1 Kings Chapter 1

Abishag Cares for David

1Now KingH4428 DavidH1732 was oldH2204 and well alongH935 in yearsH3117, and though they covered himH3680 with blanketsH899, he could notH3808 keep warmH2552. 2So his servantsH5650 saidH559 to him, “Let us search forH1245 a youngH5291 virginH1330 for our lordH113 the kingH4428, to attendH5975 toH6440 him andH1961 careH5532 for him and lieH7901 by his sideH2436 to keep himH113H4428 warmH2552.”

3Then they searchedH1245 throughoutH3605H1366 IsraelH3478 for a beautifulH3303 girlH5291, and they foundH4672 AbishagH49 the ShunammiteH7767 and broughtH935 herH853 to the kingH4428. 4The girlH5291 was unsurpassedH5704H3966 in beautyH3303; sheH1961 caredH5532 for the kingH4428 and served himH8334, but heH4428 had noH3808 relations with herH3045.

Adonijah Usurps the Kingdom

5At that time AdonijahH138, David’s sonH1121 by HaggithH2294, began to exalt himselfH5375, sayingH559, “IH589 will be kingH4427!” And he acquiredH6213 chariotsH7393 and horsemenH6571 and fiftyH2572 menH376 to runH7323 ahead of himH6440.

6(His fatherH1 had neverH3808H3117 once reprimanded himH6087 by sayingH559, “WhyH4069 do you actH6213 this wayH3602?” Adonijah was alsoH1571 veryH3966 handsomeH2896H8389, bornH3205 next afterH310 AbsalomH53.)

7SoH1961 Adonijah conferredH1697 withH5973 JoabH3097 sonH1121 of ZeruiahH6870 and withH5973 AbiatharH54 the priestH3548, who supportedH5826H310 him. 8But ZadokH6659 the priestH3548, BenaiahH1141 sonH1121 of JehoiadaH3077, NathanH5416 the prophetH5030, ShimeiH8096, ReiH7472, and David’sH1732 mighty menH1368 would notH3808H1961 joinH5973 AdonijahH138.

9And AdonijahH138 sacrificedH2076 sheepH6629, oxenH1241, and fattened calvesH4806 nearH5973 the stoneH68 of ZohelethH2120,1 whichH834 is next toH681 En-rogelH5883. He invitedH7121 allH3605 his royalH4428 brothersH251H1121 and allH3605 the menH582 of JudahH3063 who were servantsH5650 of the kingH4428. 10ButH853 he did notH3808 inviteH7121 NathanH5416 the prophetH5030, BenaiahH1141, the mighty menH1368, or his brotherH251 SolomonH8010.

Nathan and Bathsheba before David

11Then NathanH5416 saidH559 toH413 BathshebaH1339 the motherH517 of SolomonH8010, “Have you notH3808 heardH8085 thatH3588 AdonijahH138 sonH1121 of HaggithH2294 has become kingH4427, and our lordH113 DavidH1732 does notH3808 know itH3045? 12NowH6258 pleaseH4994, comeH1980 and let me adviseH3289 youH6098. SaveH4422 your own lifeH5315 andH853 the lifeH5315 of your sonH1121 SolomonH8010. 13GoH1980 at onceH935 toH413 KingH4428 DavidH1732 and sayH559, ‘My lordH113 the kingH4428, did youH859 notH3808 swearH7650 to your maidservantH519, “SurelyH3588 your sonH1121 SolomonH8010 will reignH4427 after meH310, and heH1931 will sitH3427 onH5921 my throneH3678”? Why thenH4069 has AdonijahH138 become kingH4427?’ 14ThenH2009, while you are stillH5750 thereH8033 speakingH1696 withH5973 the kingH4428, I willH589 come inH935 after youH310 and confirmH4390 your wordsH1697.”

15So BathshebaH1339 wentH935 to seeH413 the kingH4428 in his bedroomH2315. Since the kingH4428 was veryH3966 oldH2204, AbishagH49 the ShunammiteH7767 was servingH8334 himH4428. 16And BathshebaH1339 bowed downH6915 in homageH7812 to the kingH4428, who askedH559, “WhatH4100 is your desire?”

