1 Kings 1

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BBE WEB

David's declining age

Now King David was old and far on in years; and though they put covers over him, his body was cold. Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he couldn’t keep warm.
So his servants said to him, Let search be made for a young virgin for my lord the king, to take care of him and be waiting on him; and you may take her in your arms, and so my lord the king will be warm. Therefore his servants said to him, “Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin. Let her stand before the king, and cherish him; and let her lie in your bosom, that my lord the king may keep warm.”
So after searching through all the land of Israel for a fair young girl, they saw Abishag the Shunammite, and took her to the king. So they sought for a beautiful young lady throughout all the borders of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king.
Now she was very beautiful; and she took care of the king, waiting on him at all times; but the king had no connection with her. The young lady was very beautiful; and she cherished the king, and ministered to him; but the king didn’t know her intimately.

Adonijah aspires to the throne

Then Adonijah, the son of Haggith, lifting himself up in pride, said, I will become king; and he made ready his carriages of war and his horsemen, with fifty runners to go before him. Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king.” Then he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.
Now all his life his father had never gone against him or said to him, Why have you done so? and he was a very good-looking man, and younger than Absalom. His father had not displeased him at any time in saying, “Why have you done so?” and he was also a very handsome man; and he was born after Absalom.
And he had talk with Joab, the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest; and they were on his side and gave him their support. He conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him.
But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet and Shimei and Rei, and David's men of war did not take the side of Adonijah. But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men who belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.
Then Adonijah put to death sheep and oxen and fat beasts by the stone of Zoheleth, by En-rogel; and he sent for all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the men of Judah, the king's servants, to come to him: Adonijah killed sheep and cattle and fatlings by the stone of Zoheleth, which is beside En Rogel; and he called all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah, the king’s servants:
But he did not send for Nathan the prophet and Benaiah and the other men of war and Solomon his brother. but Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he didn’t call.

David makes Solomon king

Then Nathan said to Bath-sheba, the mother of Solomon, Has it not come to your ears that Adonijah, the son of Haggith, has made himself king without the knowledge of David our lord? Then Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, “Haven’t you heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith reigns, and David our lord doesn’t know it?
So now, let me make a suggestion, so that you may keep your life safe and the life of your son Solomon. Now therefore come, please let me give you counsel, that you may save your own life, and the life of your son Solomon.
Come now, go to King David and say to him, Did you not, O my lord, take an oath to me, your servant, saying, Truly Solomon your son will be king after me, seated on the seat of my kingdom? why then is Adonijah acting as king? Go in to king David, and tell him, ‘Didn’t you, my lord, king, swear to your handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne? Why then does Adonijah reign?’
And while you are still talking there with the king, see, I will come in after you and say that your story is true. Behold, while you yet talk there with the king, I also will come in after you, and confirm your words.”
Then Bath-sheba went into the king's room; now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was waiting on him. Bathsheba went in to the king into the room. The king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite was ministering to the king.
And Bath-sheba went down on her face on the earth before the king giving him honour. And he said, What is your desire? Bathsheba bowed, and showed respect to the king. The king said, “What would you like?”
And she said to him, My lord, you took an oath by the Lord your God and gave your word to your servant, saying, Truly, Solomon your son will be king after me, seated on the seat of my kingdom. She said to him, “My lord, you swore by Yahweh your God to your handmaid, ‘Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.’
And now, see, Adonijah has made himself king without my lord's knowledge; Now, behold, Adonijah reigns; and you, my lord the king, don’t know it.
And has put to death oxen and fat beasts and sheep in great numbers, and has sent for all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab, the captain of the army; but he has not sent for Solomon your servant. He has slain cattle and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the army; but he hasn’t called Solomon your servant.
And now, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, waiting for you to say who is to take the place of my lord the king after him. You, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, that you should tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.
For as things are, it will come about, when my lord the king is sleeping with his fathers, that I and Solomon my son will be made outlaws. Otherwise it will happen, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.”
And while she was still talking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in. Behold, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet came in.
And they said to the king, Here is Nathan the prophet. And when he came in before the king, he went down on his face on the earth. They told the king, saying, “Behold, Nathan the prophet!” When he had come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.
And Nathan said, O my lord king, have you said, Adonijah is to be king after me, seated on the seat of my kingdom? Nathan said, “My lord, king, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne?’
Because today he has gone down and has put to death oxen and fat beasts and sheep in great numbers, and has sent for all the king's sons to come to him, with the captains of the army and Abiathar the priest; and they are feasting before him and crying, Long life to King Adonijah! For he is gone down this day, and has slain cattle and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has called all the king’s sons, and the captains of the army, and Abiathar the priest. Behold, they are eating and drinking before him, and say, ‘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 sent for. But he hasn’t called me, even me your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon.
Has this thing been done by my lord the king, without giving word to your servants who was to be placed on my lord the king's seat after him? Is this thing done by my lord the king, and you haven’t shown to your servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”
Then King David in answer said, Send for Bath-sheba to come to me. And she came in and took her place before the king. Then king David answered, “Call to me Bathsheba.” She came into the king’s presence, and stood before the king.
And the king took an oath, and said, By the living Lord, who has been my saviour from all my troubles, The king swore, and said, “As Yahweh lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity,
As I took an oath to you by the Lord, the God of Israel, saying, Certainly Solomon your son will become king after me, seated on my seat in my place; so will I do this day. most certainly as I swore to you by Yahweh, the God of Israel, saying, ‘Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place;’ most certainly so will I do this day.”
Then Bath-sheba went down on her face on the earth before the king giving him honour, and said, May my lord King David go on living for ever. Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and showed respect to the king, and said, “Let my lord king David live forever!”

