1 Kings 2

David’s Charge to Solomon

1As David’sH1732 12timeH3117 to dieH4191 drewH7126 nearH7126, he chargedH6680 SolomonH8010 his sonH1121, sayingH559, 2“3I am goingH1980 the wayH1870 of allH3605 the earthH776. 4Be strongH2388, therefore, and 5showH1961 yourself a manH376. 3KeepH8104 the chargeH4931 of the LordH3068 your GodH430, to walkH1980 in His waysH1870, to keepH8104 His statutesH2708, His commandmentsH4687, His ordinancesH4941, and His testimoniesH5715, 6according to what is writtenH3789 in the LawH8451 of MosesH4872, that 7you may succeedH7919 in allH3605 that you doH6213 and whereverH3605H834H8033 you turnH6437, 4soH4616 that 8the LordH3068 may carryH6965 out His promiseH1697 whichH834 He spokeH1696 concerningH5921 me, sayingH559, ‘9IfH518 your sonsH1121 are carefulH8104 of their wayH1870, 10to walkH1980 beforeH6440 Me in 11truthH571 with allH3605 their heartH3824 and with allH3605 their soulH5315, 1213you shall not lackH3772 a manH376 on the throneH3678 of IsraelH3478.’

5“Now you alsoH1571 knowH3045 whatH834 JoabH3097 the 14sonH1121 of ZeruiahH6870 didH6213 to me, whatH834 he didH6213 to the twoH8147 commandersH8269 of the armiesH6635 of IsraelH3478, to 15AbnerH74 the sonH1121 of NerH5369, and to 16AmasaH6021 the sonH1121 of JetherH3500, whom he killedH2026; he also 17shedH7760 the bloodH1818 of warH4421 in peaceH7965. And he putH5414 the bloodH1818 of warH4421 on his beltH2290 18about his waistH4975, and on his sandalsH5275 19on his feetH7272. 620So actH6213 according to your wisdomH2451, and do not let his grayH7872 hairH7872 goH3381 downH3381 to 21SheolH7585 in peaceH7965. 7But 22showH6213 kindnessH2617 to the sonsH1121 of BarzillaiH1271 the GileaditeH1569, and 23let them be among those who eatH398 at your tableH7979; 24for they 25assistedH7126 me when I fledH1272 from AbsalomH53 your brotherH251. 8BeholdH2009, 26there is with you ShimeiH8096 the sonH1121 of GeraH1617 the BenjamiteH1145, of BahurimH980; now it was he who cursedH7043 me with a 27violentH4834 curseH7045 on the dayH3117 I wentH1980 to MahanaimH4266. But when 28he cameH3381 downH3381H7122 to me at the JordanH3383, I sworeH7650 to him by the LordH3068, sayingH559, ‘I will not putH4191 you to deathH4191 with the swordH2719.’ 9NowH6258 therefore, do not let him goH5352 unpunishedH5352, 29for you are a wiseH2450 manH376; and you will knowH3045 whatH834 you ought to doH6213 to him, and you will bringH3381 his grayH7872 hairH7872 downH3381 to 30SheolH7585 with bloodH1818.”

Death of David

10Then 31DavidH1732 sleptH7901 with his fathersH1 and was buriedH6912 in 32the cityH5892 of DavidH1732. 1133The daysH3117 that DavidH1732 reignedH4427 overH5921 IsraelH3478 were fortyH705 yearsH8141: 34sevenH7651 yearsH8141 he reignedH4427 in HebronH2275 and thirty-threeH7970H7969 yearsH8141 he reignedH4427 in JerusalemH3389. 12And 35SolomonH8010 satH3427 on the throneH3678 of DavidH1732 his fatherH1, and his kingdomH4438 was firmlyH3966 establishedH3559.

13Now AdonijahH138 the sonH1121 of HaggithH2294 cameH935 to BathshebaH1339 the motherH517 of SolomonH8010. And she saidH559, “36Do you comeH935 peacefullyH7965?” And he saidH559, “PeacefullyH7965.” 14Then he saidH559, “I have somethingH1697 to say to you.” And she saidH559, “SpeakH1696.” 15So he saidH559, “You knowH3045 that 37the kingdomH4410 was mine and 38that allH3605 IsraelH3478 39expectedH7760H6440 me to be kingH4427; 40however, the kingdomH4410 has turnedH5437 aboutH5437 and becomeH1961 my brother’sH251, 41for it was his from the LordH3068. 16NowH6258 I am makingH7592 oneH259 requestH7596 of you; do not 42refuseH7725 me.” And she saidH559 to him, “SpeakH1696.” 17Then he saidH559, “PleaseH4994 speakH559 to SolomonH8010 the kingH4428, for he will not 43refuseH7725 you, that he may giveH5414 me 44AbishagH49 the ShunammiteH7767 as a wifeH802.” 18BathshebaH1339 saidH559, “VeryH2896 wellH2896; I will speakH1696 to the kingH4428 for you.”

