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.
Adonijah Usurps the Kingdom
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.(a)
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.
Nathan and Bathsheba before David
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?”
David Renews His Oath to Bathsheba
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.”
Solomon Anointed King
(1 Chronicles 29:21–25)
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.”(b)
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.
Adonijah Learns of Solomon’s Kingship
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.”
Footnotes