1 Kings 1
1
1 Now king David had become elderly, and he had many days in his lifetime. And though he was covered with clothes, he was not warmed.
2 Therefore, his servants said to him: "Let us seek, for our lord the king, a young virgin. And let her stand before the king, and warm him, and sleep in his bosom, and provide warmth for our lord the king."
3 And so they sought a beautiful young woman in all the parts of Israel. And they found Abishag, a Shunammite, and they led her to the king.
4 Now the girl was exceedingly beautiful. And she slept with the king, and she ministered to him. Yet truly, the king did not know her.
5 Then Adonijah, the son of Haggith, exalted himself, saying, "I shall reign!" And he appointed for himself chariots and horsemen, with fifty men who would run before him.
6 Neither did his father chastise him at any time, saying, "Why have you done this?" Now he, too, was very beautiful, the second in birth, after Absalom.
7 And he conferred with Joab, the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar, the priest, who gave assistance to the side of Adonijah.
8 Yet truly, Zadok, the priest, and Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan, the prophet, and Shimei and Rei, and the mature men of the army of David were not with Adonijah.
9 Then Adonijah, having immolated rams and calves and every kind of fat cattle beside the Stone of the Serpent, which was in the vicinity of the fountain Rogel, summoned all his brothers, the sons of the king, and all the men of Judah, the servants of the king.
10 But he did not summon Nathan, the prophet, and Benaiah, and all the mature men, and Solomon, his brother.
11 And so Nathan said to Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon: "Have you not heard that Adonijah, the son of Haggith, has begun to reign, and that our lord David is ignorant of this?
12 Now then, come, accept my counsel, and save your life and the life of your son Solomon.
13 Go and enter to king David, and say to him: 'Did you not, my lord the king, swear to me, your handmaid, saying: "Your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he himself shall sit on my throne?" Then why does Adonijah reign?'
14 And while you are still speaking with the king there, I will enter after you, and I will complete your words."
15 And so Bathsheba entered to the king in the bedroom. Now the king was very old, and Abishag, the Shunammite, was ministering to him.
16 Bathsheba bowed herself, and she reverenced the king. And the king said to her, "What do you wish?"
17 And responding, she said: "My lord, you swore to your handmaid, by the Lord your God: 'your son Solomon will reign after me, and he himself shall sit upon my throne.'
18 And now behold, Adonijah reigns, while you, my lord the king, are ignorant of it.
19 He has slain oxen, and every kind of fattened cattle, and many rams. And he has summoned all the sons of the king, as well as Abiathar, the priest, and Joab, the leader of the military. But Solomon, your servant, he did not summon.
20 Truly now, my lord the king, the eyes of all of Israel look with favor upon you, that you may indicate to them who ought to sit upon your throne, my lord the king, after you.
21 Otherwise, this will be: when my lord the king sleeps with his fathers, I and my son Solomon will be as sinners."
22 And while she was still speaking with the king, Nathan, the prophet, arrived.
23 And they announced to the king, saying, "Nathan, the prophet, is here." And when he had entered in the sight of the king, and he had reverenced prone on the ground,
24 Nathan said: "My lord the king, did you say, 'Let Adonijah reign after me, and let him sit upon my throne?'
25 For today, he descended, and he immolated oxen, and fattened cattle, and many rams. And he summoned all the sons of the king, and the leaders of the army, along with Abiathar, the priest. And they are eating and drinking before him, and saying, 'As king Adonijah lives.'
26 But he did not summon me, your servant, and Zadok, the priest, and Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, and Solomon, your lowly servant.
27 Could this word have gone out from my lord the king, and could you not have revealed it to me, your servant, as to who would be seated upon the throne of my lord the king after him?"
28 And king David responded, saying, "Summon to me Bathsheba." And when she had entered before the king, and she had stood before him,
29 the king swore and said: "As the Lord lives, who has rescued my soul from all distress,
30 just as I swore to you by the Lord God of Israel, saying: 'Your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he himself shall sit upon my throne in my place,' so shall I do this day."
31 And Bathsheba, having lowered her face to the ground, reverenced the king, saying, "May my lord David live forever."
32 And king David said, "Summon to me Zadok, the priest, and Nathan, the prophet, and Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada." And when they had entered before the king,
33 he said to them: "Take with you the servants of your lord, and place my son Solomon upon my mule. And lead him to Gihon.
34 And let Zadok, the priest, and Nathan, the prophet, anoint him in that place as the king over Israel. And you shall sound the trumpet, and you shall say, 'As king Solomon lives.'
35 And you shall ascend after him, and he shall arrive and shall sit upon my throne. And he himself shall reign in my place. And I will command that he be the ruler over Israel and over Judah."
36 And Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, responded to the king, saying: "Amen. So says the Lord, the God of my lord the king.
