1 A nd King David was old and advanced in years; they covered him with clothes, but he could not get warm.

Now King David was old, advanced in age; and they covered him with clothes, but he could not keep warm.

2 S o his servants '> physicians] said to him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin, and let her wait on and be useful to the king; let her lie in your bosom, that my lord the king may get warm.

So his servants said to him, “Let them seek a young virgin for my lord the king, and let her attend the king and become his nurse; and let her lie in your bosom, that my lord the king may keep warm.”

3 S o they sought a fair maiden through all the territory of Israel and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king.

So they searched for a beautiful girl throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king.

4 T he maiden was beautiful; and she waited on and nursed him. But the king had no intercourse with her.

The girl was very beautiful; and she became the king’s nurse and served him, but the king did not cohabit with her.

5 T hen Adonijah son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king. And he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, with fifty men to run before him.

Now Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king.” So he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen with fifty men to run before him.

6 D avid his father had never in his life displeased him by asking, Why have you done so? He was also a very attractive man and was born after Absalom.

His father had never crossed him at any time by asking, “Why have you done so?” And he was also a very handsome man, and he was born after Absalom.

7 H e conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they followed Adonijah and helped him.

He had conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest; and following Adonijah they helped him.

8 B ut Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s mighty men did not side with Adonijah.

But Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and the mighty men who belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.

9 A donijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fatlings by the Stone of Zoheleth, which is beside En-rogel; and he invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the royal officials of Judah.

Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fatlings by the stone of Zoheleth, which is beside En-rogel; and he invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah, the king’s servants.

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

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

11 T hen Nathan said to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, Have you not heard that Adonijah, the son of Haggith, reigns and David our lord does not know it?

Then Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king, and David our lord does not know it ?

12 C ome now, let me advise you how to save your own life and your son Solomon’s.

So now come, please let me give you counsel and save your life and the life of your son Solomon.

13 G o to King David and say, Did you not, my lord, O king, swear to your handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? Why then does Adonijah reign?

Go at once to King David and say to him, ‘Have you not, my lord, O king, sworn to your maidservant, saying, “ Surely Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’

14 B ehold, while you are still talking there with the king, I also will come in after you and confirm your words.

“Behold, while you are still there speaking with the king, I will come in after you and confirm your words.”

15 S o Bathsheba went in to the king in his chamber. Now the king was very old and feeble, and Abishag the Shunammite was ministering to.

So Bathsheba went in to the king in the bedroom. Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was ministering to the king.

16 B athsheba bowed and did obeisance to the king. The king said, What do you wish?

Then Bathsheba bowed and prostrated herself before the king. And the king said, “What do you wish?”

17 A nd 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 sit upon my throne.

She said to him, “My lord, you swore to your maidservant by the Lord your God, saying, ‘ Surely your son Solomon shall be king after me and he shall sit on my throne.’

18 A nd now, behold, Adonijah is reigning, and, my lord the king, you do not know it.

Now, behold, Adonijah is king; and now, my lord the king, you do not know it.

19 H e has sacrificed oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king’s sons and Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of the army. But he did not invite Solomon your servant.

He has sacrificed oxen and fatlings 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 has not invited Solomon your servant.

20 N ow, my lord O king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, to tell who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after you.

As for you 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.

21 O therwise, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, I and my son Solomon shall be counted as offenders.

Otherwise it will come about, as soon as my lord the king sleeps with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be considered offenders.”

22 W hile she was still talking with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in.

Behold, while she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in.

23 T he king was told, Here is Nathan the prophet. And when he came before the king, he bowed himself before him with his face to the ground.

They told the king, saying, “Here is Nathan the prophet.” And when he came in before the king, he prostrated himself before the king with his face to the ground.

24 A nd Nathan said, My lord the king, have you said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne?

Then Nathan said, “My lord the king, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne’?

25 H e has gone this day and sacrificed oxen, fatlings, and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king’s sons, the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and they eat and drink before him and say, Long live King Adonijah!

For he has gone down today and has sacrificed oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king’s sons and the commanders of the army and Abiathar the priest, and behold, they are eating and drinking before him; and they say, ‘ Long live King Adonijah!’

26 B ut me your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon he has not invited.

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

27 I s this done by my lord the king and you have not shown your servants who shall succeed my lord the king?

Has this thing been done by my lord the king, and you have not shown to your servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”

28 T hen King David answered, Call Bathsheba. And she came into the king’s presence and stood before him.

Then King David said, “Call Bathsheba to me.” And she came into the king’s presence and stood before the king.

