M'lakhim Alef (1 Ki) 2
2
1The time came near for David to die; so he commissioned Shlomo his son as follows: 2“I am going the way of all the earth. Therefore, be strong; show yourself a man. 3Observe the charge of Adonai your God to go in his ways and keep his regulations, mitzvot, rulings and instructions in accordance with what is written in the Torah of Moshe; so that you will succeed in all you do and wherever you go. 4If you do, Adonai will fulfill what he promised me when he said, ‘If your children pay attention to how they live, conducting themselves before me honestly with all their heart and being, you will never lack a man on the throne of Isra’el.’
5“Moreover, you are aware of what Yo’av the son of Tz’ruyah did to me, that is, what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Isra’el, Avner the son of Ner and ‘Amasa the son of Yeter — he killed them, shedding the blood of war in peacetime, putting the blood of war on the belt around his waist and the shoes on his feet. 6Therefore, act according to your wisdom; don’t let his gray head go down to the grave in peace.
7“But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gil‘adi. Include them with those who eat at your table, because they came and stood with me when I was fleeing from Avshalom your brother.
8“Finally, you have with you Shim‘i the son of Gera the Binyamini, from Bachurim. He laid a terrible curse on me when I was on my way to Machanayim; but he came down to meet me at the Yarden; so I swore to him by Adonai that I would not have him put to death with the sword. 9Now, however, you should not let him go unpunished. You are a wise man, and you will know what you should do to him — you will bring his gray head down to the grave with blood.”
10Then David slept with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. 11David had ruled Isra’el for forty years — seven years in Hevron and thirty-three years in Yerushalayim.
12Shlomo sat on the throne of David his father; and his rule had become firmly established, 13when Adoniyah the son of Haggit came to Bat-Sheva the mother of Shlomo. She asked, “Have you come as a friend?” He answered, “Yes, as a friend.” 14Then he continued, “I have something to say to you.” She said, “Go on.” 15He said, “You know that the kingdom should have been mine, that all Isra’el was looking to me to be their ruler. No matter; the kingdom has turned around and become my brother’s, because Adonai gave it to him. 16But now I ask one favor of you; don’t deny me.” “Go on,” she said. 17He said, “Please speak to Shlomo the king — for he won’t say ‘No’ to you — and ask him to give me Avishag the Shunamit as my wife.” 18Bat-Sheva said, “All right, I will speak to the king on your behalf.”
19So Bat-Sheva went to King Shlomo to speak to him on behalf of Adoniyah. The king rose to meet her and bowed down to her. Then he sat down on his throne and had a throne set up for the king’s mother, so that she sat at his right. 20She said, “I am asking one small favor of you; don’t deny me.” The king said to her, “Ask, mother; I won’t deny you.” 21She said, “Let Avishag the Shunamit be given to Adoniyah your brother as his wife.” 22King Shlomo answered his mother, “Why are you asking Avishag the Shunamit for Adoniyah? Ask the kingdom for him too! After all, he’s my older brother! Yes, for him, and for Evyatar the cohen and for Yo’av the son of Tz’ruyah!” 23Then King Shlomo swore by Adonai, “May God do terrible things to me and worse if Adoniyah hasn’t condemned himself to death with this request! 24Now therefore, as Adonai lives, who has established me, put me on the throne of David my father and set up a dynasty for me, as he promised, Adoniyah will certainly be put to death today.” 25King Shlomo commissioned B’nayah the son of Y’hoyada, and he struck him down, so that he died.
26To Evyatar the cohen the king said, “You, get yourself to ‘Anatot, to your own fields. You deserve to die; but I won’t put you to death just now; since you did carry the ark of adonai Elohim before David my father; and you suffered together with my father in everything he suffered.” 27So Shlomo forced Evyatar out of his task as cohen to Adonai, so that what Adonai had said in Shiloh about the family of ‘Eli might be fulfilled.
28When the news came to Yo’av, he fled to the tent of Adonai and took hold of the horns of the altar; for Yo’av had given his support to Adoniyah, even though he had not supported Avshalom. 29King Shlomo was told, “Yo’av has fled to the tent of Adonai; he’s there by the altar.” Shlomo sent B’nayah the son of Y’hoyada with the order, “Go, strike him down.” 30B’nayah came to the tent of Adonai and said to him, “The king says: leave!” He answered, “No, I’d rather die here.” B’nayah brought the message back to the king, “This is what Yo’av said to me.” 31The king answered him, “Do what he said — strike him down, and bury him. In this way you will take away from me and my father’s family the blood which Yo’av shed for no reason. 32Adonai will bring his blood back on his own head, because he struck down two men more righteous and better than he — he killed them with the sword without my father David’s awareness: Avner the son of Ner, commander of the army of Isra’el, and ‘Amasa the son of Yeter, commander of the army of Y’hudah. 33In this way their blood will return on the head of Yo’av and his descendants forever; but for David, his descendants, his family and his throne there will be peace forever from Adonai.” 34So B’nayah the son of Y’hoyada went up, struck him down and killed him; he was buried in his own house in the desert. 35The king put B’nayah the son of Y’hoyada in charge of the army instead of him, and the king replaced Evyatar with Tzadok the cohen.