17“My lordH113,” she repliedH559, “you yourselfH859 sworeH7650 to your maidservantH519 by the LORDH3068 your GodH430: ‘SurelyH3588 your sonH1121 SolomonH8010 will reignH4427 after meH310, and heH1931 will sitH3427 onH5921 my throneH3678.’ 18But nowH6258, beholdH2009, AdonijahH138 has become kingH4427, and youH6258, my lordH113 the kingH4428, do notH3808 know itH3045. 19And he has sacrificedH2076 an abundanceH7230 of oxenH7794, fattened calvesH4806, and sheepH6629, and has invitedH7121 all the otherH3605 sonsH1121 of the kingH4428, as well as AbiatharH54 the priestH3548 and JoabH3097 the commanderH8269 of the armyH6635. But he has notH3808 invitedH7121 your servantH5650 SolomonH8010. 20And as for youH859, my lordH113 the kingH4428, the eyesH5869 of allH3605 IsraelH3478 are upon youH5921 to tellH5046 them whoH4310 will sitH3427 onH5921 the throneH3678 of my lordH113 the kingH4428 after himH310. 21Otherwise, when my lordH113 the kingH4428 restsH7901 withH5973 his fathersH1H1961, IH589 and my sonH1121 SolomonH8010 will be countedH1961 as criminalsH2400.”

22And just thenH2009, while Bathsheba was stillH5750 speakingH1696 withH5973 the kingH4428, NathanH5416 the prophetH5030 arrivedH935. 23So the kingH4428 was toldH5046H559, “NathanH5416 the prophetH5030 is hereH2009.” And Nathan went inH935 and bowedH7812 facedownH5921H639H776 beforeH6440 the kingH4428.

24“My lordH113 the kingH4428,” saidH559 NathanH5416, “did youH859 sayH559, ‘AdonijahH138 will reignH4427 after meH310, and heH1931 will sitH3427 onH5921 my throneH3678’? 25ForH3588 todayH3117 he has gone downH3381 and sacrificedH2076 an abundanceH7230 of oxenH7794, fattened calvesH4806, and sheepH6629, and has invitedH7121 allH3605 the sonsH1121 of the kingH4428, the commandersH82692 of the armyH6635, and AbiatharH54 the priestH3548. And beholdH2009, they are eatingH398 and drinkingH8354 before himH6440, sayingH559, ‘Long liveH2421 KingH4428 AdonijahH138!’ 26But meH589 your servantH5650 he has notH3808 invitedH7121, nor ZadokH6659 the priestH3548, nor BenaiahH1141 sonH1121 of JehoiadaH3077, nor your servantH5650 SolomonH8010. 27HasH518H854 my lordH113 the kingH4428 let thisH2088 happenH1961H1697 withoutH3808 informingH3045 your servantH5650 whoH4310 should sitH3427 onH5921 the throneH3678 afterH310 my lordH113 the kingH4428?”

David Renews His Oath to Bathsheba

28Then KingH4428 DavidH1732 saidH6030, “Call inH7121 BathshebaH1339 for me.” So she cameH935 into the king’sH4428 presenceH6440 and stoodH5975 before himH6440H4428.

29And the kingH4428 swore an oathH7650, sayingH559, “As surely as the LORDH3068 livesH2416, whoH834 has redeemedH6299 my lifeH5315 from allH3605 distressH6869, 30I will carry outH6213 this veryH2088 dayH3117 exactlyH3588 whatH834 I sworeH7650 to you by the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478H559: SurelyH3588 your sonH1121 SolomonH8010 will reignH4427 after meH310, and heH1931 will sitH3427 onH5921 my throneH3678 in my placeH8478.”

31BathshebaH1339 bowedH6915 facedownH639H776 in homageH7812 to the kingH4428 and saidH559, “May my lordH113 KingH4428 DavidH1732 liveH2421 foreverH5769!”

Solomon Anointed King

(1 Chronicles 29:21–25)

32Then KingH4428 DavidH1732 saidH559, “Call inH7121 for me ZadokH6659 the priestH3548, NathanH5416 the prophetH5030, and BenaiahH1141 sonH1121 of JehoiadaH3077.” So they cameH935 beforeH6440 the kingH4428.

33“TakeH3947 my servantsH5650H113 with youH5973,” saidH559 the kingH4428. “SetH7392 my sonH1121 SolomonH8010 onH5921 my own muleH6506 and take him downH3381 toH413 GihonH1521. 34ThereH8033 ZadokH6659 the priestH3548 and NathanH5416 the prophetH5030 are to anointH4886 himH853 kingH4428 overH5921 IsraelH3478. You are to blowH8628 the ram’s hornH7782 and declareH559, ‘Long liveH2421 KingH4428 SolomonH8010!’ 35Then you shall go upH5927 with himH310, and he is to comeH935 and sitH3427 onH5921 my throneH3678 andH1931 reignH4427 in my placeH8478. For I have appointedH6680 himH854 rulerH5057 overH5921 IsraelH3478 andH5921 JudahH3063.”