29 A nd the king took an oath and said, As the Lord lives, Who has redeemed my soul out of all distress,

The king vowed and said, “ As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life from all distress,

30 E ven as I swore to you by the Lord, the God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead—even so will I certainly do this day.

surely as I vowed to you by the Lord the God of Israel, saying, ‘Your son Solomon shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place’; I will indeed do so this day.”

31 B athsheba bowed with her face to the ground and did obeisance to the king and said, Let my lord King David live forever!

Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground, and prostrated herself before the king and said, “ May my lord King David live forever.”

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

Then King David said, “Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada.” And they came into the king’s presence.

33 T he king told them, Take the servants of your lord and cause Solomon my son to ride on my own mule and bring him down to Gihon.

The king said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord, and have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon.

34 A nd let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel. Then blow the trumpet and say, Long live King Solomon!

Let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there as king over Israel, and blow the trumpet and say, ‘ Long live King Solomon!’

35 T hen you shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne, for he shall be king in my stead; I have appointed him ruler over Israel and Judah.

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

36 A nd Benaiah son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, Amen! May the Lord, the God of my lord the king, say so too.

Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, “Amen! Thus may the Lord, the God of my lord the king, say.

37 A s 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.

As the Lord has been with my lord the king, so may He be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David!” Solomon Anointed King

38 S o Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites went down and caused Solomon to ride upon King David’s mule and brought him to Gihon.

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

39 Z adok the priest took a horn of oil out of the tent and anointed Solomon. They blew the trumpet and all the people said, Long live King Solomon!

Zadok the priest then 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!”

40 A ll the people followed him; they played on pipes and rejoiced greatly, so that the earth with the joyful sound.

All the people went up after him, and the people were playing on flutes and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth shook at their noise.

41 A nd Adonijah and all the guests with him heard it as they finished feasting. When Joab heard the trumpet sound, he said, What does this uproar in the city mean?

Now Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished eating. When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, “Why is the city making such an uproar?”

42 W hile he was still speaking, behold, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest came. And Adonijah said, Come in, for you are a trustworthy man and bring good news.

While he was still speaking, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came. Then Adonijah said, “Come in, for you are a valiant man and bring good news.”

43 J onathan replied, Adonijah, truly our lord King David has made Solomon king!

But Jonathan replied to Adonijah, “No! Our lord King David has made Solomon king.

44 T he king has sent him with Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and they have caused him to ride upon the king’s mule.

The king has also sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites; and they have made him ride on the king’s mule.

45 Z adok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon; they have come up from there rejoicing, so the city resounds. This is the noise you heard.

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 is in an uproar. This is the noise which you have heard.

46 S olomon sits on the royal throne.

Besides, Solomon has even taken his seat on the throne of the kingdom.

47 M oreover, the king’s servants came to congratulate our lord King David, saying, May 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

Moreover, the king’s servants came to bless our lord King David, saying, ‘May your God make the name of Solomon better than your name and his throne greater than your throne!’ And the king bowed himself on the bed.

48 A nd said, Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, Who has granted me to see one of my offspring sitting on my throne this day.

The king has also said thus, ‘Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who has granted one to sit on my throne today while my own eyes see it.’”

49 A nd all the guests that were with Adonijah were afraid and rose up and went every man his way.

Then all the guests of Adonijah were terrified; and they arose and each went on his way.

50 A nd Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose and went and caught hold of the horns of the altar.

And Adonijah was afraid of Solomon, and he arose, went and took hold of the horns of the altar.

51 A nd it was told Solomon, Behold, Adonijah fears King Solomon, for behold, he has caught hold of the horns of the altar, saying, Let King Solomon swear to me first that he will not slay his servant with the sword.

Now it was told Solomon, saying, “Behold, Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon, for behold, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.’”

52 S olomon said, If he will show himself to be a worthy man, not a hair of him shall fall to the ground; but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die.

Solomon said, “If he is a worthy man, not one of his hairs will fall to the ground; but if wickedness is found in him, he will die.”

53 S o King Solomon sent, and they brought Adonijah down from the altar. He came and bowed himself to King Solomon, and Solomon said to him, Go to your house.

So King Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and prostrated himself before King Solomon, and Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.”