36The king summoned Shim‘i and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Yerushalayim, and live there; don’t go outside the city walls. 37Know for a fact that on the day you go out and cross Vadi Kidron, you will certainly die; your blood will be on your own head.” 38Shim‘i answered the king, “What you have said is good; as my lord the king has said, so will your servant do.” So Shim‘i lived in Yerushalayim for a long time.
39But after three years, two of Shim‘i’s slaves ran away and went to Akhish son of Ma‘akhah, king of Gat. They told Shim‘i, “Your slaves are in Gat.” 40So Shim‘i set out, saddled his donkey and went to Akhish in Gat to look for his slaves; then Shim‘i returned, bringing his slaves from Gat.
41Shlomo was told that Shim‘i had gone from Yerushalayim to Gat and back. 42The king summoned Shim‘i and said to him, “Didn’t I have you swear by Adonai and forewarn you by telling you, ‘Know for a fact that on the day you leave and go anywhere outside the city, you will certainly die’? and you answered me, ‘What you’re saying is good; I hear it.’ 43Why, then, haven’t you kept the oath of Adonai and the mitzvah I charged you with?” 44Moreover, the king said to Shim‘i, “You know in your own heart all the terrible things you did to David my father; therefore Adonai will bring back your wickedness on your own head. 45But King Shlomo will be blessed, and the throne of David will be established before Adonai forever.” 46So the king gave the order to B’nayah the son of Y’hoyada, and he went out and struck him down, so that he died.
Thus the kingdom was established in Shlomo’s hands.
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M'lakhim Alef (1 Ki) 2: CJB
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Learn More About Complete Jewish Bible1 Kings 2
2
David’s Dying Instructions to Solomon
1As the time approached for David to die, # Gn 47:29; Nm 27:13 he instructed his son Solomon, 2“As for me, I am going the way of all of the earth. # Jos 23:14 Be strong and be courageous like a man, # Jos 1:6-7,9 3and keep your obligation to the Lord your God to walk in His ways and to keep His statutes, commands, ordinances, and decrees. This is written in the law of Moses, so that you will have success in everything you do # Dt 29:9; 1Ch 22:12-13 and wherever you turn, 4and so that the Lord will carry out His promise that He made to me: ‘If your sons are careful to walk faithfully before Me with their whole mind and heart, # Dt 6:5; Mt 22:37 you will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.’ # 2Sm 7:12-13; 1Kg 8:25; 9:5
5“You also know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me # 2Sm 18:5,12,14 and what he did to the two commanders of Israel’s army, Abner son of Ner # 2Sm 3:27 and Amasa son of Jether. # 2Sm 20:10 He murdered them in a time of peace to avenge blood shed in war. He spilled that blood on his own waistband and on the sandals of his feet. # LXX, Old Lat read on my waistband and . . . my feet ; v. 31 6Act according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray head descend to Sheol in peace.
7“Show loyalty to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite and let them be among those who eat at your table # 2Sm 9:7; 19:28 because they supported me when I fled from your brother Absalom. # 2Sm 19:31-39
8“Keep an eye on Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim who is with you. He uttered malicious curses against me the day I went to Mahanaim. # 2Sm 16:5-13 But he came down to meet me at the Jordan River, and I swore to him by the Lord: ‘I will never kill you with the sword.’ # 2Sm 19:16-23 9So don’t let him go unpunished, for you are a wise man. You know how to deal with him to bring his gray head down to Sheol with blood.”
10Then David rested with his fathers # Ac 2:29; 13:36 and was buried in the city of David. # 2Sm 5:7 11The length of time David reigned over Israel was 40 years: he reigned seven years in Hebron and 33 years in Jerusalem. # 2Sm 5:4-5; 1Ch 29:27 12Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his kingship was firmly established. # 1Kg 2:46; 1Ch 17:14
Adonijah’s Foolish Request
13Now Adonijah son of Haggith # 1Kg 1:5,51-53 came to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. She asked, “Do you come peacefully? ”
“Peacefully,” he replied, # 1Sm 16:4-5 14and then asked, “May I talk with you? ” # Lit then said, “I have a word for you.”
“Go ahead,” she answered.
15“You know the kingship was mine,” # 1Kg 1:11 he said. “All Israel expected me to be king, but then the kingship was turned over to my brother, # 1Kg 1:38-46 for the Lord gave it to him. # 1Ch 23:9-10; 28:5,7; Dn 2:21; 4:17; Jn 19:11; Rm 13:1 16So now I have just one request of you; don’t turn me down.” # Lit don’t make me turn my face
She said to him, “Go on.”
17He replied, “Please speak to King Solomon since he won’t turn you down. Let him give me Abishag the Shunammite # 1Kg 1:3-4,15 as a wife.”
18“Very well,” Bathsheba replied. “I will speak to the king for you.”
19So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him about Adonijah. The king stood up to greet her, bowed to her, sat down on his throne, and had a throne placed for the king’s mother. # 2Sm 15:16; 1Kg 15:13 So she sat down at his right hand. # Ps 110:1; Mt 20:21
20Then she said, “I have just one small request of you. Don’t turn me down.”
