I Kings 1
1
Adonijah Presumes to Be King
1Now King David was #1 Chr. 23:1old, advanced in years; and they put covers on him, but he could not get warm. 2Therefore his servants said to him, “Let a young woman, a virgin, be sought for our lord the king, and let her stand before the king, and let her care for him; and let her lie in your bosom, that our lord the king may be warm.” 3So they sought for a lovely young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found #1 Kin. 2:17Abishag the #Josh. 19:18; 1 Sam. 28:4Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 4The young woman was very lovely; and she cared for the king, and served him; but the king did not know her.
5Then #2 Sam. 3:4Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king”; and #2 Sam. 15:1he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. 6(And his father had not rebuked him at any time by saying, “Why have you done so?” He was also very good-looking. #2 Sam. 3:3, 4; 1 Chr. 3:2His mother had borne him after Absalom.) 7Then he conferred with #1 Chr. 11:6Joab the son of Zeruiah and with #2 Sam. 20:25Abiathar the priest, and #1 Kin. 2:22, 28they followed and helped Adonijah. 8But #1 Kin. 2:35Zadok the priest, #1 Kin. 2:25; 2 Sam. 8:18Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, #2 Sam. 12:1Nathan the prophet, #1 Kin. 4:18Shimei, Rei, and #2 Sam. 23:8the mighty men who belonged to David were not with Adonijah.
9And Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fattened cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by #Josh. 15:7; 18:16; 2 Sam. 17:17En Rogel; he also invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah, the king’s servants. 10But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, or #2 Sam. 12:24Solomon his brother.
11So Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of #2 Sam. 3:4Haggith has become king, and David our lord does not know it? 12Come, please, let me now give you advice, that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. 13Go immediately to King David and say to him, ‘Did you not, my lord, O king, swear to your maidservant, saying, #1 Kin. 1:30; 1 Chr. 22:9–13“Assuredly your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne“? Why then has Adonijah become king?’ 14Then, while you are still talking there with the king, I also will come in after you and confirm your words.”
15So Bathsheba went into the chamber to the king. (Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king.) 16And Bathsheba bowed and did homage to the king. Then the king said, “What is your wish?”
17Then she said to him, “My lord, #1 Kin. 1:13, 30you swore by the Lord your God to your maidservant, saying, ‘Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.’ 18So now, look! Adonijah has become king; and now, my lord the king, you do not know about it. 19#1 Kin. 1:7–9, 25He has sacrificed oxen and fattened cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army; but Solomon your servant he has not invited. 20And as for you, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, that you should tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 21Otherwise it will happen, when my lord the king #Deut. 31:16; 2 Sam. 7:12; 1 Kin. 2:10rests with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be counted as offenders.”
22And just then, while she was still talking with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in. 23So they told the king, saying, “Here is Nathan the prophet.” And when he came in before the king, he bowed down before the king with his face to the ground. 24And Nathan said, “My lord, O king, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne’? 25#1 Kin. 1:9, 19For he has gone down today, and has sacrificed oxen and fattened cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king’s sons, and the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest; and look! They are eating and drinking before him; and they say, #1 Sam. 10:24‘Long live King Adonijah!’ 26But he has not invited me—me your servant—nor Zadok the priest, nor Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, nor your servant Solomon. 27Has this thing been done by my lord the king, and you have not told your servant who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”
David Proclaims Solomon King
28Then King David answered and said, “Call Bathsheba to me.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before the king. 29And the king took an oath and said, #2 Sam. 4:9; 12:5“As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life from every distress, 30#1 Kin. 1:13, 17just as I swore to you by the Lord God of Israel, saying, ‘Assuredly Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place,’ so I certainly will do this day.”
31Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and paid homage to the king, and said, #Neh. 2:3; Dan. 2:4; 3:9“Let my lord King David live forever!”
32And King David said, “Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada.” So they came before the king. 33The king also said to them, #2 Sam. 20:6“Take with you the servants of your lord, and have Solomon my son ride on my own #Esth. 6:8mule, and take him down to #2 Chr. 32:30; 33:14Gihon. 34There let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet #1 Sam. 10:1; 16:3, 12; 2 Sam. 2:4; 5:3; 1 Kin. 19:16; 2 Kin. 9:3; 11:12; 1 Chr. 29:22anoint him king over Israel; and #2 Sam. 15:10; 2 Kin. 9:13; 11:14blow the horn, and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ 35Then you shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne, and he shall be king in my place. For I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah.”
36Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, #Jer. 28:6“Amen! May the Lord God of my lord the king say so too. 37#Josh. 1:5, 17; 1 Sam. 20:13As the Lord has been with my lord the king, even so may He be with Solomon, and #1 Kin. 1:47make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.”
38So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, #2 Sam. 8:18; 23:20–23Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the #2 Sam. 20:7; 1 Chr. 18:17Cherethites, and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David’s mule, and took him to Gihon. 39Then Zadok the priest took a horn of #Ex. 30:23, 25, 32; Ps. 89:20oil from the tabernacle and #1 Chr. 29:22anointed Solomon. And they blew the horn, #1 Sam. 10:24and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!” 40And all the people went up after him; and the people played the flutes and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth seemed to split with their sound.
41Now Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the horn, he said, “Why is the city in such a noisy uproar?” 42While he was still speaking, there came #2 Sam. 17:17, 20Jonathan, the son of Abiathar the priest. And Adonijah said to him, “Come in, for #2 Sam. 18:27you are a prominent man, and bring good news.”
43Then Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, “No! Our lord King David has made Solomon king. 44The king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites; and they have made him ride on the king’s mule. 45So Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon; and they have gone up from there rejoicing, so that the city is in an uproar. This is the noise that you have heard. 46Also Solomon #1 Kin. 2:12; 1 Chr. 29:23sits on the throne of the kingdom. 47And moreover the king’s servants have gone to bless our lord King David, saying, #1 Kin. 1:37‘May God make the name of Solomon better than your name, and may He make his throne greater than your throne.’ #Gen. 47:31Then the king bowed himself on the bed. 48Also the king said thus, ‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who has #1 Kin. 3:6; (Ps. 132:11, 12)given one to sit on my throne this day, while my eyes see #2 Sam. 7:12it!’ ”
49So all the guests who were with Adonijah were afraid, and arose, and each one went his way.
50Now Adonijah was afraid of Solomon; so he arose, and went and #Ex. 27:2; 30:10; 1 Kin. 2:28took hold of the horns of the altar. 51And it was told Solomon, saying, “Indeed Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon; for look, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.’ ”
52Then Solomon said, “If he proves himself a worthy man, #1 Sam. 14:45; 2 Sam. 14:11; Acts 27:34not one hair of him shall fall to the earth; but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die.” 53So King Solomon sent them to bring him down from the altar. And he came and fell down before King Solomon; and Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.”
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I Kings 1: NKJV
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
1 Kings 1
1
David’s Last Days
1Now King David had become old, advanced in years,#Literally “he went in the days” and they covered him with garments, but he was not warm. 2His servants said to him, “Let them search for a young virgin for my lord the king, and let her stand before the king. Let her be of use for him, and let her lie in your lap that my lord the king may be warm.” 3So they sought a beautiful young woman in all the territory of Israel, and they found Abishag the Shunnamite and brought her to the king. 4Now the young woman was very beautiful; she was of use for the king, and she served him, but the king did not have sexual relations with her.#Literally “know her”
Adonijah Seeks David’s Throne
5Now Adonijah the son of Haggith was exalting himself, saying, “I will be king,” so he prepared for himself a chariot and horsemen and fifty men running before him. 6His father did not rebuke him at any time#Literally “from his days” by saying, “Why did you do so?” Now he was also very handsome of appearance; she had borne him after Absalom.#“She” refers to Haggith bearing Adonijah; Absalom’s mother was Maacah 7He conferred#Literally “And there were his words” with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they supported Adonijah.#Literally “they helped after Adonijah” 8But Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and the mighty warriors were David’s; they were not with Adonijah.
9And Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fattened animals near the stone of Zoheleth, which is beside En Rogel. He invited all of his brothers, the sons of the king, and all the men of Judah, the servants of the king. 10But he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the mighty warriors or Solomon his brother.
