oldest son.
7Adonijah talked things over with Joab, the son of Zeruiah. He also talked with Abiathar the priest. They agreed to help him. 8But Zadok the priest and Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, didn’t join Adonijah. Nathan the prophet didn’t join him. Shimei and Rei didn’t join him. And neither did David’s special guard.
9Adonijah sacrificed sheep, cattle and fat calves. He sacrificed them at the Stone of Zoheleth near En Rogel. He invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the royal officials of Judah. 10But he didn’t invite Benaiah or Nathan the prophet. He didn’t invite the special guard or his brother Solomon either.
11Nathan asked Solomon’s mother Bathsheba, “Haven’t you heard? Adonijah, the son of Haggith, has made himself king. And King David doesn’t know anything about it. 12So let me tell you what to do to save your life. It will also save the life of your son Solomon. 13Go in and see King David. Say to him, ‘You are my king and master. You promised me, “You can be sure that your son Solomon will be king after me. He will sit on my throne.” If that’s really true, why has Adonijah become king?’ 14While you are still talking to the king, I’ll come in and support what you have said.”
15So Bathsheba went to see the old king in his room. Abishag, the Shunammite, was taking care of him there. 16Bathsheba bowed low in front of the king.
“What do you want?” the king asked.
17She said to him, “My master, you made a promise in the name of the Lord your God. You promised me, ‘Your son Solomon will be king after me. He will sit on my throne.’ 18But now Adonijah has made himself king. And you don’t even know about it. 19He has sacrificed large numbers of cattle, fat calves and sheep. He has invited all the king’s sons. He has also invited Abiathar the priest and Joab, the commander of the army. But he hasn’t invited your son Solomon. 20You are my king and master. All the Israelites are watching to see what you will do. They want to find out from you who will sit on the throne after you. 21If you don’t do something, I and my son Solomon will be treated like people who have committed crimes. That will happen as soon as you join the members of your family who have already died.”
22While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived. 23The king was told, “Nathan the prophet is here.” So Nathan went to the king. He bowed down with his face toward the ground.
24Nathan said, “You are my king and master. Have you announced that Adonijah will be king after you? Have you said he will sit on your throne? 25Today he has gone down outside the city. He has sacrificed large numbers of cattle, fat calves and sheep. He has invited all the king’s sons. He has also invited the commanders of the army and Abiathar the priest. Even now they are eating and drinking with him. They are saying, ‘May King Adonijah live a long time!’ 26But he didn’t invite me. He didn’t invite Zadok the priest or Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada. He didn’t invite your son Solomon either. 27King David, have you allowed all of that to happen? Did you do it without letting us know about it? Why didn’t you tell us who is going to sit on your throne after you?”
David Makes Solomon King
28King David said, “Tell Bathsheba to come in.” So she came and stood in front of the king.
29Then the king made a promise. He said, “The Lord has saved me from all my troubles. You can be sure that he lives. 30And you can be just as sure I will do what I promised. This is the day I will do what I promised in the name of the Lord. He is the God of Israel. I promised you that your son Solomon would be king after me. He will sit on my throne in my place.”
31Then Bathsheba bowed down in front of the king. Her face was toward the ground. She said, “King David, you are my master. May you live forever!”
32King David said, “Tell Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet to come in. Also tell Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, to come.” So they came to the king. 33He said to them, “Take my officials with you. Have my son Solomon get on my own mule. Take him down to the Gihon spring. 34Have Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him as king over Israel there. Blow a trumpet. Shout, ‘May King Solomon live a long time!’ 35Then come back up to the city with him. Have him sit on my throne. He will rule in my place. I’ve appointed him ruler over Israel and Judah.”
36Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, answered the king. “Amen!” he said. “May the Lord your God make it come true. 37You are my king and master. The Lord has been with you. May he also be with Solomon. King David, may the Lord make Solomon’s kingdom even greater than yours!”
38So Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet left the palace. Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, went with them. So did the Kerethites and Pelethites. They had Solomon get on King David’s mule. And they brought him down to the Gihon spring. 39Zadok the priest had taken an animal horn from the sacred tent. The horn was filled with olive oil. He anointed Solomon with the oil. A trumpet was blown. All the people shouted, “May King Solomon live a long time!” 40Then they went up toward the city. Solomon was leading the way. The people were playing flutes. They were filled with great joy. The ground shook because of all the noise.
41Adonijah and all his guests heard it. They were just finishing their meal. Joab heard the sound of the trumpet. So he asked, “What does all this noise in the city mean?”
42While Joab was still speaking, Jonathan arrived. Jonathan was the son of Abiathar the priest. Adonijah said, “Come in. I have respect for you. You must be bringing good news.”
