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David in His Old Age
Now King David was old and advanced in years. And although they covered him with clothes, he could not get warm.
Now King David was old and advanced in years. And although they covered him with clothes, he could not get warm.
David in His Old Age
King David was now very old, and no matter how many blankets covered him, he could not keep warm.
King David was now very old, and no matter how many blankets covered him, he could not keep warm.
So his advisers told him, “Let us find a young virgin to wait on you and look after you, my lord. She will lie in your arms and keep you warm.”
So they sought for a beautiful young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king.
So they searched throughout the land of Israel for a beautiful girl, and they found Abishag from Shunem and brought her to the king.
The young woman was very beautiful, and she was of service to the king and attended to him, but the king knew her not.
The girl was very beautiful, and she looked after the king and took care of him. But the king had no sexual relations with her.
Adonijah Sets Himself Up as King
Now Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king.” And he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.
Now Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king.” And he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.
Adonijah Claims the Throne
About that time David’s son Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, began boasting, “I will make myself king.” So he provided himself with chariots and charioteers and recruited fifty men to run in front of him.
His father had never at any time displeased him by asking, “Why have you done thus and so?” He was also a very handsome man, and he was born next after Absalom.
Now his father, King David, had never disciplined him at any time, even by asking, “Why are you doing that?” Adonijah had been born next after Absalom, and he was very handsome.
He conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest. And they followed Adonijah and helped him.
Adonijah took Joab son of Zeruiah and Abiathar the priest into his confidence, and they agreed to help him become king.
But Zadok the priest and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and Nathan the prophet and Shimei and Rei and David’s mighty men were not with Adonijah.
But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s personal bodyguard refused to support Adonijah.
Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fattened cattle by the Serpent’s Stone, which is beside En-rogel, and he invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the royal officials of Judah,
but he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the mighty men or Solomon his brother.
But he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the king’s bodyguard or his brother Solomon.
Nathan and Bathsheba Before David
Then Nathan said to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king and David our lord does not know it?
Then Nathan said to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king and David our lord does not know it?
Then Nathan went to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, and asked her, “Haven’t you heard that Haggith’s son, Adonijah, has made himself king, and our lord David doesn’t even know about it?
Now therefore come, let me give you advice, that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon.
If you want to save your own life and the life of your son Solomon, follow my advice.
Go in at once to King David, and say to him, ‘Did you not, my lord the king, swear to your servant, saying, “Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne”? Why then is Adonijah king?’
Go at once to King David and say to him, ‘My lord the king, didn’t you make a vow and say to me, “Your son Solomon will surely be the next king and will sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’
And while you are still talking with him, I will come and confirm everything you have said.”
So Bathsheba went to the king in his chamber (now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was attending to the king).
So Bathsheba went into the king’s bedroom. (He was very old now, and Abishag was taking care of him.)
Bathsheba bowed and paid homage to the king, and the king said, “What do you desire?”
Bathsheba bowed down before the king.
“What can I do for you?” he asked her.
“What can I do for you?” he asked her.
She said to him, “My lord, you swore to your servant by the Lord your God, saying, ‘Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.’
She replied, “My lord, you made a vow before the LORD your God when you said to me, ‘Your son Solomon will surely be the next king and will sit on my throne.’
And now, behold, Adonijah is king, although you, my lord the king, do not know it.
But instead, Adonijah has made himself king, and my lord the king does not even know about it.
He has sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army, but Solomon your servant he has not invited.
He has sacrificed many cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and he has invited all the king’s sons to attend the celebration. He also invited Abiathar the priest and Joab, the commander of the army. But he did not invite your servant Solomon.
And now, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, to tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.
And now, my lord the king, all Israel is waiting for you to announce who will become king after you.
Otherwise it will come to pass, when my lord the king sleeps with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be counted offenders.”
If you do not act, my son Solomon and I will be treated as criminals as soon as my lord the king has died.”
While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in.
While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived.
And they told the king, “Here is Nathan the prophet.” And when he came in before the king, he bowed before the king, with his face to the ground.
The king’s officials told him, “Nathan the prophet is here to see you.”
Nathan went in and bowed before the king with his face to the ground.
Nathan went in and bowed before the king with his face to the ground.
And Nathan said, “My lord the king, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne’?
Nathan asked, “My lord the king, have you decided that Adonijah will be the next king and that he will sit on your throne?
Today he has sacrificed many cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and he has invited all the king’s sons to attend the celebration. He also invited the commanders of the army and Abiathar the priest. They are feasting and drinking with him and shouting, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’
But me, your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon he has not invited.
But he did not invite me or Zadok the priest or Benaiah or your servant Solomon.
Has this thing been brought about by my lord the king and you have not told your servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”
Has my lord the king really done this without letting any of his officials know who should be the next king?”
Solomon Anointed King
Then King David answered, “Call Bathsheba to me.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before the king.
