1 Kings 1
1
David and Abishag
1King David had become very old. His servants covered him with blankets, but he couldn’t stay warm. 2They said to him, “Allow us to find a young woman for our master the king. She will serve the king and take care of him by lying beside our master the king and keeping him warm.” 3So they looked in every corner of Israel until they found Abishag from Shunem. They brought her to the king. 4She was very beautiful. She cared for the king and served him, but the king didn’t have sex with her.
Adonijah’s rebellion
5Adonijah, Haggith’s son, bragged about himself and said, “I’ll rule as king myself.” He got his own chariot and horses with fifty runners to go in front. 6Now Adonijah’s father had never given him direction; he never questioned why Adonijah did what he did. He was very handsome and was born after Absalom. 7He took advice from Joab, Zeruiah’s son, and from the priest Abiathar. They assisted Adonijah. 8But Zadok the priest, Jehoiada’s son Benaiah, the prophet Nathan, Shimei and his friends, and David’s veterans didn’t join Adonijah. 9So Adonijah prepared lamb, oxen, and fattened cattle at the Stone of Zoheleth, next to En-rogel. He invited his brothers (the royal princes) and all the citizens of Judah who were the royal servants to come. 10But he didn’t invite the prophet Nathan, Benaiah, David’s veterans, or his brother Solomon.
11Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, “Did you hear that Adonijah, Haggith’s son, has become king, but our master David doesn’t know about it? 12Let me give you some advice on how you and your son Solomon can survive this. 13Go to King David and say, ‘Didn’t my master the king swear to your servant, “Your son Solomon will certainly rule after me. He will sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’ 14While you are speaking there with the king, I’ll come along and support your words.”
15So Bathsheba went to the king in his bedroom. The king was very old, and Abishag from Shunem was serving the king. 16Bathsheba bowed down on her face before the king.
The king asked, “What do you want?”
17She said to him, “Your Majesty, you swore by the LORD your God to your servant, ‘Your son Solomon will certainly rule after me. He will sit on my throne.’ 18But now, look, Adonijah has become king, and my master the king doesn’t know about it. 19He has prepared large quantities of oxen, fattened cattle, and lamb. He has invited all the royal princes as well as Abiathar the priest and Joab the general. However, he didn’t invite your servant Solomon. 20As for you, my master the king, the eyes of all Israel are upon you to tell them who will follow you on the throne of my master the king. 21When my master the king lies down with his ancestors, then I and my son Solomon will become outlaws.”
22While she was still speaking with the king, the prophet Nathan arrived. 23The king was informed, “The prophet Nathan is here.” Then Nathan came in before the king and bowed his face to the ground. 24He said, “My master the king, you must have said, ‘Adonijah will become king after me and will sit on my throne.’ 25Indeed, today he went down and prepared oxen, fattened cattle, and lamb in large numbers. He invited all the royal princes, the generals, and Abiathar the priest. They are eating and drinking with him, and they said, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ 26Adonijah didn’t invite me, your servant, Zadok the priest, Jehoiada’s son Benaiah, or your servant Solomon. 27If this message was from my master the king, you didn’t make it known to your servant. Who should follow you on the throne of my master the king?”
28King David answered, “Bring me Bathsheba.” She came and stood before the king. 29The king made a solemn pledge and said, “As surely as the LORD lives, who rescued me from every trouble, 30regarding what I swore to you by the LORD, Israel’s God, ‘Your son Solomon will certainly succeed me; he will sit on the throne after me’—I’ll see that it happens today.”
31Bathsheba bowed down with her face to the ground. She honored the king and said, “May my master King David live forever!”
32King David said, “Bring me Zadok the priest, the prophet Nathan, and Benaiah, Jehoiada’s son.” They came to the king, 33who said to them, “Take with you the servants of your masters. Put my son Solomon on my mule and bring him down to Gihon. 34There Zadok the priest and the prophet Nathan will anoint him king over Israel. Blow the ram’s horn and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ 35You will follow him. He will enter and sit on my throne, and so he will succeed me as king. I have appointed him to become ruler over Israel and Judah.”
36Benaiah, Jehoiada’s son, responded to the king, “Yes, may it happen as the LORD, the God of my king, says. 37Just as the LORD was with my master the king, so may he be with Solomon. May his throne be even greater than the throne of my master King David.” 38Zadok the priest, the prophet Nathan, Jehoiada’s son Benaiah, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites went down and put Solomon on King David’s mule. They led him to Gihon. 39Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon. They blew the ram’s horn, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!” 40All the people followed him playing flutes and celebrating. The ground shook at their noise.
41Adonijah and all his invited guests heard this when they had finished eating. When Joab heard the sound of the ram’s horn, he said, “What’s that noise coming from the city?” 42While he was still speaking, Jonathan, Abiathar the priest’s son, arrived.
Adonijah said, “Come on in! You are an honest man and will bring a good report.”
