1 Kings 2
2
1 Now the days of David had drawn near, so that he would die, and he instructed his son Solomon, saying:
2 "I am entering the way of all the earth. Be strengthened and be a good man.
3 And observe the care of the Lord your God, so that you walk in his ways, so that you care for his ceremonies, and his precepts, and judgments, and testimonies, just as it is written in the law of Moses. So may you understand everything that you do, in any direction that you may turn yourself.
4 So may the Lord confirm his words, which he has spoken about me, saying: 'If your sons will guard their ways, and if they will walk before me in truth, with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not be taken away from you a man on the throne of Israel.'
5 Also, you know what Joab, the son of Zeruiah, has done to me, what he did to the two leaders of the army of Israel, to Abner, the son of Ner, and to Amasa, the son of Jether. He killed them, and so he shed the blood of war in peace time, and he set the bloodshed of battle on his belt, which was around his waist, and in his shoes, which were on his feet.
6 Therefore, act according to your wisdom. And you shall not allow his gray head to be led away to death in peace.
7 Then, too, repay grace to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite. And you shall allow them to eat at your table. For they met me when I fled from the face of Absalom, your brother.
8 Also, you have with you Shimei, the son of Gera, the son of Benjamin, from Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse, when I went away to the camp. And he descended to meet me when I crossed over the Jordan, and I swore to him by the Lord, saying, 'I will not put you to death by the sword,'
9 yet do not choose to treat him as if he were innocent. Since you are a wise man, you will know what to do with him. And you shall lead away his grey hair to death with blood."
10 And so, David slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of David.
11 Now the days during which David reigned over Israel are forty years: he reigned seven years in Hebron, thirty-three in Jerusalem.
12 Then Solomon sat upon the throne of his father David, and his kingdom was strengthened exceedingly.
13 And Adonijah, the son of Haggith, entered to Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon. And she said to him, "Is your entrance peaceful?" He responded, "It is peaceful."
14 And he added, "My word is for you." She said to him, "Speak." And he said:
15 "You know that the kingdom was mine, and that all of Israel had preferred me for themselves as king. But the kingdom was transferred, and has become my brother's. For it was appointed to him by the Lord.
16 Now therefore, I beg of you one petition. May you not confound my face." And she said to him, "Speak."
17 And he said: "I beg that you may speak to king Solomon, for he is not able to refuse anything to you, so that he may give Abishag the Shunammite to me as wife."
18 And Bathsheba said: "It is well. I will speak to the king on your behalf."
19 Then Bathsheba went to king Solomon, so that she might speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and he reverenced her, and he sat down upon his throne. And a throne was stationed for the mother of the king, and she sat at his right hand.
20 And she said to him: "I petition one small request from you. May you not confound my face." And the king said to her: "Ask, my mother. For it is not right that I turn away your face."
21 And she said, "Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah, your brother, as wife."
22 And king Solomon responded, and he said to his mother: "Why do you request Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Why not request the kingdom for him! For he is my older brother, and he has Abiathar, the priest, and Joab, the son of Zeruiah."
23 And so king Solomon swore by the Lord, saying: "May God do these things to me, and may he add these other things! For Adonijah has spoken this word against his own life.
24 And now, as the Lord lives, who has confirmed me and placed me upon the throne of my father David, and who, just as he said, has made a house for me: Adonijah shall be put to death this day."
25 And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, who put him to death, and so he died.
26 Also, the king said to Abiathar, the priest: "Go into Anathoth, to your own land, for you are a man worthy of death. But I will not put you to death this day, since you carried the ark of the Lord God before David, my father, and since you have endured hardship in all the things, for which my father labored."
27 Therefore, Solomon cast out Abiathar, so that he would not be the priest of the Lord, so that the word of the Lord might be fulfilled, which he spoke over the house of Eli at Shiloh.
28 And the news came to Joab, for Joab had turned aside after Adonijah, and he had not turned aside after Solomon. And so, Joab fled into the tabernacle of the Lord, and he took hold of the horn of the altar.
29 And it was reported to king Solomon that Joab had fled into the tabernacle of the Lord, and that he was beside the altar. And Solomon sent Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, saying, "Go, put him to death."
30 And Benaiah went to the tabernacle of the Lord, and he said to him: "The king says this: 'Come out.' " But he said: "I will not come out. Instead, I will die here." Benaiah sent word back to the king, saying, "Joab said this, and he responded to me in this way."
31 And the king said to him, "Do just as he has said. And put him to death, and bury him. And so shall you take away the innocent blood, which was shed by Joab, from me and from my father's house.
