1 Kings 1

1King David was old, advanced in days; and they covered him with garments, but he could not get warm.

2So his servants said to him, “Let them seek for my lord the king a young virgin woman, and let her attend the king and be his caregiver, and let her lie in your bosom, so that my lord the king may be warm.”

3So they searched throughout all the territory of Israel for a beautiful young woman, and they found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king.

4The young woman was very beautiful, and she became the king’s attendant and served him, but the king did not know her.

5Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will reign.” So he made for himself a chariot, horsemen, and fifty men running before him.

6His father had never displeased him at any time by saying, “Why have you done thus?” He was also very handsome, and his mother had borne him after Absalom.

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

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

9Adonijah sacrificed sheep, cattle, and fattened animals 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.

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

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

12Now come, please let me advise you, and save your life and the life of your son Solomon.

13Please go in to King David and say to him, ‘My lord the king, did you not swear to your servant, saying, “Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’

14Look, while you are still speaking there with the king, I will come in after you and confirm your words.

15So Bathsheba went in to the king in the chamber. Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was attending the king.

16Bathsheba bowed down and prostrated herself before the king, and the king said, “What do you want?”

17She said to him, “My lord, you swore by the LORD your God to your female servant, ‘Surely Solomon your son will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne.’”

18And now, look, Adonijah has become king, and now, my lord the king, you do not know it.

19And he sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep in abundance, and he invited all the king’s sons, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army; but he did not invite Solomon your servant.

20And you, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, to tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.

21And when my lord the king lies down with his fathers, I and my son Solomon will be counted as offenders.

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

23And they told the king, saying, “Look, Nathan the prophet is here.” And he came before the king and bowed down to the king with his face to the ground.

24Then Nathan said, “My lord the king, have you said, ‘Adonijah will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne’?”

25For he has gone down today and sacrificed oxen, fattened calves, and sheep in abundance, and he has invited all the king’s sons, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest. And look, they are eating and drinking before him, and they are saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’

26But me—your servant—and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and Solomon your servant, he did not call.

27If this thing has come from my lord the king, have you not made known to your servants who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?

28Then King David answered and said, “Call Bathsheba to me.” So she came before the king and stood before the king.

29And the king swore and said, “As Yahweh lives, who has redeemed my life from every distress,”

30As I swore to you by Yahweh, the God of Israel, saying, ‘Surely Solomon your son will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne in my place,’ so I will do this today.

31Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground and prostrated herself before the king, and said, “May my lord King David live forever.”

32Then King David said, “Call Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada to me.” And they came before the king.

33And the king said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord, and have my son Solomon ride on the mule that is mine, and bring him down to Gihon.”

34There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet shall anoint him king over Israel, and you shall blow the trumpet and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’

35Then you shall go up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne, and he shall reign in my place; and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.

36Benaiah son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, “Amen! May Yahweh, the God of my lord the king, say so.”

37Just as Yahweh 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.

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

39Then Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the ram’s horn, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!”

40And all the people went up after him, and the people were playing flutes and rejoicing with great joy, and the earth split apart at their sound.

41Adonijah and all the invited guests who were with him heard it as they finished eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, “Why is the sound of the city in an uproar?”

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

43Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, “On the contrary, our lord King David has made Solomon king.”

44And the king sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and they mounted him on the king’s mule.

45And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon, and they have come up from there rejoicing, and the city is in an uproar. That is the sound that you heard.

46And Solomon has also sat on the royal throne.

47And the king’s servants also came to bless our lord King David, saying, ‘May your God make Solomon’s name better than your name, and may he make his throne greater than your throne.’ And the king bowed himself on the bed.

48And the king also said thus: ‘Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who today has given one to sit on my throne, and my eyes see it.’

49Then all Adonijah’s invited guests trembled and rose, and each man went his way.

50And Adonijah was afraid because of Solomon, so he arose and went and took hold of the horns of the altar.

51And it was reported to Solomon, saying, “Look, Adonijah fears King Solomon, and look, 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.’”

52And Solomon said, “If he proves to be a worthy man, not one of his hairs will fall to the ground; but if evil is found in him, he shall die.”

53Then King Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and bowed down to King Solomon, and Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.”