1 Kings 1
1
David’s Last Days
1Now King David was old and getting on in years. # 2Sm 5:4; 1Kg 2:10-11; 1Ch 23:1 Although they covered him with bedclothes, he could not get warm. # Ec 4:11 2So his servants said to him: “Let us # Lit them search for a young virgin for my lord the king. # Est 2:2 She is to attend the king and be his caregiver. She is to lie by your side so that my lord the king will get warm.” 3They searched for a beautiful girl throughout the territory of Israel; they found Abishag # 1Kg 1:15; 2:17 the Shunammite # Shunem was a town in the hill country of Issachar at the foot of Mt. Moreh; Jos 19:17-18. # Jos 19:18; 1Sm 28:4 and brought her to the king. 4The girl was of unsurpassed beauty, # Est 2:7 and she became the king’s caregiver. She served him, but he was not intimate with # Lit he did not know her.
Adonijah’s Bid for Power
5Adonijah son of Haggith # 2Sm 3:4 kept exalting himself, saying, “I will be king! ” He prepared chariots, cavalry, and 50 men to run ahead of him. # Heralds announcing his procession # 2Sm 15:1 6But his father had never once reprimanded # Or grieved # 1Sm 3:13 him by saying, “Why do you act this way? ” # 2Sm 13:21 In addition, he was quite handsome # 2Sm 14:25 and was born after Absalom. # 2Sm 3:3-4 7He conspired # Lit His words were with Joab son of Zeruiah # 1Ch 11:6 and with Abiathar the priest. # 1Sm 22:20-23; 2Sm 20:25 They supported # 1Kg 2:22 Adonijah, 8but Zadok the priest, # 2Sm 20:25; 1Ch 16:39-40 Benaiah son of Jehoiada, # 2Sm 8:18 Nathan the prophet, # 2Sm 7:2; 2:1-25 Shimei, # 1Kg 4:18 Rei, and David’s warriors # 2Sm 23:8-39 did not side with Adonijah.
9Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fattened cattle near the stone of Zoheleth, which is next to En-rogel. # Jos 15:7; 18:16; 2Sm 17:17 He invited all his royal brothers and all the men of Judah, the servants of the king, # 2Sm 15:11-12 10but he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the warriors, or his brother Solomon. # 1Kg 1:8,26
Nathan’s and Bathsheba’s Appeals
11Then Nathan # 2Sm 12:1,25; 1Kg 1:8,10 said to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, # 2Sm 12:24 “Have you not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has become king # 2Sm 15:10; 1Kg 1:25; 2:15 and our lord David does not know it? # 2Sm 3:26; 1Kg 1:18; 2:32 12Now please come and let me advise # Pr 15:22 you. Save your life and the life of your son Solomon. # 1Kg 15:29; 2Kg 10:11 13Go, approach King David and say to him, ‘My lord the king, did you not swear to your servant: Your son Solomon is to become king after me, and he is the one who is to sit on my throne? # 1Kg 1:17,30; 1Ch 22:9-13 So why has Adonijah become king? ’ 14At that moment, while you are still there speaking with the king, I’ll come in after you and confirm your words.” # 1Kg 1:22-27
15So Bathsheba went to the king in his bedroom. Since the king was very old, Abishag the Shunammite was serving him. # 1Kg 1:1-4 16Bathsheba bowed down and paid homage to the king, and he asked, “What do you want? ”
17She replied, “My lord, you swore to your servant by the Lord your God, ‘Your son Solomon is to become king after me, and he is the one who is to sit on my throne.’ 18Now look, Adonijah has become king. And, # Some Hb mss, LXX, Vg, Syr; other Hb mss read And now my lord the king, you didn’t know it. 19He has lavishly sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep. He invited all the king’s sons, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army, but he did not invite your servant Solomon. 20Now, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you to tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 21Otherwise, when my lord the king rests with his fathers, # Dt 31:16; 2Sm 7:12; 1Kg 2:10 I and my son Solomon will be regarded as criminals.” # 1Kg 1:12
22At that moment, while she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived, # 1Kg 1:14 23and it was announced to the king, “Nathan the prophet is here.” He came into the king’s presence and bowed to him with his face to the ground.
24“My lord the king,” Nathan said, “did you say, ‘Adonijah is to become king after me, and he is the one who is to sit on my throne’? 25For today he went down and lavishly sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep. He invited all the sons of the king, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest. And look! They’re eating and drinking in his presence, and they’re saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah! ’ 26But he did not invite me — me, your servant — or Zadok the priest or Benaiah son of Jehoiada or your servant Solomon. 27I’m certain my lord the king would not have let this happen without letting your servant # Some Hb mss, LXX; alt Hb tradition reads servants know who will sit on my lord the king’s throne after him.”
