1 Kings
Chapter 1
1 King David was old and very weak; they put clothes on him, but he could not get warm.
2 So his servants told him, “Let’s find a young woman for our king. She will take care of him, lie close to him, and keep him warm.”
3 They looked for a beautiful young woman all over Israel, found Abishag from Shunem, and took her to the king.
4 The young woman was very beautiful, took care of the king, and served him, but the king did not have intimate relations with her.
5 Adonijah, Haggith’s son, boasted, “I will become king.” He organized chariots, riders, and fifty people to run ahead of him.
6 His father never asked him why he acted that way and never made him unhappy. He was also very handsome, and he was born to his mother after Absalom.
7 He talked with Joab, Zeruiah’s son, and Abiathar the priest; they supported Adonijah and helped him.
8 But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s strong soldiers did not support Adonijah.
9 Adonijah killed sheep, oxen, and well-fed cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, near Enrogel, and invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah who served the king.
10 Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the strong soldiers, and Solomon his brother were not called by him.
11 So Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, “Have you heard that Adonijah, Haggith’s son, has become king and David doesn’t know about it?”
12 Now, please come so I can give you advice to save your life and your son Solomon’s life.
13 Go to King David and ask him, “Didn’t you, my lord the king, promise me that your son Solomon would be king after you and would sit on your throne? Why is Adonijah the king now?”
14 Look, while you are still talking to the king, I will come in after you and back up what you say.
15 Bathsheba entered the king’s room, and the king was very old; Abishag from Shunem served the king.
16 Bathsheba bowed down to the king, and the king asked, “What do you want?”
17 She said to him, “Sir, you promised by God to your servant, ‘Certainly, Solomon your son will be king after me, and he will sit on my throne.’”
18 Now, Adonijah has become king, and you, my king, do not know about it.
19 He has killed many oxen, fat cows, and sheep, and invited all the king’s sons, the priest Abiathar, and army commander Joab, but he did not invite your servant Solomon.
20 And you, my king, all Israel is watching you, expecting you to say who will take your place as king after you.
21 If not, when the king, my lord, dies and joins his ancestors, my son Solomon and I will be treated as criminals.
22 While she was still talking to the king, the prophet Nathan arrived.
23 They told the king, “Look, here is the prophet Nathan.” And when Nathan came in, he bowed down to the king with his face to the ground.
24 Nathan said, My lord, the king, have you said that Adonijah will be king after me and sit on my throne?
25 Today he went down and killed many oxen, fat cows, and sheep. He invited all the king’s sons, the army commanders, and the priest Abiathar. They are eating and drinking with him and shouting, “Long live King Adonijah!”
26 But me, your servant, and Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon, he did not call.
27 Did the king do this without telling me, who will sit on the throne after him?
28 King David replied, “Bring me Bathsheba.” She came to see the king and stood in front of him.
29 The king promised and said, “As God lives, who has saved me from all trouble,”
30 Just as I promised you by the God of Israel, saying, ‘Solomon your son will become king after me, and he will sit on my throne in my place,’ so I will definitely do today.
31 Then Bathsheba knelt down, touched her forehead to the ground, showed deep respect to the king, and said, “May my king, David, live forever.”
32 King David said, “Get Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, Jehoiada’s son.” They came to the king.
33 The king also told them, “Bring your lord’s servants with you and have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, then take him to Gihon.”
34 Let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet make him king over Israel there; blow the trumpet and say, “May God protect King Solomon.”
35 Then you will follow him, so he can come and sit on my throne; he will be king instead of me, and I have chosen him to rule over Israel and Judah.
36 Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, replied to the king, “Yes, may God, the God of my king, agree.”
37 Just as God was with you, the king, may he also be with Solomon and make his rule even greater than your rule, King David.
38 So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites went down and made Solomon ride on King David’s mule and took him to Gihon.
39 Priest Zadok took a horn of oil from the tent and put it on Solomon. They sounded the trumpet; and everyone said, May God protect King Solomon.
40 Everyone followed him, playing flutes and celebrating so loudly that the sound seemed to shake the ground.
41 Adonijah and all his guests heard it when they finished eating. When Joab heard the trumpet, he asked, “Why does the city sound so noisy and upset?”
42 While he was still talking, Jonathan, the son of Priest Abiathar, arrived; Adonijah said to him, “Come in, for you are a brave man and bring good news.”
43 Jonathan replied to Adonijah, “Truly, our king David has made Solomon the king.”
44 The king sent Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites with him, and they made him ride the king’s mule.
45 Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet made him king at Gihon. They came up from there happy, and their joy filled the city. This is the sound you heard.
46 Solomon sits on the throne of the kingdom.
47 The king’s helpers came to bless our lord King David, saying, “May God make Solomon’s name greater than yours, and his throne greater than your throne.” Then the king bowed on the bed.
48 The king also said, “Praise be to God of Israel, who has given someone to sit on my throne today, while I can still see it.”
49 All the guests with Adonijah became scared, stood up, and each went their own way.
50 Adonijah was afraid of Solomon, so he got up, went and grabbed the corners of the altar.
51 Someone told Solomon, “Look, Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon. See, he is holding onto the altar horns and says, ‘King Solomon must promise me today that he will not kill his servant with a sword.’”
52 Solomon said, “If he acts like a good man, not a single hair from his head will fall to the ground. But if he is found to be wicked, he will die.”
53 King Solomon sent for him, and they took him from the altar. He came and bowed down to King Solomon, and Solomon told him, “Go to your home.”