43Jonathan replied to Adonijah, “No! Our master King David has made Solomon king! 44To support him, the king sent along Zadok the priest; the prophet Nathan; Benaiah, Jehoiada’s son; and the Cherethites and the Pelethites. They’ve put Solomon on the royal mule. 45Zadok the priest and the prophet Nathan have anointed him king at Gihon. They went up from there celebrating so that the city was thrown into a commotion. That is the sound you heard. 46There’s more: Solomon has taken over the throne of the kingdom. 47The royal attendants blessed our master King David: ‘May your God make Solomon’s name better than your name. May God elevate his throne above your throne.’”
The king then worshipped on his bed 48and said, “Bless Israel’s God, the LORD, who today has set my son#1.48 Heb lacks my son; other versions have it or something similar. on my throne, and has allowed my eyes to see it.”
49Trembling with fear, all of Adonijah’s guests got up and fled, each going a different way. 50Adonijah was afraid of Solomon, so he got up and went to grab hold of the horns of the altar. 51Solomon was told, “Look! Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon and has grabbed the horns of the altar. He’s saying, ‘King Solomon must swear to me first that he won’t execute his servant with the sword.’”
52Solomon said, “If he shows himself to be an honorable person, then not a hair of his head will be harmed. But if any evil is found in him, he will die.” 53King Solomon sent word and had him brought down from the altar. He came and bowed down to King Solomon. Solomon said to him, “Go home!”
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1 Kings 1: CEB
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
Melachim Alef 1
1
1Now HaMelech Dovid was zaken and stricken in yamim; and they covered him with begadim, but he could get no warmth.
2Wherefore his avadim said unto him, Let there be sought for adoni HaMelech a na'arah betulah; and let her stand before HaMelech, and let her care for him, and let her lie at thy kheyk (bosom), that adoni HaMelech may be warm.
3So they sought for a na'arah yafeh throughout all the territory of Yisroel, and found Avishag HaShunammit, and brought her to HaMelech.
4And the na'arah was yafeh ad me'od, and cared for HaMelech, and waited on him; but HaMelech knew her not.
5Then Adoniyah Ben Chaggit put himself forward, saying, I will be Melech; and he prepared him merkavot and parashim, and chamishim ish to run before him.
6And Aviv had not rebuked him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? And he also was tov to'ar (good looking); and#1:6 immo bore him after Avshalom.
7And he conferred with Yoav Ben Tzeruyah, and with Evyatar (Abiathar) HaKohen; and they lent ezer (help), following after Adoniyah.
8But Tzadok HaKohen, and Benayah Ben Yehoyada, and Natan HaNavi, and Shime'i, and Re'i, and the Gibborim which belonged to Dovid, were not with Adoniyah.
9And Adoniyah sacrificed tzon and bakar and fatted bull at the Zochelet Even (Stone of Zoheleth), which is Ein-Rogel, and invited all his achim, the Bnei HaMelech, and all the anshei Yehudah who were avadim of HaMelech;
10But Natan HaNavi, and Benayah, and the Gibborim, and Sh'lomo his brother, he invited not.
11Wherefore Natan spoke unto Bat-Sheva em Sh'lomo, saying, Hast thou not heard that Adoniyah Ben Chaggit became Melech, and Dovid adoneinu knoweth it not?
12Therefore come, let me, now, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own nefesh, and the nefesh of thy ben Sh'lomo.
13Go and get thee in unto HaMelech Dovid, and say unto him, Didst not thou, adoni, O HaMelech, swear unto thine amah (maid servant, handmaid) saying, Assuredly Sh'lomo thy ben shall reign as Melech after me, and he shall sit upon my kisse? Why then doth Adoniyah reign as Melech?
14Hinei, while thou yet speakest there with HaMelech, I also will come in after thee, and confirm thy devarim.
15And Bat-Sheva went in unto HaMelech into the cheder; and HaMelech was zaken me'od; and Avishag HaShunammit attended unto HaMelech.
16And Bat-Sheva bowed, and did obeisance unto HaMelech. And HaMelech said, What wouldest thou?
17And she said unto him, Adoni, thou didst swear by Hashem Eloheicha unto thine amah, saying, Assuredly Sh'lomo thy ben shall reign as Melech after me, and he shall sit upon my kisse.
18And now, hinei, Adoniyah reigneth as Melech; and now, adoni HaMelech, thou knowest it not;
19And he hath sacrificed shor and fatted bull and tzon in abundance, and hath invited all the Bnei HaMelech, and Evyatar (Abiathar) HaKohen, and Yoav the Sar HaTzava; but Sh'lomo thy eved hath he not invited.
20And thou, adoni HaMelech, the eyes of kol Yisroel are upon thee, that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the kisse adoni HaMelech after him.
21Otherwise it shall come to pass, when adoni HaMelech shall lie with his avot, that I and beni (my son) Sh'lomo shall be counted chatta'im.
22And, hinei, while she yet was speaking with HaMelech, Natan HaNavi also came in.
23And they told HaMelech, saying, Hinei Natan HaNavi! And when he was come in before HaMelech, he bowed himself before HaMelech with his face to the ground.
24And Natan said, Adoni HaMelech, hast thou said, Adoniyah shall reign as Melech after me, and he shall sit upon my kisse?