43“No! I’m not!” Jonathan answered. “Our master King David has made Solomon king. 44David sent Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet along with Solomon. He also sent Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, with him. He sent the Kerethites and Pelethites with him too. They put him on the king’s mule. 45They took him down to the Gihon spring. There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed him as king. Now they’ve gone back up to the city. They were cheering all the way. The city is filled with the sound of it. That’s the noise you hear. 46And that’s not all. Solomon has taken his seat on the royal throne. 47The royal officials came to give their blessing to our master King David. They said, ‘May your God make Solomon’s name more famous than yours! May he make Solomon’s kingdom greater than yours!’ While King David was sitting on his bed, he bowed in worship. 48He said, ‘I praise the Lord. He is the God of Israel. He has let me live to see my son sitting on my throne today as the next king.’ ”
49When all Adonijah’s guests heard that, they were terrified. So they got up and scattered. 50Adonijah was afraid of what Solomon might do to him. So he went and grabbed the horns of the altar for burnt offerings. Those horns stuck out from its upper corners. 51Then Solomon was told, “King Solomon, Adonijah is afraid of you. He’s holding onto the horns of the altar. He says, ‘I want King Solomon to make a promise today. I want him to promise that he won’t kill me with his sword.’ ”
52Solomon replied, “Let him show that he’s a man people can respect. Then not even one hair on his head will fall to the ground. But if I find out he’s done something evil, he will die.” 53King Solomon got some men to bring Adonijah down from the altar. He came and bowed down to King Solomon. Solomon said, “Go on home.”
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1 Kings 1: NIrV
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Melaḵim Aleph (1 Kings) 1
1
1And Sovereign Dawiḏ was old, advanced in years. And they covered him with garments, but he could not get warm.
2So his servants said to him, “Let them seek for our master the sovereign a young woman, a maiden, and she shall stand before the sovereign and be his companion, and shall lie in your bosom, so that our master the sovereign gets warm.”
3And they sought for a beautiful young woman in all the border of Yisra’ĕl, and found Aḇishaḡ the Shunammite, and brought her to the sovereign.
4And the young woman was very beautiful. And she was a companion for the sovereign, and served him, but the sovereign did not know her.
5And Aḏoniyah son of Ḥaggith exalted himself, saying, “I reign.” And he prepared for himself a chariot and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.
6Now his father had not worried him at any time by saying, “Why have you done so?” He was also very good-looking. And he was born after Aḇshalom.
7And he talked with Yo’aḇ son of Tseruyah and with Eḇyathar the priest, and they supported Aḏoniyah.
8But Tsaḏoq the priest, and Benayahu son of Yehoyaḏa, and Nathan the prophet, and Shim‛i, and Rĕ‛i, and the mighty men who belonged to Dawiḏ were not with Aḏoniyahu.
9And Aḏoniyahu slaughtered sheep and cattle and fatlings by the stone of Zoḥeleth, which is by Ěn Roḡĕl. He also invited all his brothers, the sovereign’s sons, and all the men of Yehuḏah, servants of the sovereign.
10But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, or Benayahu, or the mighty men, or Shelomoh his brother.
11Nathan then spoke to Bathsheḇa the mother of Shelomoh, saying, “Have you not heard that Aḏoniyahu son of Ḥaggith has become sovereign, and Dawiḏ our master does not know it?
12“And now, come let me give you advice, and deliver your own life and the life of your son Shelomoh.
13“Go immediately to Sovereign Dawiḏ and say to him, ‘Did you not, my master, O sovereign, swear to your female servant, saying, “Certainly, your son Shelomoh shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne”? Why then has Aḏoniyahu become sovereign?’
14“Look, while you are still speaking there with the sovereign let me come in after you and confirm your words.”
15And Bathsheḇa went into the room to the sovereign. Now the sovereign was very old, and Aḇishaḡ the Shunammite was serving the sovereign.
16And Bathsheḇa bowed and did obeisance to the sovereign. And the sovereign said, “What do you wish?”
17And she said to him, “My master, you swore by יהוה your Elohim to your female servant, saying, ‘Certainly, Shelomoh your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.’
18“And now, look! Aḏoniyah has become sovereign. And now, my master the sovereign, you do not know about it.
19“And he has slaughtered great numbers of bulls and fatlings and sheep, and has invited all the sons of the sovereign, and Eḇyathar the priest, and Yo’aḇ the commander of the army, but he did not invite Shelomoh your servant.
20“And you my master, O sovereign, the eyes of all Yisra’ĕl are on you, to declare to them who is going to sit on the throne of my master the sovereign after him.
21“Otherwise it shall be, when my master the sovereign rests with his fathers, that I and my son Shelomoh shall be considered sinners.”
22And see, while she was still speaking with the sovereign, Nathan the prophet also came in.
