FIRST KINGS

 

1 Kings Chapter 1

1 ¶ Now king David was old and advanced in years; and they covered him with bed clothes, but he could not get warm.

2 So his servants said to him, Let a young virgin be sought for my lord the king: and let her wait upon the king, and care for him, and let her lie in your bosom, that my lord the king may get warmth.

3 So they looked for a beautiful maiden throughout all the land of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.

4 And the girl was very beautiful, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king was never intimate with her.

5 ¶ Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

6 And his father had never at any time displeased him by asking, Why have you done that? and he also was a very handsome man; and his mother bore him after Absalom.

7 And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they followed Adonijah and helped him.

8 But Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s mighty men, were not with Adonijah.

9 And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by Enrogel, and invited all of his brothers the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah the king’s servants:

10 But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, and his brother Solomon.

11 ¶ Therefore Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith reigns, and David our lord does not know it?

12 Come now, let me advise you, so that you may save your own life, and the life of your son Solomon.

13 Go in to king David, and say to him, Did you not, my lord, O king, swear to your handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon your son will reign after me, and he will sit upon my throne? why then does Adonijah reign?

14 Then, while you are still talking with the king, I also will come in behind you, and confirm your words.

15 So Bathsheba went in to the king in his chamber: and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite was taking care of the king.

16 And Bathsheba bowed, and paid homage to the king. And the king said, What do you desire?

17 And she said to him, My lord, you swore by the LORD your God to your handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he will sit upon my throne.

18 And now, behold, Adonijah is reigning; and, my lord the king, you do not know it:

19 And he has slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army: but he did not invite Solomon your servant.

20 Now, my lord, O king, all of Israel is looking to you, to tell them who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.

21 Otherwise when my lord the king sleeps with his fathers, I and my son Solomon will be regarded as offenders.

22 And, while she was still talking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in.

23 And they said to the king, Behold Nathan the prophet. And when he had come in before the king, he bowed to the king with his face to the ground.

24 And Nathan said, My lord, O king, have you said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?

25 For today he has gone down, and has slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king’s sons, and the officers of the army, and Abiathar the priest; and they eat and drink before him, and say, God save king Adonijah.

26 But he has not invited me, your servant, or Zadok the priest, or Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, or your servant Solomon.

27 Has this thing been done by my lord the king, and you have not informed your servant, who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?

28 Then king David answered saying, Call Bathsheba. And she came into the king’s presence, and stood before the king.

29 And the king swore, and said, As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all distress,

30 Even as I swore to you by the LORD God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon your son will reign after me, and he will sit upon my throne in my place; so I will perform it today.

31 Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground, and paid homage to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.

32 ¶ Then king David said, Call Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king.

33 The king said to them, Take my servants with you, and have my son Solomon ride upon my own mule, and take him down to Gihon:

34 And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: then blow the trumpet, and shout, Long live king Solomon.

35 Then you shall come up after him, so that he may come and sit on my throne; for he will be king in my place: and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.

36 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada replied, Amen: may the LORD God of my lord the king affirm it.

37 As the LORD has been with my lord the king, even so he will be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David.

38 So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and had Solomon ride on king David’s mule, and took him to Gihon.

39 And Zadok the priest took a horn of oil from the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people shouted, Long live king Solomon.

40 And all the people followed him, playing music on pipes, and rejoicing with great joy, so that the land resounded with their noise.

41 ¶ And Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they were finishing the feast. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he asked, What does this uproar in the city mean?

42 And while he was yet speaking, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest arrived: and Adonijah said, Come in; for you are a trustworthy man, and bring good news.

43 But Jonathan said to Adonijah, Truly our lord king David has made Solomon king.

44 And the king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and they have caused him to ride on the king’s mule:

45 And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon: and they have come up from there rejoicing, so that the city resounds. That is the noise you heard.

46 And Solomon also sits on the throne of the kingdom.

47 And moreover the king’s servants came to congratulate our lord king David, saying, God make the name of Solomon better than your name, and make his throne greater than your throne. And the king bowed himself upon the bed.

48 And the king has also said, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who has allowed me to see one of my offspring sitting on my throne.

49 Then all the guests that were with Adonijah were afraid, and got up, and every man went his way.

50 And Adonijah feared Solomon, and arose, and went, and caught hold of the horns of the altar.

51 And Solomon was told, Behold, Adonijah fears king Solomon: for he has caught hold of the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear to me today that he will not slay his servant with the sword.

52 And Solomon said, If he will show himself a worthy man, not one hair of him will fall to the earth: but if wickedness is found in him, he will die.

53 So king Solomon sent, and they brought Adonijah down from the altar. And he came and bowed himself to king Solomon: and Solomon said to him, Go to your house.