37 In the same way that the Lord has been with my lord the king, so may he be with Solomon. And may he make his throne more sublime than the throne of my lord, king David."
38 Then Zadok, the priest, and Nathan, the prophet, descended, with Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and Pelethites. And they placed Solomon on the mule of king David, and they led him to Gihon.
39 And Zadok, the priest, took the horn of oil from the tabernacle, and he anointed Solomon. And they sounded the trumpet. And all the people said, "As king Solomon lives."
40 And the entire multitude ascended after him. And the people were playing on pipes, and rejoicing with great joy. And the earth resounded before the noise of them.
41 Then Adonijah, and all who had been summoned by him, heard it. And now the feast had ended. Then, too, Joab, hearing the voice of the trumpet, said, "What is the meaning of this clamor from the tumultuous city?"
42 While he was still speaking, Jonathan, the son of Abiathar the priest, arrived. And Adonijah said to him, "Enter, for you are a valiant man, and you report good news."
43 And Jonathan answered Adonijah: "By no means. For our lord king David has appointed Solomon as king.
44 And he has sent with him Zadok, the priest, and Nathan, the prophet, and Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and Pelethites. And they have placed him on the mule of the king.
45 And Zadok, the priest, and Nathan, the prophet, have anointed him king, at Gihon. And they are ascending from there, rejoicing, and so the city resounds. This is the noise that you have heard.
46 But also, Solomon sits upon the throne of the kingdom.
47 And the servants of the king, entering, have blessed our lord king David, saying: 'May God amplify the name of Solomon above your name, and may he magnify his throne above your throne.' And the king reverenced from his bed.
48 And he said: 'Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, who today has bestowed someone to sit upon my throne, while my eyes may see it.' "
49 Therefore, all those who had been summoned by Adonijah were terrified. And they all rose up, and each one went his own way.
50 Then Adonijah, fearing Solomon, rose up and went away. And he took hold of the horn of the altar.
51 And they reported to Solomon, saying: "Behold, Adonijah, fearing king Solomon, has taken hold of the horn of the altar, saying: 'May king Solomon swear to me this day that he will not put to death his servant with the sword.' "
52 And Solomon said: "If he is a good man, not so much as one hair of his head shall fall to the ground. But if evil is found in him, he shall die."
53 Therefore, king Solomon sent and brought him from the altar. And entering, he reverenced king Solomon. And Solomon said to him, "Go to your own house."
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1 Kings 1
1
David in Old Age
1Now King David was #1:1 I.e. about seventy years old.old, advanced in years; they covered him with clothes, but he could not get warm. 2So his servants said to him, “Let a young virgin be found for my lord the king and let her attend him and become his nurse; let her lie against your chest, so that my lord the king may feel warm.” 3So they searched for a beautiful girl throughout the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the #1:3 The town of Shunam was located within the territory of Issachar.Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 4The girl was very beautiful; and she became the king’s nurse and served him, but the king #1:4 Lit did not know her.was not intimate with her.
5Then Adonijah the son of [David’s wife] Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I [the eldest living son] will be king.” So [following Absalom’s example] he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. [2 Sam 15:1] 6His father [David] had #1:6 David’s failure to discipline his sons always resulted in tragedy.never rebuked him at any time by asking, “Why have you done this?” Adonijah was also a very handsome man, and he was born after Absalom. 7He had conferred with #1:7 The commander of Israel’s army.Joab the son of Zeruiah [David’s half sister] and with Abiathar the priest; and they followed Adonijah and helped him. 8But Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s #1:8 Lit mighty men and so throughout the chapter.most formidable warriors did not side with Adonijah [in his desire to become king].
9Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fattened steers by the Stone of Zoheleth, which is beside [the well] En-rogel; and he invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah, the king’s servants [to this feast]. [2 Sam 15:7-12] 10But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the most formidable warriors, or his brother Solomon.
Nathan and Bathsheba
11Then Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king, and David our lord does not know about it? 12Come now, please let me advise you and save your life and the life of your son Solomon. [2 Sam 12:24, 25] 13Go at once to King David and say to him, ‘Did you not, my lord, O king, swear to your maidservant, saying, “Solomon your son shall certainly be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’ 14Behold, while you are still there speaking with the king, I will come in after you and confirm your words.”
