1 Kings 1

1King David was old, advanced in years. They covered him with clothes, but he could not get warm.

2So his servants said to him, “Let a young virgin be sought for my lord the king. Let her attend the king and take care of him. She can lie in your arms, and my lord the king will be warm.”

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

4The young woman was very beautiful. She took care of the king and served him, but the king did not have relations with her.

5Now Adonijah son of Haggith was putting himself forward, saying, “I will be king.” He got chariots and horsemen for himself, and fifty men to run ahead of him.

6His father had never once crossed him by asking, “Why have you done this?” He was also very handsome, and his mother had given birth to him after Absalom.

7He conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they followed Adonijah and supported him.

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

9Adonijah sacrificed sheep, cattle, and fattened calves at the Stone of Zoheleth, which is beside En-rogel. He invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah who were the king’s servants.

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

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 then, come, let me give you advice, so that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon.

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

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

15So Bathsheba went in to the king in his room. The king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king.

16Bathsheba bowed low and paid homage to the king, and the king said, “What is it?”

17She said to him, “My lord, you yourself swore to your servant by Yahweh your God, ‘Your son Solomon will be king after me, and he will sit on my throne.’

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

19He has sacrificed oxen, fattened calves, and sheep in abundance, and he has invited all the king’s sons, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army, but he has not invited your servant Solomon.

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

21Otherwise, when my lord the king rests with his ancestors, my son Solomon and I will be treated as criminals.”

22While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in.

23They told the king, “Nathan the prophet is here.” He came in before the king and bowed down to the king with his face to the ground.

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

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

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

27Has my lord the king done this without letting your servant know who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”

28King David answered, “Call Bathsheba to me.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before the king.

29Then the king swore an oath: “As surely as Yahweh lives, who has rescued my life from every trouble,

30just as I swore to you by Yahweh the God of Israel, ‘Your son Solomon will be king after me, and he will sit on my throne in my place,’ so I will do this very day.”

31Bathsheba bowed low with her face to the ground and paid homage to the king. She said, “May my lord King David live forever!”

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

33the king said to them, “Take your lord’s servants with you, have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon.

34There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet are to anoint him king over Israel. Blow the ram’s horn and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’

35Then you are to come up after him, and he is to come and sit on my throne. He will be king in my place, for I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.”

36Benaiah son of Jehoiada answered the king, “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 even 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. They had Solomon ride on King David’s mule and escorted him to Gihon.

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

40All the people went up after him, playing flutes and rejoicing with great joy, so that the ground split open with their noise.

41Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it just as they finished eating. When Joab heard the sound of the ram’s horn, he said, “Why is the city in such an uproar?”

42While he was still speaking, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest arrived. Adonijah said, “Come in, for you are a worthy man, and you must be bringing good news.”

43Jonathan answered Adonijah, “Not at all! Our lord King David has made Solomon king.

44The king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and they had him ride on the king’s mule.

45Zadok 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. That is the noise you have heard.

46What is more, Solomon has taken his seat on the royal throne.

47The king’s servants have also come to bless our lord King David, saying, ‘May God make Solomon’s name more famous than yours, and make his throne greater than your throne!’ And the king bowed down on his bed.

48The king also said this: ‘Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who has today given someone to sit on my throne, while my own eyes see it.’”

49Then all Adonijah’s guests trembled. They got up, and each went his own way.

50Adonijah was afraid of Solomon, so he got up, went, and took hold of the horns of the altar.

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

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

53Then King Solomon sent men, and they brought him down from the altar. He came and bowed down to King Solomon, and Solomon said to him, “Go to your home.”