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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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
1 Kings 1
1
Abishag Ministers to David
1Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat. 2Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat. 3So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Ab´ishag a Shu´nammite, and brought her to the king. 4And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not.
Adonijah Usurps the Throne
5 #
2 Sam 3.4. Then Adoni´jah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. 6And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him after Ab´salom. 7And he conferred with Jo´ab the son of Zeru-i´ah, and with Abi´athar the priest: and they following Adoni´jah helped him. 8But Zadok the priest, and Benai´ah the son of Jehoi´ada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shim´e-i, and Re´i, and the mighty men which belonged to David, were not with Adoni´jah.
9And Adoni´jah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone of Zo´heleth, which is by En–ro´gel, and called all his brethren the king's sons, and all the men of Judah the king's servants: 10but Nathan the prophet, and Benai´ah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he called not.
11 #
2 Sam 12.24. Wherefore Nathan spake unto Bath–she´ba the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast thou not heard that Adoni´jah the son of Haggith doth reign, and David our lord knoweth it not? 12Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own life, and the life of thy son Solomon. 13Go and get thee in unto king David, and say unto him, Didst not thou, my lord, O king, swear unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? why then doth Adoni´jah reign? 14Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come in after thee, and confirm thy words.
15And Bath–she´ba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and Ab´ishag the Shu´nammite ministered unto the king. 16And Bath–she´ba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And the king said, What wouldest thou? 17And she said unto him, My lord, thou swarest by the Lord thy God unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne. 18And now, behold, Adoni´jah reigneth; and now, my lord the king, thou knowest it not: 19and he hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the sons of the king, and Abi´athar the priest, and Jo´ab the captain of the host: but Solomon thy servant hath he not called. 20And thou, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 21Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.#1.21 offenders, Hebrew sinners.
22And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in. 23And they told the king, saying, Behold Nathan the prophet. And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground. 24And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adoni´jah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? 25For he is gone down this day, and hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the king's sons, and the captains of the host, and Abi´athar the priest; and, behold, they eat and drink before him, and say, God save king Adoni´jah. 26But me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benai´ah the son of Jehoi´ada, and thy servant Solomon, hath he not called. 27Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not showed it unto thy servant, who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?
Solomon Made King
28Then king David answered and said, Call me Bath–she´ba. And she came into the king's presence, and stood before the king. 29And the king sware, and said, As the Lord liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all distress, 30even as I sware unto thee by the Lord God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day. 31Then Bath–she´ba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.
32And king David said, Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benai´ah the son of Jehoi´ada. And they came before the king. 33The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon: 34and let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon. 35Then ye shall come up after him, that he may 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 Benai´ah the son of Jehoi´ada answered the king, and said, Amen: the Lord God of my lord the king say so too. 37As the Lord hath been with my lord the king, even so be he with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David.
38So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benai´ah the son of Jehoi´ada, and the Cher´ethites, and the Pel´ethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David's mule, and brought him to Gihon. 39And Zadok the priest took a horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, God save king Solomon. 40And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.
41And Adoni´jah and all the guests that were with him heard it as they had made an end of eating. And when Jo´ab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, Wherefore is this noise of the city being in an uproar? 42And while he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son of Abi´athar the priest came: and Adoni´jah said unto him, Come in; for thou art a valiant man, and bringest good tidings. 43And Jonathan answered and said to Adoni´jah, Verily our lord king David hath made Solomon king. 44And the king hath sent with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benai´ah the son of Jehoi´ada, and the Cher´ethites, and the Pel´ethites, and they have caused him to ride upon the king's mule: 45and Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon: and they are come up from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang again. This is the noise that ye have heard. 46And also Solomon sitteth on the throne of the kingdom. 47And moreover the king's servants came to bless our lord king David, saying, God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne. And the king bowed himself upon the bed. 48And also thus said the king, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which hath given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing it.
49And all the guests that were with Adoni´jah were afraid, and rose up, and went every man his way. 50And Adoni´jah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar. 51And it was told Solomon, saying, Behold, Adoni´jah feareth king Solomon: for, lo, he hath caught hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear unto me today that he will not slay his servant with the sword. 52And Solomon said, If he will show himself a worthy man, there shall not a hair of him fall to the earth: but if wickedness shall be found in him, he shall die. 53So king Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and bowed himself to king Solomon: and Solomon said unto him, Go to thine house.
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King James Version 1611, spelling, punctuation and text formatting modernized by ABS in 1962; typesetting © 2010 American Bible Society.