25For he has gone down this day, and hath sacrificed shor and fatted bull and tzon in abundance, and hath invited all the Bnei HaMelech, and the sarei hatzava, and Evyatar (Abiathar) HaKohen; and, behold, they eat and drink before him, and say, Yechi HaMelech Adoniyahu (long live HaMelech Adoniyah)!
26But me, even me thy eved, and Tzadok HaKohen, and Benayah Ben Yehoyada, and thy eved Sh'lomo, hath he not invited.
27Is this thing done by adoni HaMelech, and thou hast not showed it unto thy eved, even who should sit on the kisse adoni HaMelech after him?
28Then HaMelech Dovid answered and said, Call me Bat-Sheva. And she came into the presence of HaMelech, and stood before HaMelech.
29And HaMelech swore a shevu'a (oath), and said, As Hashem liveth, that hath redeemed my nefesh out of kol tzarah,
30Even as I swore a shevu'a unto thee by Hashem Elohei Yisroel, saying, Assuredly Sh'lomo thy ben shall reign as Melech after me, he shall sit upon my kisse in my place; so will I certainly do this day.
31Then Bat-Sheva bowed with her face to eretz, and did reverence to HaMelech, and said, Yechi adoni HaMelech Dovid l'olam (long live adoni HaMelech forever)!
32And HaMelech Dovid said, Call me Tzadok HaKohen, and Natan HaNavi, and Benayah Ben Yehoyada. And they came before HaMelech.
33HaMelech also said unto them, Take with you the avadim of adoneichem, and have Sh'lomo beni (my son) to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gichon;#1:33 See Jn 12:14
34And let Tzadok HaKohen and Natan HaNavi mashach (anoint) him there Melech over Yisroel; and blow ye with the shofar, and say, Yechi HaMelech Sh'lomo.
35Then ye shall come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my kisse; for he shall be Melech in my place; and I have appointed him to be Nagid (ruler) over Yisroel and over Yehudah.
36And Benayah Ben Yehoyada answered HaMelech, and said, Omein; And so may Hashem Elohei adoni HaMelech say.
37As Hashem hath been with adoni HaMelech, even so may He be with Sh'lomo, and make his kisse greater than the kisse of adoni HaMelech Dovid.
38So Tzadok HaKohen, and Natan HaNavi, and Benayah Ben Yehoyada, and the Kereti, and the Peleti, went down, and had Sh'lomo ride upon the mule of HaMelech Dovid, and brought him to Gichon.
39And Tzadok HaKohen took a keren of shemen out of the ohel, and mashach (anointed) Sh'lomo. And they blew the shofar; and kol HaAm shouted, Yechi HaMelech Sh'lomo!
40And kol HaAm came up after him, and the people played chalilim (flutes), and rejoiced with simchah gedolah, so that ha'aretz split with the sound of them.
41And Adoniyah and kol hakeru'im (all the invited ones) that were with him heard it as they had made an end of eating. And when Yoav heard the kol hashofar, he said, Why is the sound of the Ir in an uproar?
42And while he yet spoke, hinei, Yonatan Ben Evyatar (Abiathar) HaKohen came; and Adoniyah said unto him, Come, for thou art an ish chayil, and tov tevaser (bringest good tidings).
43And Yonatan answered and said to Adoniyah, Just the opposite! Verily adoneinu HaMelech Dovid hath made Sh'lomo Melech!
44And HaMelech hath sent with him Tzadok HaKohen, and Natan HaNavi, and Benayah Ben Yehoyada, and the Kereti, and the Peleti, and they have had him ride upon pirdah (mule) of HaMelech:
45And Tzadok HaKohen and Natan HaNavi have anointed him Melech at Gichon; and they are come up from there rejoicing, so that the city rang out. This is the noise that ye have heard.
46And also Sh'lomo sitteth on the kisse hameluchah.
47And moreover the avadim of HaMelech came to make a brocha on adoneinu HaMelech Dovid, saying, May your G-d make the shem of Sh'lomo more famous than thy shem, and make his kisse greater than thy kisse. And HaMelech bowed himself upon the mishkav (bed).
48Also so said HaMelech, Baruch Hashem Elohei Yisroel, Who hath given one to sit on my kisse this day, mine eyes even seeing it.
49And kol hakeruvim (all the invited ones) that were with Adoniyah were terrified, and rose up, and went every ish his own derech.#1:49 See Isa 53:6
50And Adoniyah feared because of Sh'lomo, and arose, and went, and caught hold of the karnayim of the Mizbe'ach.
51And it was told Sh'lomo, saying, Hinei, Adoniyah feareth HaMelech Sh'lomo; for, hinei, he hath caught hold of the karnayim of the Mizbe'ach, saying, Let Melech Sh'lomo swear a shevua (oath) unto me today that he will not slay his eved with the cherev.
52And Sh'lomo said, If he will show himself a ben chayil (a son of worthiness), there shall not a hair of him fall to ha'aretz; but if ra'ah (wickedness) shall be found in him, he shall die.#1:52 Ro 6:23
53So HaMelech Sh'lomo sent, and they brought him down from the Mizbe'ach. And he came and bowed himself to Melech Sh'lomo; and Sh'lomo said unto him, Go to thine bais.
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THE ORTHODOX JEWISH BIBLE
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