1 Kings 1
1 King David was old and advanced in years. They covered him with clothes, but he could not get warm.
2 His servants said to him, “Let them find a young virgin for my lord the king, to attend the king and care for him. Let her lie in your arms, and my lord the king will get warm.”
3 They searched throughout the whole territory of Israel for a beautiful young woman. They found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king.
4 The young woman was very beautiful. She became the king’s attendant and served him, but the king did not have relations with her.
5 Adonijah son of Haggith was exalting himself, saying, “I will be king.” He acquired chariots, horsemen, and fifty men to run ahead of him.
6 His father had never rebuked him during his life by asking, “Why have you done this?” He too was very handsome, and he had been born after Absalom.
7 He conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with the priest Abiathar, and they supported Adonijah.
8 But the priest Zadok, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the prophet Nathan, Shimei, Rei, and David’s warriors were not with Adonijah.
9 Adonijah sacrificed sheep, cattle, and fattened calves beside the Serpent’s Stone, near En-rogel. He invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah who served the king.
10 But he did not invite the prophet Nathan, Benaiah, the warriors, or his brother Solomon.
11 Then Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, “Have you not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has become king, without our lord David knowing?
12 Now come, let me give you some advice, so that you may save your life and the life of your son Solomon.
13 Go in to King David and say to him, ‘My lord the king, did you not swear to your servant, “Your son Solomon will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne”? Why, then, has Adonijah become king?’”
14 “While you are still speaking there with the king, I will come in after you and confirm what you have said.”
15 Bathsheba went into the king’s room. The king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving him.
16 Bathsheba bowed and prostrated herself before the king, and the king asked, “What do you want?”
17 She answered, “My lord, you swore to your servant by the LORD your God, ‘Your son Solomon will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne.’
18 But now Adonijah has become king, and you, my lord the king, do not know it.
19 He sacrificed many cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and invited all the king’s sons, the priest Abiathar, and Joab, the commander of the army. But he did not invite your servant Solomon.
20 As for you, my lord the king, all Israel is looking to you to tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.
21 Otherwise, when my lord the king lies down with his ancestors, I and my son Solomon will be treated as guilty.”
22 While she was still speaking with the king, the prophet Nathan arrived.
23 They told the king, “The prophet Nathan is here.” He came before the king and bowed low, with his face to the ground.
24 Nathan said, “My lord the king, did you say, ‘Adonijah will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne’?
25 For today he went down and sacrificed many cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and invited all the king’s sons, the army commanders, and the priest Abiathar. They are eating and drinking in his presence and saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’
26 But he did not invite me, your servant, or the priest Zadok, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, or your servant Solomon.
27 Did this happen by the command of my lord the king, without your telling your servant who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”
28 King David answered, “Call Bathsheba to me.” She came before the king and stood in his presence.
29 The king swore, “As surely as the LORD lives, who has rescued me from every distress,
30 just as I swore to you by the LORD, the God of Israel, saying, ‘Your son Solomon will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne in my place,’ so I will do today.”
31 Bathsheba bowed low, prostrated herself before the king, and said, “May my lord King David live forever!”
32 King David said, “Call the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada to me.” They came before the king.
33 The king said to them, “Take the servants of your lord with you, have my son Solomon ride on my mule, and take him down to Gihon.
34 There the priest Zadok and the prophet Nathan are to anoint him king over Israel. Blow the trumpet and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’
35 Then follow him up, and he will come and sit on my throne and reign in my place. I have appointed him to lead Israel and Judah.”
36 Benaiah son of Jehoiada answered the king, “Amen! May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, say so.
37 As the LORD has been with my lord the king, so may he be with Solomon, and may he make Solomon’s throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.”
38 Then the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethites went down. They had Solomon ride on King David’s mule and took him to Gihon.
39 The priest Zadok took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon. They blew the trumpet, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!”
40 All the people followed him up, playing flutes and rejoicing greatly. The earth shook with the sound they made.
41 Adonijah and all his invited guests heard the noise as they were finishing their meal. Joab heard the sound of the trumpet and asked, “Why is the city making such a commotion?”
42 While he was still speaking, Jonathan son of the priest Abiathar arrived. Adonijah said, “Come in, for you are a capable man and must have good news.”
43 Jonathan answered Adonijah, “On the contrary! Our lord King David has made Solomon king.
44 The king sent the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethites with him, and they had him ride on the king’s mule.
45 The priest Zadok and the prophet Nathan anointed him king at Gihon. They came up from there rejoicing, and the city was in an uproar. That is the noise you heard.
46 What is more, Solomon has already taken his seat on the royal throne.
47 The king’s servants also came to congratulate our lord King David, saying, ‘May God make Solomon’s name greater than yours and his throne greater than your throne.’ And the king bowed on his bed.
48 The king also said, ‘Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who today has given someone to sit on my throne, and my eyes have seen it.’”
49 Then all Adonijah’s invited guests were terrified. They got up, and each went his own way.
50 Adonijah was afraid of Solomon, so he got up, went, and grasped the horns of the altar.
51 Solomon was told, “Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon and is clinging to the horns of the altar. He says, ‘May King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death by the sword.’”
52 Solomon said, “If he proves himself a worthy man, not one of his hairs will fall to the ground. But if evil is found in him, he will die.”
53 King Solomon sent men to bring him down from the altar. He came and prostrated himself before King Solomon, and Solomon said to him, “Go to your home.”
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