Solomon is anointed king, and Adonijah's usurpation stopped

And King David said, Send for Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king. King David said, “Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada.” They came before the king.
And the king said to them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and put Solomon my son on my beast, yes, mine, and take him down to Gihon; The king said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon.
And there let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet put the holy oil on him to make him king over Israel; and sounding the horn say, Long life to King Solomon! Let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel. Blow the trumpet, and say, ‘Long live king Solomon!’
Then come up after him and he will come in and take his place on the seat of my kingdom; for he is to be king in my place, and I have given orders that he is to be ruler over Israel and over Judah. Then you shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne; for he shall be king in my place. I have appointed him to be prince over Israel and over Judah.”
And Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, answering the king, said, So be it: and may the Lord, the God of my lord the king, say so. Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, “Amen. May Yahweh, the God of my lord the king, say so.
As the Lord has been with my lord the king, even so may he be with Solomon and make the seat of his authority greater than that of my lord King David. As Yahweh 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.”
So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, went down and put Solomon on King David's beast and took him to Gihon. So 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 on king David’s mule, and brought him to Gihon.
And Zadok the priest took the vessel of oil out of the Tent, and put the holy oil on Solomon. And when the horn was sounded, all the people said, Long life to King Solomon! Zadok the priest took the horn of oil out of the Tent, and anointed Solomon. They blew the trumpet; and all the people said, “Long live king Solomon!”
And all the people came up after him, piping with pipes, and they were glad with great joy, so that the earth was shaking with the sound. All the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth shook with their sound.
And it came to the ears of Adonijah and all the guests who were with him, when their meal was ended. And Joab, hearing the sound of the horn, said, What is the reason of this noise as if the town was worked up? Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they had made an end of eating. When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, “Why is this noise of the city being in an uproar?”
And while the words were on his lips, Jonathan, the son of Abiathar the priest, came; and Adonijah said, Come in; for you are a man of good faith and the news which you have for us will be good. While he yet spoke, 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 Jonathan, answering, said to Adonijah, Not so, but our lord King David has made Solomon king: Jonathan answered Adonijah, “Most certainly our lord king David has made Solomon king.
And he sent with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and they put him on the king's beast: 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.
And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet put the holy oil on him and made him king in Gihon; and they came back from there with joy, and the town was all worked up. This is the noise which has come to your ears. Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon. They have come up from there rejoicing, so that the city rang again. This is the noise that you have heard.
And now Solomon is seated on the seat of the kingdom. Also, Solomon sits on the throne of the kingdom.
And the king's servants came to our lord King David, blessing him and saying, May God make the name of Solomon better than your name, and the seat of his authority greater than your seat; and the king was bent low in worship on his 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 make his throne greater than your throne;’ and the king bowed himself on the bed.
Then the king said, May the God of Israel be praised, who has given one of my seed to be king in my place this day and has let my eyes see it. Also thus said the king, ‘Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who has given one to sit on my throne this day, my eyes even seeing it.’”
And all the guests of Adonijah got up in fear and went away, every man to his place. All the guests of Adonijah were afraid, and rose up, and each man went his way.
And Adonijah himself was full of fear because of Solomon; and he got up and went to the altar, and put his hands on its horns. Adonijah feared because of Solomon; and he arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.
And they gave Solomon word of it, saying, See, Adonijah goes in such fear of King Solomon, that he has put his hands on the horns of the altar, saying, Let King Solomon first give me his oath that he will not put his servant to death with the sword. It was told Solomon, saying, “Behold, Adonijah fears king Solomon; for, behold, he has laid hold on the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let king Solomon swear to me first that he will not kill his servant with the sword.’”
And Solomon said, If he is seen to be a man of good faith, not a hair of him will be touched; but if any wrongdoing is seen in him, he is to be put to death. Solomon said, “If he shows himself a worthy man, not a hair of him shall fall to the earth; but if wickedness be found in him, he shall die.”
So King Solomon sent, and they took him down from the altar. And he came and gave honour to King Solomon; and Solomon said to him, Go to your house. So king Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. He came and bowed down to king Solomon; and Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.”
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