M'lakhim Alef (1 Ki) 1
1
1King David grew old, the years took their toll, and he couldn’t get warm even when they covered him with bedclothes. 2His servants said to him, “Let us try to find a young virgin for my lord the king. She can wait on the king and be a companion for him, and she can lie next to you, so that my lord the king will get some heat.” 3After looking through all of Isra’el’s territory for a beautiful girl, they found Avishag the Shunamit and brought her to the king. 4The girl was very beautiful and became a companion for the king. She took care of him, but the king did not have sexual relations with her.
5Adoniyah the son of Haggit was beginning to claim that he would be king; to this end he organized chariots and horsemen, with fifty men to run ahead of him. 6(His father had never in his life confronted him by asking, “Why are you behaving this way?” Moreover, he was a very handsome man; he was born next after Avshalom.) 7He conferred with Yo’av the son of Tz’ruyah and Evyatar the cohen; and they both supported Adoniyah. 8But Tzadok the cohen, B’nayah the son of Y’hoyada, Natan the prophet, Shim‘i, Re‘i and David’s elite guard were not on Adoniyah’s side.
9One day Adoniyah killed sheep, oxen and fattened calves at the Stone of Zochelet, by ‘Ein-Rogel. He summoned all his brothers the king’s sons, and all the men of Y’hudah the king’s servants; 10but he did not summon Natan the prophet, B’nayah, the elite guard or Shlomo his brother.
11Natan went to Bat-Sheva the mother of Shlomo and said, “Haven’t you heard that Adoniyah the son of Haggit has become king without the knowledge of David our lord? 12Now, come, please let me give you advice, so that you can save both your own life and that of your son Shlomo. 13Go, get in to see King David, and say to him, ‘My lord, king, didn’t you swear to your servant, “Your son Shlomo will be king after me; he will sit on my throne”? So why is Adoniyah king?’ 14Right then, while you are still talking with the king, I will also come in after you and confirm what you are saying.”
15Bat-Sheva went in to the king in his room. (The king was very old; Avishag the Shunamit was in attendance on the king.) 16Bat-Sheva bowed, prostrating herself to the king. The king asked, “What do you want?” 17She answered him, “My lord, you swore by Adonai your God to your servant, ‘Your son Shlomo will be king after me; he will sit on my throne.’ 18But now, here is Adoniyah ruling as king; and you, my lord the king, don’t know anything about it. 19He has killed oxen, fattened calves and sheep in great numbers; and he has summoned all the sons of the king, Evyatar the cohen and Yo’av the commander of the army; but he didn’t summon Shlomo your servant. 20As for you, my lord the king, all Isra’el is watching you; they are waiting for you to tell them who is to sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 21If you don’t, then, when my lord the king sleeps with his ancestors, I and my son Shlomo will be considered criminals.”
22Right then, while she was still talking with the king, Natan the prophet entered. 23They told the king, “Natan the prophet is here.” After coming into the king’s presence, he prostrated himself before the king with his face to the ground. 24Natan said, “My lord king, did you say, ‘Adoniyah is to be king after me; he will sit on my throne’? 25For he has gone down today and killed oxen, fattened calves and sheep in great numbers; and he has summoned all the king’s sons, the commanders of the army and Evyatar the cohen; right now they are eating and drinking in his presence and proclaiming, ‘Long live King Adoniyah!’ 26But he didn’t summon me your servant, or Tzadok the cohen, or B’nayah the son of Y’hoyada or your servant Shlomo. 27Is this authorized by my lord the king without your having told your servant who would sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”
28King David answered by saying, “Summon Bat-Sheva to me.” She entered the king’s presence and stood before the king. 29Then the king swore an oath: “As Adonai lives, who has delivered me from all adversity, 30as I swore to you by Adonai the God of Isra’el, ‘Your son Shlomo will be king after me; he will sit on my throne in my place,’ so will I do today.” 31Bat-Sheva bowed with her face to the ground, prostrating herself to the king, and said, “Let my lord King David live forever.”
32King David said, “Summon Tzadok the cohen, Natan the prophet and B’nayah the son of Y’hoyada.” They came before the king. 33The king said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord, have Shlomo my son ride on my own mule and bring him down to Gichon. 34There Tzadok the cohen and Natan the prophet are to anoint him king over Isra’el. Sound the shofar and say, “Long live King Shlomo!” 35Then escort him back; he is to come and sit on my throne; for he is to take my place as king. I have appointed him to rule over Isra’el and Y’hudah.” 36B’nayah responded to the king by saying, “Amen! May Adonai, the God of my lord the king, confirm it! 37Just as Adonai has been with my lord the king, so may he be with Shlomo and make his throne even greater than the throne of my lord King David!”
38So Tzadok the cohen, Natan the prophet, B’nayah the son of Y’hoyada and the K’reti and P’leti went down, had Shlomo ride on King David’s mule and brought him to Gichon. 39Tzadok the cohen took the horn of olive oil out of the tent and anointed Shlomo. They sounded the shofar, and all the people shouted, “Long live King Shlomo!” 40All the people escorted him back, playing flutes and rejoicing greatly, so that the earth shook with the sound.