“Go ahead and ask, mother,” the king replied, “for I won’t turn you down.”
21So she said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to your brother Adonijah as a wife.”
22King Solomon answered his mother, “Why are you requesting Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Since he is my elder brother, # 1Kg 1:6; 1Ch 3:2,5 you might as well ask the kingship for him, # 2Sm 16:20-22 for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab son of Zeruiah.” # LXX, Vg, Syr read kingship for him, and on his side are Abiathar the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah # 1Kg 1:7 23Then Solomon took an oath by the Lord: “May God punish me and do so severely # Ru 1:17; 1Sm 3:17 if Adonijah has not made this request at the cost of his life. 24And now, as the Lord lives, the One who established me, seated me on the throne of my father David, and made me a dynasty as He promised # 2Sm 7:11-13 — I swear Adonijah will be put to death today! ” 25Then King Solomon gave the order to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, # 1Kg 1:8,26,38 who struck down Adonijah, and he died.
Abiathar’s Banishment
26The king said to Abiathar the priest, # 1Kg 1:7,19 “Go to your fields in Anathoth. # Jos 21:18; Jr 1:1 Even though you deserve to die, I will not put you to death today, since you carried the ark of the Lord God in the presence of my father David # 2Sm 15:24-25,29 and you suffered through all that my father suffered.” # 1Sm 22:20-23; 2Sm 19:11 27So Solomon banished Abiathar from being the Lord’s priest, and it fulfilled the Lord’s prophecy He had spoken at Shiloh against Eli’s family. # 1Sm 2:31-35
Joab’s Execution
28The news reached Joab. Since he had supported Adonijah # 1Kg 1:7 but not Absalom, # 2Sm 18:1-5 Joab fled to the Lord’s tabernacle and took hold of the horns of the altar. # Ex 21:12-14; 1Kg 1:50
29It was reported to King Solomon: “Joab has fled to the Lord’s tabernacle and is now beside the altar.” Then Solomon sent # LXX adds Joab a message: “What is the matter with you, that you have fled to the altar?” And Joab replied, “Because I feared you, I have fled to the Lord.” And Solomon the king sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada # 1Kg 1:8 and told him, “Go and strike him down! ” # Ex 12:12,14; 2Sm 3:27; 18:14; 20:10
30So Benaiah went to the tabernacle and said to Joab, “This is what the king says: ‘Come out! ’ ” # Ex 21:14
But Joab said, “No, for I will die here.”
So Benaiah took a message back to the king, “This is what Joab said, and this is how he answered me.”
31The king said to him, “Do just as he says. Strike him down and bury him in order to remove from me and from my father’s house the blood that Joab shed without just cause. # Nm 35:33; Dt 21:8-9 32The Lord will bring back his own blood on his head because he struck down two men more righteous and better than he, without my father David’s knowledge. With his sword, Joab murdered Abner # 2Sm 3:26-27 son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa # 2Sm 20:8-10 son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army. 33Their blood will come back on Joab’s head and on the head of his descendants forever, but for David, his descendants, his dynasty, and his throne, there will be peace from the Lord forever.” # 2Sm 3:28-29
34Benaiah son of Jehoiada # 2Kg 2:25 went up, struck down Joab, and put him to death. He was buried at his house in the wilderness. # 2Sm 2:32 35Then the king appointed Benaiah son of Jehoiada in Joab’s place over the army, # 1Kg 4:4 and he appointed Zadok the priest in Abiathar’s place.
Shimei’s Banishment and Execution
36Then the king summoned Shimei # 2Sm 16:5-13; 1Kg 2:8-9 and said to him, “Build a house for yourself in Jerusalem and live there, but don’t leave there and go anywhere else. 37On the day you do leave and cross the Kidron Valley, # Jn 18:1 know for sure that you will certainly die. Your blood will be on your own head.” # Gn 2:17; 2Sm 1:16
38Shimei said to the king, “The sentence is fair; your servant will do as my lord the king has spoken.” And Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time.
39But then, at the end of three years, two of Shimei’s slaves ran away to Achish # 1Sm 27:2 son of Maacah, king of Gath. # Jos 13:3; 1Sm 6:16-17; 21:10 Shimei was informed, “Look, your slaves are in Gath.” 40So Shimei saddled his donkey and set out to Achish at Gath to search for his slaves. He went and brought them back from Gath.
41It was reported to Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned. 42So the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Didn’t I make you swear by the Lord and warn you, saying, ‘On the day you leave and go anywhere else, know for sure that you will certainly die’? And you said to me, ‘The sentence is fair; I will obey.’ 43So why have you not kept the Lord’s oath and the command that I gave you? ” 44The king also said, “You yourself know all the evil that you did to my father David. # 1Kg 2:8-9 Therefore, the Lord has brought back your evil on your head, 45but King Solomon will be blessed, and David’s throne will remain established before the Lord forever.” # 2Sm 7:13
46Then the king commanded Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck Shimei down, and he died. So the kingdom was established in Solomon’s hand. # 1Kg 2:12; 2Ch 1:1
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