Then King David answered, “Call Bathsheba to me.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before the king.
David Makes Solomon King
King David responded, “Call Bathsheba!” So she came back in and stood before the king.
And the king swore, saying, “As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my soul out of every adversity,
And the king repeated his vow: “As surely as the LORD lives, who has rescued me from every danger,
as I swore to you by the Lord, the God of Israel, saying, ‘Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place,’ even so will I do this day.”
your son Solomon will be the next king and will sit on my throne this very day, just as I vowed to you before the LORD, the God of Israel.”
Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground and paid homage to the king and said, “May my lord King David live forever!”
Then Bathsheba bowed down with her face to the ground before the king and exclaimed, “May my lord King David live forever!”
King David said, “Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada.” So they came before the king.
Then King David ordered, “Call Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” When they came into the king’s presence,
And the king said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord and have Solomon my son ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon.
the king said to them, “Take Solomon and my officials down to Gihon Spring. Solomon is to ride on my own mule.
And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet there anoint him king over Israel. Then blow the trumpet and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’
There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet are to anoint him king over Israel. Blow the ram’s horn and shout, ‘Long live King Solomon!’
You shall then come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne, for he shall be king in my place. And I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.”
Then escort him back here, and he will sit on my throne. He will succeed me as king, for I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah.”
And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, “Amen! May the Lord, the God of my lord the king, say so.
“Amen!” Benaiah son of Jehoiada replied. “May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, decree that it happen.
As the Lord has been with my lord the king, even so may he be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.”
And may the LORD be with Solomon as he has been with you, my lord the king, and may he make Solomon’s reign even greater than yours!”
So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David’s mule and brought him to Gihon.
There Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the trumpet, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!”
There Zadok the priest took the flask of olive oil from the sacred tent and anointed Solomon with the oil. Then they sounded the ram’s horn and all the people shouted, “Long live King Solomon!”
And all the people went up after him, playing on pipes, and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth was split by their noise.
And all the people followed Solomon into Jerusalem, playing flutes and shouting for joy. The celebration was so joyous and noisy that the earth shook with the sound.
Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished feasting. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, “What does this uproar in the city mean?”
Adonijah and his guests heard the celebrating and shouting just as they were finishing their banquet. When Joab heard the sound of the ram’s horn, he asked, “What’s going on? Why is the city in such an uproar?”
While he was still speaking, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came. And Adonijah said, “Come in, for you are a worthy man and bring good news.”
And while he was still speaking, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest arrived. “Come in,” Adonijah said to him, “for you are a good man. You must have good news.”
Jonathan answered Adonijah, “No, for our lord King David has made Solomon king,
“Not at all!” Jonathan replied. “Our lord King David has just declared Solomon king!
and the king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites. And they had him ride on the king’s mule.
The king sent him down to Gihon Spring with Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, protected by the king’s bodyguard. They had him ride on the king’s own mule,
And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon, and they have gone up from there rejoicing, so that the city is in an uproar. This is the noise that you have heard.
and Zadok and Nathan have anointed him at Gihon Spring as the new king. They have just returned, and the whole city is celebrating and rejoicing. That’s what all the noise is about.
Solomon sits on the royal throne.
What’s more, Solomon is now sitting on the royal throne as king.
Moreover, the king’s servants came to congratulate our lord King David, saying, ‘May your God make the name of Solomon more famous than yours, and make his throne greater than your throne.’ And the king bowed himself on the bed.
And all the royal officials have gone to King David and congratulated him, saying, ‘May your God make Solomon’s fame even greater than your own, and may Solomon’s reign be even greater than yours!’ Then the king bowed his head in worship as he lay in his bed,
and he said, ‘Praise the LORD, the God of Israel, who today has chosen a successor to sit on my throne while I am still alive to see it.’”
Then all the guests of Adonijah trembled and rose, and each went his own way.
Then all of Adonijah’s guests jumped up in panic from the banquet table and quickly scattered.
And Adonijah feared Solomon. So he arose and went and took hold of the horns of the altar.
Adonijah was afraid of Solomon, so he rushed to the sacred tent and grabbed on to the horns of the altar.
Then it was told Solomon, “Behold, Adonijah fears King Solomon, for behold, he has laid hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me first that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.’”
Word soon reached Solomon that Adonijah had seized the horns of the altar in fear, and that he was pleading, “Let King Solomon swear today that he will not kill me!”
And Solomon said, “If he will show himself a worthy man, not one of his hairs shall fall to the earth, but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die.”
Solomon replied, “If he proves himself to be loyal, not a hair on his head will be touched. But if he makes trouble, he will die.”
So King Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and paid homage to King Solomon, and Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.”
So King Solomon summoned Adonijah, and they brought him down from the altar. He came and bowed respectfully before King Solomon, who dismissed him, saying, “Go on home.”