1 Kings 1
1
1King David had grown old and couldn't keep warm in bed however many blankets they used to cover him. 2So his officials suggested, “Let a search be made on behalf of Your Majesty for a young virgin to serve you and look after you. She can lie next to you and keep you warm.”
3So they searched the whole country of Israel for a beautiful young woman and found Abishag from the town of Shunem and took her to the king. 4She was very beautiful, and she looked after the king, attending to his needs, but he did not have sex with her.
5Adonijah, son of Haggith, was busy promoting himself, saying “I'm going to be king!” He arranged chariots and horsemen for himself, and fifty men to run ahead of him. 6(Never in his life had his father corrected him. He'd never asked him, “Why did you do that?” He was also very good-looking, and had been born after Absalom.)
7Adonijah discussed his plan with Joab, son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest, who agreed to support him. 8But Zadok the priest, Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David's bodyguard were not on Adonijah's side.
9Adonijah invited all his brothers, the king's sons, and the king's officials of Judah, to come to the stone of Zoheleth, which is near En-rogel, where he sacrificed sheep, cattle and fattened calves. 10But he didn't invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, David's bodyguard, or his brother Solomon.
11Nathan went to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, and asked her, “Haven't you heard that Adonijah, son of Haggith, has become king, and His Majesty King David doesn't even know? 12Let me give you some advice so you can save your life, and that of your son Solomon. 13Go immediately to King David and ask him, ‘Didn't Your Majesty swear to me, your servant, saying, Your son Solomon will definitely be king after me and will sit on my throne? So why is Adonijah saying he's king?’
14Then I'll come in while you're still there talking with the king and I'll confirm what you're saying.”
15So Bathsheba went to see the king in his bedroom. He was very old and Abishag was looking after him. 16Bathsheba bowed low in respect. He asked her, “What is it that you want?”
17She replied, “Your Majesty, you swore to me, your servant, by the Lord your God, ‘Your son Solomon will definitely be king after me and will sit on my throne.’ 18But now Adonijah has become king and Your Majesty doesn't even know. 19He has sacrificed plenty of cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and he has invited all the king's sons, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the army commander. But he didn't invite your servant Solomon. 20Now, Your Majesty, everyone in Israel is watching to see who you're going to say will be the next king. 21If you don't do anything,#1:21. “If you don't do anything”: literally, “It shall happen.” as soon as Your Majesty dies, I and my son Solomon will be considered traitors…”#1:21. Literally, “sinners.”
22Right then, while she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived. 23The king was told, “Nathan the prophet is here.” Nathan went in to see the king. He bowed down with his face to the ground.
24Nathan asked the king, “Your Majesty, you must have announced, ‘Adonijah will be king after me and will sit on my throne.’ 25For today he has gone and sacrificed many cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and he has invited all the king's sons, the army commanders, and Abiathar the priest. Right now they are eating and drinking with him, shouting, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ 26But he didn't invite me, your servant, or Zadok the priest, or Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, or your son Solomon. 27If Your Majesty did this, you certainly didn't inform your officials as to who is meant to sit on your throne as the next king.”
28King David replied, “Call Bathsheba for me.” Bathsheba came in and stood before the king.
29The king swore a vow, saying, “As the Lord lives, who has saved me from all kinds of trouble, just as I swore to you previously by the Lord the God of Israel, 30telling you Solomon your son will be the next king and he will sit on my throne instead of me—I swear I will do this today.”
31Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground, honoring the king and said, “May Your Majesty King David live forever.”
32Then King David said, “Call for me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, son of Jehoiada.” When they arrived, 33the king told them, “Take the king's officials with you, and have them put Solomon on my own mule and lead him down to the Gihon Spring. 34There have Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king of Israel. Blow the trumpet and shout out, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ 35Then follow him back up, and have him come and sit on my throne. He is to be king instead of me. I am placing him in charge as ruler of Israel and Judah.”
36“Amen!” replied Benaiah, son of Jehoiada. “May the Lord, the God of my lord the king, confirm this! 37In the same way the Lord was with my lord the king may he be with Solomon, and may he make his reign even greater than the reign of my lord King David.”
38Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, together with the Cherethites and Pelethites,#1:38. “The Cherethites and Pelethites”: the king's bodyguard. went and placed Solomon on King David's mule, and led him down to the Gihon Spring. 39Zadok the priest took the horn containing olive oil from the Tent and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the trumpet, and all the people shouted, “Long live King Solomon!” 40Everyone followed him, playing flutes and celebrating so happily that the sound shook the earth.
41Adonijah and all his guests heard the noise as they were finishing eating. When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he asked, “What's all this noise coming from the city?”
42While he was speaking, Jonathan, son of Abiathar the priest, suddenly arrived. “Come on in,” said Adonijah. “A good man like you must be bringing good news.”
43“Absolutely not!” Jonathan replied. “Our lord King David has made Solomon king! 44He sent Solomon to be anointed#1:44. “To be anointed”: implied. with Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites. They had him ride on the king's mule. 45Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed him king at the Gihon Spring. Now they have returned, celebrating with shouts that echo round the city. That's the noise you're hearing. 46On top of that, Solomon is sitting on the royal throne, 47and the royal officials have also gone to voice their approval to our lord King David, saying, ‘May your God make Solomon's reputation even more famous than your own, and may he make his reign greater than your reign.’ The king on his bed bowed his head, 48and said, ‘Praise the Lord, the God of Israel! Today he has provided a successor to sit on my throne, and I have been privileged to see it.’”
49When all of the guests who were supporting Adonijah heard this they shook with fear. They got up and rushed out in different directions. 50Adonijah was terrified of Solomon, so he ran off. He went and grabbed hold of the horns of the altar.
51Solomon was told, “Adonijah is terrified of Your Majesty. He has grabbed hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear today that he won't kill me, his servant!’”
52Solomon replied, “If he is an honorable man, not one hair of his will fall to the ground. But if he shows himself to be evil, he will die.”
53King Solomon had Adonijah brought down from the altar, and he came and bowed down before King Solomon, who told him, “Go home.”
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com
1 Kings 1
1
David in His Old Age
1King David was now very old, and no matter how many blankets covered him, he could not keep warm. 2So his advisers told him, “Let us find a young virgin to wait on you and look after you, my lord. She will lie in your arms and keep you warm.”
3So they searched throughout the land of Israel for a beautiful girl, and they found Abishag from Shunem and brought her to the king. 4The girl was very beautiful, and she looked after the king and took care of him. But the king had no sexual relations with her.
Adonijah Claims the Throne
5About that time David’s son Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, began boasting, “I will make myself king.” So he provided himself with chariots and charioteers and recruited fifty men to run in front of him. 6Now his father, King David, had never disciplined him at any time, even by asking, “Why are you doing that?” Adonijah had been born next after Absalom, and he was very handsome.
7Adonijah took Joab son of Zeruiah and Abiathar the priest into his confidence, and they agreed to help him become king. 8But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s personal bodyguard refused to support Adonijah.
9Adonijah went to the Stone of Zoheleth#1:9 Or to the Serpent’s Stone; Greek version supports reading Zoheleth as a proper name. near the spring of En-rogel, where he sacrificed sheep, cattle, and fattened calves. He invited all his brothers—the other sons of King David—and all the royal officials of Judah. 10But he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the king’s bodyguard or his brother Solomon.
11Then Nathan went to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, and asked her, “Haven’t you heard that Haggith’s son, Adonijah, has made himself king, and our lord David doesn’t even know about it? 12If you want to save your own life and the life of your son Solomon, follow my advice. 13Go at once to King David and say to him, ‘My lord the king, didn’t you make a vow and say to me, “Your son Solomon will surely be the next king and will sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’ 14And while you are still talking with him, I will come and confirm everything you have said.”
15So Bathsheba went into the king’s bedroom. (He was very old now, and Abishag was taking care of him.) 16Bathsheba bowed down before the king.
“What can I do for you?” he asked her.