15So Bathsheba went to the king in his bedroom. Now the king was very old and weak, and Abishag the Shunammite was attending the king. 16So Bathsheba bowed down and paid respect to the king. And the king said, “#1:16 Lit What to you.What do you wish?” 17She said to him, “My lord, you swore by the Lord your God to your maidservant, saying, ‘Solomon your son shall certainly be king after me and he shall sit on my throne.’ 18But now, behold, Adonijah is [acting as] king; and now [as things stand], my lord the king, you do not know it. 19He has sacrificed oxen and fattened steers and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king’s sons and Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of the army [to a feast], but he did not invite your servant Solomon. 20Now as for you, my lord the king, the eyes of all #1:20 In general, sons of Israel or Israel or Israelites refers to all the people (males and females) of the various tribes descended from the twelve sons (Gen 35:23-26) of Jacob (later renamed Israel by God). In verses concerning things such as warfare or circumcision sons of Israel or Israel or Israelites usually refers only to the males. Tribes of ancient people were identified by the name of their founding ancestor. Therefore, this same general rule applies when referring to individual tribal groups, e.g. sons of Reuben, Reuben, Reubenites and so throughout.Israel are on you [waiting for you] to tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 21Otherwise it will come about when my lord the king lies down [in death] with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be considered #1:21 Lit sinners.political enemies.”
22While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in. 23The king was told, “Here is Nathan the prophet.” And when he came before the king, he bowed before the king with his face to the ground. 24Then Nathan said, “My lord the king, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne’? 25Because he has gone down today [to En-Rogel] and has sacrificed oxen and fattened steers and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king’s sons, the commanders of the army and Abiathar the priest [to this feast]; and [right now] they are eating and drinking in his presence; and they say, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ 26But he has not invited me, your servant, nor Zadok the priest, nor Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, nor your servant Solomon. 27If this thing has been done by my lord the king, why have you not shown your servants who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”
28King David answered, “Call Bathsheba to me.” And she came into the king’s presence and stood before him. 29Then the king swore an oath and said, “As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my soul from all distress, 30even as I swore to you by the Lord, the God of Israel, saying, ‘Solomon your son shall certainly be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place’; I will indeed do so this very day.” 31Bathsheba bowed down with her face to the ground, and laid herself face down before the king and said, “May my lord King David live forever!”
32Then King David said, “Call Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada to me.” And they came before the king. 33The king told them, “Take the #1:33 This group would have included David’s personal bodyguards.servants of your lord with you and have Solomon my son #1:33 Placing Solomon on his royal mule announced to the people that David had chosen Solomon as his successor.ride on my own mule, and bring him down to [the spring at] #1:33 This was near En-rogel, the site of Adonijah’s celebration.Gihon [in the Kidron Valley]. 34Let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there as king over Israel. Then blow the trumpet and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ 35Then you shall come up [to Jerusalem] after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne and he shall reign as king in my place; for I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah.” 36Benaiah [the overseer of the king’s bodyguards], the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, “Amen! (So be it!) May the Lord, the God of my lord the king, say so too. 37#1:37 This was a declaration of support for David and his choice of Solomon.Just as the Lord has been with my lord the king, so may He be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David!”
Solomon Anointed King
38So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites [the king’s bodyguards] went down [from Jerusalem] and had Solomon ride on King David’s mule, and brought him to [the spring at] Gihon. 39Zadok the priest took a horn of [olive] oil from the [sacred] tent and anointed Solomon. They blew the trumpet, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!” 40All the people went up after him, and they were playing on flutes and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth shook and seemed to burst open with their [joyful] sound.
41Now Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished eating. When Joab heard the trumpet sound, he said, “#1:41 Gihon was nearby, but because of the topography it was not visible.Why is the city in such an uproar?” 42While he was still speaking, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest arrived. And Adonijah said, “Come in, for you are a valiant and trustworthy man and you bring good news.” [2 Sam 17:17-21] 43But Jonathan replied to Adonijah, “No, on the contrary, our lord King David has made Solomon king! 44The king has sent him with Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites; and they have had him ride on the king’s [own royal] mule. 45Also, Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon, and they have come up from there celebrating, so the city is in an uproar. This is the noise which you have heard. 46Besides, Solomon has taken his seat on the throne of the kingdom. 47Moreover, the king’s servants came to bless (congratulate) our lord King David, saying, ‘May #1:47 See note v 37.your God make the name of Solomon better (more famous) than your name and make his throne greater than your throne.’ And the king bowed himself [before God] upon the bed. 48The king has also said this: ‘Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who has granted one [of my descendants] to sit on my throne today and allowed my eyes to see it.’ ”
49Then all Adonijah’s guests were terrified [of being branded as traitors] and stood up and left the feast, and each one went on his way. 50And Adonijah feared Solomon, and he got up and went [to the tabernacle on Mt. Zion] and took hold of the horns of the altar [seeking asylum]. 51Now Solomon was told, “Behold, Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon, and behold, he has grasped the horns of the altar [seeking God’s protection], saying, ‘King Solomon must swear to me today that he will not kill his servant with the sword.’ ” 52Solomon said, “If he [proves he] is a worthy man, not even one of his hairs shall fall to the ground; but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die.” 53So King Solomon sent [soldiers], and they brought Adonijah down from the altar [that was in front of the tabernacle]. And he came and bowed down to King Solomon, and Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.”
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