1 Kings 1
1
David in His Old Age
1King David was now an old man, and he always felt cold, even under a lot of blankets. 2His officials said, “Your Majesty, we will look for a young woman to take care of you. She can lie down beside you and keep you warm.” 3-4They looked everywhere in Israel until they found a very beautiful young woman named Abishag, who lived in the town of Shunem.#1.3,4 Shunem: A town in northern Israel, just north of Jezreel Valley. They brought her to David, and she took care of him. But David did not have sex with her.
Adonijah Tries To Become King
5-6 #
2 S 3.2-5. Adonijah was the son of David and Haggith. He was Absalom's younger brother#1.5,6 brother: Since Absalom was dead, Adonijah was now David's oldest living son and would be next in line to be king. and was very handsome. One day, Adonijah started bragging, “I'm going to make myself king!” So he got some chariots and horses, and he hired 50 men as bodyguards. David did not want to hurt his feelings, so he never asked Adonijah why he was doing these things.
7Adonijah met with Joab the son of Zeruiah and Abiathar the priest and asked them if they would help him become king. Both of them agreed to help. 8But Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei,#1.8 Shimei, Rei: Or “Shimei his advisor.” and David's bodyguards all refused.
9Adonijah invited his brothers and David's officials from Judah to go with him to Crawling Rock#1.9 Crawling Rock: Or “Zoheleth Rock.” near Rogel Spring, where he sacrificed some sheep, cattle, and fat calves.#1.9 sacrificed … calves: This was part of a ceremony where Adonijah was made the new king. 10But he did not invite Nathan, Benaiah, David's bodyguards, or his own brother Solomon.
11 #
2 S 12.24. When Nathan heard what had happened, he asked Bathsheba, Solomon's mother:
Have you heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has made himself king? But David doesn't know a thing about it. 12You and your son Solomon will be killed, unless you do what I tell you. 13Go say to David, “You promised me that Solomon would be the next king. So why is Adonijah now king?”
14While you are still talking to David, I'll come in and tell him that everything you said is true.
15Meanwhile, David was in his bedroom where Abishag was taking care of him because he was so old. Bathsheba went in 16and bowed down.
“What can I do for you?” David asked.
17Bathsheba answered:
Your Majesty, you promised me in the name of the Lord your God that my son Solomon would be the next king. 18But Adonijah has already been made king, and you didn't know anything about it. 19He sacrificed a lot of cattle, calves, and sheep. And he invited Abiathar the priest, Joab your army commander, and all your sons to be there, except Solomon, your loyal servant.
20Your Majesty, everyone in Israel is waiting for you to announce who will be the next king. 21If you don't, they will say that Solomon and I have rebelled. They will treat us like criminals and kill us as soon as you die.
22Just then, Nathan the prophet arrived. 23Someone told David that he was there, and Nathan came in. He bowed with his face to the ground 24and said:
Your Majesty, did you say that Adonijah would be king? 25Earlier today, he sacrificed a lot of cattle, calves, and sheep. He invited the army commanders, Abiathar, and all your sons to be there. They are already eating and drinking and shouting, “Long live King Adonijah!” 26But he didn't invite me or Zadok the priest or Benaiah or Solomon. 27Did you say they could do this without telling the rest of us who would be the next king?
Solomon Becomes King
28David said, “Tell Bathsheba to come here.” She came and stood in front of him. 29-30Then he said, “The living Lord God of Israel has kept me safe. And so today, I will keep the promise I made to you in his name: Solomon will be the next king!”
31Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground and said, “Your Majesty, I pray that you will live a long time!”
32Then David said, “Tell Zadok, Nathan, and Benaiah to come here.”
When they arrived, 33he told them:
Take along some of my officials and let Solomon ride my own mule to Gihon Spring. 34When you get there, Zadok and Nathan will pour olive oil over Solomon's head to show that he is the new king of Israel. Then order someone to blow a trumpet and tell everyone to shout, “Long live King Solomon!” 35Bring him back here, and he will take my place as king. He is the one I have chosen to rule Israel and Judah.
36Benaiah answered, “We will do it, Your Majesty. I pray that the Lord your God will let it happen. 37The Lord has always watched over you, and I pray that he will now watch over Solomon. May the Lord help Solomon to be an even greater king than you.”
