1 Kings 2

David Instructs Solomon

(Psalm 37:1–40)

1As the timeH3117 drew nearH7126 for DavidH1732 to dieH4191, he chargedH6680 his sonH1121H559 SolomonH8010, 2“IH595 am about to goH1980 the wayH1870 of allH3605 the earthH776. So be strongH2388 and prove yourselfH1961 a manH376. 3And keepH8104 the chargeH4931 of the LORDH3068 your GodH430 to walkH1980 in His waysH1870 and to keepH8104 His statutesH2708, commandmentsH4687, ordinancesH4941, and decreesH5715, as writtenH3789 in the LawH8451 of MosesH4872, so thatH4616 you may prosperH7919 in allH3605 you doH6213 and whereverH3605 you turnH6437H8033, 4and so thatH4616 the LORDH3068 may fulfillH6965 His promiseH1697 to meH5921H559: ‘IfH518 your descendantsH1121 take heedH8104 to walkH1980 faithfullyH571 before MeH6440 with allH3605 their heartH3824H3605 and soulH5315H559, you will neverH3808 failH3772 to have a manH376 onH5921 the throneH3678 of IsraelH3478.’

5MoreoverH1571, youH859 knowH3045 whatH834 JoabH3097 sonH1121 of ZeruiahH6870 didH6213 to me—whatH834 he didH6213 to AbnerH74 sonH1121 of NerH5369 and AmasaH6021 sonH1121 of JetherH3500,1 the twoH8147 commandersH8269 of the armiesH6635 of IsraelH3478. He killed themH2026 in peacetimeH7965 to avengeH7760 the bloodH1818 of warH4421. He stainedH5414 with the bloodH1818 of warH4421 the beltH2290 around his waistH4975 and the sandalsH5275 on his feetH7272.2 6So actH6213 according to your wisdomH2451, and do notH3808 let his gray headH7872 go downH3381 to SheolH7585 in peaceH7965.

7But showH6213 loving devotionH26173 to the sonsH1121 of BarzillaiH1271 the GileaditeH1569, and let them beH1961 among those who eatH398 at your tableH7979, becauseH3588H3651 they stood byH7126 meH413 when I fledH1272 fromH6440 your brotherH251 AbsalomH53.

8Keep an eye onH2009 ShimeiH8096 the sonH1121 of GeraH1617, the BenjamiteH1145 from BahurimH980 who is with youH5973. HeH1931 called down bitterH4834 curses against meH7043H7045 on the dayH3117 I wentH1980 to MahanaimH4266, but whenH1931 he came downH3381 to meet meH7122 at the JordanH3383, I sworeH7650 to him by the LORDH3068H559: ‘I will neverH518 put youH4191 to the swordH2719.’ 9Now thereforeH6258, do notH408 hold him guiltlessH5352, forH3588 youH859 are a wiseH2450 manH376. You knowH3045 whatH834 you ought to doH6213 to him to bring his gray headH7872 downH3381 to SheolH7585 in bloodH1818.”

David’s Reign and Death

(1 Chronicles 29:26–30)

10Then DavidH1732 restedH7901 withH5973 his fathersH1 and was buriedH6912 in the CityH5892 of DavidH1732. 11The lengthH3117 of David’sH1732 reignH4427 overH5921 IsraelH3478 was fortyH705 yearsH8141—sevenH7651 yearsH8141 in HebronH2275 and thirty-threeH7970H7969 yearsH8141 in JerusalemH3389.

12So SolomonH8010 satH3427 onH5921 the throneH3678 of his fatherH1 DavidH1732, and his kingdomH4438 was firmlyH3966 establishedH3559.

The Execution of Adonijah

13Now AdonijahH138 sonH1121 of HaggithH2294 wentH935 toH413 BathshebaH1339 the motherH517 of SolomonH8010, and she askedH559, “Do you comeH935 in peaceH7965?”

“Yes, in peaceH7965,” he repliedH559. 14Then he saidH559, “I have somethingH1697 to tell youH413.”

“Say itH1696,” she answeredH559.

15“YouH859 knowH3045 thatH3588 the kingshipH4410 was mineH1961,” he saidH559. “AllH3605 IsraelH3478 expectedH5921H7760H6440 that I should reignH4427, but the kingshipH4410 has turnedH5437 to my brotherH251, forH3588 it has comeH1961 to him from the LORDH3068. 16So nowH6258 IH595H7592 have just oneH259 requestH7596 of youH854; do notH408 denyH7725 meH6440.”

“StateH1696 your request,” she toldH559 himH413.

