1 Kings 2:5-32

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.”

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.

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.

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.