38Zadok, Nathan, and Benaiah left and took along the two groups of David's special bodyguards.#1.38 the two … bodyguards: The Hebrew text has “the Cherethites and the Pelethites,” who were foreign soldiers hired by David to be part of his bodyguard. Solomon rode on David's mule as they led him to Gihon Spring. 39Zadok the priest brought some olive oil from the sacred tent and poured it on Solomon's head to show that he was now king. A trumpet was blown and everyone shouted, “Long live King Solomon!” 40Then they played flutes and celebrated as they followed Solomon back to Jerusalem. They made so much noise that the ground shook.
41Adonijah and his guests had almost finished eating when they heard the noise. Joab also heard the trumpet and asked, “What's all that noise about in the city?”
42Just then, Jonathan son of Abiathar came running up. “Come in,” Adonijah said. “An important man like you must have some good news.”
43Jonathan answered:
No, I don't! David has just announced that Solomon will be king. 44-45Solomon rode David's own mule to Gihon Spring, and Zadok, Nathan, Benaiah, and David's special bodyguards#1.44,45 David's special bodyguards: See the note at 1.38. went with him. When they got there, Zadok and Nathan made Solomon king. Then everyone celebrated all the way back to Jerusalem. That's the noise you hear in the city. 46Solomon is now king.
47And listen to this! David's officials told him, “We pray that your God will help Solomon to be an even greater king!”
David was in his bed at the time, but he bowed 48and prayed, “I praise you, Lord God of Israel. You have made my son Solomon king and have let me live to see it.”
49Adonijah's guests shook with fear when they heard this news, and they left as fast as they could. 50Adonijah himself was afraid of what Solomon might do to him, so he ran to the sacred tent and grabbed hold of the corners of the altar for protection.#1.50 the corners … for protection: The four corners of some ancient altars looked like animal horns. Since the entire altar was sacred, anyone holding on to its corners was supposed to be safe from being killed.
51Someone told Solomon, “Adonijah is afraid of you and is holding onto the corners of the altar. He wants you to promise that you won't kill him.”
52Solomon answered, “If Adonijah doesn't cause any trouble, I won't hurt him. But if he does, I'll have him killed.” 53Then he sent someone to the altar to get Adonijah.
After Adonijah came and bowed down, Solomon said, “Adonijah, go home.”
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1 Kings 1: CEV
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
I Kings 1
1
Adonijah Presumes to Be King
1Now King David was #1 Chr. 23:1old, advanced in years; and they put covers on him, but he could not get warm. 2Therefore his servants said to him, “Let a young woman, a virgin, be sought for our lord the king, and let her stand before the king, and let her care for him; and let her lie in your bosom, that our lord the king may be warm.” 3So they sought for a lovely young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found #1 Kin. 2:17Abishag the #Josh. 19:18; 1 Sam. 28:4Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 4The young woman was very lovely; and she cared for the king, and served him; but the king did not know her.
5Then #2 Sam. 3:4Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king”; and #2 Sam. 15:1he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. 6(And his father had not rebuked him at any time by saying, “Why have you done so?” He was also very good-looking. #2 Sam. 3:3, 4; 1 Chr. 3:2His mother had borne him after Absalom.) 7Then he conferred with #1 Chr. 11:6Joab the son of Zeruiah and with #2 Sam. 20:25Abiathar the priest, and #1 Kin. 2:22, 28they followed and helped Adonijah. 8But #1 Kin. 2:35Zadok the priest, #1 Kin. 2:25; 2 Sam. 8:18Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, #2 Sam. 12:1Nathan the prophet, #1 Kin. 4:18Shimei, Rei, and #2 Sam. 23:8the mighty men who belonged to David were not with Adonijah.
9And Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fattened cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by #Josh. 15:7; 18:16; 2 Sam. 17:17En Rogel; he also invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah, the king’s servants. 10But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, or #2 Sam. 12:24Solomon his brother.
11So Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of #2 Sam. 3:4Haggith has become king, and David our lord does not know it? 12Come, please, let me now give you advice, that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. 13Go immediately to King David and say to him, ‘Did you not, my lord, O king, swear to your maidservant, saying, #1 Kin. 1:30; 1 Chr. 22:9–13“Assuredly your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne“? Why then has Adonijah become king?’ 14Then, while you are still talking there with the king, I also will come in after you and confirm your words.”
15So Bathsheba went into the chamber to the king. (Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king.) 16And Bathsheba bowed and did homage to the king. Then the king said, “What is your wish?”