Solomon Confirmed King
28King David responded by saying, “Call in Bathsheba for me.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before him. 29The king swore an oath and said, “As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life from every difficulty, # 2Sm 4:9 30just as I swore to you by the Lord God of Israel: Your son Solomon is to become king after me, and he is the one who is to sit on my throne in my place, # 1Kg 1:13 that is exactly what I will do this very day.” # 1Kg 1:33-35
31Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground, paying homage to the king, # 1Kg 1:16 and said, “May my lord King David live forever! ” # Neh 2:3; Dn 2:4; 3:9
32King David then said, “Call in Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada for me.” # 1Kg 1:8,10,26 So they came into the king’s presence. 33The king said to them, “Take my servants # 2Sm 20:6 with you, have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, # 2Sm 18:9; Est 6:8; Zch 9:9; Jn 12:14-15 and take him down to Gihon. # 2Ch 32:30; 33:14 34There, Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet are to anoint him as king over Israel. # 1Sm 10:1; 16:3,13 You are to blow the ram’s horn # 2Sm 15:10 and say, ‘Long live King Solomon! ’ # 1Sm 10:24; 1Kg 1:25 35You are to come up after him, and he is to come in and sit on my throne. He is the one who is to become king in my place; he is the one I have commanded to be ruler # 1Sm 13:14 over Israel and Judah.” # 2Sm 2:4; 5:3
36“Amen,” Benaiah son of Jehoiada replied to the king. “May the Lord, the God of my lord the king, so affirm it. # Jr 28:6 37Just as the Lord was with my lord the king, # 1Sm 20:13 so may He # Alt Hb tradition reads so He will be with Solomon and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.” # 1Kg 1:47
38Then Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites # 2Sm 8:18 went down, had Solomon ride on King David’s mule, and took him to Gihon. 39Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tabernacle and anointed Solomon. # 1Ch 29:22 Then they blew the ram’s horn, # 2Kg 11:14 and all the people proclaimed, “Long live King Solomon! ” # 1Sm 10:24 40All the people followed him, playing flutes and rejoicing with such a great joy # Ezr 6:16 that the earth split open from the sound. # LXX reads the land resounded with their noise
Adonijah Hears of Solomon’s Coronation
41Adonijah and all the invited guests who were with him # 1Kg 1:5,7-10 heard the noise as they finished eating. Joab heard the sound of the ram’s horn and said, “Why is the town in such an uproar? ” # 2Kg 11:12-13 42He was still speaking when Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest, # 2Sm 15:27,36 suddenly arrived. Adonijah said, “Come in, for you are an excellent man, and you must be bringing good news.” # 2Sm 18:26-27
43“Unfortunately not,” Jonathan answered him. “Our lord King David has made Solomon king. 44And with Solomon, the king has sent Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and they have had him ride on the king’s mule. 45Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon. # 1Kg 1:33-35 They have gone from there rejoicing. The town has been in an uproar; that’s the noise you heard. 46Solomon has even taken his seat on the royal throne. # 1Ch 29:23
47“The king’s servants have also gone to congratulate our lord King David, saying, ‘May your God make the name of Solomon more well known than your name, and may He make his throne greater than your throne.’ # 1Kg 1:37 Then the king bowed in worship on his bed. # Gn 47:31 48And the king went on to say this: ‘May the Lord God of Israel be praised! Today He has provided one to sit on my throne, # 2Sm 7:12; 1Kg 3:6 and I am a witness.’ ” # Lit and my eyes are seeing
49Then all of Adonijah’s guests got up trembling and went their separate ways. 50Adonijah was afraid of Solomon, so he got up and went to take hold of the horns of the altar. # Ex 21:12-14; 1Kg 2:28
51It was reported to Solomon: “Look, Adonijah fears King Solomon, and he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon first # Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Vg read today swear to me that he will not kill his servant with the sword.’ ”
52Then Solomon said, “If he is a man of character, not a single hair of his will fall to the ground, # 1Sm 14:45; 2Sm 14:11; Ac 27:34 but if evil is found in him, he dies.” # 1Kg 2:23-25 53So King Solomon sent for him, and they took him down from the altar. He came and paid homage to King Solomon, and Solomon said to him, “Go to your home.”
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1 Kings 1: HCSB
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1 Kings 1
1
David’s Last Days
1Now King David had become old, advanced in years,#Literally “he went in the days” and they covered him with garments, but he was not warm. 2His servants said to him, “Let them search for a young virgin for my lord the king, and let her stand before the king. Let her be of use for him, and let her lie in your lap that my lord the king may be warm.” 3So they sought a beautiful young woman in all the territory of Israel, and they found Abishag the Shunnamite and brought her to the king. 4Now the young woman was very beautiful; she was of use for the king, and she served him, but the king did not have sexual relations with her.#Literally “know her”
Adonijah Seeks David’s Throne
5Now Adonijah the son of Haggith was exalting himself, saying, “I will be king,” so he prepared for himself a chariot and horsemen and fifty men running before him. 6His father did not rebuke him at any time#Literally “from his days” by saying, “Why did you do so?” Now he was also very handsome of appearance; she had borne him after Absalom.#“She” refers to Haggith bearing Adonijah; Absalom’s mother was Maacah 7He conferred#Literally “And there were his words” with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they supported Adonijah.#Literally “they helped after Adonijah” 8But Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and the mighty warriors were David’s; they were not with Adonijah.