41Adoniyah and all his guests heard it while they were finishing their meal; but it was Yo’av who, when he heard the blast on the shofar, asked, “That noise — what’s the meaning of this uproar in the city?” 42While he was still speaking, there came Yonatan the son of Evyatar the cohen. Adoniyah said, “Come in! You’re a worthy man, so you must be bringing good news!” 43Yonatan answered Adoniyah, “The truth is, our lord King David has made Shlomo king. 44Moreover, the king sent with him Tzadok the cohen, Natan the prophet, B’nayah the son of Y’hoyada and the K’reti and P’leti; they had him ride on the king’s mule; 45and Tzadok the cohen and Natan the prophet anointed him king in Gichon. Then they escorted him back from there rejoicing, so that the city is in an uproar; this is the noise you’ve been hearing. 46Moreover, Shlomo is now sitting on the throne of the kingdom. 47More than that, the king’s servants came and blessed our lord King David with these words: ‘May God make the name of Shlomo better than your name and his throne greater than your throne,’ after which the king bowed down on the bed. 48Finally, the king said, ‘Blessed be Adonai the God of Isra’el, who has given someone to sit on my throne today, when my own eyes can see it.’”
49At this all Adoniyah’s guests grew frightened; they got up, everyone going his own way. 50Adoniyah too was afraid because of Shlomo; he got up, went and took hold of the horns of the altar. 51Shlomo was told, “Here, Adoniyah is terrified of King Shlomo; he has grabbed hold of the horns of the altar and is saying, ‘First let King Shlomo swear to me that he will not have his servant executed.’” 52Shlomo said, “If he will demonstrate that he is a worthy man, not a hair of his will fall to the earth. But if he is found making trouble, he will die.” 53So King Shlomo sent, and they brought him down from the altar. He came and prostrated himself before King Shlomo; and Shlomo said to him, ‘Go on home.’”
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M'lakhim Alef (1 Ki) 1: CJB
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Learn More About Complete Jewish Bible1 Kings 1
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1Now King David was old and advanced in years; and although they covered him with clothes, he could not get warm. 2Therefore his servants said to him, “Let a young maiden be sought for my lord the king, and let her wait upon the king, and be his nurse; let her lie in your bosom, that my lord the king may be warm.” 3So they sought for a beautiful maiden throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 4The maiden was very beautiful; and she became the king's nurse and ministered to him; but the king knew her not.
5Now Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king”; and he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. 6His father had never at any time displeased him by asking, “Why have you done thus and so?” He was also a very handsome man; and he was born next after Absalom. 7He conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest; and they followed Adonijah and helped him. 8But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shime-i, and Rei, and David's mighty men were not with Adonijah.
9Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fatlings by the Serpent's Stone, which is beside En-rogel, and he invited all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the royal officials of Judah, 10but he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the mighty men or Solomon his brother.
11Then Nathan said to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king and David our lord does not know it? 12Now therefore come, let me give you counsel, that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. 13Go in at once to King David, and say to him, ‘Did you not, my lord the king, swear to your maidservant, saying, “Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne”? Why then is Adonijah king?’ 14Then while you are still speaking with the king, I also will come in after you and confirm your words.”
15So Bathsheba went to the king into his chamber (now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was ministering to the king). 16Bathsheba bowed and did obeisance to the king, and the king said, “What do you desire?” 17She said to him, “My lord, you swore to your maidservant by the Lord your God, saying, ‘Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne.’ 18And now, behold, Adonijah is king, although you, my lord the king, do not know it. 19He has sacrificed oxen, fatlings, 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 now, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are upon you, to tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 21Otherwise it will come to pass, when my lord the king sleeps with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be counted offenders.”
22While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in. 23And they told the king, “Here is Nathan the prophet.” And when he came in before the king, he bowed before the king, with his face to the ground. 24And Nathan said, “My lord the king, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne’? 25For he has gone down this day, and has sacrificed oxen, fatlings, and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king's sons, Joab the commander#1.25 Gk: Heb commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest; and behold, they are eating and drinking before him, 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 has not invited. 27Has this thing been brought about by my lord the king and you have not told your servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”
28Then King David answered, “Call Bathsheba to me.” So she came into the king's presence, and stood before the king. 29And the king swore, saying, “As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my soul out of every adversity, 30as I swore to you by the Lord, the God of Israel, saying, ‘Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead’; even so will I do this day.” 31Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground, and did obeisance to the king, and said, “May my lord King David live for ever!”
32King David said, “Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada.” So they came before the king. 33And the king said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon; 34and let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet there anoint him king over Israel; then blow the trumpet, and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ 35You shall then come up after him, and he shall come and sit upon my throne; for he shall be king in my stead; and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.” 36And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, “Amen! May the Lord, the God of my lord the king, say so. 37As the Lord has been with my lord the king, even so may he be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.”
38So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, went down and caused Solomon to ride on King David's mule, and brought him to Gihon. 39There Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tent, and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!” 40And all the people went up after him, playing on pipes, and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth was split by their noise.
41Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished feasting. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, “What does this uproar in the city mean?” 42While he was still speaking, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came; and Adonijah said, “Come in, for you are a worthy man and bring good news.” 43Jonathan answered Adonijah, “No, for our lord King David has made Solomon king; 44and the king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and they have caused him to ride on the king's mule; 45and 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. 46Solomon sits upon the royal throne. 47Moreover the king's servants came to congratulate our lord King David, saying, ‘Your God make the name of Solomon more famous than yours, and make his throne greater than your throne.’ And the king bowed himself upon the bed. 48And the king also said, ‘Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who has granted one of my offspring#1.48 Gk: Heb one to sit on my throne this day, my own eyes seeing it.’ ”
49Then all the guests of Adonijah trembled, and rose, and each went his own way. 50And Adonijah feared Solomon; and he arose, and went, and caught hold of the horns of the altar. 51And it was told Solomon, “Behold, Adonijah fears King Solomon; for lo, he has laid hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me first that he will not slay his servant with the sword.’ ” 52And Solomon said, “If he prove to be a worthy man, not one of his hairs shall fall to the earth; but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die.” 53So King Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and did obeisance to King Solomon; and Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.”
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