1 N ow King David was old. He had lived many years. They covered him with clothes, but he could not keep warm.

And king David was old advanced in age; and they covered him with clothes, but he obtained no warmth.

2 S o his servants said to him, “Let a young woman who has never had a man be found for my lord the king. Let her help the king and become his nurse. And let her lie in your arms, that my lord the king may be warm.”

And his servants said to him, Let there be found for my lord the king a young virgin; and let her stand before the king, and let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get warm.

3 S o they looked through all the land of Israel for a beautiful girl, and found Abishag the Shunammite. And they brought her to the king.

And they sought for a fair damsel throughout the territory of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.

4 T he girl was very beautiful. She became the king’s nurse and helped him. But the king did not have sex with her.

And the damsel was very fair; and cherished the king, and ministered to him; but the king knew her not.

5 N ow Haggith’s son Adonijah honored himself, saying, “I will be king.” So he made war-wagons and horsemen ready for himself, with fifty men to run in front of him.

And Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king; and he provided himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

6 H is father had never troubled him at any time by asking, “Why have you done this?” He was a very good-looking man also, and was born next after Absalom.

And his father had not grieved him at any time in saying, Why doest thou so? and he was also a very comely man; and bore him after Absalom.

7 H e spoke with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the religious leader. And they followed Adonijah and helped him.

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

8 B ut Zadok the religious leader, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, Nathan the man of God, Shimei, Rei, and David’s strong men, were not with Adonijah.

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

9 A donijah killed sheep and cattle and fat animals by the stone of Zoheleth, beside En-rogel. He asked all his brothers, the king’s sons and all the king’s men of Judah to come.

And Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fatted cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En-rogel, and invited all his brethren, the king's sons, and all the men of Judah, the king's servants;

10 B ut he did not ask Nathan the man of God, Benaiah, the strong men or his brother Solomon to come.

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

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

And Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith is king, and David our lord does not know ?

12 S o now come, let me give you words of wisdom and save your life and the life of your son Solomon.

And now, come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own life, and the life of thy son Solomon.

13 G o to King David and say to him, ‘My lord, O king, have you not promised your woman servant, saying, “For sure your son Solomon will be king after me. He will sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’

Go and get thee in to king David, and say to him, Didst not thou, my lord, O king, swear to thy handmaid saying, Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne? why then does Adonijah reign?

14 W hile you are still there speaking with the king, I will come in after you and tell him your words are true.”

Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come in after thee and confirm thy words.

15 S o Bathsheba went to the king in his room. The king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was helping him.

And Bathsheba went in to the king into the chamber; and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite ministered to the king.

16 B athsheba put her face to the ground in front of the king. And the king said, “What do you wish?”

And Bathsheba bowed and did obeisance to the king. And the king said, What wouldest thou?

17 S he said to him, “My lord, you promised your woman servant by the Lord your God, saying, ‘For sure your son Solomon will be king after me. He will sit on my throne.’

And she said to him, My lord, thou hast sworn by Jehovah thy God to thy handmaid, Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.

18 N ow, see, Adonijah is king. And my lord the king, you do not know it.

And now behold, Adonijah is king; and now, my lord the king, thou knowest it not.

19 H e has killed many cattle and sheep and fat animals. He has asked all the king’s sons and Abiathar the religious leader and Joab the captain of the army to come. But he has not asked your servant Solomon to come.

And he has sacrificed oxen and fatted cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king and Abiathar the priest and Joab the captain of the host; but Solomon thy servant has he not invited.

20 N ow, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you. They are waiting for you to tell them who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.

And thou, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.

21 O r else as soon as my lord the king is dead, I and my son Solomon will be thought of as wrong-doers.”

Otherwise it shall come to pass when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be counted offenders.

22 W hile she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the man of God came in.

And behold, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in.

23 T hey told the king, “Here is Nathan who speaks for God.” When Nathan came in front of the king, he put his face to the ground.

And they told the king saying, Behold, Nathan the prophet. And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.

24 T hen Nathan said, “My lord the king, have you said, ‘Adonijah will be king after me, and he will sit on my throne’?

And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne?

25 F or he has gone down today and has killed many cattle and sheep and fat animals. He has asked all the king’s sons and the captains of the army and Abiathar the religious leader to come. They are eating and drinking with him, and are saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’

For he is gone down this day, and has sacrificed oxen and fatted cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king's sons, and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and behold, they eat and drink before him, and say, God save king Adonijah!

26 B ut he has not asked me your servant, Zadok the religious leader, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, or your servant Solomon, to come.

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

27 H as this been done by my lord the king? Have you not shown your servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?” David Makes Solomon King

Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not shewn to thy servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?

