1 Kings 1:7-42

71He had conferred with 2Joab the son of Zeruiah and with 3Abiathar the priest; and following 4Adonijah they helped him. 8But 5Zadok the priest, 6Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, 7Nathan the prophet, 8Shimei, Rei, and 9the mighty men who belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.

9Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fatlings by the 10stone of Zoheleth, which is beside 11En-rogel; and he invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah, the king’s servants. 10But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, and 12Solomon his brother.

11Then Nathan spoke to 13Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king, and David our lord does not know it? 12So now come, please let me 14give you counsel and save your life and the life of your son Solomon. 13Go 15at once to King David and say to him, ‘Have you not, my lord, O king, sworn to your maidservant, saying, “16Surely Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’ 14Behold, 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 the bedroom. Now 17the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was ministering to the king. 16Then Bathsheba bowed and prostrated herself 18before the king. And the king said, “What 19do you wish?” 17She said to him, “My lord, you swore to your maidservant by the Lord your God, saying, ‘20Surely your son Solomon shall be king after me and he shall sit on my throne.’ 18Now, behold, Adonijah is king; and now, my lord the king, you do not know it. 1921He has sacrificed oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king and Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of the army, but he has not invited Solomon your servant. 20As for you now, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, to tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 21Otherwise it will come about, 22as soon as my lord the king sleeps with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be considered 23offenders.”

22Behold, while she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in. 23They told the king, saying, “Here is Nathan the prophet.” And when he came in before the king, he prostrated himself 24before the king with his face to the ground. 24Then Nathan said, “My lord the king, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne’? 2525For he has gone down today and has sacrificed oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king’s sons and the commanders of the army and Abiathar the priest, and behold, they are eating and drinking before him; and they say, ‘26Long live King Adonijah!’ 2627But me, even me your servant, and Zadok the priest and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and your servant Solomon, he has not invited. 27Has this thing been done by my lord the king, and you have not shown to your 28servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”

28Then King David said, “Call Bathsheba to me.” And she came into the king’s presence and stood before the king. 29The king vowed and said, “29As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life from all distress, 30surely as 30I vowed to you by the Lord the God of Israel, saying, ‘Your son Solomon shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place’; I will indeed do so this day.” 31Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground, and prostrated herself 31before the king and said, “32May my lord King David live forever.”

32Then King David said, “Call to me 33Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada.” And they came into the king’s presence. 33The king said to them, “Take with you 34the servants of your lord, and have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, and bring him down to 35Gihon. 34Let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet 36anoint him there as king over Israel, and 37blow the trumpet and say, ‘38Long live King Solomon!’ 35Then you shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne and be king in my place; for I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah.” 36Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, “Amen! Thus may the Lord, the God of my lord the king, say. 3739As the Lord has been with my lord the king, so may He be with Solomon, and 40make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David!”

38So 41Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, 42the Cherethites, and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David’s mule, and brought him to 43Gihon. 39Zadok the priest then 44took the horn of oil from the tent and 45anointed Solomon. Then they 46blew the trumpet, and all the people said, “47Long live King Solomon!” 40All the people went up after him, and the people 48were playing on flutes and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth 49shook at their noise.

41Now Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished eating. When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, “Why 50is the city making such an uproar?” 42While he was still speaking, behold, 51Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came. Then Adonijah said, “Come in, for 52you are a valiant man and bring good news.”