Adonijah Executed

19So BathshebaH1339 wentH935 to KingH4428 SolomonH8010 to speakH1696 to him for AdonijahH138. And the kingH4428 aroseH6965 to meetH7122 her, bowedH7812 before her, and satH3427 on his throneH3678; then he 45had a throneH3678 setH7760 for the king’sH4428 motherH517, and 46she satH3427 on his rightH3225. 20Then she saidH559, “I am makingH7592 oneH259 smallH6996 requestH7596 of you; 47do not 48refuseH7725 me.” And the kingH4428 saidH559 to her, “AskH7592, my motherH517, for I will not 49refuseH7725 you.” 21So she saidH559, “50Let AbishagH49 the ShunammiteH7767 be givenH5414 to AdonijahH138 your brotherH251 as a wifeH802.” 22KingH4428 SolomonH8010 answeredH6030 and saidH559 to his motherH517, “And whyH4100 are you askingH7592 AbishagH49 the ShunammiteH7767 for AdonijahH138? 51AskH7592 for him also the kingdomH4410--52for he is my olderH1419 brotherH251--even for him, for 53AbiatharH54 the priestH3548, and for JoabH3097 the sonH1121 of ZeruiahH6870!” 23Then KingH4428 SolomonH8010 sworeH7650 by the LordH3068, sayingH559, “May GodH430 doH6213 soH3541 to me and moreH3254 alsoH3541, ifH3588 AdonijahH138 has 54not spokenH1696 thisH2088 wordH1697 against his own 55lifeH5315. 24NowH6258 therefore, as the LordH3068 livesH2416, whoH834 has establishedH3559 me and setH3427 me on the throneH3678 of DavidH1732 my fatherH1 and 56whoH834 has madeH6213 me a houseH1004 as He promisedH1696, surelyH3588 AdonijahH138 shall be putH4191 to deathH4191 todayH3117.” 25So KingH4428 SolomonH8010 57sentH7971 BenaiahH1141 the sonH1121 of JehoiadaH3077; and he fellH6293 upon him so that he diedH4191.

26Then to AbiatharH54 the priestH3548 the kingH4428 saidH559, “58GoH1980 to AnathothH6068 to your own fieldH7704, 59for you 60deserveH376 to dieH4194; but I will not putH4191 you to deathH4191 at thisH2088 timeH3117, becauseH3588 61you carriedH5375 the arkH727 of the LordH136 62GodH3068 beforeH6440 my fatherH1 DavidH1732, and becauseH3588 63you were afflictedH6031 in everythingH3605 with whichH834 my fatherH1 was afflictedH6031.” 27So SolomonH8010 dismissedH1644 AbiatharH54 from beingH1961 priestH3548 to the LordH3068, in order to fulfillH4390 64the wordH1697 of the LordH3068, whichH834 He had spokenH1696 concerningH5921 the houseH1004 of EliH5941 in ShilohH7887.

