Melaḵim Aleph (1 Kings) 2
2
1And the days of Dawiḏ drew near to die, and he commanded Shelomoh his son, saying,
2“I am going the way of all the earth. And you shall be strong, and be a man.
3“And guard the Charge of יהוה your Elohim: to walk in His ways, to guard His laws, His commands, His right-rulings, and His witnesses, as it is written in the Torah of Mosheh, so that you do wisely all that you do and wherever you turn;
4so that יהוה does establish His word which He spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons guard their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their being,’ saying, ‘there is not to cease a man of yours on the throne of Yisra’ĕl.’
5“And also, you know what Yo’aḇ son of Tseruyah did to me, and what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Yisra’ĕl, to Aḇnĕr son of Nĕr and Amasa son of Yether, that he killed them, and shed the blood of battle in peace, and put the blood of battle on his belt that was around his waist, and on his sandals that were on his feet.
6“So act according to your wisdom, and do not let his grey hair go down to She’ol in peace.
7“But show loving-commitment to the sons of Barzillai the Gil‛aḏite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, for so they came to me when I fled from Aḇshalom your brother.
8“And see, with you is Shim‛i son of Gĕra, the Binyamite from Baḥurim, who cursed me with a grievous cursing in the day when I went to Maḥanayim. But he came down to meet me at the Yardĕn, and I swore to him by יהוה, saying, ‘I shall not put you to death with the sword.’
9“And now, do not leave him unpunished, for you are a wise man and know what you should do to him, and shall bring his grey hair down to She’ol with blood.”
10And Dawiḏ slept with his fathers, and was buried in the City of Dawiḏ.
11And the days that Dawiḏ reigned over Yisra’ĕl was forty years. He reigned seven years in Ḥeḇron, and in Yerushalayim he reigned thirty-three years.
12And Shelomoh sat on the throne of his father Dawiḏ. And his reign was firmly established.
13And Aḏoniyahu son of Ḥaggith came to Bathsheḇa the mother of Shelomoh, and she said, “Do you come in peace?” And he said, “Peace.”
14And he said, “I have a word for you,” and she said, “Speak.”
15And he said, “You know that the reign was mine, and all Yisra’ĕl had set their faces toward me, that I should reign. But the reign has been turned around, and has become my brother’s, for it was his from יהוה.
16“And now, I am making one request of you, do not refuse me.” And she said to him, “Say it.”
17And he said, “Please speak to Sovereign Shelomoh – for he would not refuse you – to give me Aḇishaḡ the Shunammite as wife.”
18And Bathsheḇa said, “Good, let me speak for you to the sovereign.”
19And Bathsheḇa came to Sovereign Shelomoh, to speak to him for Aḏoniyahu. And the sovereign rose up to meet her and bowed down to her, and sat down on his throne and had a throne set for the sovereign’s mother. So she sat at his right hand.
20And she said, “I am making one small request of you, do not refuse me.” And the sovereign said to her, “Ask it, my mother, for I do not refuse you.”
21Then she said, “Let Aḇishaḡ the Shunammite be given to Aḏoniyahu your brother as wife.”
22And Sovereign Shelomoh answered and said to his mother, “Now why do you ask Aḇishaḡ the Shunammite for Aḏoniyahu? Ask for him the reign also – for he is my older brother – for him, and for Eḇyathar the priest, and for Yo’aḇ son of Tseruyah.”
23And Sovereign Shelomoh swore by יהוה, saying, “Elohim does so to me, and more also, if Aḏoniyahu has not spoken this word against his own life!
24“And now, as יהוה lives, who established me and set me on the throne of Dawiḏ my father, and who has made me a house, as He promised, Aḏoniyahu shall be put to death today!”
25And Sovereign Shelomoh sent by the hand of Benayahu son of Yehoyaḏa, and he fell upon him, and he died.
26Then the sovereign said to Eḇyathar the priest, “Go to Anathoth, to your own fields, for you deserve death. But I do not put you to death at this time, because you did bear the ark of the Master יהוה before my father Dawiḏ, and because you were afflicted in all my father was afflicted in.”
27So Shelomoh dismissed Eḇyathar from being priest to יהוה, to fill the word of יהוה which He spoke concerning the house of Ěli at Shiloh.
28And news came to Yo’aḇ, for Yo’aḇ had turned aside after Aḏoniyah, though he did not turn aside after Aḇshalom. And Yo’aḇ fled to the Tent of יהוה, and took hold of the horns of the slaughter-place.
29And the report came to Sovereign Shelomoh that Yo’aḇ had fled to the Tent of יהוה, and see, he is by the slaughter-place. Then Shelomoh sent Benayahu son of Yehoyaḏa, saying, “Go, fall on him.”
30So Benayahu came to the Tent of יהוה and said to him, “Thus said the sovereign, ‘Come out!’ ” And he said, “No, for here I die.” And Benayahu brought back word to the sovereign, saying, “Thus said Yo’aḇ, and thus he answered me.”
