1 Kings 1:5-25

5Now 1Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king.” So 2he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, with fifty men to run before him. 6And his father had never rebuked him at any time by asking, “Why have you done so?” And he was also a very handsome man, and 34he was born after Absalom. 7Now 5he had conferred with 6Joab the son of Zeruiah and with 7Abiathar the priest; and they allied themselves with 8Adonijah. 8But 9Zadok the priest, 10Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, 11Nathan the prophet, 12Shimei, Rei, and 13the mighty men who belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.

9Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fattened steers by the 14stone of Zoheleth, which is beside 15En-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, or his brother 16Solomon.

11Then Nathan spoke to 17Bathsheba 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 18give you advice, and save your life and the life of your son Solomon. 13Go 19at once to King David and say to him, ‘Have you not, my lord the king, sworn to your servant, saying, “20Solomon your son certainly 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 entered to the king in the bedroom. Now 21the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king. 16Then Bathsheba bowed and prostrated herself 22before the king. And the king said, “What 23is on your mind?” 17So she said to him, “My lord, you yourself swore to your servant by the Lord your God, saying, ‘24Your son Solomon certainly shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne.’ 18But now, behold, Adonijah is king; and now, my lord the king, you do not know it. 1925He has sacrificed oxen and fattened steers and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army, but he has not invited Solomon your servant. 20And as for you, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are upon you, to announce to them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 21Otherwise it will come about, 26as soon as my lord the king 27lies down with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be considered 28offenders.”

22And behold, while she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in. 23They informed the king, saying, “Nathan the prophet is here.” And when he came into the king’s presence, he prostrated himself 29before the king with his face to the ground. 24Then Nathan said, “My lord the king, have you yourself said, ‘Adonijah shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne’? 2530For he has gone down today and has sacrificed oxen and fattened steers and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king’s sons, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest, and behold, they are eating and drinking in his presence; and they say, ‘31Long live King Adonijah!’