Joab Executed

28Now the newsH8052 cameH935 to JoabH3097, 65for JoabH3097 had followedH5186H310 AdonijahH138, 66although he had not followedH310H5186 AbsalomH53. And JoabH3097 fledH5127 to the tentH168 of the LordH3068 and 67tookH2388 holdH2388 of the hornsH7161 of the altarH4196. 29It was toldH5046 KingH4428 SolomonH8010 that JoabH3097 had fledH5127 to the tentH168 of the LordH3068, and beholdH2009, he is besideH681 the altarH4196. Then SolomonH8010 68sentH7971 BenaiahH1141 the sonH1121 of JehoiadaH3077, sayingH559, “69GoH1980, fallH6293 upon him.” 30So BenaiahH1141 cameH935 to the tentH168 of the LordH3068 and saidH559 to him, “ThusH3541 the kingH4428 has saidH559, ‘ComeH3318 out.’” But he saidH559, “NoH3808, for I will dieH4191 hereH6311.” And BenaiahH1141 broughtH7725 the kingH4428 wordH1697 againH7725, sayingH559, “ThusH3541 spokeH1696 JoabH3097, and thusH3541 he answeredH6030 me.” 31The kingH4428 saidH559 to him, “70DoH6213 as he has spokenH1696 and fallH6293 upon him and buryH6912 him, 71that you may removeH5493 from me and from my father’sH1 houseH1004 the bloodH1818 whichH834 JoabH3097 shedH8210 withoutH2600 causeH2600. 3272The LordH3068 will returnH7725 his bloodH1818 on his own headH7218, 73becauseH834 he fellH6293 upon twoH8147 menH376 moreH4480 righteousH6662 and betterH2896 thanH4480 he and killedH2026 them with the swordH2719, while my fatherH1 DavidH1732 did not knowH3045 it: 74AbnerH74 the sonH1121 of NerH5369, commanderH8269 of the armyH6635 of IsraelH3478, and 75AmasaH6021 the sonH1121 of JetherH3500, commanderH8269 of the armyH6635 of JudahH3063. 3376So shall their bloodH1818 returnH7725 on the headH7218 of JoabH3097 and on the headH7218 of his 77descendantsH2233 foreverH5769; but to DavidH1732 and his 78descendantsH2233 and his houseH1004 and his throneH3678, may there be peaceH7965 from the LordH3068 foreverH5704H5769.” 34Then 79BenaiahH1141 the sonH1121 of JehoiadaH3077 wentH5927 up and fellH6293 upon him and putH4191 him to deathH4191, and he was buriedH6912 at his own houseH1004 80in the wildernessH4057. 3581The kingH4428 appointedH5414 BenaiahH1141 the sonH1121 of JehoiadaH3077 overH5921 the armyH6635 in his placeH8478, and the kingH4428 appointedH5414 82ZadokH6659 the priestH3548 83in the placeH8478 of AbiatharH54.

Shimei Executed

36Now the kingH4428 sentH7971 and calledH7121 for 84ShimeiH8096 and saidH559 to him, “BuildH1129 for yourself a houseH1004 in JerusalemH3389 and liveH3427 thereH8033, and do not goH3318 out from thereH8033 to anyH575 placeH575. 37For on the dayH3117 you goH3318 out and 85crossH5674 overH5674 the 86brookH5158 KidronH6939, you will knowH3045 for certainH3045 that you shall surelyH4191 dieH4191; 87your bloodH1818 shall be on your own headH7218.” 38ShimeiH8096 then saidH559 to the kingH4428, “The wordH1697 is goodH2896. As my lordH113 the kingH4428 has saidH1696, soH3651 your servantH5650 will doH6213.” So ShimeiH8096 livedH3427 in JerusalemH3389 manyH7227 daysH3117.

39But it cameH1961 about at the endH7093 of threeH7969 yearsH8141, that twoH8147 of the servantsH5650 of ShimeiH8096 ranH1272 awayH1272 88to AchishH397 sonH1121 of MaacahH4601, kingH4428 of GathH1661. And they toldH5046 ShimeiH8096, sayingH559, “BeholdH2009, your servantsH5650 are in GathH1661.” 40Then ShimeiH8096 aroseH6965 and saddledH2280 his donkeyH2543, and wentH1980 to GathH1661 to AchishH397 to lookH1245 for his servantsH5650. And ShimeiH8096 wentH1980 and broughtH935 his servantsH5650 from GathH1661. 41It was toldH5046 SolomonH8010 that ShimeiH8096 had goneH1980 from JerusalemH3389 to GathH1661, and had returnedH7725. 42So the kingH4428 sentH7971 and calledH7121 for ShimeiH8096 and saidH559 to him, “Did I not make you swearH7650 by the LordH3068 and solemnlyH5749 warnH5749 you, sayingH559, ‘You will knowH3045 for certainH3045 that on the dayH3117 you departH3318 and goH1980 anywhereH575, you shall surelyH4191 dieH4191’? And you saidH559 to me, ‘The wordH1697 which I have heardH8085 is goodH2896.’ 43WhyH4069 then have you not keptH8104 the oathH7621 of the LordH3068, and the commandH4687 whichH834 I 89have laidH6680 on you?” 44The kingH4428 also saidH559 to ShimeiH8096, “90You knowH3045 allH3605 the evilH7463 whichH834 91you acknowledgeH3045 in your heartH3824, whichH834 you didH6213 to my fatherH1 DavidH1732; therefore 92the LordH3068 shall returnH7725 your evilH7463 on your own headH7218. 45But KingH4428 SolomonH8010 shall be blessedH1288, and 93the throneH3678 of DavidH1732 shall be establishedH3559 beforeH6440 the LordH3068 foreverH5704H5769.” 4694So the kingH4428 commandedH6680 BenaiahH1141 the sonH1121 of JehoiadaH3077, and he wentH3318 out and fellH6293 upon him so that he diedH4191.

95Thus the kingdomH4467 was establishedH3559 in the handsH3027 of SolomonH8010.