17Adonijah repliedH559, “PleaseH4994 speakH559 to KingH4428 SolomonH8010, sinceH3588 he will notH3808 turn you downH7725. Let him giveH5414 me AbishagH49 the ShunammiteH7767 as my wifeH802.”

18“Very wellH2896,” BathshebaH1339 repliedH559. “IH595 will speakH1696 toH413 the kingH4428 for youH5921.”

19So BathshebaH1339 wentH935 toH413 KingH4428 SolomonH8010 to speakH1696 to him forH5921 AdonijahH138. The kingH4428 stood upH6965 to greet herH7122, bowedH7812 to her, and sat downH3427 onH5921 his throneH3678. Then the king had a throneH3678 broughtH7760 forH4428 his motherH517, who sat downH3427 at his right handH3225.

20“IH595 have just oneH259 smallH6996 request of youH7596,” she saidH559. “Do notH408 denyH7725 meH6440.”

“Make your requestH7592H854, my motherH517,” the kingH4428H7592 repliedH559, “forH3588 I will notH3808 denyH7725 youH6440.”

21So Bathsheba saidH559, “Let AbishagH49 the ShunammiteH7767 be givenH5414 to your brotherH251 AdonijahH138 as his wifeH802.”

22KingH4428 SolomonH8010H559 answeredH6030 his motherH517, “WhyH4100 do youH859 requestH7592 AbishagH49 the ShunammiteH7767 for AdonijahH138? SinceH3588 heH1931 is my olderH1419H4480 brotherH251, you might as well requestH7592 the kingdomH4410 for him and for AbiatharH54 the priestH3548 and for JoabH3097 sonH1121 of ZeruiahH6870!”

23Then KingH4428 SolomonH8010 sworeH7650 by the LORDH3068H559: “May GodH430 punishH3541H6213 me, and ever soH3541 severelyH3254, ifH3588 AdonijahH138 has not madeH1696 thisH2088 requestH1697 at the expense of his lifeH5315. 24And nowH6258, as surely as the LORDH3068 livesH2416—the OneH834 who established meH3559, who set meH3427 onH5921 the throneH3678 of my fatherH1 DavidH1732, and who foundedH6213 for me a dynastyH1004 asH834 He promisedH1696—surelyH3588 AdonijahH138 shall be put to deathH4191 todayH3117!”

25So KingH4428 SolomonH8010 gave ordersH7971 toH3027 BenaiahH1141 sonH1121 of JehoiadaH3077, and he struck downH6293 Adonijah and he diedH4191.

26Then the kingH4428 saidH559 to AbiatharH54 the priestH3548, “Go backH1980 toH5921 your fieldsH7704 in AnathothH6068. Even thoughH3588H376 youH859 deserve to dieH4194, I will notH3808 put you to deathH4191 at thisH2088 timeH3117, sinceH3588 you carriedH5375 the arkH727 of the LordH136 GODH3069 beforeH6440 my fatherH1H3588 DavidH1732, and you sufferedH6031 through allH3605 thatH834 my fatherH1 sufferedH6031.” 27So SolomonH8010 banishedH1644 AbiatharH54 fromH1961 the priesthoodH3548 of the LORDH3068 and thus fulfilledH4390 the wordH1697 thatH834 the LORDH3068 had spokenH1696 at ShilohH7887 againstH5921 the houseH1004 of EliH5941.

The Execution of Joab

28When the newsH8052 reachedH935H5704 JoabH3097, who had conspiredH5186 withH310 AdonijahH138 butH310 notH3808 withH5186 AbsalomH53, he fledH5127 toH413 the tentH168 of the LORDH3068 and took holdH2388 of the hornsH7161 of the altarH4196.

29It was reportedH5046 to KingH4428 SolomonH8010H3588: “JoabH3097 has fledH5127 toH413 the tentH168 of the LORDH3068 and is nowH2009 besideH681 the altarH4196.”

So SolomonH8010 sentH7971 BenaiahH1141 sonH1121 of JehoiadaH3077, sayingH559, “GoH1980, strike him downH6293!”

30And BenaiahH1141 enteredH935H413 the tentH168 of the LORDH3068 and saidH559 to JoabH413, “The kingH3541H4428 saysH559, ‘Come outH3318!’”

But Joab repliedH559, “NoH3808, I will dieH4191 hereH6311.”

So BenaiahH1141 relayed the messageH1697H7725 to the kingH4428, sayingH559, “This is howH3541 JoabH3097 answered meH6030.”