28 K ing David said, “Call Bathsheba to me.” And she came and stood in front of the king.

Then king David answered and said, Call me Bathsheba. And she came into the king's presence, and stood before the king.

29 T he king made a promise and said, “As the Lord lives, Who has saved me from all trouble,

And the king swore, and said, Jehovah liveth, who has redeemed my soul out of all distress,

30 I promised you by the Lord the God of Israel, saying, ‘Your son Solomon will be king after me. He will sit on my throne in my place.’ And I will even do so this day.”

even as I swore to thee by Jehovah the God of Israel, saying, Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day.

31 B athsheba put her face to the ground in front of the king and said, “May my lord King David live forever.”

And Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.

32 T hen King David said, “Call to me Zadok the religious leader, Nathan the man of God, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada.” And they came to the king.

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

33 T he king said to them, “Take the servants of your lord with you. Have my son Solomon go on my own horse. And bring him down to Gihon.

And the king said to them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon;

34 L et Zadok the religious leader and Nathan the man of God set him apart there as king over Israel. Sound the horn and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’

and let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel; and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, Long live king Solomon!

35 T hen come up after him. He will come and sit on my throne and be king in my place. For I have chosen him to be ruler over Israel and Judah.”

And ye shall come up after him, that he may come and sit on my throne; for he shall reign in my stead, and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.

36 B enaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, “Let it be so! May the Lord, the God of my lord the king, say so!

And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, Amen: Jehovah, the God of my lord the king, say so too.

37 M ay the Lord be with Solomon as He has been with my lord the king. May He make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David!”

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

38 S o Zadok the religious leader, Nathan the man of God, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites went down to Gihon. And they brought Solomon with them, on King David’s horse.

And Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David's mule, and brought him to Gihon.

39 T here Zadok the religious leader took the horn of oil from the tent and poured it on Solomon. Then they sounded the horn and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!”

And Zadok the priest took the horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, Long live king Solomon!

40 A nd all the people went up after him. They were playing music and were filled with joy. The earth shook with all the noise.

And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.

41 A donijah and all who had been asked to be with him heard it as they finished eating. When Joab heard the sound of the horn, he said, “Why is there such a noise in the city?”

And Adonijah and all the guests that were with him heard as they were finishing their repast; and Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, and he said, Wherefore this noise of the city in an uproar?

42 W hile he was still speaking, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the religious leader came. Adonijah said, “Come in, for you are a man to be trusted, and bring good news.”

While he yet spoke, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came; and Adonijah said, Come in; for thou art a valiant man, and bringest good news.

43 B ut Jonathan said to Adonijah, “No! Our lord King David has made Solomon king.

And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, Indeed, our lord king David has made Solomon king.

44 T he king has sent with him Zadok the religious leader, Nathan the man of God, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites and the Pelethites. And they have made him travel on the king’s horse.

And the king has sent with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and they have caused him to ride upon the king's mule;

45 Z adok the religious leader and Nathan the man of God have set him apart as king in Gihon. They have come up from there filled with joy, so there is much noise in the city. This is the noise you have heard.

and Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon; and they are come up from thence rejoicing, so that the city is in an uproar. This is the noise which ye have heard.

46 S olomon sits upon the throne of the king.

And also Solomon is sitting on the throne of the kingdom.

47 W hat is more, the king’s servants came to give honor to 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 put his face down upon the bed.

And moreover the king's servants came to bless our lord king David, saying, Thy God make the name of Solomon more excellent than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne! And the king bowed himself on the bed.

48 T he king said, ‘Thanks be to the Lord, the God of Israel. He has given one to sit on my throne today while my own eyes see it.’”

And also thus said the king: Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, who has given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing it.

49 T hen all those with Adonijah were filled with fear. Each of them got up and went his own way.

And all Adonijah's guests were afraid, and rose up and went every man his way.

50 A nd Adonijah was afraid of Solomon. He got up and went and took hold of the horns of the altar.

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

51 S olomon was told, “See, Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon. See, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon promise me today that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.’”

And it was told Solomon saying, Behold, Adonijah fears king Solomon; for behold, he has caught hold of the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear to me this day that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.

52 S olomon said, “If he will be a man of worth, not one of his hairs will fall to the ground. But if he is found to be bad, he will die.”

And Solomon said, If he be a worthy man, there shall not one of his hairs fall to the earth; but if wickedness be found in him, he shall die.

53 S o King Solomon sent men to bring him down from the altar. Adonijah came and put his face to the ground in front of King Solomon. And Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.”

And king Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and bowed himself to king Solomon; and Solomon said to him, Go to thy house.