9And Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fattened animals near the stone of Zoheleth, which is beside En Rogel. He invited all of his brothers, the sons of the king, and all the men of Judah, the servants of the king. 10But he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the mighty warriors or Solomon his brother.
Solomon’s Intercessors
11Then Nathan said to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king, but our lord David does not know? 12So then, come, let me advise you please, that you may save#Literally “and save” your life and the life of your son, Solomon. 13Come, go to King David and say to him, ‘Have you not, my lord the king, sworn to your servant, “Surely Solomon your son shall become king after me. And he will sit on my throne”? But why is Adonijah king?’ 14While you are still there speaking with the king, I will enter after you, and I will confirm your words.”#Literally “I will make full your words”
15So Bathsheba went to the king in the private room. Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunnamite was attending the king. 16Bathsheba knelt and bowed down before the king, and the king asked, “What do you want?”#Literally “What is for you” 17She said to him, “My lord, you swore by Yahweh your God to your servant, ‘Solomon your son surely shall become king after me, and he will sit upon my throne!’ 18But now, look! Adonijah has become king! And now, my lord the king, you do not know! 19He has sacrificed oxen and sheep and fattened animals in abundance,#Literally “as far as the many” and he has invited all the sons of the king, Abiathar the priest, Joab the commander of the army, but Solomon your servant he did not invite. 20But as for you, my lord the king, the eyes of all of Israel are on you, to tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 21It shall be that when my lord the king sleeps with his ancestors,#Or “fathers” I and my son Solomon will be considered as sinners.”
22While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in. 23They told the king, “Nathan the prophet is here.” He came into the presence of the king and bowed down before the king with his face to the ground. 24Nathan said, “My lord the king, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall be king after me and he shall sit on my throne’?
25“For he went down today and sacrificed oxen, sheep, and fattened animals in abundance.#Literally “as far as the many” He invited all the sons of the king, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest, and look, they are eating and drinking before him. They have also said, “Long live King Adonijah! 26But me, your servant, Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Solomon your servant he did not invite. 27If it was from my lord the king that this thing has happened, then all is well, but if not, you must let your servants know who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.” 28Then King David answered and said, “Summon Bathsheba for me.” Then she came before the king and stood in his presence.#Following the corrected LXX and Vulgate 29Then the king swore and said, “As Yahweh lives,#Literally “The life of Yahweh” who has saved my life from all trouble, 30surely as I swore to you by Yahweh the God of Israel, saying, ‘Solomon your son shall surely be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place,’ surely I shall do so this very day.” 31Then Bathsheba knelt with her face to the ground and did obeisance to the king, and she said, “May my lord, King David, live forever.”
Solomon Is Crowned King
32Then King David said, “Summon Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada,” and they came before the king. 33The king said to them, “Take with you all the servants of your lord, and let them make Solomon my son ride on my mule, and bring him down to Gihon. 34Let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there as king over Israel. Blow on the trumpet and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ 35Then you shall go up after him, and let him come and sit on my throne; he shall be king in my place. I have appointed him to be leader over Israel and Judah.” 36Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, “Amen! So may Yahweh, the God of my lord the king, confirm it! 37As Yahweh was with my lord the king, so may he be with Solomon and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.” 38Then Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethites went down, and they let Solomon ride on the mule of King David, and they brought him to Gihon. 39Then Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tent, and he anointed Solomon. They blew on the trumpet, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!” 40All the people went up after him, and the people were playing on the flutes and rejoicing with great joy, and the earth shook with their noise.
Adonijah’s Response to the Coronation of Solomon
41And Adonijah and all the invited guests who were with him heard it. Now they were finished eating when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet and said, “Why is there such a noise in the city?”#Literally “Why is the sound of the city noisy?” 42While he was still speaking, suddenly Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came. Adonijah said, “Come, for you are a man of valor, and you bring good news.” 43Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, “But our lord King David has made Solomon king! 44He sent Zadok the priest with the king, and Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethites; they made him ride on the king’s mule. 45Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed him as king at Gihon, and they have gone up from there rejoicing. The city has gone wild; this is the sound which you heard. 46And also, Solomon sits on the throne of the kingdom! 47The servants of the king also came to congratulate our lord King David, saying, ‘Your God has made the name of Solomon better than your name and his throne greater than your throne!’ So the king worshiped on the bed. 48What is more, the king said, ‘May Yahweh the God of Israel be blessed, who has given this day one sitting on my throne, and my eyes are seeing it!’ ”
49Then all the invited guests who were for Adonijah trembled and got up and went, each on his way. 50Adonijah was afraid because of Solomon, and he got up and went and grasped the horns of the altar. 51Solomon was told, “Look, Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon, and he has grasped the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me first#Literally “as the day” that he will surely not kill his servant with the sword!’ ” 52Solomon said, “If he is a son of noble character, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, but if evil is found in him, then he will die.” 53Then King Solomon sent and brought him down from upon the altar. He came and did obeisance to King Solomon. Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.”
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