31And the sovereign said to him, “Do as he has said, and fall upon him. And you shall bury him, so that you take away from me and from the house of my father the blood which Yo’aḇ shed without cause.
32“Thus יהוה shall return his blood on his head, because he had fallen on two men more righteous and better than he, and killed them with the sword, while my father Dawiḏ did not know it: Aḇnĕr son of Nĕr, commander of the army of Yisra’ĕl, and Amasa son of Yether, commander of the army of Yehuḏah.
33“So shall their blood return upon the head of Yo’aḇ and upon the head of his seed forever. But upon Dawiḏ and his seed, upon his house and his throne, there is to be peace forever from יהוה.”
34Then Benayahu son of Yehoyaḏa went up and fell upon him and put him to death. And he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.
35And the sovereign put Benayahu son of Yehoyaḏa in his place over the army, and the sovereign put Tsaḏoq the priest in the place of Eḇyathar.
36And the sovereign sent and called for Shim‛i, and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Yerushalayim and dwell there, and do not go out from there anywhere.
37“And it shall be, on the day you go out and pass over the wadi Qiḏron, know for certain that you shall die – your blood is on your own head.”
38And Shim‛i said to the sovereign, “The word is good. As my master the sovereign has said, so your servant does.” So Shim‛i dwelt in Yerushalayim many days.
39And it came to be at the end of three years, that two slaves of Shim‛i fled to Aḵish son of Ma‛aḵah, sovereign of Gath. And they informed Shim‛i, saying, “See, your slaves are in Gath!”
40And Shim‛i rose up, and saddled his donkey, and went to Aḵish at Gath to look for his slaves. And Shim‛i went and brought his slaves from Gath.
41And Shelomoh was told that Shim‛i had gone from Yerushalayim to Gath and had come back.
42So the sovereign sent and called for Shim‛i, and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by יהוה, and warn you, saying, ‘Know for certain that on the day you leave to go anywhere, you shall certainly die’? And you said to me, ‘The word I have heard is good.’
43“And why have you not guarded the oath of יהוה and the command that I gave you?”
44The sovereign also said to Shim‛i, “You shall know all the evil that your heart has known, that you did to my father Dawiḏ. And יהוה shall return your evil on your own head.
45“But Sovereign Shelomoh is blessed, and the throne of Dawiḏ is established before יהוה forever.”
46So the sovereign commanded Benayahu son of Yehoyaḏa, and he went out and fell on him, and he died. And the reign was established in the hand of Shelomoh.
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Melaḵim Aleph (1 Kings) 2: TS2009
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1 Kings 2
2
David’s Instructions to Solomon
1 # [Gen. 47:29] When David’s time to die drew near, he commanded Solomon his son, saying, 2#Josh. 23:14 “I am about to go the way of all the earth. #See Josh. 1:6, 7Be strong, and show yourself a man, 3and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, #Deut. 29:9; 1 Chr. 22:12, 13that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, 4that the Lord may #2 Sam. 7:25 establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, #Ps. 132:12 ‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, #[ch. 3:6; 9:4; 2 Kgs. 20:3] to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, #ch. 8:25; 9:5; 2 Sam. 7:12, 13you shall not lack#2:4 Hebrew there shall not be cut off for you a man on the throne of Israel.’
5“Moreover, you also know what Joab the son of Zeruiah #2 Sam. 18:5, 12, 14; [2 Sam. 3:39] did to me, how he dealt with the two commanders of the armies of Israel, #ver. 32; 2 Sam. 3:27 Abner the son of Ner, #2 Sam. 20:10and Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, avenging#2:5 Septuagint; Hebrew placing in time of peace for blood that had been shed in war, and putting the blood of war#2:5 Septuagint innocent blood on the belt around his#2:5 Septuagint my; twice in this verse waist and on the sandals on his feet. 6Act therefore #[ver. 9]according to your wisdom, but do not let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace. 7But deal loyally with the sons of #See 2 Sam. 19:31-38 Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be #2 Sam. 9:7, 10 among those who eat at your table, #2 Sam. 17:27-29for with such loyalty#2:7 Or steadfast love they met me when I fled from Absalom your brother. 8And there is also with you #2 Sam. 16:5 Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse on the day #2 Sam. 17:24 when I went to Mahanaim. #2 Sam. 19:18But when he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the Lord, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’ 9Now therefore do not hold him guiltless, #[ver. 6] for you are a wise man. You will know what you ought to do to him, and you shall #[Gen. 42:38; 44:31]bring his gray head down with blood to Sheol.”
The Death of David
10 # ch. 1:21; Acts 2:29; 13:36 Then David slept with his fathers and was buried in #ch. 3:1; 9:24the city of David. 11And the time that David reigned over Israel was #2 Sam. 5:4, 5; 1 Chr. 29:26, 27forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. 12#1 Chr. 29:23; 2 Chr. 1:1So Solomon sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly established.