31And the kingH4428 repliedH559, “DoH6213 just asH834 he saysH1696. Strike him downH6293 and bury himH6912, and so removeH5493 from meH5921 and fromH5921 the houseH1004 of my fatherH1 the innocentH2600 bloodH1818 thatH834 JoabH3097 shedH8210. 32The LORDH3068 will bringH7725 his bloodshedH1818 back uponH5921 his own headH7218, forH834 withoutH3808 the knowledgeH3045 of my fatherH1 DavidH1732 he struck downH6293 twoH8147 menH582 more righteousH6662 and betterH2896 than heH4480 when he putH2026 to the swordH2719 AbnerH74 sonH1121 of NerH5369, commanderH8269 of Israel’sH3478 armyH6635, and AmasaH6021 sonH1121 of JetherH3500, commanderH8269 of Judah’sH3063 armyH6635. 33Their bloodH1818 will come backH7725 upon the headsH7218 of JoabH3097 and his descendants foreverH2233H5769; but for DavidH1732, his descendantsH2233, his houseH1004, and his throneH3678, there shall beH1961 peaceH7965 fromH5973 the LORDH3068 foreverH5704H5769.”

34So BenaiahH1141 sonH1121 of JehoiadaH3077 went upH5927, struck down JoabH6293, and killed himH4191. He was buriedH6912 at his own homeH1004 in the wildernessH4057. 35And the kingH4428 appointedH5414 BenaiahH1141 sonH1121 of JehoiadaH3077 in Joab’s placeH8478 overH5921 the armyH6635, and he appointedH5414H4428 ZadokH6659 the priestH3548 in Abiathar’sH54 placeH8478.

The Execution of Shimei

36Then the kingH4428 summonedH7971H7121 ShimeiH8096 and saidH559 to him, “BuildH1129 a houseH1004 for yourself in JerusalemH3389 and liveH3427 thereH8033, but do notH3808 goH3318 anywhere elseH575. 37On the dayH3117 you go outH3318 and crossH5674 the KidronH6939 ValleyH5158, know for sureH3045 thatH3588 you will dieH4191; your bloodH1818 will beH1961 on your own headH7218.”

38“The sentenceH1697 is fairH2896,” ShimeiH8096 repliedH559. “Your servantH5650 will doH6213 asH834 my lordH113 the kingH4428H3651 has spokenH1696.” And ShimeiH8096 livedH3427 in JerusalemH3389 for a longH7227 timeH3117.

39AfterH7093 threeH7969 yearsH8141, howeverH1961, twoH8147 of Shimei’sH8096 slavesH5650 ran awayH1272 toH413 AchishH397 sonH1121 of MaacahH4601,4 kingH4428 of GathH1661. And ShimeiH8096H559 was toldH5046, “LookH2009, your slavesH5650 are in GathH1661.”

40

So ShimeiH8096 saddledH2280 his donkeyH2543 and set outH1980 toH413 AchishH397 at GathH1661 in search ofH1245 his slavesH5650, and he brought themH5650 backH935 from GathH1661.

41When SolomonH8010 was toldH5046 thatH3588 ShimeiH8096 had goneH1980 from JerusalemH3389 to GathH1661 and had returnedH7725, 42the kingH4428 summonedH7971H7121 ShimeiH8096 and saidH559 to himH413, “Did I notH3808 make you swearH7650 by the LORDH3068 and warnH5749 you, ‘On the dayH3117 you leaveH3318 and goH1980 elsewhereH575, know for sureH3045 thatH3588 you will dieH4191’? And you toldH559 meH413, ‘The sentenceH1697 is fairH2896; I will complyH8085.’ 43So whyH4069 have you notH3808 keptH8104 your oathH7621 to the LORDH3068 andH853 the commandH4687 thatH834 I gave youH6680H5921?”

44The kingH4428H413H8096 also saidH559, “YouH859 knowH3045 in your heartH3824 allH3605 the evilH7451 thatH834H3045 you didH6213 to my fatherH1 DavidH1732. Therefore the LORDH3068 will bringH7725 your evilH7451 back upon your headH7218. 45But KingH4428 SolomonH8010 will be blessedH1288 and David’sH1732 throneH3678 will remainH1961 secureH3559 beforeH6440 the LORDH3068 foreverH5704H5769.”

46Then the kingH4428 commandedH6680 BenaiahH1141 sonH1121 of JehoiadaH3077, and he went outH3318 and struck Shimei downH6293, and he diedH4191. Thus the kingdomH4467 was firmly establishedH3559 in the handH3027 of SolomonH8010.