Solomon’s Intercessors
11Then Nathan said to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king, but our lord David does not know? 12So then, come, let me advise you please, that you may save#Literally “and save” your life and the life of your son, Solomon. 13Come, go to King David and say to him, ‘Have you not, my lord the king, sworn to your servant, “Surely Solomon your son shall become king after me. And he will sit on my throne”? But why is Adonijah king?’ 14While you are still there speaking with the king, I will enter after you, and I will confirm your words.”#Literally “I will make full your words”
15So Bathsheba went to the king in the private room. Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunnamite was attending the king. 16Bathsheba knelt and bowed down before the king, and the king asked, “What do you want?”#Literally “What is for you” 17She said to him, “My lord, you swore by Yahweh your God to your servant, ‘Solomon your son surely shall become king after me, and he will sit upon my throne!’ 18But now, look! Adonijah has become king! And now, my lord the king, you do not know! 19He has sacrificed oxen and sheep and fattened animals in abundance,#Literally “as far as the many” and he has invited all the sons of the king, Abiathar the priest, Joab the commander of the army, but Solomon your servant he did not invite. 20But as for you, my lord the king, the eyes of all of Israel are on you, to tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 21It shall be that when my lord the king sleeps with his ancestors,#Or “fathers” I and my son Solomon will be considered as sinners.”
22While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in. 23They told the king, “Nathan the prophet is here.” He came into the presence of the king and bowed down before the king with his face to the ground. 24Nathan said, “My lord the king, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall be king after me and he shall sit on my throne’?
25“For he went down today and sacrificed oxen, sheep, and fattened animals in abundance.#Literally “as far as the many” He invited all the sons of the king, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest, and look, they are eating and drinking before him. They have also said, “Long live King Adonijah! 26But me, your servant, Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Solomon your servant he did not invite. 27If it was from my lord the king that this thing has happened, then all is well, but if not, you must let your servants know who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.” 28Then King David answered and said, “Summon Bathsheba for me.” Then she came before the king and stood in his presence.#Following the corrected LXX and Vulgate 29Then the king swore and said, “As Yahweh lives,#Literally “The life of Yahweh” who has saved my life from all trouble, 30surely as I swore to you by Yahweh the God of Israel, saying, ‘Solomon your son shall surely be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place,’ surely I shall do so this very day.” 31Then Bathsheba knelt with her face to the ground and did obeisance to the king, and she said, “May my lord, King David, live forever.”
Solomon Is Crowned King
32Then King David said, “Summon Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada,” and they came before the king. 33The king said to them, “Take with you all the servants of your lord, and let them make Solomon my son ride on my mule, and bring him down to Gihon. 34Let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there as king over Israel. Blow on the trumpet and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ 35Then you shall go up after him, and let him come and sit on my throne; he shall be king in my place. I have appointed him to be leader over Israel and Judah.” 36Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, “Amen! So may Yahweh, the God of my lord the king, confirm it! 37As Yahweh was with my lord the king, so may he be with Solomon and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.” 38Then Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethites went down, and they let Solomon ride on the mule of King David, and they brought him to Gihon. 39Then Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tent, and he anointed Solomon. They blew on the trumpet, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!” 40All the people went up after him, and the people were playing on the flutes and rejoicing with great joy, and the earth shook with their noise.
Adonijah’s Response to the Coronation of Solomon
41And Adonijah and all the invited guests who were with him heard it. Now they were finished eating when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet and said, “Why is there such a noise in the city?”#Literally “Why is the sound of the city noisy?” 42While he was still speaking, suddenly Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came. Adonijah said, “Come, for you are a man of valor, and you bring good news.” 43Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, “But our lord King David has made Solomon king! 44He sent Zadok the priest with the king, and Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethites; they made him ride on the king’s mule. 45Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed him as king at Gihon, and they have gone up from there rejoicing. The city has gone wild; this is the sound which you heard. 46And also, Solomon sits on the throne of the kingdom! 47The servants of the king also came to congratulate our lord King David, saying, ‘Your God has made the name of Solomon better than your name and his throne greater than your throne!’ So the king worshiped on the bed. 48What is more, the king said, ‘May Yahweh the God of Israel be blessed, who has given this day one sitting on my throne, and my eyes are seeing it!’ ”
49Then all the invited guests who were for Adonijah trembled and got up and went, each on his way. 50Adonijah was afraid because of Solomon, and he got up and went and grasped the horns of the altar. 51Solomon was told, “Look, Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon, and he has grasped the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me first#Literally “as the day” that he will surely not kill his servant with the sword!’ ” 52Solomon said, “If he is a son of noble character, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, but if evil is found in him, then he will die.” 53Then King Solomon sent and brought him down from upon the altar. He came and did obeisance to King Solomon. Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.”
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