23So they informed the sovereign, saying, “Here is Nathan the prophet.” And when he came in before the sovereign, he bowed down before the sovereign with his face to the ground.
24And Nathan said, “My master, O sovereign, have you said, ‘Aḏoniyahu shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne’?
25“For he has gone down today, and has slaughtered great numbers of bulls and fatlings and sheep, and has invited all the sovereign’s sons, and the commanders of the army, and Eḇyathar the priest. And look! They are eating and drinking before him. And they say, ‘Let Sovereign Aḏoniyahu live!’
26“But he has not invited me, me your servant, nor Tsaḏoq the priest, nor Benayahu son of Yehoyaḏa, nor your servant Shelomoh.
27“If this matter is from my master the sovereign, then you did not let your servant know who should sit on the throne of my master the sovereign after him.”
28And Sovereign Dawiḏ answered and said, “Call Bathsheḇa to me.” So she came into the sovereign’s presence and stood before the sovereign.
29And the sovereign took an oath and said, “As יהוה lives, who has ransomed my life out of all distress,
30even as I swore to you by יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl, saying, ‘Certainly, Shelomoh your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place,’ even so I do this day.”
31And Bathsheḇa bowed with her face to the earth, and did obeisance to the sovereign, and said, “Let my master Sovereign Dawiḏ live forever!”
32And Sovereign Dawiḏ said, “Call me Tsaḏoq the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benayahu son of Yehoyaḏa.” And they came before the sovereign.
33And the sovereign said to them, “Take with you the servants of your master, and you shall have Shelomoh my son ride on my own mule, and take him down to Giḥon.
34“And there Tsaḏoq the priest and Nathan the prophet shall anoint him sovereign over Yisra’ĕl. And blow the shophar, and say, ‘Let Sovereign Shelomoh live!’
35“And you shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne, and he shall reign in my place. For I have commanded him to be ruler over Yisra’ĕl and over Yehuḏah.”
36And Benayahu son of Yehoyaḏa answered the sovereign and said, “Amĕn! So says יהוה Elohim of my master the sovereign.
37“As יהוה has been with my master the sovereign, so let Him be with Shelomoh and make his throne greater than the throne of my master Sovereign Dawiḏ.”
38Then Tsaḏoq the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benayahu son of Yehoyaḏa, and the Kerĕthites, and the Pelĕthites went down and had Shelomoh ride on Sovereign Dawiḏ’s mule, and took him to Giḥon.
39And Tsaḏoq the priest took a horn of oil from the Tent and anointed Shelomoh. And they blew with the shophar, and all the people said, “Let Sovereign Shelomoh live!”
40And all the people came up after him. And the people played the flutes and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth was split by their noise!
41And Aḏoniyahu and all the guests who were with him heard it as they had finished eating. And Yo’aḇ heard the voice of the shophar, and said, “Why is the city in such a noisy uproar?”
42And he was still speaking, then see, Yonathan came, son of Eḇyathar the priest. And Aḏoniyahu said to him, “Come in, for you are a brave man, and you bring good news.”
43But Yonathan answered and said to Aḏoniyahu, “No! Our master Sovereign Dawiḏ has made Shelomoh sovereign,
44and the sovereign has sent with him Tsaḏoq the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benayahu son of Yehoyaḏa, and the Kerĕthites, and the Pelĕthites. And they had him ride on the sovereign’s mule.
45“And Tsaḏoq the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him sovereign at Giḥon. And they have gone up from there rejoicing, and the city is moved. This is the noise you heard.
46“And further, Shelomoh sits on the throne of the reign.
47“And further, the servants of the sovereign have gone to bless our master Sovereign Dawiḏ, saying, ‘Let your Elohim make the name of Shelomoh better than your name, and his throne greater than your throne.’ And the sovereign bowed himself on the bed.
48“And the sovereign also said thus, ‘Blessed be יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl, who has given one to sit on my throne this day, while my eyes see it!’ ”
49And all the guests who were invited by Aḏoniyahu were afraid, and rose, and each one went his way.
50And Aḏoniyahu was afraid of Shelomoh, and rose, and went and took hold of the horns of the slaughter-place.
51And it was reported to Shelomoh, saying, “Look, Aḏoniyahu is afraid of Sovereign Shelomoh. And look, he has taken hold of the horns of the slaughter-place, saying, ‘Let Sovereign Shelomoh swear to me today that he does not put his servant to death with the sword.’ ”
52And Shelomoh said, “If he proves himself a worthy man, not one hair of him is going to fall to the earth, but if evil is found in him, then he shall die.”
53And Sovereign Shelomoh sent, and they brought him down from the slaughter-place. And he came and fell down before Sovereign Shelomoh. And Shelomoh said to him, “Go to your house.”
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