17She replied, “My lord, you made a vow before the Lord your God when you said to me, ‘Your son Solomon will surely be the next king and will sit on my throne.’ 18But instead, Adonijah has made himself king, and my lord the king does not even know about it. 19He has sacrificed many cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and he has invited all the king’s sons to attend the celebration. He also invited Abiathar the priest and Joab, the commander of the army. But he did not invite your servant Solomon. 20And now, my lord the king, all Israel is waiting for you to announce who will become king after you. 21If you do not act, my son Solomon and I will be treated as criminals as soon as my lord the king has died.”
22While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived. 23The king’s officials told him, “Nathan the prophet is here to see you.”
Nathan went in and bowed before the king with his face to the ground. 24Nathan asked, “My lord the king, have you decided that Adonijah will be the next king and that he will sit on your throne? 25Today he has sacrificed many cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and he has invited all the king’s sons to attend the celebration. He also invited the commanders of the army and Abiathar the priest. They are feasting and drinking with him and shouting, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ 26But he did not invite me or Zadok the priest or Benaiah or your servant Solomon. 27Has my lord the king really done this without letting any of his officials know who should be the next king?”
David Makes Solomon King
28King David responded, “Call Bathsheba!” So she came back in and stood before the king. 29And the king repeated his vow: “As surely as the Lord lives, who has rescued me from every danger, 30your son Solomon will be the next king and will sit on my throne this very day, just as I vowed to you before the Lord, the God of Israel.”
31Then Bathsheba bowed down with her face to the ground before the king and exclaimed, “May my lord King David live forever!”
32Then King David ordered, “Call Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” When they came into the king’s presence, 33the king said to them, “Take Solomon and my officials down to Gihon Spring. Solomon is to ride on my own mule. 34There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet are to anoint him king over Israel. Blow the ram’s horn and shout, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ 35Then escort him back here, and he will sit on my throne. He will succeed me as king, for I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah.”
36“Amen!” Benaiah son of Jehoiada replied. “May the Lord, the God of my lord the king, decree that it happen. 37And may the Lord be with Solomon as he has been with you, my lord the king, and may he make Solomon’s reign even greater than yours!”
38So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the king’s bodyguard#1:38 Hebrew the Kerethites and Pelethites; also in 1:44. took Solomon down to Gihon Spring, with Solomon riding on King David’s own mule. 39There Zadok the priest took the flask of olive oil from the sacred tent and anointed Solomon with the oil. Then they sounded the ram’s horn and all the people shouted, “Long live King Solomon!” 40And all the people followed Solomon into Jerusalem, playing flutes and shouting for joy. The celebration was so joyous and noisy that the earth shook with the sound.
41Adonijah and his guests heard the celebrating and shouting just as they were finishing their banquet. When Joab heard the sound of the ram’s horn, he asked, “What’s going on? Why is the city in such an uproar?”
42And while he was still speaking, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest arrived. “Come in,” Adonijah said to him, “for you are a good man. You must have good news.”
43“Not at all!” Jonathan replied. “Our lord King David has just declared Solomon king! 44The king sent him down to Gihon Spring with Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, protected by the king’s bodyguard. They had him ride on the king’s own mule, 45and Zadok and Nathan have anointed him at Gihon Spring as the new king. They have just returned, and the whole city is celebrating and rejoicing. That’s what all the noise is about. 46What’s more, Solomon is now sitting on the royal throne as king. 47And all the royal officials have gone to King David and congratulated him, saying, ‘May your God make Solomon’s fame even greater than your own, and may Solomon’s reign be even greater than yours!’ Then the king bowed his head in worship as he lay in his bed, 48and he said, ‘Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, who today has chosen a successor to sit on my throne while I am still alive to see it.’”
49Then all of Adonijah’s guests jumped up in panic from the banquet table and quickly scattered. 50Adonijah was afraid of Solomon, so he rushed to the sacred tent and grabbed on to the horns of the altar. 51Word soon reached Solomon that Adonijah had seized the horns of the altar in fear, and that he was pleading, “Let King Solomon swear today that he will not kill me!”
52Solomon replied, “If he proves himself to be loyal, not a hair on his head will be touched. But if he makes trouble, he will die.” 53So King Solomon summoned Adonijah, and they brought him down from the altar. He came and bowed respectfully before King Solomon, who dismissed him, saying, “Go on home.”
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Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
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