17Then she said to him, “My lord, #1 Kin. 1:13, 30you swore by the Lord your God to your maidservant, saying, ‘Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.’ 18So now, look! Adonijah has become king; and now, my lord the king, you do not know about it. 19#1 Kin. 1:7–9, 25He has sacrificed oxen and fattened cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army; but Solomon your servant he has not invited. 20And as for you, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, that you should tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 21Otherwise it will happen, when my lord the king #Deut. 31:16; 2 Sam. 7:12; 1 Kin. 2:10rests with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be counted as offenders.”
22And just then, while she was still talking with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in. 23So they told the king, saying, “Here is Nathan the prophet.” And when he came in before the king, he bowed down before the king with his face to the ground. 24And Nathan said, “My lord, O king, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne’? 25#1 Kin. 1:9, 19For he has gone down today, and has sacrificed oxen and fattened cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king’s sons, and the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest; and look! They are eating and drinking before him; and they say, #1 Sam. 10:24‘Long live King Adonijah!’ 26But he has not invited me—me your servant—nor Zadok the priest, nor Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, nor your servant Solomon. 27Has this thing been done by my lord the king, and you have not told your servant who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”
David Proclaims Solomon King
28Then King David answered and said, “Call Bathsheba to me.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before the king. 29And the king took an oath and said, #2 Sam. 4:9; 12:5“As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life from every distress, 30#1 Kin. 1:13, 17just as I swore to you by the Lord God of Israel, saying, ‘Assuredly Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place,’ so I certainly will do this day.”
31Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and paid homage to the king, and said, #Neh. 2:3; Dan. 2:4; 3:9“Let my lord King David live forever!”
32And King David said, “Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada.” So they came before the king. 33The king also said to them, #2 Sam. 20:6“Take with you the servants of your lord, and have Solomon my son ride on my own #Esth. 6:8mule, and take him down to #2 Chr. 32:30; 33:14Gihon. 34There let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet #1 Sam. 10:1; 16:3, 12; 2 Sam. 2:4; 5:3; 1 Kin. 19:16; 2 Kin. 9:3; 11:12; 1 Chr. 29:22anoint him king over Israel; and #2 Sam. 15:10; 2 Kin. 9:13; 11:14blow the horn, and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ 35Then you shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne, and he shall be king in my place. For I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah.”
36Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, #Jer. 28:6“Amen! May the Lord God of my lord the king say so too. 37#Josh. 1:5, 17; 1 Sam. 20:13As the Lord has been with my lord the king, even so may He be with Solomon, and #1 Kin. 1:47make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.”
38So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, #2 Sam. 8:18; 23:20–23Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the #2 Sam. 20:7; 1 Chr. 18:17Cherethites, and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David’s mule, and took him to Gihon. 39Then Zadok the priest took a horn of #Ex. 30:23, 25, 32; Ps. 89:20oil from the tabernacle and #1 Chr. 29:22anointed Solomon. And they blew the horn, #1 Sam. 10:24and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!” 40And all the people went up after him; and the people played the flutes and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth seemed to split with their sound.
41Now Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the horn, he said, “Why is the city in such a noisy uproar?” 42While he was still speaking, there came #2 Sam. 17:17, 20Jonathan, the son of Abiathar the priest. And Adonijah said to him, “Come in, for #2 Sam. 18:27you are a prominent man, and bring good news.”
43Then Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, “No! Our lord King David has made Solomon king. 44The king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites; and they have made him ride on the king’s mule. 45So Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon; and they have gone up from there rejoicing, so that the city is in an uproar. This is the noise that you have heard. 46Also Solomon #1 Kin. 2:12; 1 Chr. 29:23sits on the throne of the kingdom. 47And moreover the king’s servants have gone to bless our lord King David, saying, #1 Kin. 1:37‘May God make the name of Solomon better than your name, and may He make his throne greater than your throne.’ #Gen. 47:31Then the king bowed himself on the bed. 48Also the king said thus, ‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who has #1 Kin. 3:6; (Ps. 132:11, 12)given one to sit on my throne this day, while my eyes see #2 Sam. 7:12it!’ ”
49So all the guests who were with Adonijah were afraid, and arose, and each one went his way.
50Now Adonijah was afraid of Solomon; so he arose, and went and #Ex. 27:2; 30:10; 1 Kin. 2:28took hold of the horns of the altar. 51And it was told Solomon, saying, “Indeed Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon; for look, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.’ ”
52Then Solomon said, “If he proves himself a worthy man, #1 Sam. 14:45; 2 Sam. 14:11; Acts 27:34not one hair of him shall fall to the earth; but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die.” 53So King Solomon sent them to bring him down from the altar. And he came and fell down before King Solomon; and Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.”
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.