32 And the Lord shall repay his blood upon his own head. For he killed two men, just and better than himself, and he killed them with the sword, while my father, David, did not know it: Abner, the son of Ner, leader of the military of Israel, and Amasa, the son of Jether, leader of the army of Judah.
33 And their blood shall be turned back upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his offspring forever. But as for David, and his offspring and house, and his throne, may there be peace from the Lord, even unto eternity."
34 And so Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, went up and, attacking him, put him to death. And he was buried in his own house in the desert.
35 And the king appointed Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, in his place over the army. And he appointed Zadok, the priest, in place of Abiathar.
36 Also, the king sent for and summoned Shimei, and he said to him: "Build a house for yourself in Jerusalem, and live there. And do not depart from that place to here or to there.
37 For on whatever day you will have departed and crossed the torrent Kidron, know that you shall be put to death. Your blood will be upon your own head."
38 And Shimei said to the king: "The word is good. Just as my lord the king has said, so will your servant do." And so Shimei lived in Jerusalem for many days.
39 But it happened that, after three years, the servants of Shimei fled to Achish, the son of Maacah, the king of Gath. And it was reported to Shimei that his servants had gone away to Gath.
40 And Shimei rose up, and he saddled his donkey. And went away to Achish in Gath, in order to seek his servants. And he led them away from Gath.
41 And it was reported to Solomon that Shimei had gone away from Jerusalem to Gath, and had returned.
42 And sending, he summoned him, and he said to him: "Did I not testify to you by the Lord, and warn you in advance, 'On whatever day, having departed, you go forth to here or to there, know that you shall die?' And you responded to me, 'The word that I have heard is good.'
43 Then why have you not kept the oath to the Lord, and the commandment which I instructed to you?"
44 And the king said to Shimei: "You know all the evil, of which your heart is conscious, which you did to David, my father. The Lord has repaid your wickedness upon your own head."
45 And king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord, even forever.
46 And so the king commanded Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada. And going out, he struck him down, and he died.
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1 Kings 2
2
David’s Charge to Solomon
1When David’s time to die approached, he gave instructions to Solomon his son, saying, 2“I am going the way of all the earth [as dust to dust]. Be strong and prove yourself a man. 3Keep the charge of the Lord your God, [that is, fulfill your obligation to] walk in His ways, keep His statutes, His commandments, His precepts, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, so that you may succeed in everything that you do and wherever you turn, 4so that the Lord may fulfill His #2:4 Lit His word which He spoke.promise concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons are careful regarding their way [of life], to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and mind and with all their soul, you shall not fail to have a man (descendant) on the throne of Israel.’
5Now you also know what Joab the son of Zeruiah [my sister] did to me, and what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner and to Amasa the son of Jether, [both of] whom he murdered; #2:5 Lit he also shed.avenging the blood of war in [a time of] peace. And he put the [innocent] blood of war [of Abner and Amasa] on his #2:5 Lit girdle. The girdle was a band about six inches wide that had clasps or fasteners in front. It was worn around the loins (the midsection of the body between the lower ribs and the hips) and was normally made of leather. Expensive or embroidered girdles were also worn and were made of cotton, flax or silk. The girdle also served as a kind of pocket or pouch and was used to carry personal items such as a dagger, money, or other necessary things.belt that was around his #2:5 Lit loins.waist, and on his sandals on his feet. 6So act in accordance with your wisdom, but do not let his gray head go down to Sheol (the place of the dead) in peace. 7But be gracious and kind to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who [have the honor to] eat at your table; for they met me [with kindness] when I fled from your brother Absalom. [2 Sam 17:27-29] 8And look, you have with you Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite of Bahurim; he is the one who cursed me with a sinister curse the day I went to Mahanaim. But he came down to meet me at the Jordan [on my return], and I swore to him by the Lord, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’ 9But now do not let him go unpunished, for you are a wise man; and you will know what to do to him, and you will bring his gray head down to Sheol [covered] with blood.”
Death of David
10So David lay down with his fathers [in death] and was buried in the #2:10 Not the walled city today called “Old Jerusalem” but a peninsula of land extending south from the “old city.”City of David. 11The time that David reigned over Israel was forty years: he reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. 12Then Solomon sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly established.
13Now Adonijah the son of [David and] Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. She said, “Do you come in peace?” And he said, “In peace.” 14Then he said, “I have something to say to you.” And she said, “Speak.” 15So he said, “You know that the kingdom belonged to me [as the eldest living son] and all Israel #2:15 Lit set their faces toward me.looked to me and expected me to be king. However, the kingdom has passed [from me] and became my brother’s, for it was his from the Lord. 16So now I am making one request of you; do not #2:16 Lit turn away my face; similarly in the following verses.refuse me.” And she said to him, “Speak.” 17He said, “Please speak to King Solomon, for he will not refuse you; ask that he may give me Abishag the Shunammite as a wife.” [1 Kin 1:1-4] 18Bathsheba replied, “Very well; I will speak to the king for you.”