36“AmenH543,” repliedH6030 BenaiahH1141 sonH1121 of JehoiadaH3077. “May the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of my lordH113 the kingH4428, soH3651H559 declare itH559. 37Just asH834 the LORDH3068 wasH1961 withH5973 my lordH113 the kingH4428, soH3651 may He beH1961 withH5973 SolomonH8010 and make his throneH3678 even greaterH1431 thanH3678 that of my lordH113 KingH4428 DavidH1732.”

38Then ZadokH6659 the priestH3548, NathanH5416 the prophetH5030, and BenaiahH1141 sonH1121 of JehoiadaH3077, along with the CherethitesH3774 and PelethitesH6432, went downH3381 and setH7392 SolomonH8010 onH5921 KingH4428 David’sH1732 muleH6506, and they escortedH1980 himH853 toH5921 GihonH1521. 39ZadokH6659 the priestH3548 tookH3947 the hornH7161 of oilH8081 fromH4480 the tabernacleH168 and anointedH4886 SolomonH8010. Then they blewH8628 the ram’s hornH7782, and allH3605 the peopleH5971 proclaimedH559, “Long liveH2421 KingH4428 SolomonH8010!”

40AllH3605 the peopleH5971H310 followed himH5927, playingH2490 flutesH2485 and rejoicingH8056 with such a greatH1419 joyH8057 that the earthH776 was splitH1234 by the soundH6963.

Adonijah Learns of Solomon’s Kingship

41NowH8085 AdonijahH138 and allH3605 his guestsH7121 were finishingH3615 their feastH398H1992 when they heardH8085 the soundH6963 of the ram’s hornH7782. “WhyH4069 is the cityH7151 in such a loudH6963 uproarH1993?” askedH559 JoabH3097.

42As he wasH5750 speakingH1696, suddenlyH2009 JonathanH3129 the sonH1121 of AbiatharH54 the priestH3548 arrivedH935. “Come inH935,” saidH559 AdonijahH138, “forH3588 youH859 are a manH376 of valorH2428. You must be bringing goodH2896 newsH1319.”

43“Not at allH61,” JonathanH3129H559 repliedH6030. “Our lordH113 KingH4428 DavidH1732 has made SolomonH8010 kingH4427. 44And with SolomonH854, the kingH4428 has sentH7971 ZadokH6659 the priestH3548, NathanH5416 the prophetH5030, and BenaiahH1141 sonH1121 of JehoiadaH3077, along with the CherethitesH3774 and PelethitesH6432, and they have setH7392 himH853 onH5921 the king’sH4428 muleH6506. 45ZadokH6659 the priestH3548 and NathanH5416 the prophetH5030 have anointedH4886 himH853 kingH4428 at GihonH1521, and they have gone upH5927 from thereH8033 with rejoicingH8056 that rings outH1949 in the cityH7151. That isH1931 the noiseH6963 you hearH8085.

46MoreoverH1571, SolomonH8010 has taken his seatH3427 onH5921 the royalH4410 throneH3678.

47The king’sH4428 servantsH5650 have alsoH1571 goneH935 to congratulateH1288 our lordH113 KingH4428 DavidH1732, sayingH559, ‘May your GodH430 make the nameH8034 of SolomonH8010 more famousH3190 than your own nameH8034, and may He make his throneH3678 greaterH1431 than your throneH3678.’

And the kingH4428 has bowed in worshipH7812 onH5921 his bedH4904, 48sayingH559, ‘BlessedH1288 be the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478! TodayH3117 HeH834 has providedH5414 one3 to sitH3427 onH5921 my throneH3678, and my eyesH5869 have seenH7200 it.’”

49At this, allH3605 the guestsH7121 of AdonijahH138 aroseH6965 in terrorH2729 and scatteredH1980H376H1870. 50But AdonijahH138, in fearH3372 ofH6440 SolomonH8010, got upH6965 and wentH1980 to take holdH2388 of the hornsH7161 of the altarH4196.

51It was reportedH5046 to SolomonH8010: “BeholdH2009, AdonijahH138 fearsH3372 KingH4428 SolomonH8010H2009, and he has taken holdH270 of the hornsH7161 of the altarH4196, sayingH559, ‘Let KingH4428 SolomonH8010 firstH3117 swearH7650 to me notH518 to putH4191 his servantH5650 to the swordH2719.’”

52And SolomonH8010 repliedH559, “IfH518 he isH1961 a manH1121 of characterH2428, notH3808 a single hair of hisH8185 will fallH5307 to the groundH776. But ifH518 evilH7451 is foundH4672 in him, he will dieH4191.”

53So KingH4428 SolomonH8010 summonedH7971 Adonijah downH3381 fromH5921 the altarH4196, and he cameH935 and bowed downH7812 before KingH4428 SolomonH8010, who saidH559 to him, “GoH1980 to your homeH1004.”