Solomon’s Reign Established
13Then Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, #1 Sam. 16:4“Do you come peacefully?” He said, “Peacefully.” 14Then he said, “I have something to say to you.” She said, “Speak.” 15He said, “You know that #[ch. 1:5, 25] the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel fully expected me to reign. However, the kingdom has turned about and become my brother’s, #1 Chr. 22:9, 10; 28:5-7for it was his from the Lord. 16And now I have one request to make of you; do not refuse me.” She said to him, “Speak.” 17And he said, “Please ask King Solomon—he will not refuse you—to give me #ch. 1:3, 4Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.” 18Bathsheba said, “Very well; I will speak for you to the king.”
19So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. And the king rose to meet her and bowed down to her. Then he sat on his throne and had a seat brought for the king’s mother, #[Ps. 45:9]and she sat on his right. 20Then she said, “I have one small request to make of you; do not refuse me.” And the king said to her, “Make your request, my mother, for I will not refuse you.” 21She said, “Let #[See ver. 17 above]Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as his wife.” 22King Solomon answered his mother, “And why do you ask #[See ver. 17 above] Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also, #ch. 1:6; 1 Chr. 3:2, 5 for he is my older brother, and on his side #ch. 1:7are Abiathar#2:22 Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate; Hebrew and for him and for Abiathar the priest and Joab the son of Zeruiah.” 23Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, #See Ruth 1:17“God do so to me and more also if this word does not cost Adonijah his life! 24Now therefore #See Ruth 3:13 as the Lord lives, who has established me and placed me on the throne of David my father, and who has made me a house, #2 Sam. 7:11, 13; 1 Chr. 22:10as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death today.” 25So King Solomon sent #2 Sam. 8:18Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he struck him down, and he died.
26And to Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go to #Josh. 21:18 Anathoth, to your estate, for you deserve death. But I will not at this time put you to death, #1 Sam. 23:6; 2 Sam. 15:24, 29 because you carried the ark of the Lord God before David my father, #See 1 Sam. 22:20-23and because you shared in all my father’s affliction.” 27#[ver. 35] So Solomon expelled Abiathar from being priest to the Lord, thus fulfilling #See 1 Sam. 2:27-36the word of the Lord that he had spoken concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.
28When the news came to Joab—for Joab #ch. 1:7 had supported Adonijah although #2 Sam. 17:25; 18:2 he had not supported Absalom—Joab fled to the tent of the Lord and caught hold of the #ch. 1:50horns of the altar. 29And when it was told King Solomon, “Joab has fled to the tent of the Lord, and behold, he is beside the altar,” Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, strike him down.” 30So Benaiah came to the tent of the Lord and said to him, “The king commands, ‘Come out.’” But he said, “No, I will die here.” Then Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, “Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.” 31The king replied to him, #[Ex. 21:14] “Do as he has said, strike him down and bury him, #Num. 35:33; Deut. 19:13; 21:8, 9and thus take away from me and from my father’s house the guilt for the blood that Joab shed without cause. 32The Lord will #See Judg. 9:24 bring back his bloody deeds on his own head, because, without the knowledge of my father David, he attacked and killed with the sword two men #2 Chr. 21:13 more righteous and better than himself, #ver. 5; 2 Sam. 3:27 Abner the son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and #2 Sam. 20:9, 10Amasa the son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah. 33#[See ver. 32 above]So shall their blood come back on the head of Joab and on the head of his descendants forever. But for David and for his descendants and for his house and for his throne there shall be peace from the Lord forevermore.” 34Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and struck him down and put him to death. And he was buried in his own house in the wilderness. 35#ch. 4:4 The king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada over the army in place of Joab, and the king put #1 Chr. 29:22 Zadok the priest #ver. 27in the place of Abiathar.
36Then the king sent and summoned #ver. 8Shimei and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and dwell there, and do not go out from there to any place whatever. 37For on the day you go out and cross #2 Sam. 15:23 the brook Kidron, know for certain that you shall die. #See 2 Sam. 1:16Your blood shall be on your own head.” 38And Shimei said to the king, “What you say is good; as my lord the king has said, so will your servant do.” So Shimei lived in Jerusalem many days.
39But it happened at the end of three years that two of Shimei’s servants ran away to #[1 Sam. 27:2]Achish, son of Maacah, king of Gath. And when it was told Shimei, “Behold, your servants are in Gath,” 40Shimei arose and saddled a donkey and went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants. Shimei went and brought his servants from Gath. 41And when Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and returned, 42the king sent and summoned Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the Lord and solemnly warn you, saying, ‘Know for certain that on the day you go out and go to any place whatever, you shall die’? And you said to me, ‘What you say is good; I will obey.’ 43Why then have you not kept your oath to the Lord and the commandment with which I commanded you?” 44The king also said to Shimei, “You know in your own heart #See 2 Sam. 16:5-14 all the harm that you did to David my father. So the Lord will #See 1 Sam. 25:39bring back your harm on your own head. 45But King Solomon shall be blessed, #[Prov. 25:5]and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord forever.” 46Then the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck him down, and he died.
# ver. 12; [2 Chr. 1:1] So the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.
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