Adonijah Executed
19So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah. And the king rose to meet her, bowed before her, and sat down on his throne; then he had a throne set for her, the king’s mother, and she sat on his right. 20Then she said, “I am making one small request of you; do not refuse me.” And the king said to her, “Ask, my mother, for I will not refuse you.” 21So she said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to your brother Adonijah as a wife.” 22King Solomon answered and said to his mother, “And why are you asking for #2:22 Even though Abishag remained a virgin while attending David during his final days, no one was closer to him. Bathsheba evidently did not view Abishag’s status as David’s former nurse to be problematic, but Solomon immediately perceived marriage to Abishag as a claim to the throne, which was Adonijah’s true intention in making the request. Abishag would have been considered an inheritance from David.Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask the kingdom for him also—since he is my older brother—[ask it] for him and for Abiathar the priest and Joab the son of Zeruiah [his supporters]!” 23Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, “May God do the same to me, and more also, if Adonijah has not requested this [deplorable] thing against his own #2:23 Lit soul.life. 24So now, as the Lord lives, who has established me and set me on the throne of David my father, and who has made me a house as He promised, Adonijah shall indeed be put to death today.” 25So King Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he #2:25 Lit fell upon.struck Adonijah and he died.
26Then the king said to Abiathar the priest, “Go to Anathoth to your own fields, for you #2:26 Lit are a man of death.certainly deserve to die; but I will not put you to death this day, because you carried the ark of the Lord God before my father David, and you suffered everything that my father endured.” 27So Solomon dismissed Abiathar [a descendant of Eli] from being priest to the Lord, fulfilling the word of the Lord, which He had spoken concerning the house (descendants) of Eli in Shiloh. [1 Sam 2:27-36]
Joab Executed
28Now the news reached Joab, for Joab had supported and followed Adonijah, although he had not followed Absalom. So Joab fled to the [sacred] tent of the Lord and took hold of the horns of the altar [to seek asylum]. 29King Solomon was told that Joab had fled to the tent of the Lord and was at that moment beside the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, #2:29 Lit fall upon him.strike him down.” 30So Benaiah came to the tent of the Lord and told Joab, “This is what the king commands, ‘Come out of there.’ ” But Joab said, “No, for I will die here.” Then Benaiah brought word to the king again, saying, “This is what Joab said, and this is how he answered me.” 31The king said to him, “Do as he has said. #2:31 Lit fall upon.Strike him down and bury him, so that you may remove from me and from my father’s house the innocent blood which Joab shed. 32The Lord will return his bloody deeds upon his own head, because he struck down two men more righteous and honorable than he and killed them with the sword, without my father David knowing: Abner the son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah. 33So shall their blood return on the head of Joab and the heads of his descendants forever. But for David, his descendants, his house, and his throne, may there be peace from the Lord forever.” 34So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up [to the tabernacle] and struck and killed Joab, and he was buried at his own house in the wilderness [of Judah]. 35The king appointed Benaiah the son of Jehoiada over the army in Joab’s place, and appointed Zadok the priest in place of Abiathar.
Shimei Executed
36Now the king sent word and called for Shimei and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and live there. Do not go from there to #2:36 Lit here and there.any other place. 37For on the day you leave and cross over the #2:37 This was the border between the tribal territories of Judah and Benjamin, Shimei’s tribe. Confinement in Jerusalem would stop Shimei from plotting against Solomon.Brook Kidron, know for certain that you shall surely die; your blood shall be on your own head.” 38Shimei said to the king, “The word (ruling) is good. As my lord the king has said, so will your servant do.” So Shimei lived in Jerusalem for many days.
39But it happened after three years, that two of Shimei’s servants ran away to Achish the son of Maacah, the king of #2:39 One of the five major cities of the Philistines.Gath. And Shimei was told, “Behold, your [runaway] servants are in Gath.” 40So Shimei arose, saddled his donkey, and went to Gath to [King] Achish to look for his servants. And Shimei went and brought them back from Gath. 41Now Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and had returned. 42So the king sent word and called for 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 leave [Jerusalem] and go anywhere, you shall surely die’? And you said to me, ‘The word (ruling) I have heard is good.’ 43Why then have you not kept the oath of the Lord, and the command which I gave you?” 44The king also said to Shimei, “You are aware in your own heart of all the evil you did to my father David; so the Lord shall return your evil on your own head. 45But King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord forever.” 46So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck down Shimei, and he died.
So the kingdom was established in the hands of Solomon.
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